ANNAPOLIS, Md. — It’s quite fitting that Hawaii and Navy have engaged in a two-game, home-and-home football series.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — It’s quite fitting that Hawaii and Navy have engaged in a two-game, home-and-home football series.
Although the two programs are far apart in terms of miles, they are very closely connected.
Navy’s current run of success is due largely to the efforts of coaches that are products of the Hawaii program. It all begins with Bob Wagner, who now resides in Annapolis.
As head coach at Hawaii from 1987 through 1985, Wagner hired Paul Johnson as offensive coordinator, gave Ken Niumatalolo his first full-time job in coaching and recruited Ivin Jasper.
Johnson left Hawaii to become offensive coordinator at Navy under head coach Charlie Weatherbie. In order to install the triple option in Annapolis, Johnson needed coaches familiar with the offense, so he convinced Weatherbie to hire Niumatalolo and Jasper.
After Johnson enjoyed a successful run at Navy, he left for Georgia Tech and was replaced by Niumatalolo, who will lead the Midshipmen against Hawaii on Saturday.
5 keys
HAWAII WINLESS: Hawaii is still searching for its first win of the season and will have to overcome a nightmare road trip in order to get it. The Rainbow Warriors have been traveling for 10 days on a trip covering 9,863 miles, seven airports and six time zones. Hawaii’s football team got stuck in the Los Angeles airport due to the shooting incident on Nov. 1 and did not arrive in Ogden, Utah until 12 hours before kickoff of last Saturday’s game against Utah State. After getting routed 47-10, the Rainbow Warriors flew to the nation’s capital and spent this past week at a hotel in Greenbelt, Md. while practicing at Bowie State University. Hawaii, one of five remaining winless teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, has lost 11 straight road games dating back to 2011.
BOUNCING BACK: Navy is coming off a 38-34 loss at Notre Dame. The Midshipmen had the ball in the home team’s territory with a chance to win with a touchdown, but were stopped on fourth down. Niumatalolo has not been pleased with the way the Midshipmen have played following emotional, energy-draining games. After beating service academy rival Air Force, Navy traveled to Duke and was routed 35-7. He hopes the team, which has won two in a row just once this season, responds better to the disappointing defeat at Notre Dame.
POSSIBLE SHOOTOUT: Both teams have piled up the points at times this season while both defenses have struggled. Hawaii has scored 37 points twice and lost while Navy was beaten in games it scored 34 and 44 points. Hawaii ranks 111th out of 123 FBS teams in total defense (474.5 yards allowed) while Navy stands 74th (406.5 yards) in that category.
POLYNESIAN HEAD COACHES: This matchup pits two Polynesian head coaches for the first time in FBS history. Niumatalolo, a native of Laie, Hawaii, remains the first and only head coach of Samoan descent at this level. Second-year Hawaii head coach Norm Chow was also born and raised on Honolulu.
MISTAKES ARE COSTLY: Navy ranks No. 1 nationally in fewest penalties per game (2.75) while Hawaii is 102nd (7.1) in that category. The Midshipmen stand seventh nationally in fewest turnovers with eight while the Rainbow Warriors are 117th in turnover margin (19 committed, nine forced).
No. 1 alaBama, No. 10 LSU QBs
in old-school showdown
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Zach Mettenberger and AJ McCarron typically only run as a last resort and much prefer throwing passes the old-fashioned way.
From the pocket. After calling the play in a huddle.
No. 1 Alabama’s McCarron and No. 10 LSU’s Mettenberger are the increasingly rare pure drop-back passers these days in the Southeastern Conference, which doesn’t make their matchup in Saturday night’s game any less compelling.
Their styles might be college football throwbacks, but they sure can throw.
Mettenberger and McCarron are two of the SEC’s three most efficient passers and had quite a duel in last year’s game won by ‘Bama on a last-minute touchdown pass to T.J. Yeldon.
Mettenberger has the rifle arm. McCarron has the two national titles as starter and a 33-2 career mark for Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) that gives him the highest winning percentage among SEC quarterbacks with 30-plus starts.
“He’s a winner. You can’t deny that,” Mettenberger said. “That’s just point blank. He’s lost two games in two years, won two national championships, and is undefeated this year. So I think the guy just prepares very hard each week and goes out there and performs well, week in and week out.”
Mettenberger has been putting up bigger numbers for the Tigers. He’s behind only Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel in passing yards and efficiency, throwing for 2,492 yards and 19 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
However, five of those picks came in the past two games for LSU (7-2, 3-2), including a loss to Mississippi.
Mettenberger passed for 298 yards against the Tide last season.
“He played fantastic against us last year, I think, the whole game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “He made some great throws. He stood in the pocket and got whacked a couple of times and still made very, very good throws when we pressured, and he completed the ball.”
McCarron had zero passing yards in the second half before picking apart the LSU defense on the final drive and making the Tigers pay for a corner blitz with a screen that Yeldon took 28 yards for the game-winning touchdown. A few minutes later, an emotional McCarron headed to his family in the stands,
“Sports means a lot to me,” he said. “I play with my heart on my sleeve and I go hard every play.”
No. 20 Louisville 31,
Connecticut 10
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – Teddy Bridgewater had a chance to pad his Heisman resume against winless Connecticut.
He didn’t do that Friday night, though he did throw for 288 yards and a touchdown to lead No. 20 Louisville to a 31-10 victory, and keep the Cardinals in the hunt for a conference title.
The junior completed 21 of 37 passes. He has thrown 24 touchdown passes this season and has at least one scoring pass in 21 straight games.
“I’m pretty tough on my performances and everything,” he said. “I do kind of critique myself in a certain way. But, any day that you can get a win, that’s what it’s all about.”
The win kept the Cardinals (8-1, 4-1 American Athletic Conference) a game out of first place in the AAC, behind the winner of the game Saturday night between Houston and Central Florida.
New Mexico 45, Air Force 37
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Kasey Carrier ran for 179 yards, and Cole Gautsche added 140 yards and two touchdowns and threw a scoring pass to help New Mexico beat Air Force.
New Mexico (3-6, 1-4 Mountain West) snapped a four-game losing streak, piling up 451 yards on the ground.
Anthony LaCoste ran for 177 yards for Air Force (2-8, 0-6), and Nate Romine threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score
The teams combined for 924 total yards, but one of the biggest plays came on defense when New Mexico linebacker Brett Bowers sacked Romine for a 13-yard loss on a fourth-and-23 attempt midway through the fourth quarter with the Falcons trailing 42-34. The Lobos then took 4:10 off the clock in driving for a field goal.