Last season, it ranked No. The latter game will count for the Star Series. That was just my philosophy.”. He is the current head coach at the Naval Academy and the winningest coach in the history of Navy football. The Navy quarterback ranked second in the nation with 155.2 rushing yards per game, and Niumatalolo called Perry a running back who threw the ball. The program was traditionally successful, and there was no need to face it as a nonconference opponent. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is experienced and has a live arm and athleticism, but he will be without his top weapon in tight end Matt Bushman, who was lost for the season during a noncontact drill last week. 10 in run defense (105.8) and No. Va’a Niumatalolo, Ken’s son and Navy’s director of football operations, played at BYU from 2014 to 2017 and is the brother-in-law of BYU defensive lineman Fisher Jackson. Navy ranked No. After five months of dealing with the novel coronavirus pandemic and not knowing whether the season would actually be played, emotions will be running high. Zach Wilson is a third-year starter who threw for 2,382 yards and 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season. Those measures may have an effect on the field, but the overall sentiment is that the sacrifices were worth it. Johnny Hodges was recruited to Navy as a lacrosse player, but following an abbreviated freshman season has switched to football. … Defensively, our coaches are concerned about tackling. I think both sides will be excited to play. Here are a few things to watch as Navy hosts BYU at 8 p.m. (ESPN): The Midshipmen are known for the exhausting triple-option attack that has produced rushing offenses that ranked in the top six nationally the past 13 years and No. “Proud of Kalani. So many plans got thrown in the trash. We both recognize becoming a head football coach at the Division I level is a really, really hard thing to do. The quality of play will be a question because neither team had a full set of spring practices and fall training camp was altered with a variety of safety measures. Are we going to do a lot of it? This game is a direct result of the pandemic, which caused games across the nation to be canceled or postponed. But you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”. Navy football coach Ken Niumatalolo expects tears to flow when his team takes the field against BYU in the season opener Monday. Then everything else will open up off of that. 2020 season schedule, scores, stats, and highlights. 75 in pass defense (234.8 yards) in 2018. Navy slot backs coach Joe DuPaix previously was on the BYU staff, and Cougars linebacker Pepe Tanuvasa transferred from Navy. After first postponing its college football season, the Big Ten is now set to begin play the weekend of Oct. 24. Copyright: © 2020 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Quarterback Kyle Trask throws for six touchdowns as No. 1 in 2019 thanks to Malcolm Perry. Niumatalolo never thought he would coach against BYU during his time at Navy. 5 Florida defeats Ole Miss 51-35 in its season opener. College football will look different across the nation this season as the pandemic has forced stadiums to close their doors or extremely limit attendance. You weren’t really sure what you were going to do, but you tried your best to get ready. section: | slug: | sport: collegefootball | route: team_page_home | He will be the first Navy quarterback to make his first career start in the opening game of the season since Brian Hampton in 2006. One of the biggest assets on the BYU defense is nose guard Khyiris Tonga, an NFL prospect who can plug up the middle of the line and cause problems to opposing run games. To have two guys from the same hometown, Polynesian ancestry, both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I think it’s a really cool deal.”, Ready or not, college football season gets going amid pandemic, It’s uncertain when Maryland will play football again or what its roster will look like, Why canceling our college football season was an easy decision, Projected starting defensive end among four Virginia players opting out this season.