What Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said after Notre Dame beat the Midshipmen
Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo fell to 3-11 against Notre Dame in his Midshipmen tenure and 1-10 in his last 11. Here’s what he said after the Fighting Irish held on to win, 35-32, at M&T Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday.
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On Navy’s comeback bid from down 22 points
“I am proud of our players. I don’t know if I have ever been more proud of a team after a game, win or lose. I thought our kids battled to the very end. Great testament to who they are, their character and fortitude, their resolve, their resiliency. Great testament to their parents who raised fine young men. Great testament to the school that is going to battle to the end.”
On Notre Dame hanging on to win
“That’s a good football team. Coach Freeman is a good coach. Just proud of our guys. Obviously we didn’t make enough plays, and against a team like that you can’t make mistakes. A couple too many mistakes against them. To our kids’ credit, they came back and battled. Hats off to Notre Dame, but I’m really proud of our football program and our team.”
On Navy having its trick play intercepted
“It was a very bad sequence. I probably got a little too greedy myself calling that trick play. I was going to come out swinging. Probably in hindsight should have run the ball a little bit. That blocked punt hurt us too. We also needed to get some stops. I thought we played much better on defense in the second half. We were struggling in the first half, so I probably got a little more aggressive on offense. I took some chances I normally wouldn’t take.”
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On Notre Dame WR Braden Lenzy’s touchdown
“It was a heck of a play by them. They got up early. I looked at the clock and knew there was a lot of time left. I know our kids. Some other teams might have folded. Not that group in that room, man. Our kids have been through so much stuff. That’s nothing. That was a heck of a catch by them, but our kids just keep fighting. Hats off. Unbelievable catch. But we were going to keep fighting.”
On pressuring Notre Dame in the second half
“We were coming in the first half, but we were selling out. I thought our guys played with greater urgency and made some big-time stops. I wish that first drive that took 10 minutes, we would have gotten more than three. It took basically the whole second half, and you come away with three points. At least we got three, but you need to get seven points when you’re trying to cut into their lead. But defensively, we sold out in the second half.”
On the Midshipmen’s second half mindset
“We aren’t going anywhere. Maybe they thought we were going to quit. These are the toughest kids I’ve been around. We were going to battle to the end regardless of the score. It’s just our players. They are tough, resilient young men. Being down that score with all the stuff they’ve been through over the years at the academy? That’s nothing.”
