(RB Alex Tecza – Capital Gazette)
Key Players Returning:
FB Alex Tecza, RB Brandon Chatman, RB Eli Heidenreich, OG Ben Purvis, OT Connor McMahon, DE Justin Reed, NT Landon Robinson, LB Luke Pirris, LB Colin Ramos, CB Andrew Duhart, CB Dashaun Peele, BS Mbiti Williams Jr., FS Rayuan Lane III, KR Tyler Bradley, PR Amin Hassan, PK Nathan Kirkwood, and PT Riley Riethman.
Key Players Departing:
QB Tai Lavatai, WR Jayden Umbarger, WR Camari Williams, OG Jushua Pena, OT Sam Glover, DE Jacob Busic, DE Clay Cromwell, NT Donald Berniard Jr., LB Will Harbour, SS Eavan Gibbons, and SS Xavier McDonald.
(DS Austin Stull – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: DS Austin Stull (Oakdale, Connecticut), QB Talon Fisher (Fairfield, Ohio), TE Will Miles (Mobile, Alabama), DS Jacob Asbeck (West Chester, Ohio), and QB Alex Erby (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania).
2 Star Recruits: WR Landon Dolhancyk (Peachtree City, Georgia), ATH Dom Purcell (Columbus, Ohio), and QB Brady McDonough (Scottsdale, Arizona).
No Star Prospects: ATH Alonzo Manning (Chicago, Illinois), and WR Dougie Dodard (Ft. Worth, Texas).
2023 Results:
G01 vs. #13 Notre Dame L 3-42
G02 WAGNER W 24-0
G03 @ Memphis L 24-28
G04 SOUTH FLORIDA L 30-44
G05 NORTH TEXAS W 27-24
G06 @ Charlotte W 14-0
G07 #22 AIR FORCE L 6-17
G08 @ Temple L 18-32
G09 UAB W 31-6
G10 EAST CAROLINA W 10-0
G11 @ SMU L 14-59
G12 vs. Army L 11-17
Misc. Team Information:
2023 Record: 5-7 (7th in AAC)
Home: 4-2
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 0-2
AAC: 4-4
Non-AAC: 1-3
(LB Colin Ramos – Naval Academy Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Braxton Woodson (17-40, 724 yards, 42.5%, 4.1 avg., 1 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: Alex Tecza (126 car., 758 yards, 6.0 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Brandon Chatman (19 rec., 254 yards, 13.4 avg., 0 TD)
TDs Scored: Eli Heidenreich/Alex Tecza (5)
Sacks: Luke Pirris/Justin Reed (4.5)
Tackles: Colin Ramos (110)
Interceptions: Rayuan Lane III (4)
Pass Deflections: Rayuan Lane III (8)
Tackles For Loss: Luke Pirris (10)
Forced Fumbles: Rayuan Lane/Colin Ramos (2)
Kick Returns: Tyler Bradley (22 ret., 462 yards, 21.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Amir Hassan (20 ret., 176 yards, 8.8 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Nathan Kirkwood (6-9 fg/fga., 67%, 16-17 xp/xpa., 34 pts.)
Punting: Riley Riethman (80 punts, 3583 yards, 44.8 avg., 20 in20)
Projected Offensive Starter
QB: 11 Blake Horvath (JR)
FB: 46 Aelx Tecza (JR)
RB: 24 Brandon Chatman (JR)
RB: 22 Eli Heidenreich (JR)
WR: 84 Regis Velez (SR/TR)
WR: 82 Nathan Kent (JR)
LT: 68 Connor McMahan (SR)
LG: 64 Ben Purvis (JR)
OC: 65 Brent Self (SR)
RG: 62 Javan Bouton (SR)
RT: 66 Trey Cummings (SR)
KR: 23 Tyler Bradley (SO)
PK: 17 Nathan Kirkwood (JR)
Projected Defensive Starters
DE: 94 Justin Reed (SR)
NT: 96 Landon Robinson (JR)
DE: 98 Kendall Whiteside (JR)
LB: 35 Luke Pirris (JR)
LB: 39 Job Grant (SO)
LB: 44 Colin Ramos (SR)
NB: 14 Jaxson Cambell (JR)
CB: 13 Andrew Duhart (JR)
CB: 1 Dashaun Peele (SR)
FS: 18 Rayuan Lane III (SR)
BS: 7 Mbiti Williams Jr. (SR)
PR: 28 Amin Hassan (SR)
PT: 90 Riley Riethman (SR)
(FS Rayuan Lane III – Naval Academy Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/31 BUCKNELL BISON | Naby leads the series 9-4-1. The Midshipmen won (13-7) the last meeting between schools in 1925.
09/07 TEMPLE OWLS | The series is tied 9-9. The Midshipmen are 4-4 since 2014, and their last series win (27-20) was in 2022.
09/21 MEMPHIS TIGERS | Navy trails the series 3-6. The Midshipmen lost (24-28) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (22-21) was in 2018.
09/28 @ UAB Blazers | Last season’s 31-6 win was the first meeting between schools.
10/05 @ Air Force Falcons | Navy trails the series 22-34. The Midshipmen are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (34-25) was in 2019.
10/19 CHARLOTTE 49ERS | Last season’s 14-0 win was the first meeting between schools.
10/26 vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Navy trails the series 13-82-1. The Midshipmen are 1-8 since 2014, and their last series win (28-27) was in 2016.
11/02 @ Rice Owls | Navy won (63-14) the only prior meeting between schools in 2009.
11/09 @ USF Bulls | The series is tied 2-2. The Midshipmen lost (30-44) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (35-3) was in 2019.
11/16 TULANE GREEN WAVE | The series is tied 12-12-1. The Midshipmen won (27-24) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/30 @ East Carolina Pirates | Navy leads the series 9-2. The Midshipmen are 6-1 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series loss (35-38) was in 2021.
12/14 vs. Army Black Knights | Navy leads the series 62-54-7. The Midshipmen are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (17-13) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 4-1
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 1-1
AAC: 4-4
Non-AAC: 3-1
Overall: 7-5 (6th in AAC)
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