QB Lavatai learning the option on the fly

Sophomore, offensive line took a step back in Saturday’s loss to SMU

Tai Lavatai is still a babe in the woods when it comes to being an option quarterback. Saturday’s game against SMU marked just the third career start for the sophomore, who is learning on the job in many respects.

Lavatai received a basic introduction to the triple-option while playing in games at the Naval Academy Prep School. The Florida native did not make much progress as a plebe in Annapolis because he served on the scout team the entire season.

Spring football marked the first time Lavatai operated the triple-option at full speed against a varsity defense, and he looked sharp directing the attack against Central Florida as Navy amassed 406 total yards of offense. All four elements were working well with Carlinos Acie leading a slotback corps that totaled 139 yards, while fullbacks Isaac Ruoss and James Harris II combined for 136. Lavatai contributed 57 yards and two touchdowns on tough runs between the tackles and also completed two play-action passes for 58 yards.

Lavatai and the offense did not perform at that level against SMU, finishing with 12 first downs and 241 total yards. Lavatai led the team in rushing but averaged just 2.2 yards on 24 carries. The Mustangs succeeded in stuffing the fullback dive as Ruoss and Harris had just 40 yards on 17 totes. The Mids got 68 yards out of the slots, but half of that came on two runs.

Coach Ken Niumatalolo was disappointed the Navy offensive line took a step backward after playing well as a unit in the two previous games. Sophomore Sam Glover made his first career start at left tackle in place of Jake Cossavella, who suffered a season-ending injury the previous Saturday.

Niumatalolo said Glover did some good and bad things, then quickly added that no member of the offensive line had a stellar outing versus the Mustangs.

“They got after us, which was a little discouraging because Houston and UCF was as good as we’ve played along the offensive line in a long time,” Niumatalolo said. “We played really, really well against two really good defenses, so I was hoping that would carry over.”

Many opponents employ tactics designed to confuse the quarterback and cause him to make wrong reads. There are other strategies designed to make blockers miss their assignments.

Lavatai did concede he had some issues reading the dive key as defensive ends Elijah Chatman and DeVere Levelston were not always committing to either the fullback or the quarterback. Levelston finished with 11 tackles, while Chatman contributed six. They combined for three tackles for loss.

“When we went back and looked at it, the read key on the dive was making it look like he was coming upfield and then just falling into the mesh,” Lavatai said. “It was kind of hard to get a bead on what he was doing, whether he was taking the dive or taking me.

“I’d definitely like to get some of those reads back because I should have pulled on some of the plays that I gave it.”