Assistant additions announced
Defensive staff will have 3 Kennesaw State transplants
Navy announced the addition of four new defensive assistants on Saturday morning, making official the hiring of Brian Newberry as defensive coordinator.
The Capital had previously reported that Newberry would be named defensive coordinator and would be bringing two assistants with him from Kennesaw State.
That is indeed the case as Kevin Downing has been named defensive ends coach while P.J. Volker will coach inside linebackers. Downing and Volker both worked for Newberry at Kennesaw State, a Football Championship Subdivision school located in suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.
“I am super excited to have Brian Newberry join our program. He brings an edge and a style of defense that will get us back to where we belong,” Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo said in a statement. “Kevin Downing and P.J. Volker are two rising stars in our profession – great coaches who are proven recruiters. Above everything, they are men of principle and character.”
Niumatalolo also announced the return of Brian Norwood for a second stint as a Navy assistant. Norwood previously worked at Navy from 1995 through 1999 as defensive backs coach during the tenure of head coach Charlie Weatherbie.
This time around, Norwood will focus on the cornerbacks and he has gained significant experience during the 19 years since he departed Annapolis. Last season, Norwood served as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Kansas State under head coach Bill Snyder, who announced his retirement in early December.
Under Norwood's direction, the Kansas State defense made the biggest jump in the Big 12 in pass defense, moving from last in the league (309.1 yards per game) to fourth (245.8). The 245.8 passing yards per game were the fewest passing yards Kansas State had allowed in the last five years. “I am ecstatic to have Brian Norwood join our staff. With almost 30 years of coaching at the highest level, he brings a deep reservoir of knowledge and expertise to our team,” Niumatalolo said.
Norwood was the associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Tulsa from 2015-17, scheming against Navy's tripleoption offense during that time. He was at Baylor from 2008-14, serving as the defensive coordinator the initial three seasons then holding the title of associate head
coach the last four.
Norwood, whose resume features 13 bowl appearances, was an assistant under legendary head coach Joe Paterno at Penn State from 2001-07. During his seven seasons as a secondary coach in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions led the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense twice (2004, 2005) and finished third on two other occasions (2003, 2006).
Niumatalolo and Norwood have known each other since their days playing football and basketball together at Radford High in Honolulu. They both moved on to play football at the University of Hawaii with Norwood becoming a four-year letterman at both cornerback and safety (1984-87).
Norwood and his wife Tiffiney have five children, three of whom played collegiate sports at a high level. Gabriel Norwood was a key member of the George Mason men's basketball team that reached the Final Four in 2006. Jordan Norwood played wide receiver at Penn State while his father was an assistant there and wound up enjoying an eight-year career in the NFL, earning a Super Bowl ring with the Denver Broncos in 2015. Levi Norwood was a four-year letterman as a defensive back at Baylor (2011-2014) while his father was on staff.
“I am excited and consider myself blessed to have another opportunity to coach at the United States Naval Academy with Coach Niumatalolo, Coach Newberry and the entire staff,” Norwood said. “It truly is an honor to help lead young men who choose to prepare to serve our country while pursuing victory academically, athletically and socially. My wife and I also want to thank Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk for giving me an opportunity to return to a place I care deeply about.”
Newberry was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Kennesaw State for the last four years, helping the program reach the FCS quarterfinals in 2017 and 2018. The 44-year-old Oklahoma native employs a multiple defense with 4-2-5 and 3-4 principles. Kennesaw State ranked first in the FCS for fewest first downs allowed per game (13.5) and second in total defense (263.7 yards per game) last season. The Owls finished seventh nationally in scoring defense (15.4 points allowed) and 11th in third down conversion defense.
“I couldn't be more excited to be coaching at the Naval Academy,” Newberry said. “I am extremely grateful to
Chet Gladchuk and Coach Niumatalolo for this opportunity. It is an honor and privilege to be able to coach and mentor these young men of character and to work with an outstanding group of coaches.”
Newberry will coach the safeties himself, which marks a departure from the previous arrangement. Dale Pehrson, whose retirement was announced in December, did not coach a specific position during his fouryear tenure as defensive coordinator.
Newberry's desire to coach a position and bring aboard Downing and Volker is what prompted Niumatalolo fired assistants Tony Grantham (ends), Napoleon Sykes (outside linebackers) and Dan O'Brien (safeties). Sione Po'uha, who coached the interior defensive line, left to take the same position at Utah.
Meanwhile, Navy's three remaining defensive assistants have also received assignment changes as a result of the new hires. Justin Davis, who had been coaching the outside linebacker position known as striker, will now oversee the nose guards and tackles. Steve Johns moves from inside linebackers to strikers.
Robert Green, who coached cornerbacks the past two seasons, is now simply listed as a defensive assistant.