ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Navy junior quarterback Blake Horvath, who helped guide the Mids to a 7-2 start as the engine of their Wing-T attack, missed most of a 35-0 loss to Tulane on Nov. 16 after aggravating rib and back issues in the first half.
Navy (7-3 overall, 5-2 AAC) entered its matchup against Tulane (9-2, 7-0) with a path to the conference championship game if it emerged victorious against the Green Wave, but the Mids’ chances of keeping up with Tulane’s high-powered offense took a big hit once Horvath got hurt early in the game. The Green Wave will face Army in the AAC championship game on Dec. 6.
Horvath came into the Tulane game having accounted for 1,154 passing yards, 870 rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns. However, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound signal-caller got up slowly after a 9-yard first-down run in the first quarter and missed all but one series after that.
“He’s been dealing with a rib issue and some back spasms related to that,” Navy head coach Brian Newberry said of Horvath. “Took a shot early on in the game. We tried everything we could to get him comfortable and get him back out there. The training staff didn’t feel good about putting him back out there, didn’t feel like he could go.”
Sophomore backup Braxton Woodson entered for Horvath, completing three passes for 13 yards and running 13 times for 24 yards. He had thrown a total of seven passes this season prior to the Tulane game.
Navy mustered just 113 yards of total offense compared to Tulane’s 358. The Mids also turned the ball over twice. It marked the first time since Navy has been shut out at home since 2012.
“Not that we were killing it when Blake was out there, but it certainly hurt to lose him. He’s a good player,” Newberry said. “It’s the next-man-up mentality around here. Braxton’s a talented young man and has a lot of ability. He’s got to be able to take charge of the offense. We’ve got to go back and look at it and find a way to get better. We expect more out of Braxton and I think we’ll get more moving forward when we need him.”
“Very disappointed,” Woodson added. “I expect more out of myself. The coaches expect more out of me. We’ve just got to play better.”
Navy is off next weekend before facing East Carolina in Greenville, N.C., on Nov. 29. The Mids can still secure the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with a victory against Army on Dec. 14. For now, though, a rough showing on Senior Day against Tulane burns.
“It’s always motivating after a loss because you don’t ever want to feel that same way again,” Navy senior fullback Daba Fofana said. “The sting of a loss will carry so unbelievably far, and I believe what these guys will do. We’ll take it personally and carry it throughout the rest of the season.”
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