BYU Football: Five Things to Know About Navy
One week from tomorrow, BYU will take on Navy on ESPN. In preparation for that game, I've recently watched four Navy games from the 2019 season: Army, Kansas State, Memphis, and SMU. Here are five things I learned about the Midshipmen as I watched those games.
1. Can't Replicate Malcom Perry
As I've talked to people about defending the triple option, they typically say something like "stop the dive and you stop the triple option." Most of the time, that's true. Malcom Perry, however, was the exception to that rule. Navy's senior QB was downright dynamic in 2019. He ran for over 2,000 yards and he threw for over 1,000 yards. He turned broken plays into big gains on a regular basis.
Fortunately for BYU fans, Perry graduated last year and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins.
2. Take Risks on Fourth Down
Coach Ken was not afraid to go for it on fourth down. Most surprisingly, he frequently went for it on fourth down deep inside his own territory - he had a lot of confidence in his guys in short-yardage situations. Will that trend continue in 2020 without Malcom Perry? Time will tell, but that will be something to watch on Labor Day.
3. Aggressive Defense, Susceptible to Long Throws
Navy played a very aggressive defensive scheme - they almost always blitzed in passing situations. For the most part, their scheme was successful in 2019. BYU's quarterback (let's be honest, it will be Zach Wilson) will need to diagnose the blitz and get the ball out on time. BYU's experience along the offensive line should help in this area.
Their scheme left them susceptible to long completions. Navy's secondary struggled to keep up with fast receivers. If they didn't get to the QB in time, they were vulnerable to long plays down the field. BYU should have the opportunity for chunk-yardage plays on Labor Day. Assuming he starts, Zach Wilson's ability to escape pressure could create a lot of big plays for BYU.
4. Trick Plays
Similar to BYU in 2019, the Midshipmen took advantage of trick plays in 2019. They scored multiple times on reverse plays in the redzone. Their most notable trick play came in their bowl game against Kansas State. On fourth down from midfield, Navy dialed up a halfback pass to set up the game-winning field goal:
5. Staying on Schedule
Like other triple option teams, Navy needs to stay on schedule. By staying on schedule, I mean two things:
1. Third downs need to be manageable.
2. The score needs to be close - Navy struggles to come back from large deficits.
If BYU can get the Midshipmen off schedule, I really like BYU's chances in this game.