 "Photo: THE REVIEW/Alyssa Benedetto")
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Despite leading in time of possession, offensive plays and total yards of offense on Saturday, the Hens couldn’t keep up with Navy, specifically quarterback Ricky Dobbs, and lost 35-18 in a battle that was closer than the score portrays.
Dobbs scored five rushing touchdowns, breaking multiple school and NCAA records in the process, and finished with 100 rushing yards. He accounted for half the Midshipmen’s rushing plays with 26. He threw just six passes all game and completed four, including one late in the fourth to set up his final touchdown.
The Hens offense did exactly what it planned on doing all game: running the ball, Delaware quarterback Pat Devlin said. Devlin went 17-27 for 194 yards, while the other half of the offensive yards came on the ground from freshman running back David Hayes, who gained 65 yards on 11 carries, to the senior Jerry Butler, who gained 55 yards on 20 carries. Even wide receiver Phillip Thaxton joined the run game, gaining 46 yards on four runs, mostly counters and reverses.
“I wish I would have completed them all,” Devlin said when asked if he had any regrets. “When we get down into the red zone we have to score, we can’t come away with field goals.”
Delaware kicker Jon Striefsky had a career day, as offensive shortcomings lead to four chances for field goals, all of which he converted, from 47 (a career best), 39, 25 and 21 yards. Three of these came in the first half, but there should have only been one after two missed touchdown opportunities.
“It was one of those games where you need sevens but you get threes instead,” head coach K.C. Keeler said. “We’re disappointed because we had some opportunities that we should have put away.”
Late in the first, John Higginson picked up a fumble around the Navy 30-yard line and proceeded to rumble towards a clear path to the end zone. However Benard Makumbi, attempting to get in blocking position, tripped Higginson. The Hens were left on the fringe of the red zone, but the Hens failed to punch the ball in after going three and out and settled for the field goal. Higginson was far from satisfied with the play.
“Benard clipped the back of my foot and tripped me up,” Higginson said. “I saw the checkers, but again it was a missed opportunity. That’s another three instead of a seven.”
The third field goal of the half came late in the second quarter after a controversial call against the Hens. Devlin completed a lob pass in the end zone to wide receiver Tommy Crosby for their first touchdown on the day, but it was called back. A referee called offensive pass interference on wideout Mark Duncan, who was in the back of the end zone, far away from Crosby's catch.
The call was unprecedented as pass interference is rarely called away from the play. Devlin and crew knew the impact of the call right when it happened, and most were clearly disappointed.
“We knew it was going to be big,” Devlin said. “We didn’t really — I didn't really understand the call. I don’t want to get into it.”
Navy proved to be too overwhelming for the Delaware defense, who felt they were prepared for the kind of game they were in for against Dobbs and company. The first half was all about pounding the ball for both teams, including an impressive Delaware drive 18 plays in length and nearly nine minutes long that kept Navy from getting the ball back before the first half was over.
The second half, though, didn’t prove as successful for the Hens, who had the ball for less than 13 minutes. Four of Dobbs’ touchdowns came in the second half as it seemed Navy made all the correct changes at halftime. Keeler explained that the main defensive targets were Dobbs and the fullback Vince Murray, and that the defense would allow anything on the ends that the Navy offense could get, as they were primarily concerned with stuffing the run up the middle.
The Midshipmen noticed this in the first half and responded with more sweeps and pitch options to the outside, including a 46-yard rush by Dobbs, a career long for him, which led to another short touchdown.
The Hens’ sole touchdown came with 6:29 left in the fourth quarter. An earlier quarterback keeper that went for six yards was called just short of the end zone, allowing Butler a chance to pound the ball home. After a failed two point conversion, the Hens trailed 28-18, and the coaching staff was left with the critical decision of whether or not to attempt an onside kick. They opted against it, and failed to stop the Mids before Dobbs’ record-breaking fifth touchdown.
Keeler said onside kick attempts are successful just 10 percent of the time, which led him to send the defense back on the field.
“I thought we had enough time,” Keeler said, defending his decision. “I thought we’d be able to get a stop if we put it on our defense, we would get a score and get the onside kick the second time.”
Some positives can be taken from the game, like the fact that the offense moved the ball so well against an FBS team, Devlin said.
This momentum can be carried into next week's match up at No. 3 Villanova, now a game crucial to the Hens’ playoff picture. A win will most likely carry the Hens into the post season. A loss will send the team back to Newark, looking forward to the fall.
At Monday’s press conference, Keeler revealed that the team is banged up after its battle on Saturday. The team will be taking practice easy this week and will tone down contact to ensure there won’t be any more injuries.
“There could be as many as six players out [at Villanova],” he said.
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