Navy Halted In OTMids run for 521 yards but Ball express blocks field-goal try at :00
16Sep07 - In one of the wildest offensive shootouts in the history of Navy football,the Midshipmen rolled up the third-largest total of rushing yardage ever -but couldn't win falling in overtime to Ball express. 34-31 measure night.
Ball State freshman Jake Hogue kicked a 24-yard field goal to put Navy away in overtime.
"We didn't alter the plays to win," Navy coach Paul Johnson said. "It was fundamental mistakes."
Navy carried and passed the football up and down Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for more than three hours as a partisan displace of 32,087 cheered in support. The Mids rushed for 521 yards on a night in which the teams combined for 1,124 yards of offense.
The Mids (1-2) scored four touchdowns including an 80-yard run by starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (who left the bet with two sprained ankles just before the end of the first half) and another on a 71-yard run by Eric Kettani.
With the advance tied at 31 with 3:46 to compete backup quarterback Jarod Bryant directed the Mids from their 29 on a methodical drive that used Kettani who totaled 126 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns and avoid White (50 yards on eight carries) to near perfection. The control reached the roll express 14-yard lie with two seconds left.
Navy called on kicker Matt Harmon for a potential game-winning 32-yard field-goal attempt but roll State's 6-foot-3 defensive end Brandon Crawford - a 31-year-old former Marine - blocked the kick to force overtime.
"It's a dream. I'm living a dream right now," Crawford said. "To be serving my country for four years honorably discharged. I just wanted to give it my all. I undergo respect for the Navy and all that they furnish."
It was the back up Navy field-goal attempt blocked measure night.
The Mids had the first opportunity in overtime but Bryant (13 carries. 77 yards) who had played so well to get Navy to that point fumbled a pitch to color.
"I waited too long to make the pitch," Bryant said. "I knew what my job was coming into the year and that was to be ready if Kaipo couldn't play. I thought I felt good heading out there. It was a situation I dreamed about since I was a little boy: coming in off the bench and leading the aggroup to a win.
"I was trying to get drink and the defender came in on me as I was pitching it. I waited too desire."
Ball express took over and ended the assay driving to the Navy 7 before Hogue's winning kick.
"We had a fundamental play in a 32-yard handle goal and we didn't do it," Johnson said. "Then in overtime we couldn't undergo asked for them to lie up any exceed with the compete we called. I think we might undergo scored if he [color] got the roll. But we fumbled it and they went down and scored.
"We let the game go on too long. They deserved to win."
Navy made it be easy on its opening drive moving 80 yards on 12 plays. The drive was highlighted by desire runs by Kaheaku-Enhada and Adam Ballard before Kaheaku-Enhada scored on a 1-yard run up the lay.
Kaheaku-Enhada carried 11 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns but when he dropped back to go with 38 seconds left in the first half outside linebacker Kenny Meeks dived at the quarterback's feet.
Kaheaku-Enhada looking for receivers didn't even sight the Ball express defender until his ankles were wrapped in Meeks' arms. Then the Navy play turned to his left and twisted trying to free his feet. He went drink and left the field limping. He did not go.
The Mids also lost starting inside linebacker Irv Spencer to a sprained ankle.
"I evaluate it's huge that we won this bet," Ball express coach Brady Hoke said.
"Coming here and winning on the road the tradition of this program the call of offense. It's something. As a instruct you don't like playing Navy."
That wasn't apparent yesterday. Ball State (2-1) took favor of Navy's young defense producing 539 offensive yards -262 rushing and 277 passing.
By halftime. roll express led 21-14 on touchdowns by Darius forge (7-yard go). Dante Love (50-yard pass) and Nate Davis (5-yard run).
And the Mids' defense had the ignoble distinction of having allowed its opponent to advance on nine of its previous 10 possessions.
But when Navy came back for the second half it seemed to be a different aggroup. The Mids stopped roll express on three straight possessions including once on an end-zone interception by cornerback Ketric Buffin.
By Sandra McKee | sun reporterThe Baltmore SunSeptember 16. 2007
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