The Midshipmen protection held the stout Black Knights offense in test within the one hundred and twenty fifth assembly on Saturday
Navy defeated Military 31-13 on Saturday to take house the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, and it was a much-deserved win. The Midshipmen opened the sport with a 65-yard landing drive and by no means gave up the lead from there. The Navy offense offered loads of large performs to place factors on the board, whereas the protection stifled Military all afternoon.
The star of the sport was Navy quarterback Blake Horvath, who excelled on the bottom and within the air as he completed with 204 yards speeding and a two touchdowns speeding whereas additionally throwing for 107 yards and two touchdowns. The large play was a 52-yard landing go to Eli Heidenreich within the third quarter that prolonged Navy’s result in 21-10 after Military opened the second half with a discipline objective.
Military simply couldn’t match the output. Quarterback Bryson Every day had an excellent season and earned sufficient votes to complete sixth in Heisman Trophy balloting, however he had no room to run on Saturday in opposition to the stifling Midshipmen defensive assault. Every day was held to solely 52 yards speeding, although he did throw for a rating. It is solely the second time this season Every day failed to attain a speeding landing.
It is also the primary time since 2010 that this sport included three or extra passing touchdowns. The win provides Navy its seventeenth Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which trails Air Pressure’s 21 for many all-time.
CBS Sports activities will replace this story shortly with takeaways.
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This was solely Newberry’s second Military-Navy Sport accountable for the Naval Academy, however it was vital for him to get his first win. Not for himself, however for the Academy as an entire.
Navy dominated this collection for practically 20 years, successful 16 of 18 conferences between 1997 and 2015, however the tide has turned in current seasons. Military had not solely received six of the final eight conferences getting into the season, however it confirmed up in Navy’s convention this yr and received it on the primary attempt. Navy hasn’t received the league in any of its 10 seasons.
However you already know what? None of that issues. Navy received this sport, and the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy is heading to Annapolis. Ultimately, that is all that issues to both of those groups.
Any time there is a sport between service academies, turnovers could have an amazing affect. They’re vital in each sport. However in ones like this, when there are fewer possessions, they tackle better significance.
What’s really wild is there have been 5 fumbles within the sport however all had been recovered by the fumbling group.
What’s wilder than that’s Military got here into the sport with the bottom general turnover charge on offense this season and the fewest complete turnovers with 5. After which it turned the ball over 3 times on this sport.
Bryson Every day does not drop again to go typically, however when he does, he takes care of the soccer. He’d thrown just one interception all season, however Navy made him uncomfortable all sport and compelled him into throwing three at the moment. There was merely no means Military may overcome the errors.
Whereas Blake Horvath will (deservedly) obtain loads of accolades, we should not overlook the job the Navy protection did on this sport. It was clear what Navy’s gameplan was: take away the Military speeding assault and power Bryson Every day to turn into a dropback passer to search out explosive performs. It has been the identical method each group that is confronted Military this season took however few succeeded. Navy dominated.
Military was held to 113 yards speeding, averaging solely 2.9 yards per carry. Not even the Notre Dame protection was as efficient, as Military managed 207 yards on 3.6 yards per carry in that sport.
The longest rush Military managed all sport was a 12-yard pickup by Kanye Udoh (53 yards on 14 carries). Every day did not have a rush better than 5 yards in the whole sport.
Blake Horvath was having a stable season for Navy, however I am undecided anyone noticed this efficiency coming. He had been knocked out of Navy’s loss to Tulane with an damage to his throwing shoulder that saved him out of Navy’s final sport in opposition to East Carolina. It was affordable to query whether or not Horvath could be accessible to play this sport, or if he’d even be 100% if he did play.
Properly, if this wasn’t Horvath at 100%, I worry what he is able to at full power.
Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns within the sport, which feels out of line for a service academy however is in keeping with what he is performed all yr. It is eighth time he is thrown for a minimum of 100 yards in a sport this yr and the fifth time he is thrown a number of touchdowns.
Nonetheless, his speeding complete of 204 yards was essentially the most he is had in a sport since speeding for 211 in opposition to Memphis again on Sept. 21, and that was in a 56-44 shootout that noticed few tackles made. He hadn’t rushed for greater than 129 yards in some other sport this season.
What was really exceptional is that Horvath had a sport on the bottom all people anticipated from Military’s Bryson Every day, who entered the sport tied with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty for many speeding touchdowns this season with 29. Military will want a miracle now.
Navy takes benefit of the interception by getting a 27-yard discipline objective to increase its result in 18 factors. Extra vital than the three factors, nevertheless, was the three minutes of sport clock the Midshipmen offense took off the clock doing so.
Military is out of timeouts and has solely 3:45 left to get three scores. I’ll say the percentages aren’t nice.
Horvath simply tacked one other 48 yards onto his speeding complete and Navy is contained in the Military 15. Horvath is as much as 199 yards speeding on 24 carries.
Military has 178 yards complete.
Bryson Every day rolls to his left to purchase time, crosses the road of scrimmage, and unleashes a go again throughout the sphere. It is picked off, however then comes unfastened however earlier than hitting the bottom it finds the welcome arms of one other Navy defender.
It is a turnover, and Navy will get the ball again at midfield with 7:24 left to play forward by 15 factors.
It has been that sort of day for each groups.
That ought to nearly do it. Military wanted a cease, however Navy did not oblige. It is a 10-play, 75-yard landing drive saved alive by an excellent faux punt and completed by a 1-yard landing run from Blake Horvath.
Horvath is now as much as 144 yards on the bottom and two touchdowns. Military solely has 167 yards as a group.
With solely 8:50 remaining, and Military down to 1 timeout, it will be extraordinarily troublesome for the Knights to mount a comeback.
Navy with the trickery! Going through a fourth down at midfield, the Midshipmen run a faux by getting the ball to defensive lineman Landon Robinson, who picks up 30 yards. After all, it was additionally practically a catastrophe as Robinson, who is not used to carrying the ball, fumbled when tackled however Navy was in a position to get again on the ball.
That faux might have simply iced the sport.
The excellent news for Military is it obtained a 31-yard discipline objective to make it a one-score sport. The dangerous information is it wanted 13 performs to maneuver 45 yards and burned 6:43 of sport time within the course of. There’s nonetheless 14:44 left to go within the sport, however additional complicating issues is Military used two timeouts on the possession, leaving them with just one.
Now Military must get a cease and a landing and two-point conversion to power time beyond regulation. One other Navy rating would doubtless ice the sport, until it comes in a short time.
Casey Reynolds runs a double-move and finds himself WIDE OPEN in the long run zone, however Bryson Every day’s throw sails over his head and out of attain. Large miss.
Navy leads Military 21-10 after three quarters, and the Midshipmen have been in a position to develop their lead within the second half. After main 14-7 at halftime, Military opened the second half with a discipline objective drive, however Navy wasted little time responding as Blake Horvath hit Eli Heidenreich for a 52-yard landing lower than 2 minutes later. Not all hope is misplaced for Military, although. The Knights ended the third quarter with their offense within the pink zone trying to lower this all the way down to a one-score sport.
To take action, Military must remedy a Navy run protection that is confirmed robust by 45 minutes. Military has rushed for 111 yards as a group however is averaging solely 3 yards per carry. Examine that to Navy QB Blake Horvath, who has rushed for 101 yards by himself.
Their run sport persevering with to falter, Military is pressured to decide on fourth-and-6 at its 45-yard line. Jeff Monken leaves the offense out, however the Knights take an excessive amount of time to get lined up, and Bryson Every day is pressured to burn a timeout.
Now Military not solely faces a important fourth down whereas down two scores late within the third quarter, however it’s down a timeout that would show essential later within the sport. Only a mess throughout.
The excellent news for Military is Navy is known as for roughing the passer on fourth down to increase the drive. There was additionally a flag for go interference, however Military declined the penalty.
Navy is immediately a quick-strike offense. Blake Horvath drops again, finds Eli Heidenreich with a go alongside the sideline, and all he has to do is shake a tackler and it is 52 yards down the sideline for the rating.
It is Horvath’s second landing go of of the sport and he is now as much as 107 yards by the air and 101 on the bottom. Horvath and Military’s Bryson Every day have mixed for 3 passing touchdowns already at the moment, which is essentially the most in any Military-Navy Sport since 2010. As for Heidenreich, it has been apparent that Military’s defensive intention was to take him out of the sport, and up till that landing, it had been profitable.
Military went 47 yards in 11 performs and saved its drive alive by drawing a go interference on a shock go on fourth down, however Navy’s run protection continues to play effectively and was in a position tos tall the drive. After an incomplete go from Bryson Every day, Trey Gronotte hit a 39-yard discipline objective to chop the result in 14-10.
The drive began with a 12-yard acquire by Kanye Udoh, however exterior of that run, Military was stifled. Every day has tried 10 passes, which isn’t the recipe for achievement with this Military offense. He has not been in a position to get something happening the bottom, as he is been held to 2.4 yards per carry, and hasn’t had a run longer than 5 yards.
Military begins the half with the ball on the Military 30.
We have got a wonderful one on our palms within the one hundred and twenty fifth version of the Military-Navy Sport. It appeared as if we could possibly be in for a one-sided contest early after Navy scored a landing on its opening possession and would tack on a second to go forward 14-0 as Military struggled to do something on offense.
Military lastly broke by within the second quarter to chop the lead in half, nevertheless, however the Black Knights have struggled to search out consistency on offense in any other case. They managed solely 56 yards speeding, averaging a scant 2.9 yards per carry. Each quarterbacks within the sport are taking part in effectively. Navy’s Blake Horvath has thrown for 55 yards and rushed for one more 98 with a landing by the air and on the bottom. Military’s Bryson Every day, who has been coping with a lower on his non-throwing hand since having it stepped on early within the sport, threw a landing as effectively. He is at 50 yards passing, however he has been held to 30 on the bottom.
Military will get the ball to begin the second half and attempt to tie this sport up.
The Navy protection is having an excellent day. Other than the landing drive, Military hasn’t been in a position to do a lot of something, and it is as a result of Navy is holding them to 2.9 yards per stick with it the bottom.
Navy will get the ball at its 35 with 1:25 to play and two timeouts. We’ll see how aggressive they wish to get right here.
Staying forward of the chains is so important on this matchup. Blake Horvath shakes a defender and takes off for 37 yards to get into Military territory, however on the very subsequent play the Midshipmen lose yards, and two performs later they’re pressured to punt due to it.
Military will get the ball with an opportunity to tie earlier than halftime at its 8-yard line with simply over 4 minutes to work with.
Military is lastly on the board, and it did not get there on the bottom. Bryson Every day hits Hayden Reed on a soar go for a 23-yard landing to cap off an 8-play, 65-yard drive. It was a sorely wanted drive for Military too.
After managing solely 25 yards and two first downs on their first two possessions, the Knights picked up three first downs on their third possession, and transformed on an important fourth all the way down to preserve the drive alive.
Turnovers are essential on this sport, and Navy took benefit of the primary one within the sport. The Midshipmen march 44 yards in 3 performs following the interception with Blake Horvath hitting Brandon Chatman for an 18-yard landing go on a wheel route out of the backfield.
The large play of the drive was a 21-yard run by Horvath, who initially dropped again to go, noticed no person choice and took off.
Horvath is having an amazing day to this point, as he is thrown for 49 yards and a landing whereas additionally speeding for 48 yards and a landing. He has 97 yards by himself whereas Military solely has 25 as a group.
Military got here into the day with solely 5 turnovers on the season. The bottom quantity within the nation.
They simply had their sixth. Bryson Every day dropped again on third down, held the ball far too lengthy, after which made a nasty throw that was picked off by Navy’s Dashaun Peele. It is Peele’s fifth interception of the season, and solely the second thrown by Every day.
The Midshipmen get the ball with nice discipline place once more on the Military 44.
We’re by one quarter of The Military-Navy Sport, and it appears to be like quite a bit like what you’d anticipate from a sport between two choice offenses — there have been a variety of runs and only a few performs as a result of the clock by no means stops.
That mentioned, Navy might solely be up a landing, however it’s been the much more profitable of the 2. Navy went 65 yards on the opening possession of the sport, selecting up 31 yards on a display go and changing on three third downs to maintain the drive alive. Blake Horvath cashed in on the finish with a 1-yard landing run that serves as all of the scoring we have seen to this point.
Military hasn’t had practically as a lot success. The Black Knights’ first possession picked up solely 13 yards earlier than leading to a punt. Making issues worse, QB Bryson Every day had his hand stepped on. His left hand is bandaged as Military has the ball to begin the second quarter and faces a call on fourth-and-short.
When you’ve got two offenses that pitch the ball and run quite a bit, fumbles can typically decide outcomes. Navy averted dropping the ball right here, however dropping 14 yards on a nasty pitch just isn’t a recipe for long-term success. Whereas Horvath was in a position to get on the unfastened ball earlier than Military, this play derails Navy’s newest possession and results in a punt. Military’s second possession will start at its 12-yard line.
Military’s first possession of the day did not accomplish a lot. The Knights managed just one first down and 13 yards earlier than having to punt. Probably the most fascinating a part of the possession is that Military QB Bryson Every day is already bleeding. There is a lower on his non-throwing hand that does not look too severe, however makes for a cool visible.
That is a powerful technique to begin the sport. After getting wonderful discipline place following a kickoff out of bounds, Navy goes 65 yards in 12 performs that included three conversions on third down. The most important play was a 31-yard display go to Alex Tecza that obtained the Mids into the pink zone, and it was capped off by a 1-yard QB sneak from Blake Horvath.
And, in conventional service academy method, the drive took over 6 minutes off the clock.
See Extra
This can be a huge win for Brian Newberry and Navy
Turnovers had been essential
Navy’s protection deserves a ton of credit score
Blake Horvath was a revelation
Navy extends the result in 18 with a discipline objective
This autumn: Navy 31, Military 13
Blake Horvath continues to be a wagon
When issues are going your means….
Navy takes a two landing lead
This autumn: Navy 28, Military 13
Pretend punt!!!
Military cuts the lead with one other discipline objective
This autumn: Navy 21, Military 13
Bryson Every day missed a large open receiver in the long run zone
END 3Q: Navy 21, Military 10
Military is a large number
Eli Heidenrich has arrived
Q3: Navy 21, Military 10
Military cuts the lead with a discipline objective
Q3: Navy 14, Military 10
The second half is underway
HALFTIME: Navy 14, Military 7
Navy will get a cease and one other probability to attain earlier than halftime
Navy pressured to punt
I believed this was Military-Navy?
Q2: Navy 14, Military 7
Navy wastes no time benefiting from the turnover
Q2: Navy 14, Military 0
Interception!
END 1: Navy 7, Military 0
Navy loses roughly a mile on a nasty pitch
Navy forces an Military punt
Navy strikes first
Navy 7, Military 0
What number of fakes can you slot in one display go?
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