Navy football will celebrate its seniors ahead of a crucial game against Tulane on Nov. 16, and for senior fullback Daba Fofana, the four-year journey at the Naval Academy can be defined by growth.
The 5-foot-8, 213-pound senior fullback came to Annapolis in 2021 but didn’t play until 2022. Fofana has totaled 1,337 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground the past three years. This season, he has recorded 247 yards and two touchdowns on 53 carries.
As his college career winds down, Fofana took time to reflect on his journey.
“Honestly, I never thought this day would come. Thinking back as a freshman, people say that your time in the Academy flies by and you don’t really know until it actually does and I’m feeling that right now,” Fofana said on Glenn Clark Radio on Nov. 13. “… I can tell you that I have grown in so many different ways that it’s even hard to describe. Like in my face, as a man, just being around the team all these years and being around all those great guys, I mean, it’s amazing.”
For Fofana, his time at Navy has been immensely rewarding, with every challenge shaping him into a stronger athlete and a better person. Fofana was elected a co-captain by his teammates ahead of the 2024 season.
“God has done some amazing work in my life through this academy, putting me through the trials that I needed to in order to gain strength, gain patience, everything like that,” Fofana said. “To even be in a position to captain, where I couldn’t even see myself when I was a freshman, it’s been an absolute blessing just going through all of that. I feel honored to even be in this position right now. I just can’t wait to ball out on Saturday for Senior Day.”
Navy has emerged as one of the nation’s surprise teams. Following recent setbacks against Notre Dame and Rice, a win against South Florida improved the Mids’ record to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the AAC.
Fofana ran for 63 yards on 14 attempts in the 28-7 win.
“It meant a lot,” Fofana said. “We just needed to find our rhythm again. We’re a school that defines ourselves on coming back from adversity and those two games were definitely some adversity we had to face, but it meant a lot getting back into the rhythm, overcoming that adversity and having some momentum coming into this big game.”
Leadership on a college team is built on resilience, shared experiences and setting an example for those who follow. As a veteran of this Navy team, Fofana understands he can lift the team’s spirits and shift the focus and energy during tough times.
“A decent amount falls on me, but it’s not just me. It’s all the seniors, too, because we’ve all been through the wringer,” Fofana said. “We’ve all been through a lot of stuff together and the younger guys — the freshmen, even the sophomores — they look up to us to be examples through this adversity. They look up to us to be examples through even any adversity we face off the field. I take a great deal of responsibility for it, but it’s not just me. It’s all the seniors, too.”
This Saturday, Navy will be underdogs against No. 25 Tulane, which enters the matchup 6-0 in the AAC. A win would pull the Mids even with the Green Wave in the AAC standings, and Navy would hold the tiebreaker due to the head-to-head win.
Tulane presents a unique challenge for Navy, with the top scoring offense (41 points per game) and the second-best scoring defense (18.7) in the AAC.
“I can say it’s a great, disciplined team with a lot of athletes,” Fofana said. “They do their jobs really well. They play hard. That’s what separates them. They’re an awesome team to face. They’ll definitely test us for sure and I’m looking forward to it.”
As Fofana prepares to close out this chapter of his life, he is hoping to begin working in medicine. The chance to care for his peers has sparked a new vision for his future.
“Honestly, I didn’t want to go into military medicine until I got offered from the Naval Academy because I wasn’t really considering the military until that point,” Fofana said. “But then I just looked at how rewarding it is that I could be serving my brothers and sisters who are out there fighting in those theaters and taking care of their families. These can be people I’m unbelievably close with, like even people in the football team that I’m shedding blood, sweat and tears with every single day. That’s just something I can see myself doing in the future.”
For more from Fofana, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox