1 week Ago
Navy football’s new Wing-T offense put forth a second straight impressive performance to start the season, displaying tremendous diversity and big-play ability in piling up the yards and points. However, the defense deserves as much or more credit for the Midshipmen posting another convincing victory at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Inside linebacker Colin Ramos spearheaded a dominant defensive effort as Navy routed visiting Temple, 38-11, before an announced home crowd of 28,889.
Ramos, the senior defensive captain, recorded 13 tackles and the defense made a ton of big plays in totally shutting down the Owls. Cornerback Ira Oniha had six tackles, a clutch pass breakup that prevented a touchdown and a forced fumble for Navy (2-0), which held Temple three points until there were 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Outside linebackers Jaxson Campbell and Kenneth McShan notched interceptions for the Mids, who limited the Owls to 193 total yards through three quarters.
By the time Temple scored its lone touchdown on a 23-yard pass from quarterback Forrest Brock to wide receiver Dante Wright with 10 minutes remaining, the outcome of the contest had been decided. Quarterback Blake Horvath was the sparkplug of a Navy offense that amassed 409 total yards. Horvath rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries before leaving the game late in the third quarter.
He also completed 5 of 9 passes for 112 yards and another score. Horvath became the first Navy quarterback to surpass 100 rushing and passing yards since Tai Lavatai accomplished the feat against SMU in 2022. Snipe Eli Heidenreich had another big game with four receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Fullback Alex Tecza made his presence known with 92 rushing yards on just nine carries. Most of that total came on a 65-yard touchdown run after Tecza broke a tackle on the second level. It’s been an explosive start to the season for the Wing-T offense brought to Annapolis by first-year coordinator Drew Cronic as Navy is averaging 43.
5 points and 423 total yards through two games. Brock completed 30 of 46 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown to lead Temple (0-2), which has been outscored 90-13 in two games this season. The Owls were completely one-dimensional, managing only 35 rushing yards against the stout front seven of the Midshipmen.
Navy avenged last season’s embarrassing 32-18 loss to Temple in Philadelphia. Members of the Midshipmen’s defense in particular said they had this contest circled after getting picked apart by quarterback E.J.
Warner. The game began with an exchange of punts and Navy came away a big winner in terms of the early field position. That was courtesy of Riley Riethman, who boomed a 51-yard punt that bounced backward and was downed at the 2-yard line.
Backed up against its own goal line, Temple was conservative in its play calling and went three-and-out for the second straight possession. A shanked punt that only went 27 yards before going out of bounds gave Navy great field possession at the 36-yard line of the visitors. The Midshipmen failed to take advantage, going three-and-out due largely to Horvath dropping the snap on first down and taking a 6-yard loss.
However, Riethman delivered another perfectly placed punt that pinned the Owls at their 9-yard line. End Justin Reed recorded a 2-yard tackle for loss on first down and disaster struck for Temple on third down. Brock could not handle the shotgun snap and the ball rolled into the end zone.
Brock was able to recover, but was drilled by Reed and knocked out of bounds for a safety. Isaiah Bryant returned the subsequent free kick 21 yards to once again give Navy great field position. Horvath then directed an efficient 11-play, 58-yard touchdown drive the quarterback capped himself with a 2-yard plunge into the end zone.
A second down pass to freshman tight end Myles Slade that picked up 14 yards jump-started the march and brought the Midshipmen into enemy territory. Heidenreich caught two passes for 16 yards to set up the touchdown by Horvath that put the Mids ahead, 9-0, with 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Things got worse for Temple on its third possession as Navy outside linebacker Jaxson Campbell made a great read and jumped in front of an attempted slant pass to record his first career interception.
Navy needed only one play to capitalize on the turnover with Horvath taking an option keeper around the left side, picking up a great block by tight end Jake Norris and racing down the sideline 62 yards to paydirt. Kicker Nathan Kirkwood made his second extra point to increase the lead to 16-0 at the 13:11 mark of the second period. Navy’s defense continued to set the tone on the subsequent possession with Ramos reading and reacting quickly to break up a pass to the flat on third down and 25.
For the second straight possession, the Midshipmen scored on just one play with Tecza doing an impressive job of maintaining balance and staying on his feet while shaking off a tackle attempt on a dive play. Tecza broke loose and found no defenders between himself and the goal line, racing 65 yards to the end zone to make it 23-0 with 8:04 remaining in the first half. Temple mounted a late drive that produced a 36-yard field goal by Maddux Trujillo and went into halftime trailing 23-3.
Navy got the ball to start the second half and promptly mounted an impressive nine-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that featured a nice mixture of plays. It started with a reverse that wide receiver Nathan Kent took 17 yards for a quick first down. Horvath gained another 17 yards on consecutive keepers to bring the ball into Temple territory.
Three plays later, Cronic made a great call that produced a 31-yard scoring strike. Horvath faked to the fullback and carried the ball outside with a pitch man trailing on what looked like a triple-option play. However, Horvath abruptly pulled up, set his feet and found Heidenreich racing wide-open down the seam.
Heidenreich caught the pass in stride and waltzed into the end zone. Newberry called for the two-point conversion and Horvath completed a swing pass to Chatman to give Navy a commanding 31-3 lead. There were more heroics from the Navy defense on the ensuing possession after Temple converted on fourth down in its own territory.
Brock completed a pass to speedy wide receiver Ashton Allen and cornerback Mbiti Williams missed the tackle attempt. Allen, an Odenton resident who initially attended USC on a track and field scholarship, raced down the sideline and seemed headed for the end zone, but cornerback Ira Oniha made a great hustle play and knocked him out of bounds at the 7-yard line after a 47-yard gain. Temple picked up 4 yards on first-and-goal then had three straight incompletions, leading to a turnover on downs.
Oniha made a pass breakup on third down, while Ramos had tight coverage on fourth down. Navy took over at its own 4-yard line and immediately got off its own goal line thanks to a 51-yard pass from Horvath to Heidenreich. That possession fizzled out, but the long bomb succeeded in once again flipping the field position.
Temple took over at its own 24-yard line following a Riethman punt and had a second straight turnover on downs and handed the ball back to Navy deep in its own territory. The Midshipmen took over at the 28-yard line of the Owls and four plays later Horvath raced 18 yards for a touchdown that pretty much put the game away at 38-3 with 2:58 to go in the third quarter. This article will be updated.
Memphis at Navy Saturday, Sept. 21, 3:30 p.m.
TV: CBS Sports Network Radio: 1430 AM.
