How the Midshipmen turned around their program and posted their best record in 99 years!

(OW THE MIDSHIPMEN TURNED AROUND THEIR PROGRAM AND POSTED THEIR BEST RECORD IN YEARS ITH THE CURRENT MILITARY PRESENCE IN )RAQ THE SERVICE ACADEMIES HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS !LL THE ACADEMY STUDENTS WILL BE SERVING OUR COUNTRY UPON GRAD UATION AND MANY OF THE ATHLETES AMONG THEM HAVE FOR MER TEAMMATES WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS 7ITH SUCH COMMITMENT PLUS RIGOROUS ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT ELIMINATE MOST TOP ATHLETES FROM PLAYING AT THESE SCHOOLS ITS A SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT WHEN ANY OF THESE SCHOOLS WIN !ND WHEN THE .AVAL !CADEMY HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL FOOTBALL SEASON THERE IS A SWELL OF PRIDE AMONG THE PLAYERS AND THEIR FANS THAT CANNOT BE MATCHED 4HE FOOTBALL SEASON WAS INDEED MAGIC FOR THE .AVAL !CADEMY )N THE REGULAR SEASON THEY lNISHED THE MOST WINS SINCE EARNING THEM AN INVITATION TO THE %MERALD "OWL )NCLUDED IN THAT RECORD WERE VICTORIES OVER THE !IR &ORCE !CADEMY AND 7EST 0OINT AN ACHIEVE MENT THAT ENABLED THEM TO FULlLL THEIR NUMBER ONE GOAL 4HE #OMMANDER IN #HIEFS 4ROPHY AND A VISIT WITH THE PRESIDENT AT THE 7HITE (OUSE 4HERES MORE !T THE %MERALD "OWL THEY FACED .EW -EXICO A TEAM THAT WAS ON A lVE GAME WINNING STREAK AND WHICH HAD lNISHED SECOND IN THE -OUNTAIN 7EST CONFERENCE TO UNDEFEATED 5TAH 4HE DISCIPLINE OF THE MIDSHIPMEN WAS EXEMPLIlED BY A GOAL LINE STAND ON THE YARD LINE IN THE THIRD QUARTER THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A YARD PLAY SCORING DRIVE THAT CONSUMED MINUTES 4HE .AVY WON THAT GAME WHICH GAVE THEM THEIR lRST WIN SEASON SINCE 4HERES MORE )N .AVY WON EIGHT GAMES 9OUD HAVE TO GO BACK YEARS TO lND A TWO YEAR SPAN IN WHICH THEY HAD WON AT LEAST GAMES 4HE MIDSHIPMEN ALSO lNISHED THE SEASON RANKED TH IN THE NATION THE lRST TIME THEY HAD CRACKED THE TOP SINCE )TS NO WONDER THAT HEAD COACH 0AUL *OHNSON WON THE "OBBY $ODD #OACH OF THE 9EAR AWARD IN /H AND THERES ONE MORE RECORD TO BE PROUD OF .AVY SHATTERED THEIR SEASON TOTAL ATTENDANCE RECORD LAST YEAR BY ALMOST FANS 7E TRIED TO DO AWAY WITH ALL THE EXCUSES THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHANGE ^0AUL *OHNSON (EAD &OOTBALL #OACH .AVAL !CADEMY 0AUL *OHNSON HAD HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM WHEN HE TOOK OVER AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH IN &OR THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS THE TEAMS RECORD HAD BEEN THE WORST TWO YEAR RECORD IN THE YEAR HISTORY OF .AVY FOOTBALL !ND THE PREVIOUS TWO DECADES HADNT BEEN MUCH BETTER BECAUSE FROM TO THEIR RECORD WAS FOR A WINNING PERCENTAGE AND THEY HAD THREE SEASONS WITH TWO OR FEWER WINS )N FACT IF YOU EXCLUDE THE SEASONS SINCE .AVY HAD ONLY TWO YEARS WHERE THEY POSTED WINNING RECORDS )T DOESNT GET MUCH WORSE THAN THAT 4HE BIG PRIZE 4HE #OMMANDER IN #HIEFS 4ROPHY 0RIOR TO JOINING THE .AVAL !CADEMYS COACHING STAFF *OHNSON HAD WON TWO STRAIGHT !!

.ATIONAL #HAMPION SHIPS AND IVE STRAIGHT 3OUTHERN #ONFERENCE #HAMPION SHIPS AT 'EORGIA 3OUTHERN 7HEN *OHNSON TOOK OVER THE 'EORGIA 3OUTHERN PROGRAM IN THE TEAM WAS COMING OFF A RECORD FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT lRST YEAR WITH *OHNSON 'EORGIA 3OUTHERN lNISHED AT THEIR BEST RECORD SINCE 7ITH SUCH SUCCESS WHY WOULD #OACH *OHNSON WANT TO TAKE OVER ONE OF THE WORST COLLEGE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY h)T WAS A CHALLENGE AND HONESTLY WE HAD PROBABLY AC COMPLISHED WHAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH AT 'EORGIA 3OUTH ERN v SAYS *OHNSON 7E WENT IN lVE YEARS WON A COUPLE OF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND GOT BEAT IN THE lNALS AND PLAYED IN THE SEMI lNALS AND QUARTER lNALS THE OTHER TWO YEARS !FTER ACHIEVING THAT ) WAS INTRIGUED WITH .AVY AND WAS READY TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGEv #OACH *OHNSON YOU HAVE SET A HIGH STANDARD 9OU AND YOUR TEAM ACHIEVED ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC TURN AROUNDS IN .#!!

&OOTBALL HISTORY ^0RESIDENT 'EORGE 7 "USH 7HEN HE TOOK OVER THE .AVY PROGRAM *OHNSONS lRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WAS TO INSTILL A BETTER WORK ETHIC AND ATTITUDE h7E TRIED TO DO AWAY WITH ALL THE EXCUSES n YOU CAN COME UP WITH A MILLION REASONS WHY YOU CANT DO SOMETHING v SAYS *OHNSON h4HAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHANGE n THE EXPECTATION LEVEL AND THE WORK ETHICv )N THE AREA OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING *OHNSON BELIEVES THE MIDSHIPMEN ARE IN GOOD HANDS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF -IKE "RASS h-IKE WAS OUR STRENGTH COACH AT 'EORGIA 3OUTHERN AND HE DOES A GREAT JOB ) PRETTY MUCH LET HIM RUN THE STRENGTH PROGRAM BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR IN A FOOTBALL PLAYER 7ERE NOT INTO THE BIG BULK GUYS WERE MORE INTO RUN NING AND SPEED AND QUICKNESS AND HE SETS HIS PROGRAM UP THAT WAYv !LTHOUGH THE REALITIES OF )RAQ AND POTENTIAL FUTURE CON mICTS ARE A PART OF MILITARY SERVICE TODAY *OHNSON SAYS HIS PLAYERS TRY NOT TO LET IT DISTRACT THEM FROM THEIR STUDIES AND ATHLETICS h)F YOU WERE IN THEIR POSITION ) DONT KNOW THAT YOU COULD EVER REALLY LEAVE IT BEHIND BECAUSE THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND FORMER TEAMMATES IN )RAQ AND WE PRAY FOR THEM "UT WHEN WE GO TO FOOTBALL PRACTICE ITS ABOUT FOOTBALLv 4HE 4ASTE OF 6ICTORY *OHNSONS lRST SEASON WITH .AVY WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT AS THE TEAM MANAGED ONLY TWO WINS BUT ONE OF THOSE WAS A BLOWOUT OVER !RMY THE SECOND LARGEST MAR GIN OF VICTORY OVER THE "LACK +NIGHTS IN SCHOOL HISTORY h7E GOT BETTER AS THE YEAR WENT ALONG v SAYS *OHNSON h7E LOST TO 7AKE &OREST WHICH WAS A BOWL TEAM IN THE LAST MINUTE AND WE WERE UP EIGHT POINTS ON .OTRE $AME WITH SIX MINUTES TO GO IN THE GAME AND WE LOST !ND ON THE LAST GAME WE BEAT !RMY REALLY BAD AND WE JUST TOOK THAT AND BUILT ON ITv 4HE FOLLOWING YEAR WAS A DIFFERENT STORY AS THE TEAM WON EIGHT GAMES AND A TRIP TO THE %6)NET (OUSTON "OWL 4HEY ALSO POSTED VICTORIES OVER !IR &ORCE AND !RMY EARN ING THEM THE #OMMANDER IN #HIEFS 4ROPHY AND A TRIP TO THE 7HITE (OUSE FOR THE AWARDS PRESENTATION !T THE 7HITE (OUSE CEREMONY ON !PRIL 0RESIDENT 'EORGE 7 "USH MADE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS h#OACH *OHNSON YOU HAVE SET A HIGH STANDARD 9OU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE ACHIEVED ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC TURN AROUNDS IN .#!!

FOOTBALL HISTORYv 7HEN ASKED HOW IMPORTANT THE #OMMANDER IN #HIEFS 4ROPHY IS TO THE MIDSHIPMEN *OHNSON REPLIED h4AKE YOUR BIGGEST RIVALRY AND MULTIPLY IT TIMES AND YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA )TS THE NUMBER ONE GOAL OF THE ACADEMIES AND IT GIVES YOU BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR THE YEARv 7ITH EIGHT WINS AND A BOWL GAME AFTER THREE SEASONS WITH JUST THREE VICTORIES YOU MIGHT THINK THAT THE MID SHIPMEN MIGHT RELAX A BIT IN THE OFF SEASON )T WASNT GOING TO HAPPEN UNDER *OHNSONS WATCH h7E TALKED TO OUR PLAYERS ABOUT HOW IT CAN BE MUCH HARDER TO MAIN TAIN THAN IT IS TO GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL !ND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW EVERYBODY WOULD SAY THAT THE SEASON WAS A mUKE AN ANOMALY 7E TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOTv .EXT YEAR WILL BE ANOTHER GREAT CHALLENGE FOR *OHNSON AS THE MIDSHIPMEN WILL LOSE STARTERS AND LETTER WINNERS h7E DONT HAVE A VERY BIG SENIOR CLASS THIS YEAR 4HATS A CONCERN BECAUSE THIS CLASS WAS CAUGHT IN A TRANSITION BECAUSE THE YOUNGER GUYS HAD NEVER LOST SO THEY DONT KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE )M HOPING THAT WE CAN INSTILL THE SAME KIND OF WORK ETHIC AND CHEMISTRY THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT AN ACADEMY BECAUSE YOURE NOT GOING TO hOUT ATHLETEv ANYONEv /NE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES AT ANY SERVICE ACADEMY IS RECRUITING AS THE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE HIGH AND THERES LITTLE CHANCE OF PLAYING IN THE .&, AFTER GRADUATION "UT *OHNSON BELIEVES THE .AVAL !CADEMY IS A GREAT PLACE TO ATTEND h)TS A PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTION AND IS ONE OF ONLY THREE SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY THAT ) KNOW OF THAT GUARANTEES YOU A JOB WHEN YOU GRADUATE 4HE .AVAL !CADEMY NOT ONLY OFFERS YOU A GREAT EDUCATION IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO MAKE CHOICES THAT CAN HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFEv 4HE .AVAL !CADEMY IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR COLLEGE TEAMS NOT TO BE IN A CONFERENCE A POSITION THAT *OHNSON SAYS ENABLES THEM TO PLAY TEAMS FROM SEVERAL CONFER ENCES h7EVE GOT THE CONSTANTS 7ERE ALWAYS GOING TO PLAY !RMY !IR &ORCE AND .OTRE $AME n AFTER THAT WE TRY TO PLAY A NATIONAL SCHEDULE 4HIS YEAR WELL PLAY A COUPLE OF !## TEAMS WELL PLAY -ARYLAND AND $UKE 3TANFORD OUT OF THE 0AC 4EN AND 2UTGERS OUT OF THE "IG %ASTv !ND SOMETIMES AS IN YOU EVEN GET A CHANCE TO PLAY GREAT FOOTBALL &AX BIGGERFASTERSTRONGERCOM 7EST 3OUTH 3,# 54 /34 s v X v HEAVY GAUGE STEEL FRAME s 3OLID STEEL CHROMED CHIN UP BAR s "AR GUARDS AT ALL CONTACT POINTS s 3OLID ADJUSTABLE SAFETY TIERS s "OLT DOWN TABS &XVWRP s "LACK SILVER OR WHITE PAINT 9HUVLRQ s 0ROTECTIVE STRIPPING s (UGE v X v GAUGE STEEL FRAME s 3IX INCH SOLID STEEL BAR SADDLES s INCH SOLID COLD ROLLED STEEL SAFETY RODS s (OLE SPACING ALLOWS FOR FULL USE WITH THE MULTI ANGLE BENCH &XVWRP s "LACK SILVER OR WHITE PAINT STRIPPING 9HUVLRQ ss 0ROTECTIVE #HROMED SAFETY PINS !DD 3EE PAGE (%!69 $549 350%2 #!'% &//4 0/7%2 2!#+ 3RZHU&OHDQ 'HOX[H3ODWIRUP $QDIIRUGDEOHSODWIRUPZLWK WKH3(5)(&7685)$&( $ONT -ISS 0AGE &OR "&3 #USTOM "UMPERS 4% 23 ,) .

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From BFS Magazine — May/June 2005. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).