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Three things to know about Notre Dame Week 0 opponent Navy

On3 imageby: BGI Staff08/23/23
arline
Navy quarterback Xavier Arline gets ready to run a play vs. the Notre Dame defense. (Photo by Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)

Navy is not an unfamiliar foe for Notre Dame. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman made sure to remind the media Monday that this is the 96th time the two programs will have squared off on the gridiron. Notre Dame owns a 81-13-1 record in the all-time series including two victories vacated by the NCAA.

Still, new years bring new and notable tidbits. These are three things to know about the 2023 version of the Navy Midshipmen.

1. New Coach

For the first time since 2006, Notre Dame will face the Midshipmen without Ken Niumatalolo holding the title of Navy head coach. Niumatalolo parted ways with the program after a 4-8 record last fall. He landed at UCLA in an advisory role.

Niumatalolo helped Navy snap a longstanding losing streak against Notre Dame with a 46-44 victory in 2007, his last year as the Mids’ associate head coach and offensive line coach.

Navy had not beaten Notre Dame since 1963. The Irish won 43 meetings in a row prior to Navy’s win in ‘07, which set the tone for more Niumatalolo triumphs as Navy’s head coach in the rivalry series. The Midshipmen also won in 2009, 2010 and 2016.

Navy had losing records in four of the last five seasons, though, so the program replaced their old skipper with Brian Newberry, who was Niumatalolo’s defensive coordinator for four seasons.

After holding assistant gigs at places like Washington and Lee, Lehigh and Elon as well as the University of the South, Northern Michigan and Kennesaw State, the 1997 Baylor graduate received his biggest break in coaching.

“It is a great honor and privilege to lead this program,” Newberry said. “It is a great responsibility that I fully accept and embrace. I could not be more excited about the future of Navy football.”

2. Quarterback Uncertainty

Navy has two senior quarterbacks in Tai Lavatai and Xavier Arline who have combined to start 39 games. It’s not a given either of them will start versus Notre Dame. Newberry proclaimed the Navy quarterback competition to be wide open on July 29.

“I’m excited about that,” he said, “with two young guys and the guys we have coming back.”

Sophomores Blake Horvath and Tedros Gleaton are the two young guys. They took most of the reps with the ones and twos in spring ball with Lavatai recovering from an ACL injury suffered last October and Arline, who started last year’s game against Notre Dame, reeling from nagging ailments brought on by playing lacrosse.

Navy quarterbacks are labeled by some as obsolete in a triple-option offense, but think again if you’re in that camp. Remember when former Midshipmen signal-caller Keenan Reynolds finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2015? Navy went 11-2 that year.

Even in Annapolis, a QB can make all the difference.

That said, Navy isn’t ready to pick just one. On Aug. 14, Navy offensive coordinator Grant Chesnut said Lavatai and Horvath will both get time against Notre Dame. Newberry labeled those two 1A and 1B. A two-quarterback system operating the option should make for entertaining viewing. That, and Notre Dame defenders will need to stay on their toes.

3. PJ Volker Promoted To DC

A five-year linebackers coach veteran with Navy, PJ Volker was upgraded to defensive coordinator after Newberry’s promotion to head coach. It was a sign that Navy still wants to stick to some of the principles that made the Mids successful under a head coach who won more games for the program than anyone who had ever come before him in his decade and a half on the job.

Expect the Navy defense to still be hard-nosed and unrelenting while playing with chips on all 11 shoulders.

“He has been an integral part of our success with his input and game-planning,” Newberry said of Volker. “He’s creative, he’s sharp and the players love him. He’s a fiery guy that motivates our players, and I have a certain level of trust in him.”

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