‘Burn the Boats’: LB explains season motto
Diego Fagot delivered an interesting history lesson when asked to explain the origins of the Navy football team motto for the 2021 season.
Fagot and other rising senior leaders settled on “Burn the Boats” as a motivational slogan to begin using during the grueling winter strength and conditioning workouts known as “fourth quarters.”
Navy’s standout inside linebacker referenced that motto several times during an online news conference to discuss spring camp, which will now begin Friday.
“We’re really trying to emphasize those three words,” Fagot said.
“We need to leave everything off the field and focus on what we have at hand.
“Our class is really trying to emphasize the mentality piece because there is so much going on around us. Last season, there was just so much stuff happening off the field that it affected us on the field.”
At least one of the Navy football players must be a student of military history because the reference dates to the 1500s when Spanish explorers and conquistadors were in the first phase of colonizing the Americas. The Spaniards embarked on several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the Aztec Indians of central Mexico.
Based in Cuba, the Spanish fleet sailed to Mexico to engage the Aztecs, only to be beaten back each time. Spanish soldiers would retreat to the boats and return to Cuba to regroup.
Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes was responsible for finally leading an expedition that resulted in the fall of the Aztec empire and brought large portions of what is now mainland Mexico under the rule of King of Castile.
According to legend, Cortes issued a strange order during that 1519 attack on the Aztecs. Upon landing on the shores of Mexico, Cortes commanded his men to
“burn the boats.” Doing so meant the Spanish troops had no ability to retreat if another attack failed.
“Basically, the new commander was saying: We’re here to stay. You’re not going back to Cuba until we accomplish the task at hand. We’re either going to take this land or die trying,” Fagot said.
There is much debate among historians about the legitimacy of the legend, both in terms of the true intentions of Cortes and whether the actual burning took place. However, Fagot said the Navy football team needs to bring the same mindset to practices and games.
“This idea of burning the boats is really important to us because we have to do everything we can to accomplish this one task,” Fagot said. “There is no retreating at this point. Having that mindset going into games that we have to do whatever it takes to ultimately win.”
Navy has a long-standing tradition of coining a team motto to guide the mentality going into each season. Last season, tri-captains Billy Honaker, Cameron Kinley and Jackson Perkins came up with “Rent is Due,” which was based off a much-publicized statement by former Houston Texans (now Arizona Cardinals) defensive end J.J. Watt.
Past mottos have been as straightforward as “For the Culture” or “One More” or “The Brotherhood.”
For the 2014 season, the seniors went with “I Will,” which honored former Navy football player Will McKamey. A 19-year-old slotback from Knoxville, Tennessee, McKamey died March 25, 2014, while still in a coma at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. He had collapsed and lost consciousness three days before during a spring football practice.
In 2016, the Navy captains who had been classmates with McKamey, including fellow slotback Toneo Gulley, selected “We Will” as the team slogan.
In 2019, Navy football had to reverse course and change its original slogan following criticism of its choice of “Load the Clip.” Although unintentional, that phrase was deemed insensitive, especially considering Annapolis was still reeling from the shooting at the Capital Gazette newspapers office that killed five staff members.
Shortly after the slogan became public and there was negative reaction due to the spate of gun violence in the United States, coach Ken Niumatalolo quickly convened a meeting among the four captains. Niumatalolo apologized one day later during Navy’s football media day and announced the motto had been changed to “Win the Day.”
Captain, my captain
It appears Niumatalolo is going to stick with his recent approach of not conducting a vote for team captains until after spring practice is completed.
Fagot, a two-time All-American Athletic Conference selection, is a leading candidate to serve as a defensive captain. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder has led by example on the field, amassing 188 career tackles, including 24 ½ for a loss and 8 ½ that produced sacks.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resident led the Midshipmen in tackles as a sophomore and junior. With a rare combination of size and speed, Fagot is considered an NFL prospect.
“Selfishly, it is important to me. I’d like to be a captain,” Fagot admitted. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s up to my teammates. If they see fit for me to be one of their captains, I would take that responsibility with much respect and honor.”
Safety Kevin Brennan and cornerback Michael McMorris, both of whom will likely become three-year starters, are two other seniors with the credentials to earn votes for defensive captain.
“There’s a lot of guys on defense that are very capable leaders,” Fagot said. “One thing we’re trying to emphasize is that we’re all captains. With that title obviously comes great responsibility, but we’re all leading and all trying to hold each other accountable.”
Fagot said he learned a lot from the example set last season by Perkins, who earned praise from the coaching staff for focusing on his personal responsibilities and never complaining.
“I had the blessing of playing right behind Jackson for the past two seasons and he was super selfless,” Fagot said. “He would do whatever the coaches wanted, did his job every single play.”
Fagot is trying to pay it forward by setting a similar example for the mentality a Navy football player should bring to a weightlifting session, film study or practice. Perkins motivated teammates on a daily basis by working hard and with enthusiasm.
“Jackson Perkins stayed so positive throughout the whole year, which really spoke to me,” Fagot said. “Many times, I’d come to practice with a banged-up ankle or knee and be down in the dumps, and Jackson would have a great attitude and bring so much energy to practice.
“Jackson always came to practice with a positive attitude, ready to attack the day regardless of what was going on.”
Drinking the Kool-Aid
Throughout the offseason, the Navy football team has been holding regular online meetings. About 30 minutes of each session have been devoted to what Niumatalolo calls “Kool-Aids,” motivational messages delivered by players or coaches.
Niumatalolo mentioned Fagot as one of the players who wowed teammates and assistants with his Kool-Aid presentation.
“I think they’re really important because they give insight on specific players and coaches and what’s in their hearts, what’s driving them,” Fagot said.
Fagot drew inspiration from a book authored by renowned coach Urban Meyer, who enjoyed success on the collegiate level with Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State. Meyer, now head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, wrote “Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Season.”
One message Fagot attempted to impart to teammates involved the various distractions of the Naval Academy. Midshipmen have demanding academic and military responsibilities that too often carry over into the athletic realm.
“At the Naval Academy it’s so hard to focus on football,” Fagot said. “When you’re on the football field, are you thinking about homework or [a] test? Or maybe you got in trouble with the company.
“Playing ball here the last three years has taught me to micromanage and compartmentalize certain things. You have to check all your baggage at the door and just go play ball. Worry about the other stuff once you leave the football facility.”
Fagot took his own advice during the restriction-of-movement order imposed on the Brigade of Midshipmen by Naval Academy leadership. Navy athletics initially announced a pause put in place for a minimum of 10 days. It was extended indefinitely and wound up lasting 21 days.
Navy football players were not allowed to participate in group weight training under the direction of strength and conditioning coordinator Bryan Fitzpatrick and staff. While admitting the layoff was a step backward in terms of strength development, Fagot has chosen not to worry about what was lost during the pause.
“We just have to keep a positive mindset,” he said. “What happened the past three weeks is what it is. I’m going to worry about the lift I’m doing today and focus on what I can do to build muscle moving forward.”
Fagot put himself through individual workouts during the ROM period, doing drills designed to improve pad level and footwork.
“I’ve been trying to emphasize playing lower and keeping a forward lean on all plays,” he said. “This past year, I would stand up or have a really wide base, which would hinder me from being able to break on the ball as fast as I could.”