2007 Independent Recaps
- 2008
Independent Lookaheads
Army |
Navy
|
Notre Dame
2007 Pages
2007 Independent Season
| Army |
Navy
| Notre Dame
Army
Recap:
It’s not as if much was expected from Army this season, but when
Navy and Air Force grab bowl bids in the same season, it shines
a flood light on the Black Knights’ ineptitude. The academy
dropped its final six games after climbing to 3-3, none more
embarrassing than a sixth consecutive loss to the Middies that
added an exclamation point to the growing divide between the two
rivals. Although Army’s problems were boundless, an abundance
of turnovers and a dreadful run defense were the primary
culprits in an 11th losing season in-a-row.
Offensive Player of the Year: WR Jeremy Trimble
Defensive Player of the Year: S Caleb Campbell
Biggest Surprise: Coming back to beat Tulane, 20-17, in
overtime on Oct. 6. Seemingly headed to a defeat, the Knights
went 80 yards in the final 29 seconds of regulation, getting a
game-tying, 36-yard touchdown pass from a third-string
quarterback as time expired. It evened Army’s record at 3-3,
representing a high point in the season for the program.
Biggest Disappointment: Failing to make Navy even break a
sweat in its 38-3 loss on Dec. 1. Yeah, bowing to the Middies
is becoming a habit around West Point, but managing a measly
field goal against a bad defense, and losing by double-digits
for the sixth straight year is fast becoming
unacceptable.
Looking Ahead: First-year head coach Stan Brock is open
to any and all changes that he can adopt with the constraints of
working at a service academy. The Black Knights might want to
consider more use of the triple-option, which has helped Army
and Navy bridge the wedge between themselves and deeper
opponents.
Navy
Recap:
In what would turn out to be his final season in Annapolis, head
coach Paul Johnson delivered what he always has for the Middies, a
victory over Army, a Commander-in-Chief’s trophy, and a December
bowl game. As an added bonus in 2007, Navy finally stopped the
bleeding against Notre Dame, beating the Irish for the first time in
44 tries. The Midshipmen needed every yard from its top-ranked
triple-option ground game in order to offset a broken defense that
yielded more than 40 points in seven of 13 games.
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada
Defensive Player of the Year: LB Irv Spencer
Biggest Surprise: No matter how feeble Notre Dame was last
season, you still pinched yourself after Navy walked out of South
Bend with a thrilling triple-overtime victory on Nov. 3. Not since
1963 had the Middies gotten the best of the Irish, the longest
streak of futility in the nation.
Biggest Disappointment: Did the Midshipmen get caught looking
ahead to their much-anticipated showdown with the Irish? You bet.
On Oct. 27, the same Navy squad that had beaten Pittsburgh and Air
Force earlier in the year lost 59-52 to Delaware of the FCS, making
Blue Hen QB Joe Flacco look as if he belonged in the Heisman
race.
Looking Ahead: Naturally, Johnson will be missed at the
academy, but don’t expect wholesale changes from Ken Niumatalolo, a
long-time assistant at the school, who ensures a pretty smooth
transition. The triple-option will stay, as will Kaheaku-Enhada and
FB Eric Kettani, two of the key components of last year’s prolific
running attack.
Notre Dame
Recap:
While most everyone figured Notre Dame would be rebuilding in the
post-Brady Quinn era, few expected it to be so painful and
profound. The Irish became a national punch line in 2007 with a
historically ugly campaign, losing nine games for the first time in
school history, including an unthinkable six straight in South
Bend. The offense, head coach Charlie Weis’ domain, was a
particular calamity, averaging a mere 16 points a game, while
finishing last nationally in total offense and sacks
allowed.
Offensive Player of the Year: TE John Carlson
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Trevor Laws
Biggest Surprise: Shocking UCLA at the Rose Bowl, 20-6, on
Oct. 6. Yes, the Irish were aided by the Bruins’ lack of healthy
quarterbacks, but at the time, Notre Dame was 0-5 and reeling out of
control. Despite managing just 140 total yards, the Irish used
seven turnovers and a touchdown from LB Maurice Crum to mercifully
break into the win column.
Biggest Disappointment: Losing to Navy, 46-44, on Nov. 3 in
an epic triple-overtime thriller. Throughout the good times and the
bad, handling the Middies had become a given for the Irish for more
than four decades. Until this fall. Navy went toe-to-toe with
Notre Dame before foiling a potential game-tying two-pointer for the
long-awaited victory. For the Irish, the loss was more symbolic
than anything else, a sign of just how far the program had
plummeted.
Looking Ahead: At least the Irish will have momentum heading
into next year, courtesy of season-ending wins over Duke and
Stanford. Notre Dame played a ton of kids this fall, including
true freshman QB Jimmy Clausen, so the program should be in a better
position to compete in 2008. How much better is a question
that’ll be answered under a blue and gold microscope.
