Carothers’ 2019 journey: From a forgotten man to one of importance

PHILADELPHIA — The pass that ignited Navy’s comeback over archrival Army sailed into the hands of a man who didn’t begin this season on the varsity.

Another bad decision, head coach Ken Niumatalolo said.

“Jamale [Carothers] didn’t even go to the Memphis game,” Niumatalolo said. “The guy was on the JV team. Fortunately, we found him.”

Carothers played the Baby Yoda to quarterback Malcolm Perry’s Mandalorian. On Perry’s multiple-record-breaking night, Carothers backed him up, dragging down and hauling in two of the Midshipmen’s four touchdowns, including the first that delivered Navy its permanent lead.

This was Perry’s night — no one could

hold a candle to the quarterback’s 304-yard rushing game — but Carothers held his own as he accumulated 75 yards on 22 carries.

In a game won on the ground, Carothers also led the Mids with 1 receiving yard, for that touchdown.

“Jamale’s been awesome because it gives us the one-two punch,” Niumatalolo said. “People can’t always tee off on Malcolm [because Carothers] gives us a breakaway threat in the middle.

“He’s been unbelievable. Jamale’s been a huge, huge weapon this year.”

Carothers will forever live in Navy football lore, the centerpiece of what Niumatalolo christened “the Navy Special.”

Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper had cooked up the plan specifically for Army-Navy, a tribute to the Philly Special that seized Super Bowl LII for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The offense toiled away all week, practicing the play over and over again.

“I kind of suspected it once we got down there,” Perry said. “It was a big point of the game where we could go score, go into half and get the ball back.”

At the call, the offense doled out the “Navy Special,” just as intended.

Perry flipped the ball to sophomore wide receiver Chance Warren. Warren crossed behind him and flung a pass that seemed to hang in the air as if it were made of pure

molasses, so slow it was. And yet Niumatalolo wasn’t even sure Carothers had made the catch at first.

Carothers knew what he had to do.

“I just wanted to make sure I was inbounds to try and make a play on the ball,” he said. “I knew either way we would get points on that possession. I just tried to give myself the best chance possible.”

Inspired by his quarterback’s Lamar Jackson-esque cuts and dodges, Carothers swirled past the Black Knights defense to register a 14-yard gain and get within 5 yards of the red zone, his longest yet of the day, and then hauled in another touchdown dead down the middle.

As soon as Carothers stepped on the varsity field, his rise was meteoric. After making his first career start against Tulsa, in which the sophomore posted 52 rushing yards with one score, it took mere weeks, against Notre Dame, for Carothers to jump to the top of the depth chart among fullbacks.

Carothers then stacked up another 660 yards for a total of 712, making him Navy’s second-most valuable runner behind Perry.

None of it came by the universe’s hand alone. Carothers labored diligently with his coaches to refine his craft. His highest rushing performance came most recently, against Houston (18 carries for 188 yards).

“It’s a blessing. It’s been a great experience this whole season,” Carothers said. “It’s a tribute to what my teammates and I have done this season, how much work we’ve put in. I’m just happy to be in this moment right now.”