Enrolling at the Naval Academy is a big step for anyone to take. While tuition is free, Midshipmen serve at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps right out of college, and they’ll live by a strictly regimented schedule in the meantime.
Prior to committing to Navy football, Luke Pirris had some connections to the Navy between his grandfather and a high school basketball coach. However, the opportunities afforded by the Academy on and off the field pushed him over the edge when he committed two years ago.
“The opportunity just to come to the Naval Academy in itself is just exceptional,” Pirris said on Glenn Clark Radio Oct. 17. “I thought that was just a great thing and it could propel my life, really. I like the coaching staff and the school in general is a great fit for me, so I took it upon myself to come here.”
Pirris is in his sophomore year in Annapolis. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound raider (a hybrid edge defender) was thrust into a starting spot after a quiet first year with the team in which he saw action in just one game. Jordan Sanders opened the fall of 2023 ahead of Pirris on the depth chart, but was quickly sidelined with injury, thus opening up a spot.
“I went from playing 10 snaps to 70,” he said. “I just got a huge opportunity and I took advantage of it.”
Pirris now finds himself in the middle of a streak that’s seen him record a sack in three straight weeks, along with 27 tackles through six games. His excellence arrived at a convenient time for the Midshipmen, who slumped out to a 1-3 start before back-to-back wins against North Texas and Charlotte.
One of Navy’s tightest losses in 2022 arrived at the hands of Air Force, the next team on Navy’s schedule. The 13-10 decision was one of eight defeats the Midshipmen suffered in 2022, but on Oct. 21 they’ll look to topple Air Force for the first time in four years. The Falcons enter the game 6-0 overall and tops in the country in rushing offense (334.2 yards per game).
“We’ve been in a bunch of close battles just this entire season. … I think we’re starting to figure out how to win those close games,” Pirris said, reflecting on having battled through eight single-possession contests the year before.
Pirris hasn’t been a featured member on Navy’s defense for long, but he has anticipated the day he would get to contribute to games of such significance. Saturday doesn’t just mark a chance for the surging Midshipmen to challenge the No. 22 team in the country and bolster their record. It’s also Pirris’ chance to add to the legacy of this rivalry.
Air Force leads the all-time series, 33-22.
“I remember watching [on 9/11 two years ago] before I came here when I was committed and just thinking it would be an incredible game to be a part of,” Pirris said. “To be a part of it now and actually play in it is going to be an incredible experience. Obviously, the Navy-Air Force rivalry is something that everyone knows about. … Everyone rallies around this game, so it’s really an incredible experience to be a part of.”
For more from Pirris, listen to the full interview here:
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