Football Archives

One Mid’s Journey: A Look at Navy Quarterback Tai Lavatai’s Road to Annapolis

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Karl Darden

One of the more interesting aspects of shining a light on these amazing student athletes at the Naval Academy is finding out how they wound up on that path to Annapolis. So when I had the chance to learn about…

Celebrating 20 Years of Navy’s Triple Option

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Karl Darden

Can you believe it? Navy’s Triple Option is turning 20 this year. That just blows me away. It’s amazing how time flies. During the past two decades, Navy football fans have seen the program achieve some unprecedented success. And the…

The First 100 Wins: How Ken Niumatalolo Has Kept Navy Football on a Strong Positive Trajectory

Posted on November 3, 2020 by Karl Darden

With Navy’s win over Temple earlier in the season, Ken Niumatalolo notched his 100th win as head coach at the Naval Academy. It couldn’t have come much tougher to come by than that very physical battle against the Owls. And…

How To Be A Great College Football Fan Without Driving Everyone Else Crazy

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Karl Darden

We’ve all heard this phrase dozens of times: “fan” is short for “fanatic”. And while that’s pretty true, having to deal with some fan(atic)s isn’t always easy. So today, in the Navy Sports Nation, we’re going to talk about this.…

The 2012 Army – Navy Game: How “The Streak” Reached 11 (Even Though It Probably Should Have Ended at 10)

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Karl Darden

I am a numbers guy. And a phrase I hear frequently as it relates to this is “the numbers don’t lie.” That might be true most of the time. But if you’re talking about the 2012 Army – Navy game,…

Meet the Most Underrated Offensive Coordinator in All of College Football

Posted on June 30, 2020 by Karl Darden

It was a record setting year for the Navy offense this past season. But that didn’t get as much play as I thought it would. As fans, we’ve come to expect the triple option to ring up 300+ rushing yards…

Taming the Tigers: How Navy Manhandled Missouri to Win the 2009 Texas Bowl

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Karl Darden

Navy’s win over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl this past December was an impressive one over a quality Big 12 opponent. It wasn’t their first though. Ten years earlier, the Mids defeated Missouri in the 2009 Texas Bowl. The…

A Look Back at the Biggest 4th Quarter Comeback in Navy History

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Karl Darden

The triple option offense has several key features and benefits that line up well with the talent Navy recruits each year. But the one benefit you will never see listed is the triple option being the ideal offense for mounting…

An Insider’s View of Navy Football

Posted on May 9, 2020 by Karl Darden

I’ve had a chance to catch up on my reading lately since all sports have been on hold. But before I even start, I want to clarify the title of this post. I am not the “Insider” mentioned. That would…

What Makes Certain Records In Division 1 College Football Virtually Unbreakable?

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Karl Darden

What exactly constitutes an unbreakable record in Division 1 College Football? It’s an interesting question. So I decided to take a look at some of the current records to see what they had in common. I ended up identifying three…