After starting the season with seven straight wins, Navy (7-2, 5-1 American Conference) has hit a speed bump with back-to-back defeats at the hands of North Texas, 31-17, and Notre Dame, 49-10. Saturday’s game and a Thanksgiving night matchup at Memphis will determine if Navy remains in contention for a berth in the American Conference championship.

Navy is one of five teams in the American with one conference loss and coach Brian Newberry acknowledged on Monday that a second setback would likely be fatal. Newberry did not hesitate when asked if Saturday is a must-win situation for the Midshipmen.

“You kind of have to look at it that way. You certainly wouldn’t think that a team with two losses is going to get into the championship game,” Newberry said. “We’re still playing meaningful games in November, which is important for our program.”

Newberry sounded confident that starting quarterback Blake Horvath would be able to play against South Florida after sitting out the Notre Dame game with an upper body injury sustained late in the loss to North Texas.

“I feel good about Blake. I think he’s made improvement every day and is starting to feel better and better,” Newberry said Monday. “We’ll get him out there to do some work today. I’m optimistic.”

Obviously, everyone associated with the American believes its champion deserves the automatic berth in the College Football Playoff that is accorded the Group of Five conferences.

There were no Group of Five schools included in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, while the latest Associated Press poll has James Madison of the Sun Belt Conference at No. 24, one spot ahead of USF.

South Florida, whose lone conference loss came against Memphis, can make a strong statement to the College Football Playoff committee by beating Navy on its home field. A win would also put USF in a strong position to reach the conference championship as its final two games are against teams at the bottom of the standings in Alabama-Birmingham and Rice.

Snipe Eli Heidenreich rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown, while Horvath accounted for 114 yards of total offense and two touchdowns as Navy went down to Tampa last season and beat USF, 28-7. Outside linebacker Luke Pirris recorded nine tackles to spearhead a strong defensive effort for the Midshipmen, who limited the Bulls to 60 rushing yards.

It is unlikely the Midshipmen will hold the Bulls to one touchdown again based on the season-long statistics for each team.

South Florida is averaging 42 points and 485.2 total yards, ranking fifth and seventh nationally in those two categories. Meanwhile, Navy is giving up 26.8 points and 393.6 total yards per game, ranking 87th and 94th in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

USF is led by quarterback Byrum Brown, the early favorite to earn the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year honor. Brown is truly a two-way threat as he leads the Bulls in rushing with 705 yards and nine touchdowns, while passing for 2,203 yards and 19 scores.

It should be noted that Brown did not play against Navy last season as he suffered a season-ending leg injury in the fifth game. Bryce Archie was the starting quarterback for USF in last year’s meeting and completed just 26 of 43 passes with two interceptions.

Brown, who owned 13 school records coming into this season, is much more of a dangerous threat. Newberry said the Bulls have made a conscious effort to incorporate their dynamic quarterback into the rushing attack.

“[Brown] is playing at an extremely high level and I think he is perfectly suited to run their offense. I think the biggest difference between now and a year ago has been his ability to run the football, either on designed runs or with being able to improvise when the play breaks down,” Newberry said. “Just a really, really good athlete and a competitor — a big, strong runner who is not the type of quarterback that’s going to slide. He’ll try to run you over and get the hard yards.”

While Brown is the focal point of the ground game, USF has a capable tailback in Nykahi Davenport, who has rushed for 397 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Keshaun Singleton is the top target in the pass game with 33 catches for 573 yards and five scores.

“Offensively, they spread you out and force you to defend the entire field and make plays in space. When a team is able to spread you out and have the element of the quarterback run it’s problematic,” Newberry said. “Then you add the element of tempo and going really, really fast. There is a lot of really good talent around Brown and they do spread the ball around.”

South Florida is improved on defense in its second season under coordinator Todd Orlando, who has held that same position at seven other schools including Texas and USC. Linebackers Mac Harris (75 tackles) and Jhalyn Shuler (69) anchor a unit that ranks seventh nationally with 19 caused turnovers and ninth with 9.2 tackles for loss per game.

Orlando has faced Navy and its unique offense previously while defensive coordinator at Connecticut and Houston. Offensive coordinator Drew Cronic thought USF defended Navy very well last season.

“I think they have improved a ton defensively. It’s the second year in Todd Orlando’s system and I think he does a really, really good job,” Newberry said. “They are really opportunistic and disruptive on defense. It’s just a really well-rounded football team. The explosiveness on offense combined with the chaos on defense is a winning formula.”

Navy will honor its 28 seniors during a pregame ceremony, a class that includes such multi-year standouts as Horvath, Heidenreich, fullback Alex Tecza, snipe Brandon Chatman, guard Ben Purvis, nose guard Landon Robinson and outside linebacker Luke Pirris.

It is a class that turned around a program that had suffered four straight losing seasons. These seniors will finish with consecutive winning campaigns capped by bowl berths. Navy has compiled a 26-20 record during their careers and is in position to capture the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the second straight season.

“We’ve got a tremendous senior class. This is a special group, special young man, some really talented players in this class,” Newberry said. “We talked this morning in the staff meeting about how important this week is for those guys; These are guys that deserve to go out on a positive note in their last game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. I certainly feel a responsibility to make sure that happens.”

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz.

Ellenberger enjoyed immediate success and quickly endeared himself to Chesapeake principal Harry Calendar and athletic director Al Grau. A teacher never did seek the position and Ellenberger became entrenched.

“Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought I would last 20-plus years,” Ellenberger said this week. “I figured if I coached for three or four years I would count my blessings. I still can’t believe it lasted as long as it did.”

Ellenberger also would not have believed it if you told him he would be so successful leading Chesapeake softball that the program’s accomplishments would land him in the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame.

However, that is what happens when you compile a remarkable 354-83 career record (.810 winning percentage) and direct Chesapeake to three state championships. The Cougars made nine state championship appearances during his tenure, which lasted from 2002 through 2021.

Chip Snyder served as Chesapeake athletic director for most of the Ellenberger era and called him “the ultimate coach.”

“When Don was leading the program, I never had to worry about anything. He is what every athletic director wants in a varsity head coach,” said Snyder, who was assistant athletic director when Ellenberger was hired. “You knew Don was going to put a quality product on the field every year and that the players were going to be led in the right way.”

Ellenberger will be formally enshrined during the 34th annual Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet, being held Wednesday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Annapolis. He will be joined by former Major League Baseball player Brett Cecil, volleyball standout Stacey Gilligan, world champion powerlifter Kirk Karwoski and sports broadcaster Pete Medhurst.

Ellenberger got into coaching girls softball with the powerful Lake Shore Spartans summer travel program. He and Don Bischoff led a Spartans squad for many years.

When Bischoff was hired as Chesapeake High softball coach, he brought along Ellenberger as an assistant. Bischoff only stayed for three seasons before departing to become head softball coach at Anne Arundel Community College, which he led to the Division III national championship in 2003.

“Harry Calendar and Al Grau decided to give me a shot and see how things went,” Ellenberger said. “I figured I would do the best I could and eventually somebody would tell me when to go away.”

That wound up never happening.

Dennis Thiele, who compiled a 248-61 record and directed Chesapeake to five state championships during a 15-year tenure, was still teaching there when Ellenberger was hired. During the spring sports season, Thiele would stand on the hill overlooking the Chesapeake softball field and watch practice.

Ellenberger, in a show of respect, would walk up the hill to say hello to Thiele.

“I remember the first time Denny came out he said to me: ‘Congratulations, good luck, but you’ll never do what I did.’ I told Denny he might be right, but we’ll see what happens,” Ellenberger said. “I also said I don’t know how many games we’ll win, but I’ll guarantee we’ll teach the players all the important fundamentals and we’ll teach a lot of life lessons as well.”

Deep down, Ellenberger did realize he faced a monumental task in maintaining the tradition of excellence that Thiele established.

What Ellenberger wound up doing was building on that legacy in a big way, leading Chesapeake to consecutive Class 4A state championships in 2007 and 2008. Those teams, led by the incomparable Lauren Gibson, compiled a combined record of 47-5.

“Lauren Gibson threw no-hitters in both state championship games, which was amazing,” Ellenberger said. “Lauren Gibson was the best softball player I’ve ever seen. She could do it all at the highest level.”

Ellenberger had another great team in 2011 as Chesapeake posted a 23-1 record and was nationally ranked by USA Today. The only loss came in the state championship game.

Chesapeake also captured nine region championships and claimed eight county championships under Ellenberger, who was named Washington Post Metro Coach of the Year in 2008 and Baltimore Sun Metro Coach of the Year in 2019. He was chosen Anne Arundel County Coach of the Year by Capital Gazette in 2012 and 2021.

Ellenberger resigned following the 2021 campaign, going out in style as Chesapeake was crowned Class 3A state champions.

Snyder tried to talk Ellenberger out of stepping down, but he was entering retirement and wanted to spend more time with his wife at their vacation home in Ocean Pines.

“When Don departed, he was truly missed by Chesapeake High School. Coaches of his caliber don’t come around often,” Snyder said. “Don had a great personality and tremendous demeanor. He knew how to relate to kids, was firm but fair and all his rules and regulations were in black and white. Practices were fun, but the players knew when it was time to get serious.”

Ellenberger had three children that all played sports at Chesapeake — daughters Army and Christy along with son Scott. He worked for USF&G for 26 years until the company was sold and moved to Minneapolis. He had a second lengthy career of 22 years with the Social Security Administration.

During his acceptance speech on Wednesday, Ellenberger will thank all the people who made coaching Chesapeake so easy and enjoyable — starting with Snyder.

“Chip put up with me for 20 years, and I’m not sure how he did. We got along great,” Ellenberger said.’

Don Collins and Tom Owen were the assistants for most of Ellenberger’s tenure. Brittany Owen served as the junior varsity coach for many years and was promoted to succeed Ellenberger as varsity head coach.

Above all else, Ellenberger is grateful for all the talented players that came through the program during his two decades in the dugout.

“When you look at what Chesapeake accomplished during my tenure, it’s all a credit to the players,” he said. “They’re the ones that have to learn how to play the game the way we wanted it played and they were the ones that had to go out on the field and perform.”

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz.

Just five months later, the first of what figures to be many honors and accolades was bestowed on Gladchuk to commemorate his 24 years as president of the Naval Academy Athletic Association.

Last Thursday, Gladchuk was presented with the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award — the highest recognition that the Secretary of the Navy may pay to a civilian not employed by the Department of the Navy.

Gladchuk was recognized during the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation’s bi-annual board meeting at the Fluegel Alumni Center in Annapolis on Thursday. This prestigious award recognizes civilians for outstanding service of substantial and long-term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps or Department of the Navy as a whole.

Leaders with the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation wanted the award to be a surprise, so they told Gladchuk the event at the Fluegel Alumni Center was simply a thank you.

“They wanted to quote ‘thank me,’ and I told them I didn’t need to be thanked,” Gladchuk said. “But then I thought to myself it would be an opportunity to thank everyone at the foundation for all the support they provided Navy athletics.”

Originally a certificate with a lapel pin, the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award was first presented in July 1951. For more than 70 years, this award has been reserved for those whose service has made a lasting national impact on the readiness and success of the naval force.

Lieutenant General Michael J. Borgschulte, the Naval Academy superintendent, formally presented the award to Gladchuk before the assembled Naval Academy Foundation Board of Directors.

“I’m very humbled, appreciative and grateful for this honor,” Gladchuk said.

A primary objective for Gladchuk in his 24 years at Navy was energizing fundraising for the physical mission and supporting the foundation’s efforts to provide philanthropic support to the Naval Academy.

Gladchuk said the honor represents a career defined not just by championships, wins or facilities, but rather by the people.

“I never looked at it as football or basketball or baseball or squash,” he said. “I always looked at it as a midshipman needing every opportunity to succeed — to have all the resources he or she needed to succeed. So, you put them in the best position to expect to win. And expect to win was always about just being prepared to win.”

Under Gladchuck’s leadership, Navy athletics experienced a transformation — earning a place among the most respected collegiate athletic programs in the United States. He helped raise more than $225 million for Navy athletics and championed facility upgrades across nearly every sport.

Gladchuk also strengthened the partnership between the Naval Academy Athletic Association and the Alumni Association & Foundation, while leading and guiding in an era of unprecedented support for the academy’s physical mission.

“Chet built an athletic program that is the envy of every Division I school in the country,” said Ron Terwilliger, chairman of the Naval Academy Foundation’s Board of Directors. “Chet understood the valuable purpose of athletics at Navy — to prepare student-athletes as leaders in the Navy and Marine Corps. He knew the discipline instilled in our athletes in battles won on the playing fields of Annapolis, West Point and Colorado Springs would help prepare our future military leaders to excel and win on the battlefield.”

In his remarks to board leadership, Gladchuk reflected on a personal philosophy that athletics is not separate from leadership development, but rather essential to it.

“All those leadership qualities that come with competition — the teamwork, the perseverance, the determination — all that is part of the physical mission package that’s so important to the success of our midshipmen as we prepare them for the fleet,” Gladchuk said. “Everything is equitably important. The academic and military dimensions are critical, but the physical mission is integral to developing leaders and preparing them for the future.”

Following a standing ovation Jeff Webb, president and CEO of Alumni Association and Foundation, talked about working arm and arm with Gladchuk on various initiatives.

“I just could not have asked for a better partner,” said Webb, adding that Gladchuk was an important mentor. “I have learned so much from just observing you. You’ve trained me, whether you know it or not. To learn from a master has been an absolute honor and privilege.”

For Gladchuk, the day was one of gratitude as he surveyed the room filled with not just colleagues but friends.

“What I remember the most are the incredible friendships, the relationships, and the trust so many people had in our direction — where we were headed and what we were trying to accomplish,” said Gladchuk, in reference to the NAAA. “I’m glad we were able to deliver on a lot of different fronts because we’ve got some wonderful young men and women that need your support. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

With 24 years of dedication, vision and an unwavering belief in the power of athletics to shape tomorrow’s Navy and Marine Corps leaders of character, Gladchuck’s legacy has become inseparable from the story of the Naval Academy itself. His influence will continue to resonate in every midshipman who learns to compete with integrity, prepare with purpose, and — as the slogan he coined sums it best — an “expect to win” mentality.

Gladchuk and wife Kathy have been traveling quite a bit since he moved out of the athletic director’s office on the ground floor of Ricketts Hall. he has received numerous offers to work as a consultant, serve on committees or pursue other work.

However, after almost a century in college athletics, the 75-year-old Annapolis resident said he is “out of breath” and needs to hit the pause button for a while.

“There have been a number of intriguing opportunities to reengage, but I’ve decided I’m not going to do anything until after the first of the year,” Gladchuk said.

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz. 

“Physical superiority cancels all theory,” he liked to say.

In other words, no amount of exotic schemes or creative play calling can overcome a significant disadvantage in talent.

I thought of Johnson’s statement last night after watching No. 10 Notre Dame completely dismantle Navy, 49-10. There really is no need to dissect this contest because the bottom line is the Fighting Irish had superior players at every position, and that’s why they dominated.

Defensively, Notre Dame overpowered Navy at the point of attack and controlled the line of scrimmage. Backup quarterback Braxton Woodson found some success running the ball, but it was not consistent enough to sustain drives. He finished with 101 rushing yards, but 41 of that came on one play. He was much less effective throwing the ball, completing just 3 of 8 passes for 22 yards — 17 of which came on a completion to snipe Eli Heidenreich.

Linebacker Jaiden Ausberry recorded eight tackles to lead the Notre Dame defense, which caused enough disruption to prevent Navy from getting into any sort of rhythm and staying on schedule. The Fighting Irish finished with five tackles for loss and two sacks.

Woodson was pressured on several other pass attempts, although he was way off target on a couple in which he had plenty of time to throw.

Truth be told, designed quarterback keepers and scrambles constituted the majority of the Navy offense, which was limited to just 228 total yards. Backup quarterback Jackson Gutierrez was the team’s second-leading rusher with 37 yards.

Three of Navy’s primary playmakers — fullback Alex Tecza, along with Heidenreich and fellow snipe Brandon Chatman — were nonfactors. That was partly because of play calling, but also because of Notre Dame taking those players out of the game.

A hallmark of coordinator Drew Cronic’s millennial Wing-T offense is the balance and ability to spread the ball around to a variety of playmakers. That definitely did not happen on this day, and the Mids became one-dimensional.

“Obviously, you want to get the ball into your playmakers’ hands in a game like this and we weren’t able to do that. A lot of what we do comes off reads, so sometimes guys get the ball and sometimes they don’t,” coach Brian Newberry said. “Going in, it was going to be a heavy quarterback-run type of game. They took away some of the perimeter stuff with the triple … weren’t going to let us pitch the ball. So it becomes one of those types of games.”

Navy’s defense clearly came into the contest determined to stop the run, which was a wise game plan considering Notre Dame features one of the country’s top tailback tandems in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. If the Fighting Irish gashed the Mids on the ground, it was going to be game over.

So Navy loaded up to stop the run, and that left the cornerbacks and safeties in one-on-one coverage quite a bit. That proved a recipe for disaster as freshman quarterback CJ Carr picked apart the secondary, completing 13 of 16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns in an incredibly efficient performance.

Carr’s favorite target was wide receiver Malachi Fields, who had four receptions totaling 97 yards. Navy cornerback Justin Ross was charged with covering Fields man-to-man and simply could not do so, also getting charged with two pass interference penalties.

Ross, a sophomore, has a bright future, but tasking him with blanketing a future NFL receiver like Fields is asking a bit much. One persistent problem for Ross and the other Navy defensive backs this season has been a failure to turn and locate the ball, thereby making it almost impossible to break up passes.

Newberry referenced that issue when addressing the one pass interference penalty he agreed with.

“We’ve just got to turn around and make a play there. We’re in a good position. Just a young corner who kind of panicked a bit,” Newberry said. “When the receiver slows down, you’ve got to turn around and find the football.”

Navy’s pass defense has been a problem all season, and eight games in it appears that’s just the way it is going to be. The Midshipmen came into Saturday’s game ranked 111th out of 136 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in passing yards allowed per game and 102nd in pass efficiency defense.

While Navy controlled the Notre Dame run game for most of the first half, it could not continue to do so in the second half. Love led the way with 94 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came on an absolutely unbelievable play that made it clear it was just that kind of day for the Midshipmen.

Four Navy defenders had Love penned into the backfield, and it was certain to be a tackle for loss. Sure enough, end Julien Moutome wrapped up the tailback and appeared to bring him down. However, replays showed that Love landed upside down on top of Moutome and no part of his body ever touched the turf.

Love simply rolled off of Moutome and raced 48 yards for a touchdown as the Midshipmen watched in disbelief wondering what just happened. Newberry called that play, which came on the opening possession of the second half, a “backbreaker” and said it opened up the “floodgates.”

Navy’s offense went three-and-out on two straight possessions to start the second half and it was clear the defense wore down by spending too much time on the field. Notre Dame finished with 249 rushing yards with third-string tailback Aneyas Williams breaking loose for a 54-yard touchdown run.

Notre Dame has now won seven straight meetings with Navy, with six of those being complete blowouts. The Midshipmen took the Irish to the limit in 2022 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore before falling, 35-32. However, the Fighting Irish average of margin of victory in the six lopsided games since 2018 has been just shy of 33 points.

Whenever Navy gets walloped this way by Notre Dame, I hear from fans from both sides wondering why the two institutions continue with this series. Obviously, the answer is tradition and history, and we do not need to repeat that the University of Notre Dame owes the United States Navy an unending debt of gratitude for saving it from extinction during World War II.

From a Navy perspective, playing Notre Dame annually has far more benefits than drawbacks. Being able to tell recruits they will get to play against one of the most storied programs in college football history and face Fighting Irish teams that are almost always nationally ranked is valuable.

Paul Johnson had another famous one-liner, which was actually given to him by Navy sports information director Scott Strasemeier. “Notre Dame has a bunch of Parade All-Americans, while Navy has a bunch of great Americans who have marched in a parade.”

His point is that the talent disparity between the two programs is enormous, which is why Notre Dame now leads the all-time series 84-13-1. Navy wins are few and far between (witness a historic 43-game losing streak from 1966 to 2006).

I have witnessed four Navy upsets of Notre Dame since taking over the Navy beat in 2001. Three of those wins came against Notre Dame squads that finished .500 (6-6 in 2009) or with losing records (3-9 in 2007, 4-8 in 2016).

In 2010, a Notre Dame team that finished 8-5 was blown out by Navy, 35-17. However, the point is that in most years, the Fighting Irish are going to be far superior to the Midshipmen and should win the annual meeting.

And that’s OK.

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz. 

That news made the oddsmakers even more convinced this game was going to be a blowout. By the time the 7:30 p.m. kickoff rolled around, the Fighting Irish had been increased to a 30 1/2-point favorite.

Horvath suffered an upper body injury toward the end of the loss to North Texas and was limited in practice all week. It was a game time decision and Navy coach Brian Newberry apparently decided not to risk having his starting signal caller get even more banged up.

Junior Braxton Woodson made his third career start and performed fairly well, rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown to provide what little offense the Midshipmen mustered.

While Horvath’s absence moved the needle slightly, the bottom line is that a quarterback change made no discernible difference in a matchup that was just as lopsided as the Las Vegas insiders expected.

Freshman quarterback CJ Carr completed 13 of 16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns as Notre Dame routed Navy, 49-10, on a cold, dreary day at Notre Dame Stadium. Tailback Jeremiyah Love rushed for 94 yards and two scores for the Fighting Irish, who are ranked 10th in both the College Football Playoff rankings and the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

When all was said and done, Notre Dame had outgained Navy 502 to 228 on a night that featured heavy rain that turned to snow. The Irish only punted once.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed — not necessarily in the result. I really didn’t think it was going to be as lopsided as it was,” Newberry said. “I knew we had to execute really, really well tonight and we just didn’t do it. We’ve got to learn from it, we’ve got to get better as a staff and a team. We’ve got a big one coming up next weekend in Annapolis, so we’ll push forward.”

This game was basically over less than four minutes into the second half and it wasn’t too long afterward that Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman sat down his starters. Newberry had made his own concession on Navy’s third possession of the third quarter by replacing Woodson with third-string quarterback Jackson Gutierrez.

Even the Notre Dame offensive reserves got the better of the Navy front-line defense with third string tailback Aneyas Williams breaking loose for a 54-yard touchdown run after escaping an arm tackle by starting outside linebacker Luke Pirris.

As always is the case with this historic and respectful rivalry, both teams stood behind the other for the postgame singing of the alma maters. In some cases, Notre Dame and Navy players were side-by-side and arm-and-arm.

Newberry was asked afterward about the decision not to play Horvath, who was dressed and participated in pregame warmups, but came out wearing sweatpants and a hoodie prior to kickoff.

“I didn’t feel like he was ready to play and didn’t want to put him in harm’s way and make something potentially worse. I just didn’t feel comfortable putting him out there,” he said.

Newberry grew annoyed when pressed as to whether it was a game-time decision to sit Horvath or whether he knew earlier in the week that he could not go.

“I don’t know why it matters. I want to talk about the game and our players. We made the decision not to play him. He should be back next week, hopefully,” Newberry said.

Carr completed 10 of 12 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown as Notre Dame (7-2) took a 21-10 halftime lead. Fields consistently beat man-to-man coverage by cornerback Justin Ross to record four receptions for 97 yards by the break. Love rushed for 42 yards and a score as the Irish scored on three of four possessions.

Woodson ran for 108 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in the first half. He also completed 2 of 6 passes for 19 yards and was pretty much the whole offense as the Mids totaled 173 yards.

“I was pleased with how Braxton played in the first half and how he handled an environment like this,” Newberry said. “Certainly didn’t play perfect. I thought he came out in the third quarter and missed some reads.”

Navy (7-2) won the pregame coin toss and elected to take the ball first in hopes of taking a quick lead. It did not work out as the Midshipmen picked up only one first down before having to punt.

With Notre Dame facing third-and-10, defensive coordinator P.J. Volker called for a blitz by inside linebacker Coleman Cauley and it appeared to backfire. Love slipped out of the backfield and got wide-open in the area vacated by the inside back, catching a short pass and turning it into a 27-yard gain.

Carr found Fields wide-open downfield for a 52-yard completion on the subsequent first down and three plays later Love powered in from a yard out to give Notre Dame an early 7-0 lead.

Navy’s defense rose up and forced a three-and-out on Notre Dame’s second possession. A shank by punter James Rendell only went 27 yards and gave Navy great field position.

The Midshipmen took advantage of the short field thanks to three double-digit gains. Heidenreich ran for 15 yards on a jet sweep, while Tecza powered up the middle for 13 yards. Backup wide receiver Josh Guerin took a reverse 11 yards to set up first-and-goal from the 3.

Two plays later, Woodson scored from 2 yards out off the “tush push” play with Hedenreich and Tecza providing the power from behind as Navy tied the score at 7 at the 11:02 mark of the second period.

Notre Dame answered in impressive fashion, matching 71 yards in nine plays and taking more than five minutes off the clock on the way to a touchdown. Fields had three receptions totaling 45 yards to spark that drive, which culminated with backup tailback Jadarian Price scoring on a 2-yard run to make it 14-7 with 5:57 to go.

Navy added a 6-yard touchdown catch from Jordan Faison scored on a 6-yard strike as Notre Dame increased the lead to 21-7 with 1:42 remaining in the first half.

“The Achilles heel today for our defense was just not being able to get off the field on third down,” Newberry said. “We had several opportunities in the first half. If you can get off the field on those third-and-sevens, third-and-nines it’s a different game at halftime.”

It didn’t seem like Navy had enough time to respond, but Woodson broke loose for a 41-yard run in which he showed tremendous speed and elusiveness. The Mids picked up another first down as Woodson hit Heidenreich on a sideline route, but then the drive stalled.

Newberry chose not to go for it on fourth-and-11 and kicker Nathan Kirkwood booted a 33-yarder right down the middle as Navy went into the break trailing 21-10.

Notre Dame broke the game open with three third-quarter touchdowns.

“We just couldn’t get anything going offensively in the second half, particularly in the third quarter. We started off with two three-and-outs, so the defense is on the field,” Newberry said. “I think we probably got a little tired in the second half and they popped some runs.”

Navy must move on to what is now the biggest game of the season to date against South Florida (7-2, 4-1). The Midshipmen and Bulls are among five teams in the American with one loss and another would likely eliminate either from contention for the conference championship game.

“That’s what we talked about just now in the locker room. We’ve got to be able to flush this and we can’t let it affect our preparation going into next week,” Newberry said.

“Everything is still in front of us as far as the conference race. We’ve got two of the better teams in our conference coming up. South Florida is a really good football team and I’m excited that we get to play them in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.”

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz. 

Navy coaches tout the annual matchup with Notre Dame, played either in an NFL stadium or fabled Notre Dame Stadium, when out on the recruiting trail and it is a powerful lure.

All that said, Saturday’s game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, is particularly special for one member of the Navy football team. Starting safety Giuseppe Sessi has been looking forward to this contest ever since arriving in Annapolis.

“I grew up in a household that loved Notre Dame football. I talked about Notre Dame football with my dad and grandpa pretty often,” Sessi said this week. “So this is a super-special opportunity and I’m definitely proud to represent my father and my grandfather’s last name this week.”

Saturday’s game is an event that has been highly anticipated by the entire Sessi family, which will have 30-plus members seated in Section 9 to support Giuseppe and the Midshipmen.

Tom Sessi started taking his son to games at Notre Dame Stadium when he was 5 years old. They attended at least one home game in South Bend every year until Giuseppe was a freshman at Ronald Reagan High and had his own football games on weekends.

For Tom Sessi, just thinking about watching his son play on the field that sits in the shadow of Touchodown Jesus gives him chills.

“It is going to be an incredible experience and one we all have been looking forward to ever since Giuseppe committed to Navy,” Tom said.

There is a phrase inscribed in one of the doors of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart that is the centerpiece of the Notre Dame campus. It reads: God, Country, Notre Dame. Tom Sessi said those words have guided his family’s values for multiple generations.

“Now my son represents the Naval Academy, which has its own motto of honor, service and commitment. It’s a full circle legacy of faith, family and duty,” Tom said. “This weekend is not just a football game for the Sessi family. It’s a celebration of everything all six of those words stand for and mean.”

Arthur Thomas Sessi grew up in Weirton, West Virginia and was recruited out of Madonna High to play football at Notre Dame. He was a member of the junior varsity as a freshman.

As a sophomore, Thomas Sessi decided not to pursue varsity football so he could concentrate on the rigorous academics and wound up graduating from Notre Dame in 1964.

“I think my dad decided he would rather graduate from Notre Dame than play varsity football and risk not graduating,” Tom Sessi said.

Tom followed in his father’s footsteps by attending Notre Dame, having been indoctrinated into becoming a fervent fan of the school’s powerful football program. He started attending games at Notre Dame Stadium with his father when he was 8 years old and never considered going to college anywhere else.

Tom graduated from the university in 1991. He was a sophomore when a Notre Dame squad featuring quarterback Tony Rice, running back Ricky Watters, defensive tackle Chris Zorich and linebacker Michael Stonebreaker went 12-0 and captured the national championship.

Tom traveled to Florida to attend one of the biggest games of that season as Notre Dame beat Miami, 31-30, in the Orange Bowl. That contest was famously known as the “Catholics versus Convicts” contest and Tom still has the T-shirt he bought.

Tom passed his passion for Notre Dame football down to Giuseppe, who will never forget being given his grandfather’s practice jersey from his freshman season on the junior varsity.

As a youngster, Giuseppe would play football in the family living room with his father and pretend to be whoever the Notre Dame starting quarterback or running back was at the time.

Tom Sessi hated Michigan and USC too much, so he would pretend he was a defensive player for Navy while on hands and knees chasing a child with a football.

“I never imagined those living room games we played would lead us here. I couldn’t be more proud of Giuseppe and how far he’s come as a football player,” Tom said.

Tom had no idea his son would be talking to members of the media via Zoom this week with the topic of his family lineage to Notre Dame the primary topic. He watched a replay of the session and was overwhelmed when the first question was about his father playing football for Notre Dame.

“Right out of the gate you asked Giuseppe about my dad and that was very emotional for me,” Tom said.

Giuseppe Sessi routinely attended Notre Dame home football games with his father and grandfather. The eldest Sessi was thrilled when his grandson committed to play football for Navy, knowing he would get to participate in the annual matchup with Notre Dame.

Giuseppe did not make the travel squad as a plebe when Navy played Notre Dame in Dublin, Ireland. Arthur Thomas Sessi died on April 25, 2024, at the age of 82. He passed one day before an updated Navy depth chart was issued following spring camp that had Giuseppe No. 2 at safety.

Giuseppe Sessi made his debut appearance against Notre Dame last season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He was a member of the kickoff coverage unit and saw action on defense in the dime package.

Now Sessi is a starter and ranks third on the team with 50 tackles. He also has a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

“It’s obviously unfortunate that my grandpa never got to see me play against Notre Dame,” Giuseppe said. “I know he’ll be watching down and cheering for the Navy Midshipmen this Saturday night.”

Of course, Sessi dreamed of one day playing football at Notre Dame. He sent a letter to the Notre Dame coaching staff and never received a response.

Getting recruited by Navy, which played Notre Dame every year, was the next best thing. Sessi said former coach Ken Niumatalolo was “like a celebrity” because he saw him striding the sidelines while watching the annual Navy-Notre Dame game on television.

“Especially when I found out what the Naval Academy was about and the type of institution this place is, I definitely wanted to come here,” Sessi said. “The opportunity to be able to play in the Army-Navy Game, then play against my childhood dream team made it a no-brainer decision.”

Sessi was asked about the incredible atmosphere for a football game at Notre Dame Stadium, which seats 80,795 and is always sold out.

“I think that atmosphere is something you want as a competitor. You want that crowd to be max capacity, you want that stadium to be rocking and you want to beat them at their best,” he said. “Even if you’re not a Notre Dame fan, but just a college football fan, those are some hallowed grounds. That’s the mecca of college football. I’m super-excited to get the opportunity to go beat Notre Dame in that stadium.”

Sessi laughed when asked this week how many times he has watched the movie “Rudy,” which chronicles the career of a Notre Dame walk-on. He guessed the answer is about 20 and mentioned telling roommate and teammate Isaiah Bryant that he needed to see the film in advance of Saturday’s game.

“During Notre Dame week you’ve got to watch Rudy,” Sessi said with a smile.

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz.

Host Navy will meet Yale in the nightcap of the event, which begins at 6 p.m. with Tulsa taking on Rhode Island.

Navy is the preseason favorite in the Patriot League, while Yale holds the same status in the Ivy League. The Midshipmen return all five starters and several key reserves from last season’s team that lost in the conference championship game. The Bulldogs return three starters and several key reserves from last season’s squad that captured the league regular season and tournament crowns.

Yale has captured seven Ivy League regular season championships and four tournament titles under the direction of coach James Jones, who is beginning his 27th season on the sideline. The Bulldogs have won at least 10 league games 10 times during his tenure on the way to making five NCAA Tournament appearances.

“Coach Jones has built a prominent program that is always at the top of the Ivy League, so it’s going to be a great test for our home opener,” Navy first-year coach Jon Perry said. “We have a ton of respect for Yale, which has a great basketball team. It’s a veteran group that has experience and has been to the NCAA Tournament.”

Navy is led by hard-charging point guard Austin Benigni, the preseason Player of the Year in the Patriot League. Other returning starters for the Midshipmen are senior center Aidan Kehoe, senior forward Donovan Draper along with junior wing guards Jinwoo Kim and Jordan Pennick.

“I think Navy is very talented, very tough and fundamentally sound. They’ve got a lot of seniors on that team that have been through the fight and know what it takes to win,” Jones said. “It’s a very formidable opponent, so it’s going to be a great challenge for our team. We will have to come out and play very well to win.”

Yale features one of the best mid-major players in the country in forward Nick Townsend, a first team All-Ivy League selection after averaging 15.4 points and a team-best 7.1 rebounds. The powerfully-built 6-foot-7 senior scored 19 points against Cornell in the Ivy League Tournament final and 15 points versus Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“They have a very strong inside presence with Townsend, who does a lot for them. We expect Yale to play through him a lot tomorrow night, so we have to be five guys versus the ball as much as we can,” Perry said, noting that Townsend was second on the team with 108 assists a year ago.

Perry is also impressed with senior guard Casey Simmons and 6-foot-10 junior center Samson Aletan, the other two returning starters. He said Yale wants to control the tempo, but will be opportunistic in terms of pushing the ball in transition off turnovers.

“They’re kind of methodical. They like to set guys up and try to exploit any mismatches they might have. We have to protect the paint on the defensive end and score in the paint on the offensive end,” Perry said. “They’re very physical defensively and want to win the rebounding war. Obviously, we need to keep them off the glass on the offensive end.”

Kehoe scored 19 points on 9-of-11 field goal shooting as Navy blew out Presbyterian, 76-55, in its opener on Monday night. You can bet the Midshipmen are going to feed the 6-foot-10 post repeatedly again on Friday night.

“We are who we are. We’re not changing. We’re going to play Navy basketball and that means attacking inside-out. Aden did a great job scoring down low and everyone else did a great job of recognizing that he had it going and we needed to play through him,” Perry said. “If we can use our defense to help our offense and get some transition baskets that would be good.”

Perry did not hesitate when asked the keys to victory as he’s maintained the three pillars to victory for Navy, which are rebounding, defending and taking care of the ball.

“Win the points in the paint and win the rebounding battle. I would love for us to get to the free throw line and make more foul shots than they shoot,” he said. “If we can do those things and take care of the ball, I think we have a good shot.”

Benigni is the engine of the Navy offense, often pushing the ball quickly in transition and always looking to drive hard to the basket. Jones is very familiar with the returning first team All-Patriot League performer.

“I think [Benigni] is tough as nails and does a great job of leading his team and picking his spots. He doesn’t always go 90 mph, but when he does go 90 mph, you better look out,” Jones said. “I also think the big fella down low [Kehoe] has done a really good job and gotten light years better over the years.”

Yale is set to have former Baltimore Sun Player of the Year Jordan Brathwaite, a Mount St. Joseph graduate, as part of its rotation. The 6-foot-4 Fulton resident played sparingly as a freshman, but will be a top reserve as a sophomore.

“Jordan has done a great job in practice so far and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does this season,” Jones said. “He brings toughness to the table and can really guard. He also has the ability to shoot the ball. He’s just a really good all-around player.”

All three visiting teams for the Veterans Classic took an interactive tour of the Naval Academy on Thursday. They climbed aboard a Yard Patrol boat, got to check out a military helicopter and steer a ship simulator.

“That’s why we came here to the academy. I wanted our players to have an opportunity to see how the people that protect our country carry themselves on a daily basis,” Jones said.

Brathwaite, who was born at Anne Arundel Medical Center, was amazed that the entire Brigade of Midshipmen, more than 4,000 strong, eats meals inside King Hall at the same time.

A member of the brigade leadership had told all those present to spend four minutes talking about something that matters before turning their attention to lunch.

“It’s really inspiring to be here at the Naval Academy, seeing what the student-athletes do and all requirements asked of them and all the midshipmen. It’s an amazing institution and I feel blessed to get an inside look at what goes on here,” Brathwaite said. “Just the fact we’re having a four-minute discussion and are supposed to be talking about the issues of the world shows how this place is different.”

Have a news tip? Contact Anthony Maluso at amaluso@baltsun.com, 567-230-6024, x.com/TonySunSports and instagram.com/TonySunSports.

Taylor has been relentless on the recruiting trail and has succeeded in improving the talent level in the program year over year. He has made it a priority to instill a winning mentality and positive culture within the program.

As Taylor gradually got more of the types of players needed to execute his offensive and defensive systems, Navy began to display a winning style of play.

Six years in, Taylor’s hard work has paid dividends. Navy women’s basketball was picked as the preseason favorite in the Patriot League for the first time since 2014. The Midshipmen received two first place votes and totaled 71 points, three more than archrival Army.

“I like that preseason No. 1 ranking. Now we have to go out and validate it, but it shows how much progress this program has made,” Taylor said. “We’ve come a long way from those first few years that were so tough.”

Navy returns four starters along with 84.4% of its points, 85.8% of its rebounds and 76.3% of its assists. Taylor brought in a strong five-player recruiting class and believes this is the deepest, most talented team he’s had since arriving in Annapolis.

However, Barnett-Gay could care less about individual accolades and is focused on helping Navy return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.

“I want to win the regular season championship and the tournament and go to the NCAAs,” she said.

Barnett-Gay was named first team All-Patriot League for the second straight season after leading Navy in scoring (19 points per game), rebounding (7.7 average), assists (97) and steals (72). Taylor is impressed that his star player is not resting on her laurels, but rather working harder than ever to improve.

“Zanai has gotten even better and that is really saying something. She has put a lot of time in the gym with the goal of being more consistent,” Taylor said. “I tell everybody that Zanai’s superpower is her competitiveness. She really wants to be good and works hard behind the scenes to get better. She wants to win and that elevates her game.”

Barnett-Gay served as a detailer for plebe summer, which speaks to how far she has come leadership-wise since she hated her own experience. As a plebe and youngster, Barnett-Gay was reluctant to tell teammates what to do.

“Since plebe year, Coach Taylor has been trying to get me to be more vocal. That’s something I’ve been working on and I feel more comfortable giving other players direction now that I’m a junior,” she said.

Navy once again had the Patriot League Rookie of the Year with wing guard Julianna Almeida following in Barnett-Gay’s footsteps. After a slow start to her freshman campaign, Almeida averaged 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in conference contests.

Almeida started all 31 games, but really hit her stride in January and February — collecting four of the last five Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors. Taylor said the 5-foot sophomore has improved her 3-point shooting.

“Julianna is already an incredible leader who is always really positive. She is another gym rat who is always doing whatever it takes to improve,” Taylor said.

Mary Gibbons joined her classmate on the Patriot League All-Rookie team a year ago after playing in all 31 games and providing a spark off the bench. Gibbons made a tremendous collegiate debut by scoring 18 points in the opener and reached double digits for points in eight other games.

Taylor thinks Gibbons may be the Midshipmen’s most improved player as she has gotten stronger, quicker and more confident.

“Mary has become more consistent shooting the ball and is better on the defensive end. We’re expecting big things out of her,” he said.

Kate Samson was playing superb basketball during the nonconference portion of the schedule and Navy was running its offense through the post. Samson averaged nine points and seven rebounds with 19 blocked shots through 11 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

The 6-foot-4 center scored 18 points on 8-for-11 field goal shooting against Delaware in what proved to be her final appearance of the season. Taylor said Samson is fully healthy and in really good shape.

“I think Kate can be as good as any post player in the league. She has been playing really well in the preseason and been very impactful,” he said.

One of the storylines of last season was how Navy lost its entire frontcourt to injury with Gia Pissott and Lizzie Holder also going down. That left 6-foot-2 Morgan Demos as the only legitimate big available and she really stepped up, averaging 7.7 points and 5.8 rebounds during Patriot League play.

“I think Kate and Morgan give us a really good inside tandem. Morgan is also playing really well right now,” Taylor said.

Pissott is no longer with the program, while another key member of the rotation, point guard Kyah Smith, has transferred to William & Mary.

Navy’s coaching staff put together a highly-regarded recruiting class and Taylor believes all five freshmen are capable of contributing and bolstering the depth. There are two talented post players among the plebes in Quinn Boettinger and Sydney Quinn, who are 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-2, respectively.

Boettinger showed inside scoring potential by totaling 19 points in an instra-squad scrimmage and is also a strong passer.

Zoe Mesuch is only 5-foot-5, but is described by Taylor as a “creative scorer, a natural scorer” with the potential to be one of the best perimeter scorers in the conference.

“Zoe can flat-out shoot the basketball; She has unlimited range,” said Taylor, who called Christina Liggio a “winner’ willing to do whatever the team needs.

Navy women’s basketball is led on and off the court by senior Maren Louridas, a rare two-year captain at the Naval Academy. In fact, Louridas was chosen as the “captain of captains,” one of the most prestigious honors bestowed upon a Midshipman. She ranks No. 1 in the Class of 2026 in academic order of merit and is a Rhodes Scholar finalist.

“I can’t say enough good things about Maren and what she’s done for our program. She is just so unbelievably giving of herself,” Taylor said. “Maren has helped change the culture of the program and takes care of everyone on the team. She is also starting to play her best basketball.”

Knowing he had a strong team returning, Taylor put together a challenging nonconference schedule that features several tough road games beginning with Friday’s opener at Delaware, a top contender in the Coastal Athletic Association. Navy also plays at Richmond, which has captured consecutive Atlantic-10 Conference regular season championships.

Navy hosts Florida from the powerful Southeastern Conference and travels to South Florida of the American Conference

“When we put this thing together we thought we had a chance to be pretty good. I’m looking at it now and wondering did we bite off more than we could chew,” Taylor said with a laugh. “We have really ramped up the schedule and it’s going to be very challenging.”

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz.

SEASON OPENER

Navy at Delaware

Friday, 7 p.m.

Stream: ESPN+

Klenk spent 2024 serving on the scout team for the third straight season, so it would have been easy to retire and focus on the academic and military requirements of the Naval Academy.

Fortunately for the Midshipmen, Klenk isn’t built that way. He chose to remain a member of the Navy football team even if it meant going four years without taking a varsity snap.

“I’ve never been a quitter and never want to be a quitter,” Klenk told the Capital Gazette this week. “I decided to stick with football because it was the uncommon thing to do. Most people in my situation probably would have quit.”

Instead, Klenk has become one of the feel-good stories of this Navy football season, earning a role with the Navy defense four games into the season and emerging as an impact player.

“What a great example Adam Klenk is for our younger players, and even our older players who haven’t cracked the lineup,” Navy head coach Brian Newberry said. “He’s a guy that battled injuries, position changes — all those things — and just kept coming to work. He’s just a great young man who is resilient and tough.”

Klenk was a standout defensive end for two seasons at Seneca High in Tabernacle, New Jersey. He was a three-time All-State selection and three-time Burlington County Defensive Player of the Year.

Klenk was moved to inside linebacker as a senior after the defensive coordinator realized opponents were running away from his side of the field and double-team blocking him on passing downs. Nonetheless, Klenk set the school’s single-season and career records for sacks.

Klenk was recruited by Navy as an inside linebacker, but was moved to fullback during the spring of his sophomore season. That position switch didn’t work out, so he was moved back to inside linebacker and was buried on the depth chart.

Injuries were a big reason that Klenk was unable to impress the defensive coaching staff. He has suffered a torn ACL and meniscus while at the academy. Despite all the setbacks, Klenk was undeterred and remained determined to somehow find a role on special teams.

“I tried to lean into the things I did well. I was always pretty good in the weight room and the scout team lifted before every practice, so I made the most of that,” said Klenk, whose increased strength is paying dividends this season.

In a clear-cut case of you never know when you might catch the attention of the coaching staff, Klenk did exactly that during a conditioning drill held during Navy’s infamous “fourth quarter” winter workouts.

Klenk showed good speed and balance while running figure-eights around two hoops laid side-by-side. Navy defensive coordinator P.J. Volker noticed the agility and footwork and started thinking about utilizing Klenk as an edge rusher.

So Klenk switched positions for a third time, moving to the outside linebacker known as raider. That is basically a stand-up defensive end charged with setting the edge on running downs and rushing the quarterback on passing downs.

It was a position that fit Klenk, who was a standout pass rusher as a defensive end in high school, like a glove.

“I’ve had a lot more fun playing raider. I just feel like it clicks better for me,” Klenk said. “At raider, it was easy to play fast because the coaches gave me a visual key and said if [the blocker] does one thing, you do this. If he does another, you do this.”

Klenk came out of spring camp third on the depth chart at raider, in itself a major victory.

“During spring practice I figured I’ve got nothing to lose, so just go out there and turn it loose,” Klenk said. “Being on the depth chart coming out of spring camp was really encouraging.”

Klenk moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart when it became clear that Dylan Spelios, who had suffered a season-ending injury in 2024, was not going to return. However, he primarily played on special teams through three games to start the season.

Klenk saw the most extensive defensive action of his career in the Rice game and was a real revelation. He recorded five tackles in 14 snaps, a tremendous rate of production. That prompted Newberry to declare that Navy needed to find more ways to get Klenk on the field.

“Adam continues to get better and deserves to be on the field more. He’s one of the most dynamic athletes, if not the most dynamic athlete, we have on the defensive side of the football.”

Navy already has a very talented, experienced player at raider in three-year starter Luke Pirris, so the coaching staff devised packages that put him and Klenk on the field at the same time. On obvious passing downs, Klenk has played defensive end and Pirris at raider to create, in effect, a double edge.

Given more game repetitions on defense over the past three games, Klenk has delivered and already amassed 20 tackles, including four for loss. He’s registered three sacks and been responsible for five quarterback hurries.

Klenk swooped around from behind and delivered strip sacks against both Temple and Florida Atlantic, both of which were game-changing. The first came when Temple was knocking on the end zone door, while the second came at the Florida Atlantic 23-yard line and set up a touchdown for Navy.

“Good things happen whenever Adam is on the field. He is really ascending,” Volker said. “I could not be more excited for Adam Klenk and his story of adversity. He’s just a really good football player and is getting better and better every single day.”

Klenk remembers running off the field after making the strip sack versus FAU and being mobbed by joyous teammates. That moment and feeling made all the struggles and hardships worthwhile.

“It’s been nothing short of the best time. I haven’t had the smoothest path here, but to see the light at the end of the tunnel and be able to get something out of this and help my team win games is amazing,” Klenk said. “I’m just so happy for my family that comes to the games. I have a lot of people supporting me. I couldn’t have done it without my mom and my brother constantly encouraging me.”

For Klenk, the tough times truly began during his senior year at Seneca High when his father was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a highly aggressive and malignant brain tumor. Jonathan Klenk suffered a stroke and died on Sept. 26, 2022 — just two weeks after coming to Annapolis to visit his youngest son for the last time.

“Our last visit with Adam was really upsetting because he was basically saying goodbye to his father,” said Kristina Klenk, whose husband died at age 51.

Adam Klenk knew the end was near as he went through plebe summer and remembers wondering if his father would still be alive when “Parents Weekend” arrived in early August. That marks the first time in seven weeks that plebes are allowed to see their parents.

“It definitely was the hardest time in my life. It was really rough, but I wouldn’t be the person I am today without having gone through that,” said Klenk, who leaned heavily on his mother and older brother for support. “They were the only people that really knew what I was going through and were really important pillars in my life.”

Jonathan Klenk had been the director of sales and distribution for a wholesale seafood company in New Jersey. Kristina Klenk works as a nurse at Virtua Mount Holly Hospital.

Kristina and eldest son Jonathan have attended every Navy game this season except North Texas on the road. It has been uplifting for them to finally see Adam on the field making plays.

“I’m just elated that Adam is getting an opportunity and we are just so happy for him,” Kristina said. “It would have been a real shame for him to go four years without even having a chance to play. I’m not surprised that Adams persevered because that’s just the kind of person he is. He always gives 110% and has been that way since he was a child in any sports he played.”

Klenk hopes to receive Marine Corps Ground as a service selection. One never gets over losing a parent, especially at such a young age, and Klenk is appreciative of the support he gets from roommate Greyson Crawford as well as teammates Harry Spencer and Luke Molden.

Klenk is grateful for the support of family and friends and cited that as a big reason why he was able to stick it out and reach the point of becoming a key player for Navy.

“I can’t even put into words how much it means for me to be able to make an impact for this team,” he said. “All I’ve done for the past four years is dream about being out on the field with guys I respect so much and playing a part in helping this team win is really rewarding.”

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz. 

Below are Wagner’s answers to questions posed by Irish Illustrated.

We know Blake Horvath, and that he makes the entire operation work. Where has he improved since last season, and who are the other top offensive weapons?

Horvath was pretty darn good last season, but yes he has been even better this season. At least that was the case up until the North Texas game when he was intercepted twice due to bad decisions.

Horvath has developed into a true dual threat with the ability to run and pass very effectively. He is going to surpass 1,000 yards rushing and passing for the second straight season. Horvath has done a tremendous job directing the offense in terms of reading defenses, making checks at the line of scrimmage and distributing the ball.

Navy has numerous weapons with the most notable being senior Eli Heidenreich, who is considered an NFL prospect. Heidenreich is primarily a slot receiver and leads the team with 31 catches for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Heidenreich is also a dangerous runner and is used on jet sweeps and pitchouts. Other key weapons are fullback Alex Tecza (523 rushing yards) and snipe Brandon Chatman (484 yards from scrimmage).

What did North Texas do defensively to limit this Navy offense to just 17 points?

It was mostly self-inflicted wounds. The Mids committed a fumble and Horvath threw an interception on two drives into the red zone. Several other drives were torpedoed by penalties. Navy also came up short in the red zone and had to settle for a field goal. The Midshipmen should have scored 30 points or more.

At Irish Illustrated we have repeatedly warned our readers that Navy’s self-inflicted wounds were, well, self-inflicted, last season. (Notre Dame had just two havoc plays defensively in a five fumble game!) Has Navy since protected the football vs. the better defenses it faced, and how did Brian Newberry address that odd Saturday in which Navy seemed to shrink from the big moment against ND — something we’re not used to seeing.

Turnovers have not really been a problem for Navy up until the North Texas game. However, pre-snap and holding penalties have been issues and caused drives to be short-circuited.

Yes, Newberry was disappointed that Navy was not ready for the national spotlight and put forth one of its worst performances of the season against Notre Dame at MetLife Stadium. It’s hard to say how Newberry addressed that issue because it happened again when Navy played Tulane with a berth in the American Conference championship game on the line.

At home on senior day, the Midshipmen played even worse than they did against the Irish in suffering a 35-0 shutout.

On a positive note, Navy did show up and play extremely well in all three phases in soundly beating archrival Army, 31-13 in the most important game of the season.

Is Ram Vela walking through that door? What about Wyatt Middleton? If not, who are the Navy defenders with the type of playmaking ability that Irish fans will easily conjure their names decades later? What does Navy’s defense do best?

Navy’s top playmakers on defense have been inside linebackers MarcAnthony Parker, outside linebacker Luke Pirris and nose guard Landon Robinson.

Parker leads the team in tackles as a sophomore and has been very instinctive. Pirris is second on the squad in tackles. Robinson has been a disruptive force and leads the team in tackles for loss. For an interior lineman to rank fourth in total tackles is impressive.

Two defenders that were not starters have really emerged of late. Coleman Cauley has taken over as the starter at one of the inside linebacker spots and has been very productive in the last two games. while outside linebacker Adam Klenk has been seeing more playing time and wreaking havoc in the backfield.

Up until the North Texas game, Navy had done a good job of stopping the run. For most of the season the pass defense has been the big problem. However, the rushing defense took a major step backward by giving up 311 yards on the ground to the Mean Green.

Navy has also done a pretty good job of playing bend but don’t break, getting red zone stops and forcing teams to settle for field goals.

Notre Dame is down three starting OL for the foreseeable future, though one has not played all season. They’re also out a DT who had a great game vs. Navy in 2023, a WR who scored two TDs in that game, and my guess is their starting nickel — whose skill set is ideally suited for Navy’s offense — was injured vs. Boston College. Does Navy have any notable injuries or anything new to overcome?

Navy’s front line players are healthy for the most part. One key player who has missed multiple games is tight end Cody Howard, who is an important part of the offense when available. He is an outstanding blocker and a real weapon in the passing game. Navy has been without starting wide receiver Luke Hutchison since the Rice game.

Navy takes the Irish into the fourth Quarter (and thus could win, unlike Boston College) if …

Navy needs to stop the run, first and foremost. Notre Dame has routinely run at will against Navy and if that happens it spells trouble. Also, the Midshipmen must win the turnover battle. They cannot afford to commit any turnovers and must force a couple.

Notre Dame puts another 40-spot on Navy as it has done so often if …

If Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and company are gouging Navy between the tackles it is going to be a long day. For most of this season, Navy has been outscoring opponents, so if Notre Dame plays lockdown defense and limits the visitors to 17 points as North Texas just did, it will likely be lopsided. Navy probably needs to score 31 points or more to win this game.

Below are O’Malley’s answers to questions posed by Capital Gazette.

Navy coach Brian Newberry thinks Notre Dame has the best tailback tandem in the country. What makes Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price such a lethal combination and what does each bring to the table? Are they similar in many ways or complement each other?

They’re similar in that both are top tier home-run hitters, perhaps the best (Love) and top-five in that regard in the country. The difference is that Love is a violent blocker, an outstanding weapon in the screen game, and a running back that has proven he can take a heavy game workload.

Price is exceptionally fast around the edge, runs through arm tackles at the secondary, and is nearly Love’s equal when shifting to third gear into the secondary. His only reception this season became a 35-yard touchdown.

However, he’s fumbled three times this season with each coming inside the opponent’s 5-yard line.

Covering this team for 18 years and watching it for 42, I offered last November that Love was “the best running back in Notre Dame history.” Most now agree. He is exceptional.

Notre Dame ranks 12th nationally in rushing defense, limiting opponents to 89.6 yards per game on the ground. That is very relevant in this game as Navy ranks No. 1 nationally in rushing offense with an average of 317.3 yards. Why are the Fighting Irish so stingy against the run and which players have been key to that? Notre Dame probably has not seen a team that runs the ball as well as Navy. Could the Midshipmen get anywhere near their season average in this game?

Notre Dame has one weakness versus the run this season: short-yardage conversions. That’s highly relevant Saturday night.

Otherwise, they’ve allowed just two runs in excess of 15 yards on the season! One came courtesy Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green who turned the corner (also relevant for Saturday), the other a 20-yard run to end the half (a non-entity).

They are gap-sound, the four linebackers are very good tacklers, and both corners and safeties will help with the run lead by cornerback Adon Shuler who was excellent against the Mids last season. Linebacker Jaylen Sneed, a mercurial talent, was the Irish Illustrated Player of the Game in that contest.

But Notre Dame has primarily played passing teams this season: Miami (balanced/led with the pass), A&M, Purdue, Arkansas, Boise State, USC and even BC all pass better than they run it. The Irish, though, held N.C. State running back Hollywood Smothers to 48 yards and he’s among the nation’s best.

Every member of the back seven defenders faced Navy last season while the front four has three out of the eight-man rotation, though another defensive tackle had two run stuffs versus Navy in Dublin.

Two of Notre Dame’s ascending defensive interior players — Jared Dawson (Louisville) and Elijah Hughes (USC) — are transfers and we didn’t get a chance to see them this week to inquire about any option experience.

Has the performance of redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Carr been a surprise? What is Carr doing so well in terms of operating the offense?

Not if you asked us anytime from April through July 31, but then our perceived training camp pseudo-competition with Carr and Kenny Minchey turned into a full-scale battle through Aug. 18 due, in large part we were told by second-hand sources, that Notre Dame’s red zone offense stunk with Carr. We saw almost NO practice this August.

Well…Notre Dame’s red zone offense started hot, and has stunk since.

Other than that, Carr has been fantastic. He’s a pro in the pocket already, is Notre Dame’s best deep ball passer since DeShone Kizer, and most accurate mid-range passer since Jimmy Clausen.

Like any rookie starter, the growth is not linear. He had a subpar game against USC, but Notre Dame ran wild, and is likely due for one more in November. Navy needs it to be Saturday.

Notre Dame has a new defensive coordinator. Is Chris Ash doing anything different in terms of alignments and schemes than predecessor Al Golden? It appears to have been a seamless transition. Ash has faced Navy before when he was DC at Ohio State. Has he talked about his past experience defending option type teams?

One major change from Golden to Ash is that Golden spoke to the media every week and Ash has done so once since the season began. As a result, we spoke with Marcus Freeman and defensive line coach Al Washington this week about defending the option and both were effusive in their praise, but most important, harkened back to their first time defending it.

Freeman endured a record-breaking 550-plus yard nightmare while at Cincinnati and Washington said ‘the option can bleed you — and we bled out.”

I suspect Freeman will be heavily involved in this week’s game plan. It’s worth noting — and I asked this of Freeman on Monday — that Bob Diaco, Brian VanGorder (no surprise), Mike Elko, Clark Lea and Al Golden each either lost to or struggled to stop Navy in their first season coordinating for the Irish. Freeman did not.

In terms of the change from Ash to Golden, it was exceptionally rough at first with Irish fans calling for Ash’s firing after losing to Miami and Texas A&M, but also after a shaky first half at home against Purdue in which they looked off-balance.

Most complaints leaking from inside the program traced back to paralysis by analysis. They’ve settled in since, playing fantastic defense for 11 consecutive halves of football after a rough first five.

It seems as though the Notre Dame faithful is very happy with head coach Marcus Freeman. With Brian Kelly getting fired at LSU, does the fan base think it is better off with Freeman than it was with Kelly?

It would be impossible for me to answer this question and fully convey the cavernous gulf that represents the difference. Yep, I still fell short.

Notre Dame has won seven straight meetings with Navy and by a wide margin in five of those games. Is there any way this Fighting Irish squad could lose to the Midshipmen?

I’d be surprised, in small part because they had a relative stinker last week in Boston, but also because I know they’ve been prepping for Navy for not only two weeks (bye week and part of Boston College week), but often during spring sessions and August training camp for at least a segment or two with show/scout teams.

Brian Kelly even recruited preferred walk-ons who were successful triple-option quarterbacks in high school. (There’s one left: current tight end Justin Fisher.)

Have a news tip? Contact Bill Wagner at bwagner@capgaznews.com, 443-534-0102 and x.com/@BWagner_CapGaz.