Sunday at Ricketts Hall brought good and bad news for the Navy football program.
First, the good news is that starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and starting inside linebacker Irv Spencer, both of whom left the Ball State game with ankle injuries, should be able to play this Saturday against Duke.
Kaheaku-Enhada sprained both ankles while being sacked by Ball State linebacker Kenny Meeks late in the first half. Meeks had a firm hold on Kaheaku-Enhada's feet as the quarterback tried to spin out of the sack.
Initial word was that Kaheaku-Enhada could have returned to the game if needed, but Johnson said yesterday that was not the case. He said the junior from Hawaii informed the coaching staff at halftime he could not run well enough.
Johnson said Kaheaku-Enhada, who rushed for 117 yards on 11 carries in the first half on Saturday, is scheduled to practice this afternoon.
Spencer, the team's second-leading tackler with 19 through three games, is also due to practice and should be available Saturday afternoon when the Blue Devils come to Annapolis.
Now, the bad news is that Navy's defense has some serious issues. The Midshipmen gave up 34 points and 539 total yards in the overtime loss to Ball State one week after allowing 41 points and 476 total yards to Rutgers.
Johnson said a review of the game tape showed that Navy was routinely misaligned against Ball State and that defenders were repeatedly caught out of position.
"We need to simplify some stuff," Johnson said. "We're not getting lined up properly and we don't understand what we're supposed to do."
Navy lost its defensive signal caller last week when inside linebacker Clint Sovie underwent season-ending surgery. Sophomore Ross Pospisil took over the role of identifying the offensive formation and getting Navy aligned on Saturday. Johnson did not put the blame solely on Pospisil, who made eight tackles against Ball State.
Ball State had touchdown drives of 75, 80 and 86 yards while two other possessions went for 67 and 69 yards. Johnson said the film showed instances when Navy left the area within five yards of the line of scrimmage (known as the box) completely wide open due to linemen slanting the wrong way and linebackers either getting blocked or running themselves out of the play.
Navy's defense was young and inexperienced to start the season with only two returning starters and the loss of Sovie and free safety Jeff Deliz only made the situation worse. There were times on Saturday when six of the 11 defenders on the field were sophomores or freshmen, none of whom played on the varsity in 2006.
Defensive coordinator Buddy Green doesn't have a whole lot of flexibility in terms of personnel so the only answer is for the coaching staff to help the greenhorns get better.
"We can't pick up anybody off waivers. We just need to make things more simple. We need to give them something they can do," Johnson said.
Navy's bend-but-don't-break philosophy hasn't been working as well this season as it did in the past. Opponents have scored on 12 of 13 trips (92 percent) inside the red zone with seven of those possessions resulting in touchdowns. Last season, opponents had a 78 percent scoring efficiency in the red zone.
Rutgers and Ball State combined for 75 points, the most Navy has given up in back-to-back games since 2002. The Mids allowed a total of 97 to Boston College and Tulane that season.
Ball State tailback MiQuale Lewis rushed for 161 yards on Saturday one week after Rutgers tailback Ray Rice rushed for 175 yards. It marked the first time since 2003 that Navy had allowed runners to surpass 150 yards in consecutive contests.
Despite the lack of defense, Navy had a chance to beat Ball State when Matt Harmon lined up for a 32-yard field goal attempt with two seconds remaining in regulation. However, Harmon hit a low liner that went directly into the outstretched arms of 6-foot-3 defensive end Brandon Crawford.
"That ball never had a chance. It was about chest-high when it got to the line," said Johnson, who noticed that Harmon's plant foot was six inches in front of the ball at impact - virtually guaranteeing a low kick.
Johnson said it was "totally ridiculous" that Navy had two field goal attempts blocked by Ball State. A careful review of the replay showed the first block, which came with two seconds left in the first half, was because it took Harmon and holder Jarod Bryant too long to get the kick away.
Navy has beaten Duke in each of the past three seasons, allowing just 12 points in 2004 and 13 in 2006. Duke showed a little more offensive firepower on Saturday en route a 20-14 victory at Northwestern. Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis completed 19 of 26 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns as the Blue Devils snapped a 22-game losing streak.
Navy has already signed an agreement to appear in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl in December provided it reaches the mandatory six wins. That task is getting more difficult as Johnson said there is no opponent on the schedule the Midshipmen should beat, especially based on the way the team has performed so far.
"Son, Broadneck High School would make us look bad right now. When you can't get lined up right and you don't know where to go, it's hard to stop anybody," he said.
Navy has not lost three straight games since 2002, Johnson's first season at the helm.
First, the good news is that starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and starting inside linebacker Irv Spencer, both of whom left the Ball State game with ankle injuries, should be able to play this Saturday against Duke.
Kaheaku-Enhada sprained both ankles while being sacked by Ball State linebacker Kenny Meeks late in the first half. Meeks had a firm hold on Kaheaku-Enhada's feet as the quarterback tried to spin out of the sack.
Initial word was that Kaheaku-Enhada could have returned to the game if needed, but Johnson said yesterday that was not the case. He said the junior from Hawaii informed the coaching staff at halftime he could not run well enough.
Johnson said Kaheaku-Enhada, who rushed for 117 yards on 11 carries in the first half on Saturday, is scheduled to practice this afternoon.
Spencer, the team's second-leading tackler with 19 through three games, is also due to practice and should be available Saturday afternoon when the Blue Devils come to Annapolis.
Now, the bad news is that Navy's defense has some serious issues. The Midshipmen gave up 34 points and 539 total yards in the overtime loss to Ball State one week after allowing 41 points and 476 total yards to Rutgers.
Johnson said a review of the game tape showed that Navy was routinely misaligned against Ball State and that defenders were repeatedly caught out of position.
"We need to simplify some stuff," Johnson said. "We're not getting lined up properly and we don't understand what we're supposed to do."
Navy lost its defensive signal caller last week when inside linebacker Clint Sovie underwent season-ending surgery. Sophomore Ross Pospisil took over the role of identifying the offensive formation and getting Navy aligned on Saturday. Johnson did not put the blame solely on Pospisil, who made eight tackles against Ball State.
Ball State had touchdown drives of 75, 80 and 86 yards while two other possessions went for 67 and 69 yards. Johnson said the film showed instances when Navy left the area within five yards of the line of scrimmage (known as the box) completely wide open due to linemen slanting the wrong way and linebackers either getting blocked or running themselves out of the play.
Navy's defense was young and inexperienced to start the season with only two returning starters and the loss of Sovie and free safety Jeff Deliz only made the situation worse. There were times on Saturday when six of the 11 defenders on the field were sophomores or freshmen, none of whom played on the varsity in 2006.
Defensive coordinator Buddy Green doesn't have a whole lot of flexibility in terms of personnel so the only answer is for the coaching staff to help the greenhorns get better.
"We can't pick up anybody off waivers. We just need to make things more simple. We need to give them something they can do," Johnson said.
Navy's bend-but-don't-break philosophy hasn't been working as well this season as it did in the past. Opponents have scored on 12 of 13 trips (92 percent) inside the red zone with seven of those possessions resulting in touchdowns. Last season, opponents had a 78 percent scoring efficiency in the red zone.
Rutgers and Ball State combined for 75 points, the most Navy has given up in back-to-back games since 2002. The Mids allowed a total of 97 to Boston College and Tulane that season.
Ball State tailback MiQuale Lewis rushed for 161 yards on Saturday one week after Rutgers tailback Ray Rice rushed for 175 yards. It marked the first time since 2003 that Navy had allowed runners to surpass 150 yards in consecutive contests.
Despite the lack of defense, Navy had a chance to beat Ball State when Matt Harmon lined up for a 32-yard field goal attempt with two seconds remaining in regulation. However, Harmon hit a low liner that went directly into the outstretched arms of 6-foot-3 defensive end Brandon Crawford.
"That ball never had a chance. It was about chest-high when it got to the line," said Johnson, who noticed that Harmon's plant foot was six inches in front of the ball at impact - virtually guaranteeing a low kick.
Johnson said it was "totally ridiculous" that Navy had two field goal attempts blocked by Ball State. A careful review of the replay showed the first block, which came with two seconds left in the first half, was because it took Harmon and holder Jarod Bryant too long to get the kick away.
Navy has beaten Duke in each of the past three seasons, allowing just 12 points in 2004 and 13 in 2006. Duke showed a little more offensive firepower on Saturday en route a 20-14 victory at Northwestern. Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis completed 19 of 26 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns as the Blue Devils snapped a 22-game losing streak.
Navy has already signed an agreement to appear in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl in December provided it reaches the mandatory six wins. That task is getting more difficult as Johnson said there is no opponent on the schedule the Midshipmen should beat, especially based on the way the team has performed so far.
"Son, Broadneck High School would make us look bad right now. When you can't get lined up right and you don't know where to go, it's hard to stop anybody," he said.
Navy has not lost three straight games since 2002, Johnson's first season at the helm.
