Game Day!

In scouting upcoming defenses, offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper (and former UH quarterback) will go into the archives only to find the present is not so different from the past. "We’ll watch the film and we’ll chuckle, ‘Man, that’s the same stuff we’re running,’ " Jasper said of Navy’s triple-option offense. The formula, used for nearly a decade at UH, relies on the quarterback handing off to the fullback, pitching to a looping slotback or keeping it. There are two paths — the load, in which the action heads toward the perimeter, or the mid-line option in which the QB hands off or follows the fullback’s block into a gap. It’s a read-and-attack offense that counters the defensive coverage. Like most aging things, the scheme is showing some new wrinkles. Keenan Reynolds now can align in a shotgun, if needed, and he has a strong enough arm to hit wideouts on vertical routes. Even when Navy goes without huddling, Reynolds can get the call from the sideline or make the audible himself. If the defense changes the coverage, Jasper said, "he can look at (the defenders) and check a better play. He’s a good player and a high-IQ guy." Jasper said it appears Navy’s offensive menu is "four or five plays, which is true. But at the same time, we added some stuff. It also makes (defenses) spend more time preparing for our new things." Reynolds, who grew up studying quarterback Steve McNair, said: "There’s always an answer. We have our rules, and we go and abide by our rules. It’s very head’s up. There’s a lot of responsibility on the quarterback. I wouldn’t ask for anything else."