Navy has no chance of slipping up on No. 15 Wake Forest in today's nonconference game set for BB&T Field at 3:45.
To hear Coach Jim Grobe of the 3-0 Deacons tell it, the 2-2 Midshipmen have only themselves to blame.
"Our guys got all they needed last year," Grobe said. "We're wide awake right now.
"We don't have anybody asleep at the wheel right now."
Grobe said that the memory is still fresh from last year's game in Annapolis, where the Midshipmen's option offense rolled over, around and through the Wake Forest's defense on the way to a late first-half lead. Navy scored on its first three possessions while Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, its starting quarterback, gained 47 yards on 12 carries.
"You've got brilliant kids that won't beat themselves," Grobe recalled. "You've got kids that are tough as pine knots. They're going to try to get you on the ground every snap of the game.
"It won't matter what the score is, whether they're ahead or behind, they're going to fight for four quarters. And when the game is over, you're going to be glad the game's over. That's just an Academy group of kids.
"But the funny thing is, when I was talking to (the Wake Forest players) they were all nodding their heads. There's not one kid in there acting like that's a surprise."
Last year's game changed when linebacker Aaron Curry knocked Kaheaku-Enhada from the game with a neck injury. Tied at 17, the Deacons pulled away to a 44-24 victory by stopping the final four Navy drives.
If Curry is anxious for a rematch, he's not talking like it.
"This is a game on the schedule that we're all kind of dreading," Curry said. "They come out and play hard all the time and that option's hard to stop.
"It's just one of those games that worries us to death."
Kaheaku-Enhada missed the first two games of this season with a strained hamstring, and was forced from 41-31 loss at Duke on Sept. 13 because of the heat. He was back in form by last week's 23-21 home victory against Rutgers when he carried eight times for 47 yards and completed five of eight passes for 89 yards.
The biggest difference at Navy is that Paul Johnson, last year's coach, is now coaching Georgia Tech. He was succeeded by Ken Niumatalolo, an assistant for the Midshipmen the past six years who has continued running the triple-option offense.
Navy is averaging 345.8 yards a game rushing, and 87.5 passing. Shun White, a senior slot back who rushed for school-record 358 yards against Towson, is averaging 168 yards a game and 10.7 a carry. Eric Kettani, a senior fullback, is averaging 65 yards a game and 6.3 a carry.
Kettani had 75 yards on 14 carries last season against Wake Forest. White had 63 yards on seven carries.
"We don't ever play anybody that comes off the football like they do," Grobe said. "Most people are big, zone-blocking teams. This is a veer-blocking team that's going to be low with good pad-level and making you really get your hands down and defend your legs.
"They don't throw the ball a lot, but when they do throw they're very successful doing it as far as completions. They catch you trying to play the run."
Johnson achieved remarkable success at Navy, coaching the Midshipmen to five bowl games in his six seasons. But the Midshipmen have long been known more for their offense than defense, for good reason.
Last year Navy gave up 36.4 points and 439 yards a game. Wake Forest gained 409 with Josh Adams running for 131 yards and a touchdown.
With eight defensive starters back, Navy's opponents are down to 27.5 points and 395.2 yards a game. The Midshipmen gave up 35 points to Ball State and 41 to Duke in back-to-back losses, but probably played their best defensive game last week in beating Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights managed 206 yards rushing and 131 passing.
"Navy's defense is much improved," Grobe said. "Most of the kids that were on their defense last year are back and they're playing better.
"They played really good, I thought, against Rutgers."
■ Dan Collins can be reached at 727-7323 or at dcollins@wsjournal.com.
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