#who’s just ken poll winner coming soon…

[avis-fictional-world]

Who’s the most Barbie girl poll winner:

Yoichi!

By 44.9% vote!

Good job, Yoichi! You’re everything!

[pressrowmedia]

Riverside Football Rankings, Week 6

So, we have our first controversy.  The new Number One team actually lost, but based on Power Index, they move to the top spot.  The main factors in determining Power Index are: Won-Loss Record, Road Wins, Wins against Higher Division teams, and Strength of Schedule/Opponents' Won-Loss.  In the end, league play will balance everything out.  

Current (10/1) CIF-SS Poll.

Without any further adieu, here are the Week 6 Rankings.

#1 NOTRE DAME (4-2) /DIVISION 7 / SUNBELT

 LAST WEEK: #2

The Titans lost 48-21 vs. Paloma Valley, in Week 6, but previous opponents Aquinas, Hillcrest, Xavier Prep, Tustin and Rubidoux all won.  The Wildcats rolled up 382 rushing yards and 6 rushing TD against Notre Dame's defense, while holding the Titans to 279 yards on offense.  Notre Dame was also flagged for nine penalties, totaling nearly 100 yards.  QB Rodney Koenig was victimized by a pick 6 early in the game.  Paloma Valley jumped out to an early 21-0 lead, and never looked back.

Doesn't get any easier for the Titans, who'll play their fourth straight road game at Valley View (2-4), coming off of a big win over Arlington.  The Eagles will test Notre Dame's secondary, as they average 200 yards per game through the year.

Ultimately, the Titans fortunes will come down to how they perform in league play.  The new Sunbelt League should be intriguing, as with just a three-game schedule, margin for error will be tight, like trying to squeeze the 60, 91, 215 interchange during rush hour on a Friday.  The Titans managed to stay in the Division 7 top ten, despite the loss.

#2 RAMONA (5-1) / DIVISION / 12 RIVER VALLEY

 LAST WEEK: #4

The Rams scored an impressive 20-0 win over Patriot (4-2, ranked 8th in D10) to kick-off league play.  Previous to their Week 5 Bye, it had been the Rams' offense that had been the focal point, in Ken Mushinskie's revival, averaging 45.3ppg over a three-game win streak.  To date, the Rams have allowed 15.3ppg on the season, and 64 points over their four-game streak (32 in a September 14th match-up with Poly). The Warriors averaged 283.8 yards per game over their first five, and the Rams held them to 146, and forced three turnovers, winning despite totaling under 200 yards of their own.

The Rams take on Hillcrest (3-3, 1-0) Thursday, the Trojans coming off of an impressive win against Norte Vista.  A win for the Rams could put them in the drivers' seat in the developing River Valley league race.  One of Coach Mush's strengths, is his ability to get the Rams to focus on matters at hand.  The old, boring “one game at a time” strategy.  Hillcrest is explosive, so the Rams have a task ahead of them.  Look for them to incorporate some ball control early, while Senior QB Brandon Osayande looks to pick his spots against the Hillcrest D, which was impressive in shutting down NoVi on Friday, allowing the Trojans to go to the half up 40-7.

If the Rams can start 2-0 with two road wins, they will have a leg (or a horn) up, as two of their last three games are at home (La Sierra & Norte Vista), with their road game being at Jurupa Valley.  The formula is there for Ramona to succeed: Senior QB in Osayande, top-flight RB in Donte Roby, Jr., and a defense that has been up to the challenge.  The Rams always play hard, and don't beat themselves.  Don't be shocked if that allows them to overcome some of their liabilities (undersized, lots of underclassmen in key positions).  This is a big week for Ramona's very talented linebacking corps.  They'll need to contend with the Hillcrest run game, while the secondary deals with the speed of the Trojans' receivers.  The Rams are 5th in the most recent Division 12 CIF Poll.

#3 NORTE VISTA (4-2) / DIVISION 9 / RIVER VALLEY

 LAST WEEK: #1

The Braves were throttled by Hillcrest, 54-13.  They played their fourth straight game without Senior RB Chris Melesio, but Miron Hazem (14 att 104 yds TD), Eddie Allain (16 att 80 yds TD) and Josef Luckey (4 att 28 yds) took up the slack. Senior QB Julian Corey completed 4 of 5 passed, for 86 yards.  Over Corey's last three games, he is 10 of 12 through the air, for 230 yards and 2 TD.  As Corey continues to develop, he could play a huge factor in determining the River Valley race, and in the CIF Playoffs. After averaging 370 yards rushing over the previous three games, Hillcrest held the Braves to a paltry 212 yards, while rolling up over 400 on their own, taking a 40-7 lead to the half.  The loss dropped No Vi out of the Top 10 in the CIF-SS Division 9 Poll.

Norte Vista tries get back on track against La Sierra, who until last year, had been the only team to defeat the Braves on the field, back in 2014, when current Arlington Head Coach Jeff Roney led the Eagles to the River Valley crown.  Over the last three seasons, No Vi has scored an average of 51.3 points in games against La Sierra, including 65 back in 2015. Having Melesio back would provide the Braves with a huge lift.  The defense also looks to redeem themselves, after allowing over 400 yards in the Hillcrest loss, while the offense will look to bounce back from a game where they committed six turnovers.

Last week's stumble non-withstanding, the Braves remain a contender in the River Valley.  Since the league formed in 2012, No Vi has been the regular season champ of the RVL every season except for 2014 (La Sierra) and as part of a five-way tie in 2017.  They took a haymaker from Hillcrest Friday, but a win over La Sierra could allow them to take a breath, and settle back in.  Everyone knows that Ken Batdorf will have his team ready, and look to guide them over the early speed bump against Hillcrest.

#4 HILLCREST (3-3) / DIVISION 10 /  RIVER VALLEY

 LAST WEEK: #6

To quote Ebby Calvin “Nuke” La Loosh from Bull Durham, the Trojans “announced their presence with authority” in Friday's 54-13 win over Norte Vista.  The win over the Braves was Hillcrest's second in a row, after losing three straight, which dropped them from the #1 spot in the CIF Division 10 Poll.  Sophomore RB Dominique Clay ran for 112 yards and 4 TD, while Sophomore QB Camren Payne completed seven passes, five for more than twenty yards, including a 79 yard strike to Ryan Howard.  The Trojans used a thirty-three point second quarter to roll to a 40-7 lead at the half.  The offense rolled up 434 yards, while the defense forced three turnovers.  Clay notched his second 100 yard performance of the season, after not having played since September 7th against Kaiser.  

Next up for Hillcrest is a key match-up with Ramona.  Both Hillcrest and Ramona knocked off ranked teams in Week 6, which could put the winner at the pole position, in what looks to be a fairly tight race in the RVL. Last week, I'd said that Hillcrest could be the most talented team in the league, and they showed that on Friday night.  Another reason I like Hillcrest, is that young guys like Clay, Payne, Ryan Howard and Isaac Perez will improve with each additional week of varsity experience.  The defense is led by four Seniors, Josh Ford, Ezekial Holliday (both two-year starters), Christian Murillo and Erik Rivera (three-year starters).  The Trojans forced seven turnovers over the last two weeks, while committing just one of their own.

The key for Hillcrest will be to peak at the right time, and have the young team playing their best football, heading into November, and the CIF Playoffs.  In their five non-league games, the Trojans didn't play a team below Division 8, which could pay dividends in October & November.  Their opponents' winning percentage is .528, which ties them for fourth among city teams.

#5 LA SIERRA (5-1) / DIVISION 12 / RIVER VALLEY

 LAST WEEK: #3

The Eagles are becoming Riverside's version of the “Cardiac Kids” as they rallied from behind to defeat Jurupa Valley 25-24, denying the Jaguars their first league win since 2014.  The defense held up, finishing the evening out with a Goal Line Stand.  The five wins are the most by an Eagles' squad, since they went 8-3 in 2014 under current Arlington Head Coach, Jeff Roney.

Bryce Poppe had 188 yards passing, and threw for 3TD, while the Eagles also amassed 200 yards on the ground, where they were led by Lamar Gaines, with 86 yards and a TD.  Andre Thomas continued to do Andre Thomas things, nine catches for 166 yards and two trips to pay dirt.

This week, the Eagles lock up with Norte Vista, as the Braves will be looking for redemption, coming off of their loss at the hands of Hillcrest.  The last time La Sierra knocked off No Vi was back in 2014.  There is familiarity between the two teams, as Gary Hedlund served as Ken Batdorf's offensive coordinator, back in 2014, prior to taking the La Sierra job.

The Eagles were a hair from losing to an 0-6 Jurupa Valley.  That's the bad news.  The good news is, they hung on and won the game.  They have now logged four road wins, with three in come from behind fashion, late in the game.  The combination of Poppe to Thomas might be the most dynamic in the league, and they can run the ball well enough to keep teams honest.  

The Eagles' defense has been stingy in key spots, when it's counted.  In their loss to Rialto, La Sierra gave up 38 points, but it should be pointed out two of those scores by the Knights came on punt returns.

The Eagles are like a deep philosophical argument.  On the down side, their strength of schedule is ranked the lowest amongst Riverside teams, and they've had to eek out some close games under against those opponents.  

Some will say that playing from behind eventually catches up with you.  The other side of that coin, is that La Sierra is now 4-0 on the road.  Are the Eagles one of those teams, that if you let them hang around, will just find a way to beat you?  The River Valley League will know soon enough.

#6 POLY (3-3) / DIVISION 9 / INLAND VALLEY  LAST WEEK: #5

The Bears are coming off of their most impressive performance of the year, a 49-0 win over Canyon Springs, yet took a slight drop in the rankings.  The Bears rolled up 320 rushing yards among five players, and QB Budd Bernie was very efficient, completing 9 of 10 passes for 106 yards in the win.  More importantly, Derek DeWitt had his full complement of players on defense, which was led by Warren Hardin, who had 7 tackles, after missing time with an injury.  Jaylon Keeton also returned to give the Bears' defense their cornerstones along the defensive line.

This week, Poly looks to go 2-0 in the newly configured Inland Valley league, as they'll play Orange Vista on Saturday.  Greg Zomalt left Citrus Hill to helm the Coyotes program, but brought over the “process” from the old place.  They run, run, run the ball.  Four rushers combining for over three hundred yards on the ground per game.  The front seven of the Bears will be severely tested.  On the defensive side, Orange Vista has only allowed one team (El Monte) to score as many as twenty points. They've only surrendered 68 points all season (11.3 ppg).  Offensive Coordinator Bill Powell will have to dial up a game plan to exploit the talents of Jermaine Henderson, Budd Bernie, and Jerry Sandefeur, among others, if the Bears expect to go to 2-0 in league play.  A fourth win for Poly would mark the most successful season during the DeWitt Era.

The goal for the Bears is to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015, and this year's version of Poly Football could be a sleeping giant in the IVL.  Orange Vista will be a tough out, but a win over the Coyotes would allow Poly to build on the momentum from the big win over Canyon Springs. The Bears have dealt with nicks and bruises all season, and look to finally be healthy, particularly on defense.  Saturday will be a good barometer by which to judge their progress.

#7 JW NORTH (2-4) / DIVISION 8 / INLAND VALLEY  LAST WEEK: #7

The Huskies finally got to bark a big, with a 42-12 win over Perris to open Inland Valley League play.  The offense finally got clicking, which North Head Coach Dennis Brown attributed to their line play, as the Huskies rolled up 483 yards, 342 on the ground, an aspect they'd been trying to improve over the last two seasons. Both Jerrell Calhoun and Venasio Mika'ele went for over one hundred yards, and North led 28-6 at the half, in cruising to victory. Senior QB Nick Satcher completed passes, to five different receivers, throwing for 141 yards, connecting with Jerrell Calhoun for a TD.  The North defense, which had taken its lumps, surrendering 137 points over a three-game losing streak before the bye, finally negotiated the learning curve against the Panthers.

This week, North hosts 1-5 Lakeside, as they look to go 2-0 in Inland Valley League play.  The Lancers won their opener over Ramona 17-14, but have dropped all five of their games since, and haven't won a road game since they knocked off Orange Vista last September 15th.  The Huskies will need to keep their mojo going, and seem to have gotten a boost over the bye week, where they were able to get healthy, and make some adjustments, which resulted in the big win over Perris.  The backfield combo of Mika'ele and Calhoun is formidable for any defense, especially when the offensive line, anchored by four Seniors, two of whom are three-year starters (William Smith and Omar Gudino Flores) has found its rhythm.  And don't forget about Nick Satcher, the Senior QB who threw for nearly 1,900 yards and 16 TD in 2017.

The Huskies' playoff win in 2016, was their first since before they moved to the Inland Valley out of the Big VIII.  In recent years, though, the Huskies have missed the playoffs more than they've been in it, winning their opening round game over Grand Terrace in '16, and going one and done in 2014.  This being an even-numbered year, should bode well for the Huskies.

#8 ARLINGTON (0-6) / DIVISION 8 / SUNBELT  LAST WEEK: #8

The Lions fell to Valley View, 34-6, to drop their 6th straight, and 9th out of their last 10, dating back to last season, after a 7-0 start.  The Lions actually led 6-0 early, and it was a 7-6 game at the half, before Valley View reeled off 27 straight 2nd Half points, aided by three Arlington turnovers.

Doesn't get any easier for Jeff Roney and his crew, as they have Paloma Valley on the road.  The Wildcats have won three in a row, and scored 47, 48 and 48 points in those wins.  Arlington has allowed forty points or more in four of their six games.

This is the last non-league game for Arlington, who have taken their shots thus far, but could wipe the slate clean with a couple of wins in Sunbelt League play.  Ezekial Valentine had a rushing TD in his first game for Arlington, and should help QB Isaiah Leuta, who already has weapons such as Devin Johnson, and Mike Hollis at his disposal.  The defense, anchored by their standout line, will need to step up over this last month of the season.

#9 ML KING (0-6) / DIVISION 4 / BIG VIII

 LAST WEEK: #9

Looked as if things had started to turn for King, as they'd played at OT game vs. Poly (3-3) on September 8th, and lost a one-point game to Elsinore on September 14th, before stepping out for their bye week.  Returning to action this week, Norco reminded the Wolves they still play in the Big VIII.  The Cougars rolled up nearly 500 yards against King.

Doesn't get any easier with their next opponent, Roosevelt (4-2).  The Mustangs knocked off Corona 57-0, to start Big VIII play.  Their only losses are to Servite (Division 1) and Tesoro (Division 2).  While King has struggled, the Wolves had surrendered 106 points over the first five games, before the 42-7 loss to Norco.

At this point, King is mostly playing for pride.  The Big VIII is a tough league, with four teams in the running for playoff seeding.  The showdown with Corona on October 12th, could be King's last real chance to enter the win column in 2018.  Notre Dame transfer Adeal Bavadi leads King in rushing and has 3 TD (most on the team) between his running and as a receiver.  He's averaging nearly six yards a pop on the ground, while King has struggled, particularly from the QB position, as they only average 82 yards per game through the air.  Of King's eight leading tacklers this season, four will be back next year.

[theconservativebrief]

Sen. John McCain, 81, announced his decision to discontinue treatment for the brain cancer he’s been battling for more than a year on Friday, making clear that the Arizona Republican is unlikely to return to the Senate. Attention has now turned to the process for replacing McCain in the legislative body in which he’s spent so much of his career.

The former Navy pilot, Vietnam prisoner of war, and Republican presidential nominee has spent 30 years in the United States Senate. It’s not clear by Friday’s statement how long he has left to live, or if he will step down as his health declines, but it’s likely that Arizona’s governor will be in a position to tap someone to take over his seat at some point in the future.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, is legally required to fill vacancies in Arizona’s US Senate delegation. Whoever Ducey chooses will stay in office until 2020.

The governor has remained silent on who he has in mind out of respect for McCain and his family. By Arizona state law, he must tap someone of the same party as McCain — meaning a Republican — and he’s ruled himself out. After McCain’s announcement on Friday, Ducey lauded the ailing senator as an “American hero” who has always put the country before himself. “From Vietnam to the halls of the US Senate, the spirit of service and civility that has guided Sen. McCain’s life stands as a model for all Americans, regardless of political affiliation,” he said.

But with primary races in Arizona set for Tuesday and Republicans holding a slim 51-49 majority in the US Senate, whispers about who will replace McCain have grown louder.

My family is deeply appreciative of all the love and generosity you have shown us during this past year. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers. We could not have made it this far without you – you’ve given us strength to carry on. pic.twitter.com/KuAQSASoa7

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 24, 2018

Had McCain left office before May 30, his Senate seat would have been on the ballot in Arizona in November 2018. His junior colleague, Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, has already announced he’s retiring, meaning both of Arizona’s seats would have been up for grabs.

But since it’s after May 30, it will likely be Ducey who picks the replacement. There’s nothing in the state’s constitution that allows for a special election after that date, as Amber Phillips at the Washington Post explains:

Election officials told The Washington Post in the spring that there was the possibility of a legal battle to try to hold a special election in 2018 for McCain’s seat, even if candidates have to file after that May 30 deadline.

“If there was a vacancy today and we made a decision on ‘yes, call a special election’ or ‘no, [don’t] call a special election’ . . . there is a 99.9 percent chance that litigation would ensue,” said Eric Spencer, election services director in the office of Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan, a Republican.

But that was closer to May. Now a federal election is just months away, and no matter what happens to McCain’s seat in the coming days or weeks or months, it seems very probable it won’t be on the ballot again until 2020.

So, Ducey would pick a replacement who would serve at least until 2020, the next general election. And the winner of that election would serve the rest of McCain’s six-year term, which ends after the 2022 election, so in January 2023. The replacement has to be a Republican, like McCain.

Members of the GOP are likely breathing a sigh of relief that both of Arizona’s US Senate spots won’t be in limbo, since the contest to take Flake’s seat is expected to be a contentious one. It’s one of the few opportunities Democrats have to win a senate seat currently held by Republicans in November, with Democrat Kyrsten Sinema consistently polling in the lead ahead of every one of her Republican competitors.

McCain’s resignation or death while in office would mark the first time in Arizona’s more than 100-year history that a governor would have to fill a Senate seat there by appointment. Gov. Ducey has not publicly said who he might consider to take over McCain’s seat, except to say he won’t appoint himself. Ducey’s office has called conjecture about who he might pick “disgraceful.”

That hasn’t stopped the speculation though. Given Republicans have only a 51-seat majority after Democrat Doug Jones’s win in Alabama, every vote counts, and the GOP’s paying attention.

The Arizona Republic listed out a number of names that have been floated as potential appointees to replace McCain. They are:

Cindy McCain, 64, the senator’s wife. She is a philanthropist and businesswoman and could represent her husband’s legacy while pursuing her own priorities in Washington, DC, such as her advocacy against human trafficking.

Kirk Adams, 45, Ducey’s chief of staff and a former state lawmaker. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2012.

Barbara Barrett, 67, chairman of the Aerospace Corporation and former US Ambassador to Finland. She was the first woman Republican to run for governor of Arizona in 1994.

Jon Kyl, 76, who from 1995 to 2013 served alongside McCain in the Senate.

The Arizona Republic also mentions real estate development company president Karrin Taylor, former Rep. John Shadegg, State Treasurer Eileen Klein, and former Rep. Matt Salmon.

One possible contender would have been Republican Rep. Martha McSally, but she is already running for the Senate this year to take Flake’s seat. The other was Dr. Kelli Ward, also running for that seat.

McCain is considered a less reliable Republican vote than many of his colleagues, and whoever replaces him is likely to be more solidly aligned with the rest of the GOP. Ducey is more or less a traditional Republican himself, and he will likely choose someone his party’s leaders would approve of.

Heading into November, that could smooth the road for Republican leaders on some issues as they try to navigate the 51-49 Senate to get judicial and Cabinet nominees approved and other legislation passed.

However, on the big-ticket items — namely, Obamacare repeal or welfare reform — McCain’s replacement might not make much difference.

The problem for reviving the health care debate, for example, is that a Democrat now occupies the formerly Republican-held seat in Alabama and Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who have opposed every repeal plan so far, don’t sound like they want to revisit the issue. Those three alone — plus Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who opposed the latest iteration of repeal, known as Graham-Cassidy — form an imposing wall for Republican leaders to overcome no matter who fills McCain’s seat.

So on smaller items and appointments, the new Arizona senator could make things a little easier for GOP leaders. But getting any major legislation through a 51-49 Senate in an election year is still going to be tough.

If McCain’s seat doesn’t open up soon, there is a possibility that it won’t be Gov. Ducey who appoints his replacement, as he is up for reelection this year. He is expected to win his primary on Tuesday against Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, who earlier this year found himself in hot water over declarations that he wouldn’t choose Cindy McCain as the senator’s replacement. Ducey will face the winner of the Democratic primary — former Arizona Department of Education official and professor David Garcia, state Sen. Steve Farley, or Kelly Fryer, the CEO of the YWCA Southern Arizona — in November. They’ve all declined to say who they might appoint to McCain’s seat if elected.

Ducey’s approval rating has fallen in recent weeks, and he is facing a tough dynamic with angry and fired-up teachers. Arizona was one of the states with teacher protests, with tens of thousands of teachers marching on the state capitol, demanding better pay. But as the Arizona Republic points out, Ducey has a history of outperforming his poll numbers.

Original Source -> Who could be appointed to replace John McCain in the Senate, and the process behind it, explained

via The Conservative Brief

[junker-town]

3 years into conference life, Navy isn’t good for a service academy team. Navy’s just good.

Since leaving independence for the Group of 5, Ken Niumatalolo’s got an annual contender.

Ken Niumatalolo doesn’t sleep. During the season, the Navy head coach sets his alarm for 3:14 a.m., the minute equaling the number of games he wants the Midshipmen to play in each season. Usually he’s awake before it goes off.

“I’ll just get up and go in to the office. I can’t stop. It’s what you’d expect: ‘What is Army doing? What is Air Force doing?’ But also, ‘What is Scott Frost doing right now?’” Niumatalolo says.

If you think of Navy as merely the best of the academy programs, Niumatalolo’s restlessness seems unnecessary.

He’s 9-1 vs. rival Army and has six Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies since taking over as head coach in 2007. Of the three academies, the Midshipmen have been the standard since Paul Johnson revamped the program in 2002.

There’s a large monitor just to the side of his desk, with UCF film on pause.

“They’re probably the best team we’ve ever played in this stadium, other than Houston. We play Notre Dame, but not here. We’ve played some good offenses or some good defenses, but this is the most complete team to come here.”

What eats at Niumatalolo is breaking out of that context, that what Navy has done in his decade as the winningest coach in program history is good for an academy football team.

“I want to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, but I also want to be the Group of 5 team in the New Year’s Day bowl. And I know when I first started saying that, people laughed. My kids would. We have family goals every year, and I said, ‘This year we’re going to go to New Year’s bowl.’ And my kids said, ‘Can you just make sure we get to a bowl game at all?’’

As a dominant member of the American Athletic Conference, Navy is just a good football program. Full stop. If a “regular” 5-1 team was 17-4 in conference play with one division title through its first three seasons in a conference and hosting an undefeated UCF (No. 20 in both polls, No. 9 in S&P+) this Saturday, we’d probably be talking more about a hot program to watch and a hot new name in coaching.

But it’s a triple option team at an academy. It’s hard to tell which of those two scarlet letters creates the bigger stigma.

“That’s a good question,” Niumatalolo said. “It’s probably still the military, but it’s close. At least you can always pitch running backs when you recruit with this system.”

For all his concern, Niumatalolo seems to have cracked the code on creating a consistent winner at a military academy. By virtue of the Naval Academy’s stringent academic and conduct policies, that means winning “the right way.” This year, the Midshipmen are featured on Showtime’s A Season With series, an ongoing all-access documentary that previously featured Notre Dame and Florida State, Playoff contenders with normally strict access.

“I just thought it was cool, as soon as I heard about it. We don’t have a budget ourselves for this kind of marketing. It’s great for our program, and we don’t have anything to hide, either. I told them to come on in. It’s not like when you’re inviting someone over and kicking dirty laundry under the couch,” Niumatalolo said.

The Midshipmen enter Saturday’s game vs. Frost’s Knights on the heels of an uncharacteristic five turnovers in their first loss of the season vs. Memphis. Still, for the third time in as many years, Navy is a contender for the AAC title and the G5 spot in the New Year’s Six.

Life as a member of a conference has worked.

Navy is playing bigger and better games (especially entering November) than it was as an independent. And thanks to non-conference agreements with Notre Dame, a consistent Air Force, and a rapidly improving Army, they’ve got one of the best resumes in the G5 every season.

“I think initially, our administration was a little wary, back when we were approached by what was then the Big East. They were worried if we’d have to change our academic standards. I just felt like the landscape was changing, and I didn’t want to get left out,” Niumatalolo said.

“There were two sides to it. One side said, ‘Hey, if the landscape of the game is fundamentally changing and we have to go I-AA or Ivy League, that’s fine.’ And I said, ‘Sure, that’s fine, but I don’t want to do that. I want to compete.’”

Flash forward to the Midshipmen’s upset of Tom Herman’s Houston last season in Annapolis and an AAC West title (Navy requested to the join the West, for the recruiting exposure in Tennessee, Texas, and Louisiana).

Navy has had to adjust to the AAC as much as the conference has to deal with Navy’s option.

Offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper said that with the exception of former UConn head coach Bob Diaco, who coached against Navy as a defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, every AAC program has played a completely different scheme vs. the Midshipmen each season.

The AAC offers a miserable variety pack of offenses for defensive coordinators. Navy isn’t immune to that problem, which is why defensive coordinator Dale Pherson has installed blitz-heavy man schemes, something conventional wisdom said wasn’t possible for academy players going against the FBS.

“The intensity has picked up naturally. Innately, I think defensive players want to be aggressive. You take that away when you play passively. They’ve taken a lot more ownership in the aggression than I saw them take when we were a rush-three, drop-eight type of team,” Pherson said.

“To go to another level, we have to continue to get man-cover guys with that kind of speed. But I think we’re as athletic now as we’ve been.”

Recruiting is the last barrier for Navy.

“When I first got here in 1996, I’d visit a high school, and the coach would bring 10 people in to talk to me, and it was always, ‘Hey, he’s got a 3.6 GPA and he’s never missed practice. Coach, he’s your kind of guy. He might be a backup center by his senior year, but he’s your kind of guy!’ And I’m trying to tell them, ‘Well, we do have to play Notre Dame every season,’” Pherson said.

“You get some of that from when we’re on TV. ‘Oh, it’s undersized Navy. They’re a step slower. They’re not as big.’ And the kid at home thinks, ‘Hey, that’s me.’ It’s the whole stereotype.’”

Now Navy assistants are seeing a different reaction on the road. High school coaches and players can immediately recall big games they’ve seen Navy in.

“I would go back to the year we played Ohio State in 2009 at their place,” Jasper said. “We had played really, really well. We got down, came back, scored two touchdowns late and had a chance to win in OT. Something about that game, everywhere I went after that in recruiting, the country had just fallen in love with Navy. They saw kids that they thought didn’t belong on the field with Ohio State going to the wire.”

Senior co-captain Darryl Bonner was one of the best pure athletes at his high school in North Carolina, but at 5’7, he was only offered a preferred walk-on status at Wofford and Appalachian State and a partial scholarship by Division II Wingate. He’s now averaging 6.8 yards per carry as a senior slotback.

“Obviously everything works out for a reason, but you come here, and at times we’ve been ranked. So you see your team ranked and teams you would’ve loved to play for aren’t. Or you just beat them. That feels really good. I don’t want to say anything bad, but ... yeah, it’s satisfying.”

“Our talent level has definitely improved,” Niumatalolo said. “Are we SEC? No. But the days of us getting the admiral’s son, of going to a school and it’s the Eagle Scout that always wanted to come here, that’s over. We’re getting really good kids, and character is still important.

“Because no matter what we do, there are still only two other teams in the nation that look like us. If we have guys getting arrogant, we’ll get pummeled. Playing as a team is the only way we survive.”