After big win over Air Force, time for Mids to refocus
Navy hopes to ride momentum vs. Tulsa
ALBANY@TOWSON Streaming: Radio: Liberian potato greens.
The Second Liberian Civil War — between two rebel groups and government Bowl Subdivision programs. forces organized by President Charles But a broken ankle scared recruiters Taylor — broke out in 1999. Casualties as away. Even after rushing for 943 yards and high as 300,000 people were reported, and 10 touchdowns with 43 tackles as a senior, children were pressured into serving as his best offer came from Tennessee Tech, a soldiers on two sides. Football Championship Subdivision school
The violence forced Yeedee, his three that plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. siblings, his grandmother Cathrine Balla, After racking up 1,108 rushing yards and Traditionally, during his post-game his aunt Theresa Biyoyouwei, his uncle 304 receiving yards in two years for the address to the players, head coach Ken Jones Biyoyouwei and a several cousins to Golden Eagles, Thaenrat transferred to Niumatalolo is adamant the Navy football leave their home for a refugee camp in Towson. Tigers senior defensive back team must immediately move on to the Liberia, and then the Ivory Coast. Terrill Gillette-Rodgers, who has known next game — win or lose.
Phaitoon Thaenrat returned to his native Thaenrat since they played high school After this past Saturday’s thrilling Thailand, but Charlsetta Biyoyouwei disapfootball in Philadelphia, said his decision to overtime victory over service academy peared. There has been no word of her transfer from Riverside City College in rival Air Force, Niumatalolo changed his whereabouts, but Yeedee Thaenrat continCalifornia to the Tigers was influenced by tune. ues to hold out hope that his mother is alive. Thaenrat’s move. “Normally, I tell these guys you’ve got to
“I know my mom is out there someHe said teammates have been thrilled by move on to the next one. We’re going to where,” he said. “So I just don’t try to think Thaenrat’s success this fall. enjoy this one. It was a hard-fought win, of it in a way to make it negative. We just “It means everything because he’s not just and our kids earned the right to just enjoy hope one day we find her.” scoring touchdowns,” Gillette-Rodgers said. this,” Niumatalolo said on Saturday night.
In 2003, Yeedee, his siblings, four cousins, “He’s a playmaker on special teams. He was Of course, Niumatalolo only wanted the his grandmother and his uncle immigrated [an All-Colonial Athletic Association thirdplayers to enjoy what he described as a to San Antonio, while his aunt went to team selection] last year. So he’s not giving “monumental win for our program” for a Buffalo, N.Y., before rejoining the family two you just one dimension of his game. He’s day. It was back to work on Monday with years later. In Texas, Yeedee was introduced running the ball and blocking, he’s tackling Navy preparing for a road trip to Tulsa. to school, birthday cake and presents, and a whenever he’s on special teams. Whatever Speaking Monday morning on the University of Texas football game. he can do, I know that’s what he does.” American Athletic Conference coaches
In 2007, Theresa Biyoyouwei — whom Thaenrat and his girlfriend, Shindrea teleconference, Niumatalolo admitted Yeedee Thaenrat calls “Mom” — took the Reeder, are parents to 5-year-old Malaya that he’worried about his team suffering a children to Philadelphia. Football helped Reeder and 8-month-old Yeedee Thaenrat hangover effect after taking the first leg of him bond with his classmates and avoid the Jr. Thaenrat is poised to become the first the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series kind of bullying that chases kids who take member of his family to graduate with a in dramatic fashion.
English as a Second Language classes until college degree. “It’s definitely something you have to the seventh grade. He has his sights set on playing in the consider. Just the euphoria of a big win
“I started playing football at recess, and it NFL, and Ambrose said several scouts have like that in one of your service academy was called ‘Kill the man with the ball,’ ” he expressed interest in Thaenrat as a contribrivalry games. Right now, our guys are recalled. “It was kind of fun because that utor on offense and special teams. getting pats on the back,” Niumatalolo was my way to make friends. I was really “Mydream was to play on TVonSundays, said. “However, the euphoria of that is fast, and I just had an aggression to methat I and I’ll do whatever I can to get on there,” over with, and we have to press on. could take it out onto the field and take it Thaenrat said. “If special teams is going to “In the words of Coach [Bill] Belichick, out on other people legally. I was like, ‘Yo, I take me there, I’m going to do that as hard as it’s on to Tulsa. Hopefully, the leadership like getting hit, and I like hitting people.’ ” I can. If third-down runs are going to take of our team will take care of that. We have
Somcan Thaenrat, Yeedee’s older sister me there, I’m going to do that as hard as I to be mature enough to move forward,” by four years, said a childhood without can. If just being meis going to take methere, Niumatalolo added. parents was difficult for her younger I’m going to do that as hard as I can. Navy has dominated the series against brother, who doesn’t talk much about his “I can’t control that, whether I go or not. Tulsa since joining the AAC, winning all upbringing. The only thing I can control is what I do four meetings. Those games have been
“Yeedee is the kind of person where he today and tomorrow, how I attack today and high-scoring, with the Midshipmen and just keeps pushing forward,” she said. “He how hard I do it. After I’m done with this Golden Hurricane combining for an doesn’t speak a lot or express himself and year, I’m just going to put my head down average of 66-plus points in each. what he’s feeling. But when he plays, it’s a and grind as hard as I can and see whatever “We’ve had some great ballgames whole different person you see, someone happens.” against Navy in the past, and I don’t expect without the world on his shoulders.” Asked how the family feels about this to be any different,” fifth-year Tulsa
As a sophomore at the all-boys academy Yeedee’s path, Somcan Thaenrat began by coach Philip Montgomery said. “It’s going Father Judge High in Philadelphia, Thaensaying, “I don’t want to cry.” to be a really tough ballgame. Obviously, rat rushed for 1,246 yards and 13 touch“We’re happy,” she continued. “To have a we get them at home, which helps a little bit.”downsandadded74tackles,sixforcedkidthatcomesfromAfricaandhadnever fumbles and three interceptions as a safety. played the sport and had never seen it and Tulsa (2-3) is coming off a 43-37 The following season, he had 1,545 rushing had no idea what his American dream was triple-overtime loss to 21st-ranked SMU. yards and 25 scores, while adding 98 until he came here and picked up a football, The Golden Hurricane entered the fourth tackles, 12 forced fumbles and two intercepwe’re really proud. We’re like, ‘ Yeedee, quarter leading 30-9 but were outscored tions, earning a scholarship offer from you’re living our dream.’ I can’t explain it in 21-0 over the final 15 minutes of regulation. Rutgers and attention from other Football words. We’re really proud.” Tulsa’s other two losses have come at
the hands of Power Five Conference schools — Michigan State (28-7) and Oklahoma State (40-21).
“They’ve had a tough schedule and played some really tough teams. Their record is not indicative of who they are,” Niumatalolo said about Tulsa. “They were up big on a Top 25 team. They played really well early in the game and were really getting after SMU.”
Niumatalolo watched tape of the Michigan State game and said if the helmets and uniforms were switched, an observer would not be able to tell which was the Big Ten team.
“You look at them physically ... Tulsa is humongous,” Niumatalolo said. “I have a ton of respect for Coach Montgomery. They’ve had some tough losses, like last week. I know they’re just trying to find a way to get it together. Hopefully, they don’t do it against us.”
Tulsa has struggled to contain Navy’s triple-option offense during the four meetings as members of the AAC West Division. The Midshipmen have averaged 369 rushing yards against the Golden Hurricane.
“Navy is always very, very difficult to prepare for, especially in a week’s time,” said Montgomery, whose team gave up 469 rushing yards in the 2015 meeting, 390 in 2016 and 389 a year ago.