ANNAPOLIS | Having played each other already this season and once in 2007 as well, Navy and Wake Forest are plenty familiar with each other heading into Saturday’s inaugural EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium.
But the Midshipmen (8-4) are leery of the rematch because of the way the Demon Deacons (7-5) played in Navy’s 24-17 win on Sept. 27. Wake committed six turnovers, including five by heralded quarterback Riley Skinner (four interceptions and a fumble).
“It was just one of those days,” Navy defensive coordinator Buddy Green said. “[Skinner] had an off day. But those don’t come very often for him. He’s only made three mistakes in the last eight ballgames. He’s a great quarterback.”
Added coach Ken Niumatalolo: “Not only are we facing the same team, but it’s a good team. We were fortunate to come away with a win last time. I know they are going to be ready this time. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us.”
The Demon Deacons’ defense has ample motivation to play well. The unit is ranked 19th in the country but allowed Navy to rush for 292 yards in this year’s meeting. And in 2007, a game Wake Forest won 44-24, the Mids ran for 328 yards.
Wake’s priority likely will be to stop Navy fullback Eric Kettani, who exploded for a career-high 175 yards rushing in September and is 68 yards away from 1,000 for the season. If he reaches that mark, he and senior slot back Shun White (1,021) will be the second Navy backfield in school history to have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. Craig Candeto (1,112 yards) and Kyle Eckel (1,249 yards) accomplished the feat in 2003.
One of the first things the Mids’ offense looks for is which dynamic runner the opposing defense is trying to limit. But because of the nature of the triple option, counteracting both White and Kettani is nearly impossible.
“You have to pick one or the other,” White said. “If our quarterback makes the right reads, there’s going to be a big day for either/or. It’s kind of like pick your poison.”
Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada will be under center for Navy for the second straight game. The senior has endured an up-and-down season because of a hamstring injury that has lingered since the first week of practice in August, but he is as healthy now as he has been all year.
Kaheaku-Enhada played in both of Navy’s recent meetings with Wake but had to leave this year’s game early because of the injury. However, the Demon Deacons acknowledged this week that they struggle the most to stop the triple option when the Hawaii native is in the game (Navy led 17-0 at halftime this year).
So the senior expects Wake to come out with a new approach this time.
“I think they are going to come out and have something up their sleeve,” he said. “Offensively, we’ve just got to shake that out. We’ve got to find out what they are trying to do different and get after them.”
The Mids are keeping their approach simple. Niumatalolo doesn’t foresee wholesale changes from the Demon Deacons, so the foundation for Navy’s game plan is similar to what it used earlier this year.
“We look at what we did against them that worked and try to see what they did since that game to see if they made any changes,” Niumatalolo said. “But basically you have the same game plan, and when you get in the game, see what they are doing and adjust from there.”
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