College football games are won and lost in the trenches. It might sound like a tired old cliche or “coach speak,” but it rings true every time. In 2023 the Navy Midshipmen were often overmanned in the offensive trench, and they lost seven games as a result. Fast forward a year, and Brian Newberry’s team is undefeated, with an improved offensive line leading the charge.
Navy Football’s 6-0 Start Fuelled By Outstanding Offensive Line Play
There’s a lot that goes into winning a college football game. It’s the ultimate team sport, where all 22 individuals have to pull in the same direction at the same time to succeed. Yet nowhere is that cohesiveness more important than on the offensive line.
After being brutalized in the trenches in the 2023 season-opener against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the renewal of a long-running rivalry presents an excellent opportunity for reflection on just how far this Navy offensive line has come as they prepare for the toughest test of what has been an exceptional season. The contrast is stark, the results sensational.
“They’ve improved,” head coach Newberry tells me when asked about his confidence in the unit that struggled so much against Notre Dame a year ago.
“I think some of the things that we’re doing offensively help those guys a little bit. The difference in the game last year was that they dominated the game at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. That’s the challenge when you play a team like Notre Dame, but I think we’re a little better equipped this year than we were last year. I think we’ve improved.”
Sat high up in the Aviva Stadium press box in Dublin last August, the relentless wave of Notre Dame defensive linemen and linebackers wreaked havoc, sinking the Midshipmen in the backfield. Watching Navy from afar this fall, you get the feeling that the same situation won’t occur this year. There hasn’t been the same level of physical overwhelming we saw a year ago.
The eye test is born out by a year-on-year statistical analysis. In 2023, the Midshipmen allowed two sacks per game (63rd nationally) and 6.25 tackles for loss per game (93rd nationally). Through six games — and six wins — of the 2024 season, Navy has allowed just 0.5 sacks (third in the nation) and 2.17 tackles for loss (second in the country) per game.
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The result? Well, the result has been nothing short of sensational. From being one of the worst offenses in college football in 2023, Navy is one of the most dangerous units to face in the sport. The headline figure of 44.8 points per game compared to 17.7 last fall grabs the attention, but the Midshipmen have outperformed in every conceivable metric.
The program ranks in the top 10 nationally for rushing yards per game (18th in 2023), yards per play (averaging 2.5 yards more this fall), and bounced from 71st to sixth in the country for rushing yards per carry. The Navy offense has been effective, efficient, and consistent. Aside from the game against the Temple Owls, the same five players have played every week.
The performance hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the Midshipmen earning a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. Connor McMahon, Ben Purvis, Brent Self, Cam Nichols, and Javan Bouton might not get a catchy nickname or social media Heisman Trophy campaign like quarterback Blake Horvath, but their play has been deserving of equal accolades.
“They’re doing an amazing job this year,” Horvath tells me. “Huge improvement. Really, they’re healthy this year, and the biggest thing that I’ve seen is that they’re confident. They don’t play with a fear of anybody. We can go out there against Memphis’ defensive line, Notre Dame’s defense. I don’t think there’s any fear in their eyes of who they’re going against.”
“They know they can get movement. They know they can block. I’m super grateful for them. My Mom makes them baked goods every week after all our games to show her appreciation for trying to keep me safe. They’re doing a great job.”
Perhaps it’s the promise of home-baked treats that’s fuelling the offensive line resurgence in Annapolis. After all, offensive linemen like to eat, and the opportunities to capitalize on your Name, Image, and Likeness with an endorsement for a local BBQ joint don’t exist the same at the Naval Academy as they do at some other college football programs.
However, the play of quarterback Horvath is providing a mutually beneficial relationship for the Navy offense. The junior dual-threat knows his guys have got his back as much as they know he’ll get the ball out quickly when new offensive coordinator Drew Cronic’s scheme dials up shot plays downfield. The “Gen Z Wing-T,” as it’s being referred to, is helping the line to thrive.
“It helps too that we’re able to get the ball out quickly,” Horvath explains. “They know they don’t have to block a Notre Dame defensive lineman for 10 seconds in order for us to get a pass off. They just have to get enough of them in order for our passing attack to work.”
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Five healthy linemen playing fearless football with confidence in their hearts and technique in their heads. An innovative offense led by a gifted coordinator. A quarterback who is playing at a level not seen at Navy in years. Home-baked goods. There’s a confluence of influences producing sensational results.
Yet, there’s a further variable to the offensive line’s success in 2024. Jay Guillermo was hired to coach the unit after a remarkable playing career with the Clemson Tigers turned into a standout stint on the FCS sidelines, and the influence that powered an East Tennessee State offense to remarkable things a year ago is being firmly felt at Navy this fall.
“Your o-line coach, you want him to be a tough dude, and you want the players to be a reflection of him. He’s certainly that,” Newberry tells the media during his weekly availability ahead of the Notre Dame game.
“Obviously, he was a great player at Clemson. He coaches these guys really hard. He’s very demanding. But he treats them the right way. Those kids in our room love him. He’s a young coach and he’s beyond his years from a teaching standpoint. Phenomenal teacher. Fundamentals. Technique.
“Those guys have played extremely hard this year. Since I got here in 2019, they haven’t played this hard, particularly on the offensive line, as they are right now. A sign of great coaching is the improvement that you see week to week. We’ve got three good offensive line coaches in there, and you’re starting to see that pay off.”
The ultimate test of that work comes on Saturday against Notre Dame. While it’s just one game in a season that could include a place in the AAC Championship Game and a College Football Playoff berth, it provides a measuring stick of just how far this unit — once overmanned and overwhelmed but now confident and fearless — has come in just over a year.
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