NAVY 74 - North Texas 62

NAVY Football No. 10. Observations from an Olde Poolie

November 10, 2007. NAVY 74 @ North Texas 62. WOW! After practicing in comfortable 50 - 60 degree weather last week the Midshipmen played in Denton, Texas on a warm (80 deg.) and humid afternoon before 26,000 fans. The Midshipmen spotted the Mean Green 14 points, then fell behind 21 - 3, but in a game where defense was almost non-existent, the Midshipmen prevailed once again. There were many records broken. The most points scored by Navy since a 121 - 0 win over Colby in 1919. The 136 combined points is an NCAA record.

Navy kicked off and North Texas, which used a no-huddle offense, behind the passing of freshman Giovanni Vizza took 13 plays to score. NT 7 Navy 0. North Texas then executed an on-sides kick and recovered the ball at their own 41. Five plays later they scored on a 36 yard pass to lead 14 - 0. Navy drove to the 10 yard line and kicked a 22 yard FG. NT 14 Navy 3 with 4 minutes left in the quarter. NT responded with a 79 yard drive scoring on a nine yard pass. North Texas 21 Navy 3 . A good kick-off return plus a 15 yard penalty gave Navy a first down at the NT 41 yard line. QB Kaheaku-Enhada then connected with WR Barnes for a 41 yard TD. NT 21 Navy 10 as the quarter ended.

The Mean Green scored on a 25 yard pass. Navy responded with an 80 yard drive climaxed with a 12 yard TD by FB Adam Ballard. (Ballard played high school football a few miles from Denton.) NT 28 Navy 17 with 9:40 left. A 60 yard pass play gave NT another TD. 35 - 17. The Midshipmen covered 78 yards in two plays as Shun White took a pitch out and raced 64 yards for a TD. North Texas 35 Navy 24 with 9 minutes remaining. North Texas again got the ball back at Navy’s 34 on an on-sides kick. Two plays later they scored on a 29 yard pass. 42 - 24. Navy returned the kick off to the 43. Eight plays later Singleton scored from three yards out. NT 42 Navy 31. A 75 yard pass play gave the Mean Green another seven points and a 49 - 31 lead with 4:12 left in the half. Navy drove 56 yards in 7 plays with Reggie Campbell scoring on a 21 yard scamper. 49 - 38. Navy’s defense stepped up with a sack and two incomplete passes. A fourth down pass did not gain enough and the Midshipmen had the ball at the 50 with 35 seconds left. Enhada found Campbell open for a 47 yard pass to the three. Singleton scored on the next play with 7 seconds left. North Texas 49 Navy 45 at the half. Wow!

Navy started the second half with a 60 yard drive in nine plays and 4:38 minutes to take the lead 51 - 49. Bullen’s PAT was blocked. Enhada bruised his leg and was replaced with Jerod Bryant for the last three plays of the drive. Bryant scored on a 6 yard run. Enhada did not return but is expected to be OK for Saturday. North Texas moved into Navy’s territory but LB Ram Vela intercepted and the Midshipmen had the ball at the 20. Four plays later SB Singleton took a pitch out, made some nifty moves, and raced 65 yards for a TD. Navy 58 NT 49 with 7:08 left in the quarter. It took North Texas seven plays and a 17 yard TD pass to close to 58 - 56. Freshman Emmett Merchant returned the kick-off to Navy’s 36. FB Kettani carried three straight times and gained 39, 3 and 12 yards to score and give Navy a 65 - 56 lead with 2:30 left in the quarter. Early in the fourth quarter LB Wimsatt intercepted and Navy had the ball at their own 20. The Midshipmen moved to midfield but Greg Veteto punted to the NT 3 yard line. It was only Navy’s 12th punt of the year. Navy’s defense again stepped up. On a third and six play the Mean Green were called for holding in the end zone and Navy was awarded a two point safety. Navy 67 NT 56. On the “free kick” Reggie Campbell found day light and returned the kick 73 yards for an exciting TD. Navy 74 NT 56 with 8:06 remaining. It was the first kick-off return for a touchdown for Navy in ten years. North Texas answered with a 75 yard drive to close to 74 - 62 with 3:02 left. Their two point PAT attempt failed. The Midshipmen actually drove to the NT 12 yard line but knelt down to run out the clock.

“It’s bizarre. That’s about the best way to describe it. There wasn’t a whole lot of defense being played anywhere,” Navy head coach Paul Johnson said. Navy outscored North Texas 29 - 13 in the second half. Two interceptions and a safety in the end zone were pivotal. The Midshipmen had 572 yards on the ground, a new record for Navy, plus 108 yards on 4-6-0 passing. North Texas had 478 yards passing on 40-50-2. QB Vizza set a bunch of records. By winning their sixth game the Midshipmen qualified for a Bowl bid and are assured to play in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on December 20.

Next week: Navy hosts Northern Illinois (2-8) in a 3:30 start. (CSTV). In 2006 Northern Illinois (MAC Conference) was 7 - 5 in regular season with wins over Temple, Ball State, Miami(Ohio), and Eastern Michigan. They lost to TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl 37 - 7. Although blown out by Wisconsin and Toledo this season they lost four games by seven points or less. They beat Kent State 27 - 20 yesterday. Could be a tough game.

Army (3 - 7) lost at home to Rutgers Friday night 6 - 41. Air Force (8 - 3) beat Notre
Dame(1 - 9) 41 - 24. The first time in history that Notre Dame has lost nine games in a season.

Navy’s Record. (6 - 4)

Aug. 31 Navy 30 @ Temple 19
Sept. 7 @ Rutgers 41 Navy 27
Sept. 15 Ball State 34 @ Navy 31 ot
Sept 22 Navy 46 Duke 43
Sept. 29 Navy 31 Air Force 20
Oct. 10 Navy 48 @ Pittsburgh 45 (2 OT)
Oct. 20 Wake Forest 44 @ Navy 24
Oct. 27 Delaware 59 Navy 52
Nov. 3 Navy 46 @ Notre Dame 44(NBC) (3ot)
Nov. 10 Navy 74 @ North Texas 62
Nov. 17 Northern Illinois 3:30 pm (CSTV)
Dec. 1 Army 12 pm (CBS) at Baltimore

Northern Illinois Huskies Record (2 - 8)

Aug. 30 @ Iowa 16. No.Ill. 3
Sept. 8 Southern Illinois 34 No. Ill. 31
Sept. 15 Eastern Michigan 21 No. Ill. 19
Sept. 22 Northern Illinois 42 @ Idaho 35
Sept. 29 @ Cent. Michigan 35 No. Ill. 10
Oct. 6 @ Temple 16 No. Ill. 15
Oct. 13 West. Michigan 17 No. Ill. 13
Oct. 20 @ Wisconsin 44 No. Ill. 3
Oct. 27 @ Toledo 70 No. Ill. 21
Nov. 3 Open
Nov. 10 Nor. Illinois 27 Kent State 20
Nov. 17 @ NAVY 3:30 pm
Nov. 24 Ball State

GO NAVY, BEAT NORTHERN ILLINOIS!