Know Your Notre Dame Football Enemy: The Navy Midshipmen
By J.P. Scott
The annual Notre Dame football matchup with Navy will take place in San Diego in 2018.
We are taking a look at all 12 teams on the 2018 Notre Dame football schedule with the intent of familiarizing you with what the Irish are up against.
Next up: The Navy Midshipmen
2017 Synopsis
It was a down year for Navy Football compared to some of the success the program has seen in recent seasons. They went 6-6 during the regular season and got over .500 with a 49-7 win over Virginia in the Military Bowl. They lost out on the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the second-consecutive season, defeating Air Force but losing to Army.
Who did they lose?
Navy lost eight starters on offense, including three on the offensive line.
Defensively, they lost some star power in linebackers Michah Thomas and D.J. Palamore along with cornerback Tyris Wooten. The unit lost seven starters in all.
Who do they return?
Malcom Perry takes the reins at the all-important quarterback position. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo is on record saying that Perry is the most dynamic runner he’s coached at Navy. Considering some of the quarterbacks and running backs they’ve had during Coach N’s tenure — that’s saying a lot.
Perry will have two starting tackles returning to protect him on both sides: seniors Jake Hawk and Andrew Hunt.
Zach Abey — who started most of 2017 at quarterback and ran for over 1,400 yards — will also see time at quarterback. He’ll be used situationally and in short-yardage situations.
On defense, linebacker Hudson Sullivan looks to be an emerging star in the group. He only played in half of the games in 2017, but his impact was felt every time he stepped on the field. He’s a tackling machine. The defensive unit will be led by safety All-AAC safety Sean Williams.
Why should Notre Dame be worried?
Personnel losses mean less at the service academies than they do at other programs. These teams know exactly who they are and what works for them. Every player is a system player. More importantly, every service academy player is wired to do everything they can to succeed. Failure is not an option for these guys.
Aside from that bit of hyperbole, Malcolm Perry’s ability is scary. The Navy offense is already designed to wear you down. Having an explosive playmaker with the ball in his hands on almost every play increases the degree of difficulty for opposing defenses. The fact that the Irish are facing the Midshipmen at a neutral site certainly doesn’t help matters.
Why should Notre Dame not be worried?
In terms of talent, the Irish have the advantage at every position on the field. That’s the case every time they face a service academy team. If Notre Dame sticks to what it does best on both sides of the ball, this game should be a walk-thru. The Irish offensive line and receivers should be able to dominate this contest.
Key Player for Navy
Malcom Perry — As mentioned, Navy will wear you down. They’ll run the same play out of different formations until you are tired of seeing it. And then, they’ll add in a wrinkle that involves getting their best player in the open field. If he can rip off some big plays early, that will set the tone for his teammates and breath serious life into their cause.
Next: Why The Michigan Game Is A "Must Win"
Key Player for Notre Dame
Sam Mustipher — Notre Dame’s line needs to dominate from start to finish, and that all starts with Mustipher. If he can make the correct calls at the line of scrimmage and help the line create gaping running lanes, Notre Dame will be able to dictate the pace of the game and give the defense plenty of breaks from defending a mentally exhausting scheme.