Having a successful season in college football is always a challenge. Sustaining that success when you have it is even more challenging.


Navy quarterback Blake Horvath looks to pass against Oklahoma during the first half of the Armed Forces Bowl NCAA college football game between Navy and Oklahoma, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, file)(AP/Julio Cortez)


Navy quarterback Blake Horvath looks to pass against Oklahoma during the first half of the Armed Forces Bowl NCAA college football game between Navy and Oklahoma, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, file)(AP/Julio Cortez)

Having a successful season in college football is always a challenge. Sustaining that success when you have it is even more challenging.

Last fall, Navy ended a string of four straight losing seasons with a 10-3 finish that included a win over Army and a rally for the ages against Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl.

They were even ranked for the first time since 2019. Now, they’ll try to sustain that success, and the Midshipmen haven’t posted consecutive winning seasons since 2017.

But unlike the last two times Navy reached double-digit victories, they’ve got their starting quarterback returning. Blake Horvath has found his way onto the Davey O’Brien and Manning Award watch lists this summer, and he’s more than just a guy compiling stats or scoring touchdowns.

“Blake’s been exceptional,” Newberry said. “Despite the success that he’s had and the attention he’s gotten, the guy hasn’t changed. He keeps his head down. He works, cares about his teammates.”

The senior rushed for 1,246 yards and 17 touchdowns last season while passing for 1,353 and 13 scores. And as he enters his second year, directing coordinator Drew Cronic’s offense is looking to build upon last season’s success — especially how they finished.

“The most important step our offense took was once teams maybe thought they had figured something out … we forged a new mentality about how we have to go about things,” Horvath said. “I thought that was really evident in our last three games against ECU, Army and Oklahoma.”

The offense returns seven other starters from 2024, and that includes senior fullback Alex Tecza.

“Last year, we had a lot of new guys in the offense,” Tecza said. “I think it’s just another step. I think it’s going to be a very explosive offense, it’s going to be exciting, and it’s going to be fun to watch — that’s for sure.”

He’s a part of a ground game that ranked sixth nationally last fall, rushing for 576 yards and eight touchdowns last season, while also averaging 19.1 yards per reception. Wide receiver Eli Heidenreich notched 39 catches for 671 yards and his nine total touchdowns included a 74-yard reception.

The defense returns five starters from a unit that allowed the third fewest points per game in the AAC. Linebacker Colin Ramos is gone, as are three of the team’s top defensive backs.

“Obviously, we lost a few guys in the secondary,” senior noseguard Landon Robinson said. “So it’s just young guys getting familiar with the position and the speed of the game, but I think they’re more than capable of doing that. Excited to see where we’ll be as a defense.”

The season kicks off Saturday with VMI stopping by Annapolis and American Conference play begins the following Saturday with UAB visiting Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Other notable games include Oct. 4 when they host Air Force; Nov. 8 when they visit Notre Dame; and Dec. 13 when they face Army at nearby M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

CBS Sports’ Randy Cross will be in the booth for multiple games this fall, and he shared earlier this month what he feels are the keys to this season.

“These guys always have to be tougher, they’ve always got to be more physical, they’ve always got to error-free. They play with less wiggle room than just about anybody,” Cross said. “I think one of the real keys for this team is going to be their offensive line. If this line can duplicate what Army’s line did last year, of just mauling people, that would go a long way toward these guys being double-digit (wins) plus.”

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