Moving, dramatic victory for Midshipmen
Perry takes over at QB, helps Navy pull out vicory
Every football coach knows the importance of putting the ball in the hands of the team’s most dangerous offensive player.
After a long weekend of soul-searching, Navy elected to do just that — making the dramatic decision to move Malcolm Perry to quarterback.
Perry fixed the Midshipmen’s stagnant offense with his dynamic running ability. However, the defense continued to struggle and could not protect a huge lead. In the end, it was a backup fullback and an unknown placekicker who saved the day for Navy.
Perry rushed for 282 yards and four touchdowns while sophomore kicker J.R. Osborn booted an 18-yard field goal as time expired to lift Navy to a much-needed 43-40 victory on Senior Day in Annapolis.
An announced crowd of 36,157 at NavyMarine Corps Memorial Stadium watched the Midshipmen march 78 yards on 10 plays during the game’s final possession to set up the game-winning field goal by Osborn, who had never attempted a place kick in a varsity game.
Perry suffered an ankle injury on the final drive and had to leave the game. Garret Lewis took over at quarterback and succeeded in getting the Midshipmen in position to score. Fullback Anthony Garguilo ripped off runs of 21 and 29 yards to set up first-and-goal and it appeared a touchdown would give the home team the win.
Lewis ran five yards to the 1-yard line on second down, but was stopped for no gain on third down. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo sent in Osborn, who was needed because starting kicker Bennett Moehring sat out the game with an ankle injury.
Osborn, who has been handling kickoffs for the past two games, was unfazed by the moment and calmly booted the ball through the uprights as Navy snapped a three-game losing streak and became bowl eligible.
“I still don’t really know what’s going on or what happened,” said Osborn, who guessed his last game-winning field goal came in 2014 at Christ Presbyterian High in Tennessee. “Tonight, my number was called on the last kick so I just had to go in there and make the kick. That’s really all I was thinking about.”
Garguilo, who started the season as the third string fullback, rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Navy (6-3, 4-3) finished with 559 rushing yards. First quarter NAV: Gargiulo 3 run (O.White kick), 9:41 SMU: FG Jos.Williams 44, 7:20 NAV: Perry 3 run (kick failed), 2:35 Second quarter NAV: Perry 24 run (O.White kick), 9:24 SMU: Quinn 19 pass from Hicks (kick failed), 6:39 NAV: Perry 92 run (O.White kick), 5:02 NAV: High 2 run (O.White kick), :19 Third quarter SMU: C.Sutton 14 pass from Hicks (Robledo kick), 11:37 SMU: X.Jones 3 run (Robledo kick), 7:19 NAV: Perry 1 run (run failed), 3:14 SMU: Proche 17 pass from Hicks (Robledo kick), 1:21 Fourth quarter SMU: C.Sutton 29 pass from Hicks (Quinn pass from Hicks), 3:32 NAV: FG Osborn 18, :00 Rushing: SMU, X.Jones 18-106, K.Freeman 6-23, West 2-22, Hicks 5-14. Navy, Perry 33-283, Gargiulo 15-145, High 10-38, Jos.Brown 2-37, Colon 1-25, Bonner 3-13, Daniel 1-11, Lewis 3-8, N.Smith 1-2, Makekau 1-0, (Team) 1-0, Joh.Brown 1-(minus 3). Passing: SMU, Quinn 0-1-1-0, Hicks 16-29-1-261. Navy, Perry 0-1-1-0. Receiving: SMU, C.Sutton 7-123, Quinn 6-87, Proche 3-51. Navy, . Missed field goals: SMU, Jos.Williams 44