Vern Evans
Navy Midshipmen this year marked their first winning season in five years, and if they look to capitalize on that momentum against the Army Black Knights in their 125th meeting this Saturday, a few clutch Midshipmen must deliver.
The game between the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and U.S. Naval Academy kicks off Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game will be broadcast by CBS. The victor will bring home the Commander-in-Chief Trophy, awarded to the winner of the annual rivalry game.
Navy went on a six-win run at the start of the season, but it was their offensive performance that plagued them in their three losses since then. The team only managed to score 14 points or less in those games. The Naval Academy finished third in the American Athletic Conference, behind Tulane University and conference champion Army.
The Midshipmen are currently 8-3 and out of contention for the College Football Playoffs, but they’re still playing for a lot. After this rivalry game, Navy will play a 6-6 Oklahoma Sooners team in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27.
The team hasn’t beaten Army in three years, and a victory against their archrival would be huge, especially since the Black Knights just won their first conference championship, making them the No. 1 team in the American Athletic Conference. Experts have also ranked the 11-1 Army team as the No. 1 rushing offense in the country and the 11th defense.
If the spoils of victory are to be had, these players are the key to winning the game for the Navy Midshipmen.
Blake Horvath, No. 11
When Horvath missed the final seven games of his 2023 sophomore season with a thumb injury, things were looking dour. The Midshipmen finished 5-7 for their fourth consecutive losing season.
What a difference a year makes.
Horvath has steered the Navy Midshipmen to their first winning season in 5 years, and he’s putting together an impressive junior campaign.
He’s thrown for 1,154 yards, 11 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions this seasonh and has notched 895 rushing yards with 133 carries and 13 tuddies on the ground. He already finds himself in rarefied air, sitting squarely in third place for most touchdown passes in the school’s history, needing only two more to set the all-time school record.
His historic campaign could continue Saturday if he’s able to light it up and down his school’s eternal nemesis.
Drew Cronic
The first-year Navy offensive coordinator will have his hands full Saturday, but if the season so far is any indication, Cronic looks to be up to the task.
His Wing-T offense, merged with a triple option scheme, has worked wonders for the Midshipmen. And he’s gotten his team to fully buy into his approach.
In a Sept. 18 interview on Glenn Clark Radio, Horvath praised Cronic for implementing an innovative system and creating a winning team culture, according to PressBoxOnline.
If the Midshipmen can walk the tightrope and strike a perfect balance between a passing attack and their signature rushing game, they’ll be celebrating when the clock strikes triple zeros.
Eli Heidenreich, No. 22
The Navy football team likes to run against their opponent. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they’ve got a versatile running back who’s also the team leader in receiving yards at 597, with 36 receptions and five touchdowns. But that’s Eli Heidenreich, the Swiss Army Knife of the team.
Especially in Cronic’s unique scheme, which toggles seamlessly between running plays and passing plays, the junior is the engine that makes everything click. In an Oct. 5 matchup with Air Force, Heidenreich ran for 100 yards and caught five passes for 101 yards, helping his team secure a 34-7 victory.
Case in point.
If Heidenreich can lean on his versatility and play like he’s been playing all year, it might be enough to unlock the whole offense and put the Midshipmen over the edge.
Riley Riethman, No. 90
In close games, field position is everything. The difference between your opponent starting out on the five-yard line instead of the 35-yard line is that they have to work harder to score. So if your punter can kick darts, you’re sitting pretty.
Enter Riley Riethman. According to the Navy, Riethman holds the Navy punting record for career average (43.7 yards) and single-season average (44.8 in 2023).
If the Navy wants to beat the Army, he’ll have to cinch those laces tight and get that leg loose, because the Midshipmen don’t want to give the Black Knights any more opportunities than necessary.
The defense
All it has to do is hold up and, like the age-old gridiron adage says, make more plays than the other team.
While the Army’s defense is statistically better, the Navy has key defensive players who can be game-wreckers.
Senior cornerback Dashaun Peele has already demonstrated his ability to take over a game. He’s recorded 39 tackles this year, with two sacks, and four interceptions. In the matchup against Charlotte, he had two pick-sixes, one for 61 yards and the other for 84 yards. He’s only the 2nd AAC player ever to record such a stat in one game.
And then there’s Colin Ramos, the senior linebacker and co-captain, who’s having a monster season, recording 110 tackles with three sacks and one forced fumble. He was recently named to the American Athletic All-Conference first team.
Set the tone for the defense and make enough plays against the Army offense and the Navy Midshipmen will go home smiling.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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