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KLMNO COLLEGE FOOTBALL Midshipmen can’t shake breakdowns in the red zone


Navy moves the ball but fails five times


inside the 20-yard line BY GENEWANG


baltimore—The Navy football team committed one mistake af- ter another, and yet here it was, late in the fourth quarter, one yard from beating Maryland de- spite prolonged ineptitude near the goal line and themost funda- mentally unsound performance of quarterback Ricky Dobbs’s ca- reer. Dobbshad the ball inhishands


on fourth and goal, and based on the senior’s record-setting season a year ago, Navy wouldn’t have had it any other way. Then the unthinkable repeated itself for a fifth time, with this lastmalfunc- tionthemostdeflating of themall in a 17-14 loss before 69,348 at M&T Bank Stadium. Dobbs triedtoscorearoundthe


left side,butKennyTatewas there to meet him, and Navy began an optimism-filled seasonwithwhat Coach Ken Niumatalolo called


one of the most agonizing losses of his career. Niumatalolo took responsibility for electing to go for it on fourth down rather than kick a short field goal to tie, but afterward, Navy’s players backed the decision. “It’s just something that we do


all the time,” said Dobbs, who finished with 63 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. “With one yard to go, that’s automatic.” Navy failed on five of seven


chances inside the Maryland 20, twoof themendingon fumblesby Dobbs, at the 1 in the second quarter and at the 4 in the third. Navy lost despite outgaining


Maryland 485-272, including 412- 261 rushing. The Midshipmen also almostdoubledtheTerrapins in time of possession, 39minutes 26seconds to 20:34, andcame out onthe short endofawhite-knuck- ling season opener for a second year in a row. Last season, Navy lost at Ohio State, 31-27, in the first game for both teams. “There’snoconsolationinmov-


ing the ball,” Niumatalolo said. “Theobjectof thegameis toscore, and [Maryland] did a good job keeping us out.We just had some mental lapses, but I got out-


ON FOOTBALL John Feinstein


Uncharacteristic mistakes I


doom Navy in loss baltimore


t ended exactly as Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo might have drawn it up—


the quarterback sneaking for one final yard as the offensive line surged to help himget there. There was just one problem


as far as Niumatalolo was concerned. The quarterback with the football was Maryland’s Jamarr Robinson, not Navy’s Ricky Dobbs. It was the unheralded juniormaking his third college start, not the senior whose name has been mentioned throughout the preseason in the same sentence with the words “Heisman Trophy.” And that was exactly the


right ending for this game. Maryland earned its 17-14 victory atM&T Bank Stadium Monday afternoon. Navy earned the defeat. In a sense, this game was a


perfect setup forMaryland. All the Terrapins heard throughout preseason was that their coach’s job was on the line, that the bottomhad dropped out on Ralph Friedgen during a disastrous 2-10 season a year ago and that incoming athletic director Kevin Anderson’s first crucial decision was going to come in November when, the pundits said, he would need to fire Fridgen. They also heard and read


that Dobbs wasn’t just a Heisman candidate; he would someday be a candidate for president—of the United States. They were told that Navy was talking about going undefeated and playing in a BCS bowl. Dobbsmay well run for president someday but he isn’t going to win theHeisman Trophy. And, as of right now, Navy’s biggest goal this season is to be 1-1 after Saturday’s game against Georgia Southern. It is difficult to be critical of


an offense that produces 485 yards, but it was Navy’s offense that lost this game. That’s not to take anything away from Maryland’s defense, which spent almost 40minutes of the game on the field, including more than 32minutes in the final three quarters. But Navy is a teamand a


programbuilt on toughness— mental toughness and physical toughness. TheMids are almost always smaller than their opponents—especially those fromBCS conferences— and almost never faster or quicker. But they have been to seven straight bowl games because they rarely commit crucial penalties; they don’t turn the ball over very often, even running the option offense, and because they win fourth quarters. Monday, theMids did none


of the above. “It was a teamloss,”


Niumatalolo said. “Theymade the plays they had to and we didn’t.” Maryland began the game


by finishing two drives, Robinson getting the ball into the hands of his veteran running backs, Da’Rel Scott and DevinMeggett, and picking up yards with his own legs on several key occasions. Navymissed a field goal on its


first drive and scored a touchdown on its second. Then Dobbs fumbled at the Maryland 1-yard line and, after the defense had forced the Terrapins into a three-and-out, ended the half by trying to scramble into the end zone fromseven yards out when Navy was out of timeouts. A physical error, then a


mental one. Somemight say that Niumatalolo never should have sent a run-first quarterback back onto the field with 12 seconds left and no timeouts left in a situation where the ball had to be thrown. They would be wrong. A senior quarterback with a high football IQ—which is what Dobbs is—has to know he can’t cross the line of scrimmage with the football in his hands in that situation unless he has only green field turf in front of him. Dobbs was surrounded by red uniforms. As youmight expect, Dobbs


is a stand-up, no-excuses guy. “Coach toldme if I didn’t have anything throw the ball out of bounds and we would kick the field goal,” he said. “I lost focus. Instinct took over and got the best ofme.” Robinsonmade just one


mistake, a pressured throw into the teeth of the Navy defense that was intercepted by EmmettMerchant. After that, Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin made a decision: Robinson would only throw down the field again ifMaryland were losing. It never happened. Robinson finished the game with 92 yards rushing and 11 yards passing—both completions coming on quick tosses along the line of scrimmage. That was enough. It was enough because


Dobbs carried 29 times for 63 yards, theMaryland defense keying on himfromthe second he stepped off the bus. That would have been fine because sending people at Dobbs opened up lots of space from Navy’s fullbacks and slotbacks. The problemwas the


plethora ofmistakes—almost all of themcoming inside the 20-yard-line. Friedgen knew he had


survived a game he almost had to win if he wants to be around for next year’s opener. Niumatalolo has no such concerns but now he has to get his players—especially Dobbs —to take a deep breath and do the things they have done in recent years to be successful. In no order at all, those


things are: Play smart. Play tough. Play with discipline. Don’t commit crucial penalties. Don’t turn the ball over. Don’t believe the hype. TheMids did none of those


thingsMonday.Which is why the quarterback holding the ball in the air when the clock hit zero wasn’t the one whose face has been onmagazine covers and TV screens all summer. For the Terrapins, the day


was a step in the direction of regaining lost pride. For the Mids, it was simply a lost day.


Formore fromthe author, visit his blog at feinsteinonthebrink.com.


PHOTOS BY TONI L. SANDYS/WASHINGTON POST


Maryland quarterback Jamarr Robinson tries to escape senior linebacker Tyler Simmons. Robinson passed for 11 yards and one interception and was replaced briefly in the third quarter. But he made several crucial plays running the ball and he will be the starter on Saturday.


A big turnaround for Maryland, Friedgen terrapins from D1


season focusing on finishing strong, the Terrapins survived in what they hope will be a tone-set- ting victory to whatmany believe is a make-or-break season for Friedgen. Before Friedgen entered his


postgame news conference, he met Kevin Anderson, Maryland’s new athletic director, for the first time. Anderson, who had been Army’s athletic director since 2004, had notworked for a school that had beaten Navy, so he was pleased. Sowere Friedgen and his players, despite the ups and downs of anunevenperformance. “All those doubts about this


team finishing, I think we erased those doubts today,” center Paul Pinegar said. “It’s definitely a re- lief. Getting this first win was something we had been looking forwardtosinceJanuary,whenwe reportedforwinterworkouts.” Maryland relied almost exclu-


sively on its rushing attack, col- lecting 261 yards on the ground. Starting quarterback JamarrRob- inson completed just 2 of 5 passes for 11 yards and he threw one interception. For one series inthe third quar-


ter, Friedgen replaced Robinson with redshirt freshman Danny O’Brien. That drive was short- lived,concludingwithafumbleon a handoff exchange with running back Davin Meggett. Robinson finished the game and is expected to start Saturday against Morgan State. “We’re going to play both quar-


terbacks,” Friedgen said. “It’s nothing against Jamarr.” The Navy fans who sat among


the 69,348 atM&T Bank Stadium hadfarmore reasontobe frustrat- ed with the offense. Navy squan- dered opportunities to score at least 27morepoints inthe game. “I can’t remember a timewhere


we rushed for 400 yards and lost a ballgame,” Navy Coach Ken Niu- matalolo said. “We should have had31points.” Dobbs, who had been called by someapreseasondarkhorseHeis-


TONI L. SANDYS/THE WASHINGTON POST


Ricky Dobbs, who turned the ball over twice on fumbles, is wrapped up by ZachariahKerr, AlexWujciak and AdrianMoten ofMaryland.


coached. . . .Probably abadcall on my part to go for it in the end.The biggest fault ismy fault.” In the first half, Navy hardly


resembled the team that went 10-4 last season in large part be- cause of discipline and prudent decision-making. The Midship- men’s first miscue came on their


firstpossessionof thegame,when place kicker JoeBuckley’s 32-yard field goal attempt clanked off the left upright. Navy made another unforced


error onMaryland’s ensuing pos- session, and it came froma senior co-captain, no less. Safety Wyatt Middleton was the guilty party,


drawing a pass interference call deep in Midshipmen territory while covering wide receiver Tor- reySmith.The infractioncameon third down and six and gave Maryland first and goal at the 4. Two plays later the Terrapins went ahead 14-0. Navy trimmed the deficit to


14-7 when senior slotback Andre Byrd scored on a 10-yard run 35 seconds into the second quarter, then tied it when Dobbs scored fromone yard out with 1:52 to go in the third. Maryland got the winning points midway through the final quarter on Travis Baltz’s 24-yard field goal, but before then, Navy squandered enough chances to last practically an en- tire season. Dobbs’s first fumble came on


his final carry of a 17-play drive in the second quarter that began at the Navy 31. As he pulled away fromcenter at theMaryland1 and tried to control the snap, line- backer Adrian Moten leapt in from the left side, and the colli- sion jarred the ball loose. Mary- land recovered at the 6, but Navy held and got the ball back with 2:18 to go before intermission. The Midshipmen moved to the 7


with 12 seconds to play, but on third and six with no timeouts, Dobbs tried to run for the end zone and fumbled ashewas being tackled.Navy recovered, but time expired before the Midshipmen could try a field goal. On its first possession of the


second half, Navymoved fromits 40 to the Maryland 4, where it facedfirstandgoal.Dobbs lost the ball again, this time as Tate swoopedinfor thehit.Maryland’s RyanDonohue recovered at the 1, and Navy had wasted another scoring chance that had become all but second nature last year, when Dobbs ran for 27 touch- downs, themost inasingle season by aquarterbackinNCAAhistory. “Weput theball inthe redzone,


andwejusthadtroublefinishing,” Dobbs said. “Don’t know the rea- sons for that.As faras theexpecta- tions we have, it’s nothing differ- ent. Still the same expectations. . . . When you get a detrimental blowlike this, it’s a test of charac- ter to see if you can stand up and come back, and I can guarantee youthat thisNavy football teamis going to have that character to be able to bounce back.” wangg@washpost.com


TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2010


Navy CoachKen Niumatalolo turned his back on a chance to tie the score in the final minute and opted to go for a touchdown on fourth and one. ButMaryland safetyKenny Tate stopped the play short.


man Trophy hopeful, fumbled four times–includingthreeinside theMaryland 1 or 2—and looked pedestrian throughout. Last year, Navy failed to score while inside the redzone 10times.OnMonday, the Midshipmen failed to score five times inside the redzone. There was Joe Buckley’s 32-


yard field goal that caromed off the left upright. There was Dobbs losing a fumble when linebacker Adrian Moten jumped over the line of scrimmage and knocked the ball loose on third and goal from the Maryland 1. And there was Dobbs fumbling the ball just shy of the end zone – choosingnot to throw the ball away — and lettingthefirsthalfelapsewithout theMidshipmen at least kicking a fieldgoal. If that weren’t enough, on the


first drive of the third quarter, Navymilkednearlysixminutesoff the clock and looked like it was about to score a touchdownwhen Dobbs charged toward the end zone. But Tate knocked the ball loose with his helmet before Dobbs crossed the goal line, and linebacker Ryan Donohue recov-


MARYLAND17, NAVY14


Navy ......................................... 0 Maryland ................................ 14


7 0


7 0


Md: Scott 5 run (Baltz kick), 10:28 first. Md: Meggett 3 run (Baltz kick), 4:15 first. Navy: Byrd 10 run (Buckley kick), 14:25 second. Navy: R.Dobbs 1 run (Buckley kick), 1:52 third. Md: FG Baltz 24, 7:50 fourth.


Navy


First Downs .......................................... 26 Rushes-Yards ............................... 72-412 Passing .................................................. 73 Comp-Att-Int ................................. 6-10-0 Return Yards ......................................... 40 Punts-Avg. ..................................... 2-29.5 Fumbles-Lost ...................................... 5-2 Penalties-Yards ................................ 5-35 Time Of Possession ......................... 39:26


RUSHING


Navy: Murray 14-112, Greene 7-74, R.Dobbs 29-63, Byrd 9-54, G.Jones 1-53, Teich 7-22, Stukel 4-21, Howell 1-13. Maryland: Meggett 8-105, J.Robinson 12-92, Scott 10-58, To.Smith 2-5, Adams 1-1, O’Brien 1-0.


PASSING


Navy: R.Dobbs 6-10-0-73. Maryland: J.Robinson 2-5-1- 11.


RECEIVING Navy: Greene 4-59, G.Jones 1-7, Murray 1-7. Maryland: To.Smith 1-6, Cannon 1-5.


ered. Maryland place kicker Travis


Baltz, starting in place of the in- juredNickFerrara,gavehis teama 17-14 lead by kicking a 24-yard field goalwith just less than eight minutes remaining.Onthe ensur- ing drive, the Terrapins stopped Navyonthirddown,butdefensive lineman Drew Gloster was called


0 — 14 3 — 17


for a face mask, giving the Mid- shipmen an automatic first down. After botching chance after


Maryland 11


34-261 11


2-5-1 57


3-53.0 1-1


4-30 20:34


chance in the red zone, Navy had one final opportunity to take the lead in the final minute. Tate col- lided with Dobbs, stopping him from reaching the goal line and sending the Terrapins into cele- bration mode. In more than 30 years of coaching, Maryland de- fensive coordinator Don Brown said he can never remember a defense that he coached playing better inside the redzone. “Wewere the underdogs in this


game, and coming off last season —I hate to bring it up still—but it was a great stepping stone,” Rob- inson said. “We’re 1-0. It was a great stepping stone in building our confidence.” This was about winning the


Crab Bowl Trophy for this year’s team. But this was also about Friedgen seeing his team matur- ing infront ofhis eyes. “It is kind of like being a parent


and watching your kids grow up,” Friedgen said. “They make mis- takes andyouhangwiththem.” prisbelle@washpost.com


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