Poinsettia Bowl - aftermath

"It's never fun to lose a bowl game, but if a postseason defeat was ever easy
to take, this game would be defense exhibit A. Navy--with one of its stars
struggling mightily--still played a solid team on even terms before losing
in the game's final minute. Poise, swagger and enthusiasm filled the Navy
sideline. A defense that had lurked in the shadows for so much of 2007 made
its presence felt, even in a losing effort.

It's really rather simple: if Navy plays like this in 2008 and beyond, the
Midshipmen will make Niumatalolo into a very successful head coach, and
Annapolis football will pick up where Paul Johnson left off. This Poinsettia
Bowl was a poignant pigskin passion play, a painful defeat for a team that
battled hard. But if this program fights and scraps in future seasons the
way it did against Utah on Thursday night, there's little question that more
good times will come to the Navy football family. The Midshipmen--after this
valiant just-miss loss in San Diego--have every right to expect that if they
put in the hard work that defined the Johnson era, they'll have a Happy New
Year in 2008 under Ken Niumatalolo."

Everything But the Win


By Matt Zemek

Posted Dec 21, 2007