Navy junior quarterback Tai Lavatai led the Mids to their first victory of the 2022 season, a 23-20 decision in double overtime at East Carolina Sept. 24, and enjoyed more success through the air than usual in doing so.
Lavatai took advantage of an aggressive East Carolina secondary and produced season highs in passing yards (152), completions (7) and completion percentage (70%), though a dramatic turn from the run-heavy offensive game plan seems unlikely moving forward.
The 6-foot-2, 221-pound quarterback admitted it felt nice to sling the ball downfield for a change, but a boost of confidence was the main takeaway after the Mids started the season 0-2. They lost to Delaware, 14-7, and Memphis, 37-13, prior to the East Carolina victory.
“I think it was a big sigh of relief for everybody,” Lavatai said on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 28. “All the hard work we’ve put in through summer, fall ball and spring ball, we knew we could do it. We had trust in each other that we could win that game. We just had to go out and execute the way that we know we could.”
“The first two games … were pretty rough, kind of disheartening because we weren’t playing to the level we wanted to on offense,” Lavatai added. “Defense has been playing amazing, but that game was definitely a big leap of confidence for us all around as a team.”
Lavatai’s 65-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Terrell Jr. in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 10 was another spark of confidence for the offense. It marked Terrell’s first collegiate touchdown.
“It was really nice to throw the ball around and definitely that one to Vince for a touchdown was a great feeling,” Lavatai said. “To see him be able to get that … was pretty cool.”
Navy next travels to play Air Force (3-1) on Oct. 1, a matchup the Mids have had little success in recently. Navy has lost two in a row to the Falcons, being outscored 63-10 in those games. However, the real concern is the fact that Navy is on the road. Navy has not beaten Air Force as the visitor since 2012, when they won, 28-21, in overtime.
Lavatai, who has not yet faced Air Force, is looking to take his team’s recent momentum and go into Falcon Stadium with a chip on his shoulder. However, this is more than a football game for Lavatai. Navy can get a step closer to the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which the Mids have not held since 2019.
The Commander-in-Chief’s trophy is won by the annual series winner between Air Force, Army and Navy. The team that wins two games takes the trophy. In the event of a tie, the honor is split among the three, as it was in 2021.
“This is the first step in bringing the trophy back to Annapolis,” Lavatai said. “For us, it’s just remaining calm and making sure that we execute the way that we know how to [and] not making the game too big. It’s a huge game — it’s a very important game for us, but at the end of the day it is a football game, and I think it gets kind of nerve-wracking sometimes.”
“I think all of us want to make a statement and come out with a win especially on the road,” Lavatai added. “It’s going to be a hectic atmosphere … so I think for all of us, it’s a chip on our shoulder of we want to be able to get it done.”
Not letting the game get too big and remembering what got you there seems to be an important motto for the St. Johns, Fla., native. One reason Lavatai is in the position to lead Navy to victory is his mother, Gina, who attends every game and interacts with other members on the team.
Lavatai directly attributes his success to her.
“I owe everything to her and I feel like that’s the repayment I can give her,” Lavatai said of meeting and hugging his mom after every game. “Just showing her how much she does mean to me after the games whether it goes good or bad, and she’s always going to be there regardless, on my side, fighting for my side.”
There were points in Lavatai’s career when he thought about quitting, but Gina supported and pushed him to where he is now — the starting quarterback for Navy.
“She was always the person I would talk to about [quitting],” Lavatai said. “She always was in my corner regardless of what my decision was going to be, but she was definitely one of the main reasons why I stayed. She said, ‘Just try to stick it out and see. If you don’t like it by the end of your sophomore year then I understand.’ And then obviously sophomore year had some good times, had some bad times, but overall I realized [Navy] is the place I want to be.”
See Also: As He Tightens Grip On Starting Job, Navy QB Tai Lavatai Credits Mother For Success
For more from Lavatai, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics