QB Perry, Navy dismiss Army’s bid for four-peat

PHILADELPHIA — Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo wrapped Malcolm Perry tighter than an Army defense could muster for an embrace that served as a bit of an apology.

Perry had done it all for Navy in a 31-7 victory Saturday that earned him MVP honors in the 120th game between the service academies. Perry became the fourth quarterback in FBS history to rush for 300 yards, running for 304 yards with two touchdowns, and set a slew of program records.

It forced Niumatalolo to go on TV and issue a mea culpa: “I’m a bad coach. How did I bench him last year?”

Perry’s biggest number? For the senior it was one, as in, the first time he led the No. 21 Middies past Army.

“This was the biggest game I’ve played in my life,” Perry said. “We didn’t win the last three games. But that makes this even more sweet.”

Navy (10-2) used a trick play to help reverse a rare losing streak against Army and won the Commander-In-Chief ’s Trophy for the 16th time and snapped a three-game losing streak to Army.

Navy leads the series 61-52-7. The Black Knights (5-8) were trying to win four straight games in the Army-Navy series for the first time since 1993 to 1996.

Perry, the 5-foot-9-inch, 190-pound senior quarterback, helped the fleet-of-foot Navy offense run away with the game with another game for the record book. He ran for a 55-yard TD in the first half, added a 44-yard scamper and set Navy season records in yards rushing and total 100-yard games.

President Donald Trump, wearing a red “Keep America Great” hat for the traditional coin flip in misty conditions, sat on the Army side of the field in the first half and crossed the field to the Navy side for the second half.