Navy football secured its first win for first-year head coach Brian Newberry with a 24-0 victory against Wagner on Sept. 9. After putting together a win that saw personal achievements for multiple players, the Midshipmen look to capitalize on that momentum against Memphis on Sept. 14 in what is a short week.
Memphis (2-0) is no easy task for Navy (1-1). The Mids are 3-5 all-time against the Tigers, with their last win coming in 2018. The Tigers have a high-powered offense and a sneaky defense that should be a great matchup for the Mids and their style of play.
Here are three things to look out for in Navy’s Week 3 matchup, which will air on ESPN at 7:30 p.m.:
1. Memphis’ offense has hit on all cylinders this season.
Memphis has outscored its two opponents, 93-17, so far this season. The Tigers have compiled 940 yards of total offense in the two-game span. Junior quarterback Seth Henigan has completed nearly 74 percent of his passes for 573 yards.
Memphis’ ground game is versatile as well. The Tigers have already scored seven rushing touchdowns. Fifth-year running back Blake Watson and sophomore running back Sutton Smith are a one-two punch, combining for five of the seven rushing touchdowns and 246 of the 358 rushing yards.
Newberry expressed that the Mids’ offense needs to run the ball efficiently and control the time of possession, the “formula of success” for Navy.
“That’s the key is just not beating ourselves and going out and executing and being OK with grinding it out,” Newberry said. “And as we do that, on the flip side, it keeps their offense off the field.”
2. Memphis’ defense is overshadowed by the offense but still should not be taken lightly:
Even though Memphis has had an explosive offense early on this season, the Tigers’ defense has played a huge part in the 2-0 start as well. In their first two games, Memphis has caused five turnovers (three fumble recoveries and two interceptions) and has accumulated 17 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
The Tigers’ defense is very efficient against third down, allowing their opponents to convert just four of 29 attempts. Memphis has also only allowed their two opponents to rush for 116 yards on 54 attemps.
“Similar to Notre Dame, it’s a really, really athletic defense that plays really hard,” Newberry said. “You’re going to have to be OK with getting 3, 4 yards.”
3. Navy can pass and the Mids are not afraid to if given the opportunity:
Late in the second quarter against Wagner, the Mids found themselves at their own 20-yard line with only 48 seconds left on the clock after an interception by junior free safety Rayuan Lane III.
Navy took a different approach on this drive than usual. It started with senior quarterback Tai Lavatai passing deep to sophomore wide receiver Nathan Kent for 35 yards. Lavatai didn’t stop pressuring Wagner’s defense, as Lavatai only threw for the balance of the drive. On the final play of the drive, Lavatai connected on a short pass to senior wide receiver Camari Williams for a 12-yard touchdown. It was Williams’ first career touchdown.
That drive showcased one thing — Navy is not afraid to throw the ball when given the opportunity. In five plays, the Mids stormed down the field, going 80 yards in only 40 seconds.
“We’re always going to take what people try to give us,” Newberry said. “We’ve got to be able to do both [run and pass]. We can’t be one dimensional here and we know that, and have seen that.”
Lavatai finished with a career-high 161 passing yards against Wagner, completing 8 of 13 passes. Lavatai also finished with 65 rushing yards on 16 carries. It won’t be easy for Navy to run its regular style of offense against Memphis.
Other Notes
- Newberry expressed that the Mids’ offense can’t settle for field goals in the red zone and needs to “punch it in” for touchdowns. The Mids have scored two touchdowns and two field goals on six red-zone opportunities.
- Sophomore quarterback Blake Horvath saw playing time against Wagner and majority of it was early in the first half. Newberry expressed that Horvath deserved playing time from the way he has practiced. Newberry also thought Horvath looked “crisp” and “did some good things.” Newberry mentioned that Horvath will continually get more reps throughout the season.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics