Tonight at 7pm, Rutgers will meet the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy in what could be a big test:
Rutgers began working on Navy’s option-based offense in its preseason camp. The Midshipmen moved senior Antron Harper to center from guard last spring partly with opponents like Rutgers in mind.
The machinations between the Midshipmen (1-0) and the 15th-ranked Scarlet Knights (1-0) began well before tonight’s game at Rutgers Stadium.
Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano, a former assistant with Penn State, Miami (Fla.) and the Chicago Bears, is considered a defensive mastermind, and his team allowed 14.3 points per game last year, its fewest since 1980.
Meantime, Navy’s offense has led the nation in rushing in three of the past five years. The Midshipmen gained 361 yards rushing in a 30-19 victory over Temple last week. Coach Paul Johnson calls plays without using notes or a script.
“I’m thankful there aren’t more on our schedule that do it,” Schiano said of facing option teams. “I love the challenge and it is a special week for a defensive coach because it’s something different and you get your juices going, but I’d just as soon rather not have to deal with it.”
Johnson said Harper was moved to center because his strength and low center of gravity — he is 5 feet 11, 272 pounds — make it hard for defensive tackles to push him into the quarterback.
The Scarlet Knights did that quite often in a 34-0 victory over Navy last year; they finished with 11 tackles for a loss and seven sacks.
The key matchup tonight features Harper and guards Ben Gabbard (6-4, 297) and Anthony Gaskins (6-1, 281) against defensive tackles Eric Foster (6-2, 265) and Vantrise Studivant (6-3, 270), who replaces Pete Tverdov, who has a sprained ankle. Like most option teams, Navy’s priority is to establish its fullback up the middle. Doing so commits defenders to the middle and possibly opens up the outside running lanes.
Against the Scarlet Knights, it is easier said than done.
And that’s not something you could’ve said a few years ago.
September 7th, 2007 at 9:40 am
I grew up always cheering on Navy in the annual Army-Navy game, and have grown to cheer on Navy in other games as well. This game should be a good test for both teams to see just how far each has gotten, and this would be a great win to pull off against Rutgers.