It seems inevitable that a new attendance record for the NCAA lacrosse quarterfinals will be set Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Navy athletic officials issued this warning yesterday:

Fans interested in attending Saturday's NCAA Men's Lacrosse
Quarterfinals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium are encouraged to
purchase their tickets in advance at www.navysports.com.

By purchasing tickets on-line, you have the ability to print the tickets at
home so you can go straight to the gate on Saturday, bypassing the long
ticket lines. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students.

Virginia will play Maryland on Saturday at 12 noon, while Navy and Johns
Hopkins will square off at approximately 3 p.m. The winners advance to
Foxborough, Mass. for the national semifinals next Saturday.

Navy sports information director Scott Strasmeier sent over the following information about the NCAA men's lacrosse quarterfinal doubleheader, being held Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Gameday Information for Saturday's NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-No. 2 seed Virginia (13-3) will play No. 7 seed Maryland
(10-5) at 12 noon, while No. 5 seed Johns Hopkins (9-5) will play unseeded
Navy (10-5) at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals
at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The winner of the two quarterfinal
games will advance to the 2008 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Semifinals, which will be
played May 24 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Tickets are available now at www.navysports.com or by calling
1-800-US4-NAVY. Fans are urged to buy their tickets in advance as a
record-setting crowd is expected. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $10
for students. All tickets are general admission seating. All purchased
tickets will be held at will call and can be picked up in the North End Zone
on game day. Game day ticket sales will also be located in the North End
Zone. The ticket office will open on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Parking will be available at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for $5. The
Gate 5 lot off Taylor Avenue will open at 6 a.m., while the rest of the
gates will open at 9 a.m. Please plan on arriving early, as the lot will
fill up fast. Stadium gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

A free shuttle service will also be provided from the Harry S. Truman Park
and Ride lot to the North End Zone of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Fans are encouraged to utilize this service in order to avoid the congestion
on Route 50 and around the stadium. Busses will depart the stadium and
return to the Harry S. Truman Park and Ride throughout the game and up to
one hour after the game.

The Harry S. Truman Park and Ride lot is located at Harry S. Truman Parkway
and Riva Road near the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration in Annapolis.

The best way to get to the parking lot is:

From Washington D.C. & Points West and South Travel east on Route 50 towards
Annapolis Take Exit 22 (Route 665 - Aris T. Allen Blvd.) Then Exit at Riva
Road and turn right at the bottom of the exit onto Riva Road (South) Proceed
for 1/4 mile through one stoplight and turn right into the Park and Ride
lot. There are "Express Bus Park and Ride Lot" and "Navy Football Free
Shuttle Bus signs directing traffic into the lot.

From Baltimore and Points North Take I-97 southbound to Route 50 east Take
Exit 22 (Route 665 - Aris T. Allen Blvd.) Then Exit at Riva Road and turn
right at the bottom of the exit onto Riva Road (South) Proceed for 1/4 mile
through one stoplight and turn right into the Park and Ride lot. There are
"Express Bus Park and Ride Lot" and Navy Football Free Shuttle Bus signs
directing traffic into the lot.

From the Eastern Shore and Points East Take Route 50 west across the Bay
Bridge Take Exit 22 (Route 665 - Aris T. Allen Blvd.) Then Exit at Riva Road
and turn right at the bottom of the exit onto Riva Road (South) Proceed for
1/4 mile through one stoplight and turn right into the Park and Ride lot.
There are "Express Bus Park and Ride Lot" and Navy Football Free Shuttle Bus
signs directing traffic into the lot.


Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Policies:

Permitted Items
Purses smaller than 8" x 11", blankets, seat cushions, diaper bags, umbrella
strollers, video cameras, and fanny packs. All bags will be inspected.

Prohibited Items:
Bottles (glass or plastic), cans, thermoses, coolers, alcoholic beverages,
outside food or drink, large bags, folding chairs, umbrellas, professional
cameras and tripods, noise makers, hanging banners/signs/sticks, chains,
illegal substances, laser pointers, clothing containing vulgar language,
large strollers, fireworks, aerosol cans, pets, pepper spray, and any item
deemed by management to be dangerous or inappropriate

NO LACROSSE STICKS ARE ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM

Re-Entry Policy
You will be able to leave and re-enter after completion of the first game

NCAA officials have denied the Naval Academy's request to gain a fifth year of eligibility for wide receiver Greg Sudderth, head coach Ken Niumatalolo confirmed.
Sudderth was beset by injuries throughout his career and appeared in just 23 varsity games over four partial seasons. The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder had his senior season cut short by a broken right ankle after just eight games.
"I'm very disappointed for Greg. I felt he deserved another season," Niumatalolo said. "Sometimes, things are too black-and-white with the NCAA. We were hoping they would look at the totality of the situation and the fact this kid has never been able to play a full season."
Sudderth, who began his career as a defensive back, appeared in just one varsity game and two junior varsity games as a plebe due to injury. He played in six games as a sophomore before being sidelined by a shoulder injury.
Sudderth switched to wide receiver midway through his junior campaign, in which he logged action in eight games. The Georgia native concluded his career with 13 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense; six receptions for 110 yards on offense.
"It's a shame because Greg is a talented player who just wasn't able to stay healthy," Niumatalolo said.

Athletic director Chet Gladchuk confirmed today that Navy has signed a contract with San Jose State that calls for a four-game football series between the schools. Gladchuk declined to specificy what years the Midshipmen and Spartans would meet, but said all four games will be played in the home stadiums of the respective schools.
"This gets us out to the West Coast, which is important. We want to remain visible out west," Gladchuk said.
Current San Jose State head coach Dick Tomey was head coach at Hawaii when new Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo was a player. The two have remained close friends over the years.
Navy and San Jose State have never met in football. The San Jose Mercury News first reported the deal.
Meanwhile, Gladchuk said Navy has moved its 2009 game with Hawaii from Sept. 5 to Nov. 21. Navy was forced to switch the date of that contest in order to play Ohio State in the 2009 season opener.
Gladchuk said Navy will release its complete 2009 schedule in early May. It will not resemble the previously published slate for that season.
"There are about half a dozen changes in terms of opponents and dates," he said. "We are still fine-tuning some things, but should have it nailed down in a week or so."

The proposed Congressional Bowl took a major step toward becoming a reality on Monday when it signed an agreement with the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Sean Metcalf, co-founder of the District of Columbia Bowl Commission, confirmed today that he has nailed down a deal to have the ACC fill a slot for the annual bowl. Plans call for a service academy to fill the other slot with the Naval Academy having already signed a contract to appear in the inaugural Congressional Bowl in 2008. Metcalf is close to signing an agreement with Army and also would like to get Air Force involved.
"I am extremely pleased the ACC has agreed to become involved with the Congressional Bowl. It was really the last piece of the puzzle," Metcalf said.
News of the ACC's commitment enabled ESPN to sign an agreement to televise the fledgling bowl, which is slated to be held on Dec. 20 at either RFK Stadium or the new Nationals Park. Metcalf said the D.C. Bowl Commission can now move forward with filing an application with the NCAA for certification as a postseason contest.
The NCAA requires prospective bowls to have guaranteed opponents, a TV contract, venue and a letter of credit. Metcalf said all those elements are in place, including documents proving the proposed Congressional Bowl can meet its mandate of paying $1 million to each participating school.

New Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo held a press conference at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to discuss spring football practice, which began Monday afternoon.
Niumatalolo said the players have looked good during offseason workouts in terms of weightlifting and conditioning. However, he said the true test will come when the team puts on pads and starts hitting.
"Football is not played in shorts. There are a lot of players who look good in shorts," Niumatalolo said. "We won't know what we really have until we put on the pads."
This afternoon's practice truly marked the start of the Niumatalolo era at Navy, although the long-time assistant didn't expect too many changes with regard to practice organization.
"I've never been one to worry about putting my stamp on the program. I'm going to do what is best for the program and what I think will lead to winning," said Niumatalolo, adding that the most noticeable difference is that he will not ride around in a golf cart ala predecessor Paul Johnson. "The structure of practice will be pretty much the same."
Niumatalolo said several of the new assistants have brought fresh ideas and he thought that was wonderful. This marks the first time since Johnson arrived that Navy's had significant turnover within the coaching staff and new hires such as Joe DuPaix (slot backs), Ashley Ingram (offensive line), Steve Johns (inside linebackers) and Mike Judge (fullbacks) have brought philosophies and thoughts from other programs.
"There's been an infusion of new ideas and I think it's been refreshing for the staff. The learning curve during the offseason has been great," Niumatalolo said.
Several players have undergone position changes and none is more notable than Jarod Bryant, who remain in the role of backup quarterback while also working at slot back and punt returner.
"Jarod is a senior and too talented to sit on the bench," Niumatalolo said. "We think Jarod is special with the football in his hands and we need to find a way to get him on the field."
Navy must also find a center to replace standout Antron Harper and two players have been moved to the position to produce competition. Ricky Moore, who saw significant action at tackle in 2007, is listed as the starter going into the spring.
"We play teams like Air Force that use odd fronts and we needed someone who is bigger and more physical and can go against a nose guard," Niumatalolo said when explaining why the staff chose the 6-foot-4, 283-pound Moore.
In the next breath, Niumatalolo said the staff would prefer to keep Moore at tackle and was hopeful converted nose guard Andy Lark could develop into a credible center. Lark may be the strongest player on the entire team, but was third on the depth chart at nose guard.
Shun White is the team's most experienced slot back and enjoyed a very productive campaign in 2007. The Midshipmen need to find a second starter at slot and have moved rising freshman Emmett Merchant to that position in hopes of utilizing his speed and quickness.
"We had a lot of talented, young kids at defensive back and rather than have (Merchant) stuck in a logjam, we want to give him a chance to show what he can do on (the offensive) side of the ball," Niumatalolo said.
I will post some additional notes and quotes from Niumatalolo's press conference later tonight.

I just got off the phone with Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk, who said there is no substance to rumors of Navy playing Ohio State in a home-and-home series in football.
Gladchuk said Ohio State athletic officials contacted him about the possibility of playing a game, but that is not unusual. Michigan, LSU and many other high-powered schools have contacted Navy over the years about setting up a football game, Gladchuk said.
Contact and discussion don't mean that a deal is imminent. In regard to Ohio State, Gladchuk said the rumors, which are detailed enough to have the Buckeyes coming to Baltimore in 2009 and the Midshipmen traveling to Columbus the following year, are baseless.

Navy just released its football depth chart in advance of spring practice, which begins on Monday.
A quick scan of the depth chart reveals there are a multitude of soon-to-be sophomores listed. For the most part, these are youngsters who played on the junior varsity last season. Some of these sophomores are very talented, while others made the depth largely because there are holes in the senior and junior classes at certain positions.
For instance, sophomores are listed No. 1, 2 and 3 at one of the outside linebacker positions. Travis Sudderth is the starter and is being backed up by Trey Grissom and Kalin Krause. Where are the juniors and seniors at that spot?
Maurice Cumberland, a player I don't remember writing about during the recruiting process, is No. 2 at right end. He has good size at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds.
On offense, some of the notable sophomores are Andre Byrd (No. 2 at slot back), Ricky Dobbs (No. 3 at quarterback) and Devan Clark (No. 3 at fullback). I believe all three of those players will blossom into standouts one day.
Byrd is smaller than Reggie Campbell at about 5-foot-5, but is lightning-quick with superb speed and moves. Clark has good size and might be a bit faster and more athletic than recent Navy fullbacks. Dobbs has been discussed in this space before... he has the potential to be the best Navy quarterback of the triple-option era.
There have been a couple position changes with Emmett Merchant moving from defensive back to slot back and Andy Lark flopping over from nose tackle to center. Merchant saw significant time last season in the secondary so I'm not sure why the coaching staff chose to move him. Lark, as big and strong as anybody on the Navy roster, just wasn't getting it done on defense and needed a fresh start. Hopefully, center will prove the best use of his ability.
It was also interesting to see backup quarterback Jarod Bryant also listed at slot back. Bryant has the ability to play that position and it would be a way to get him on the field more often.

Navy has rewarded men’s basketball coach Billy Lange for directing a turnaround season that came within a whisker of producing a Patriot League championship.
Athletic director Chet Gladchuk announced this morning that Lange has received a five-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Lange is believed to have received a significant increase over his previous annual salary of $153,962.
Lange led Navy to records of 16-14 overall and 9-5 in the Patriot League, making this the program’s most successful season since 2000-2001. The Midshipmen finished second in the Patriot League after being picked seventh in the preseason poll.
“Over the past few years, we have observed Coach Lange re-establish Navy basketball in a manner that has addressed competitive spirit, the academic and professional development of our Midshipmen, staff, schedule, facilities and community relations,” Gladchuk said in a statement. “He has diligently and professionally rekindled a sense of excitement and pride within the basketball family. We are again legitimate contenders for the league.”
Lange was somewhat of a surprise hire to replace Don DeVoe as head coach back in 2004. He took over a program that had endured three straight losing seasons, compiling a 23-63 record during that period of decline.
Lange, who had previously served as Director of Basketball Operations at Villanova, installed an up-tempo system that emphasized forcing turnovers on defense and shooting quickly on offense.
Navy won 10 games in Lange’s initial two seasons at the helm then improved to 14-16 in 2006-2007. However, this season marked the first time Navy’s unique playing style produced a winning record and made life difficult on Patriot League opponents.
Employing a four-guard lineup that focused on penetrating the lane and kicking the ball out for 3-pointers, Navy averaged 76.3 points per game and boasted three of the top 10 scorers in the Patriot League.
Navy won 13 of its final 16 games and held first place in the Patriot League entering the final weekend of the regular season. However, a loss to Colgate coupled with an American victory allowed the latter school to snatch the league title.
“I am humbled and very fortunate for the opportunity to lead this program and assist our Midshipmen with their leadership development. We had a very exciting past season and I am very encouraged about the future of this program,” Lange said in a statement.
“I am deeply appreciative of the commitment that Mr. Gladchuk has made to the program, the coaching staff, players, alumni and fans associated with Navy basketball. We look forward to working with Naval Academy Athletic Association in continuing to improve the basketball program on and off the court.”
Lange, who has compiled a 50-66 record during his four seasons in Annapolis, has dramatically improved the talent level at Navy through shrewd evaluation and nonstop hustle on the recruiting trail. The Midshipmen have placed five players on the Patriot League All-Rookie team during his tenure.
Navy loses Patriot League Player of the Year Greg Sprink to graduation, but returns second team All-Patriot League point guard Chris Harris along with three-year starting wing guard Kaleo Kina. All-Rookie selection Romeo Garcia heads a list of 11 other returning players who will make the Mids among the most experienced programs in the Patriot League next season.
In addition, Navy will gain the services of lightning-quick guard O.J. Ovworo, a talented transfer from Idaho who dominated practices at times this season. Contacted this morning at his office, Lange said the contract extension was recognition the program is headed in the right direction.
“I’m happy the coaching staff has been given a vote of confidence to continue doing things the way we have been, which I think is the right way,” Lange said. “It takes time to build a Division I basketball program, and it takes even longer in a challenging environment like a service academy. We are still a work in progress, we still have a long way to go, but I’m enthused the administration has shown an appreciation for everyone’s hard work up to this point.”
Lange had one more year remaining on his original five-year contract and thus was thankful for the security the new deal provides, which will help in the recruiting process. Contacted yesterday morning for additional comment, Gladchuk said Lange has earned the extension, which includes performance bonuses and incentives that “greatly enhance” the head coach’s overall compensation package.
“Billy understands the game and has a passion for the game. He is respected by every coach in the Patriot League and is respected by his players,” Gladchuk said. “I want Billy to continue to develop the program knowing he has the complete confidence and support of the athletic administration.”
DeVoe compiled a 184-161 record in 12 seasons as Naval Academy head coach. He was awarded a 10-year contact in 1998 by previous athletic director Jack Lengyel after leading the Midshipmen into the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and third time during his tenure.
It is believed that 10-year contract, which paid DeVoe $265,733 annually, will expire at some point in 2008.

Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk has awarded head men's basketball coach Billy Lange with a five-year contract extension. Lange's new deal, which will carry through the 2012-2013 season, includes an annual salary raise along with incentives and performance bonuses that "greatly enhance" his overall compensation package, Gladchuk said.
Here is a link to The Capital story about Lange's extension:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/03_12-03/OUD

There are certainly many disadvantages to recruiting athletes to the Naval Academy. Finding standout high school players who are willing to endure the rigors of a service academy and sign on for a five-year, post-graduate commitment to the military is not an easy task.
However, one advantage the Naval Academy (along with Air Force and Army) has over traditional Division I programs is the fact there are no limits to the number of recruits the coaching staff can sign.
Maryland only inked 18 high school seniors on National Signing Day because an inordinately large number of returning players dramatically reduced the number of available scholarships. Division I football programs are allotted 65 scholarships and must always remain within that figure.
Because Navy does not award athletic scholarships, there are no restrictions on how many football players the staff can recruit. As a result, the Midshipmen will routinely accept commitments from upwards of 60 high school seniors on an annual basis.
Last week, following National Signing Day, The Capital wrote an article about Navy's direct-entry recruits and included a list compiled through meticulous research of recruiting websites, phone calls to recruits and coaches and other means. Those are the incoming football players that are due to show up in July for plebe summer and be eligible to join the team for August camp.
The Capital has learned that Navy has added three more recruits since last week, bringing the total number of direct-entry recruits to 31.
Here is the complete list compiled by The Capital:

NAVAL ACADEMY DIRECT-ENTRY RECUITS
Ryan Ackerman, LS, 5-11, 180, Clearwater Central Catholic, Oldsmar, Fla.
Bryant Alsup, DB, 6-0, 180, Friendship Christian, Lebanon, TN
Bruce Andrews, WR, 6-0, 190, Kaleheo, Kailua, HI
Francis Archibald, DL, 6-1, 250, Rye, NY
Thomas Batchelder, DL, 6-3, 250, Hargrave Military, Virginia Beach, VA
James Bornhoft, LB, 6-2, 235, Fayetteville, AK
Hal Bowron, WR, 6-1, 192, Mountain Brook, Birmingham, AL
Jarren Brown, SB, 5-8, 188, C.H. Flowers, Upper Marlboro, MD
John Dowd, OL, 6-5, 265, St. Peter's Boys School, Staten Island, N.Y.
Warren Fisher, OL, 6-5, 265, West Brunswick, Shalotte, NC
Syril Gaines, ATH, 6-2, 215, Benedictine Academy, Midlothian, VA
Mason Graham, LB, 6-0, 195, Brentwood Academy, Brentwood, TN
Austin Hill, LS, 6-0, 195, Mahopac, NY
Chris Hill, FB, 5-11, 205, Lansing, KS
Jonathan Hill, LB, 6-1, 230, River Hill, Clarksville, MD
Hal Hunter, LB, 6-1, 215, Cathedral, San Diego, CA
Ricky Kyles, DB, 6-2, 180, Stonewall Jackson, Bristow, VA
Gordon Law, QB, 6-0, 180, Berwick, PA
Mike McCarthy, OL, 6-3, 270, Strongsville, OH
Aaron McCauley, LB, 6-0, 190, Seabreeze, New Smyrna, FL
Taylor Newton, OL, 6-2, 275, McNeil, Austin, TX
Kriss Proctor, QB, Big Bear Lake, CA
Jarred Shannon, DB, 6-1, 195, PK Younge, Gainesville, FL
Andrew Sharp, LB, 6-0, 210, State College, Pa.
Cooper Shockley, SB, 5-10, 180, Westlake Village, CA
Kameron Smith, QB, 6-0, 175, Garner, N.C.
Eric Stein, LB-S, 6-1, 210, Carpinteria, CA
David Sumrall, OL, 6-5, 240, Riverdale, TN
Jon Teague, PK, 6-2, 195, Fred T. Foard, Newton, NC
Jabaree Tuani-McKissack, DL, 6-0, 220, Brentwood Academy, Madison, TN
Michael Wilson, K-P, 6-0, 170, East Grand Rapids, MI

The Capital has confirmed that highly-regarded strength and conditioning coordinator Mike Brass will remain at Navy.
It had been widely assumed that Brass would follow close friend Paul Johnson to Georgia Tech. Brass worked with Johnson at Georgia Southern and came with him to the academy. After 11 straight years together, the two men had developed a very close relationship.
This is good news for Navy football since Brass has done a tremendous job of improving players physically. Most of the Midshipmen have gotten bigger, stronger and faster under the guidance of Brass, who personally oversaw off-season workouts. By all accounts, Brass has an outstanding program in terms of weight lifting and conditioning.

A quick correction to yesterday's post about the coaching staff. First and foremost, The Capital has been informed that new defensive assistant Steve Johns will work with the inside linebackers and not the outside linebackers as previously reported.
Danny O'Rourke is indeed making a switch from defense to offense and will coach the wide receivers.
An alert reader made note of the fact Navy actually needs to hire four new assistants since head coach Ken Niumatalolo must replace himself as an assistant in addition to the three that departed for Georgia Tech.
The Capital has learned from reliable sources that Tony Grantham will rejoin the Navy staff and will replace O'Rourke as one of two outside linebackers coaches. Grantham had worked as a part-time assistant under previous head coach Paul Johnson, serving in the military position that required wearing a uniform.
When the time limit on that position elapsed, Grantham took an assistant's job at Campbell. He will now return as a full-time assistant.

It appears Ken Niumatalolo has finalized the Naval Academy coaching staff, hiring three new assistants to replace those that departed to Georgia Tech along with former head coach Paul Johnson.
The Capital has already reported that Jon DuPaix of Cal-Poly will be hired to coach slot backs and that Steve Johns of Grossmont College has agreed to serve as inside linebackers coach.
DuPaix served as offensive coordinator at Cal-Poly, where he created a very innovative spread-style attack. Johns worked with Niumatalolo at UNLV and has been defensive coordinator at Grossmont, a highly-regarded junior college.
With some digging, The Capital has learned that Ashley Ingram will leave Bucknell to become offensive line coach at Navy. Ingram has significant experience in spread option type of offenses, having previously worked at Rhode Island and his alma mater North Alabama.
Here is a biography of Ingram from the Bucknell athletics website:
http://bucknellbison.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ingram_ashley00.html

If the information collected is accurate, all the assistants left over from Johnson's staff will remain at Navy. It appears current outside linebackers coach Danny O'Rourke will move to offense to replace wide receivers coach Brian Bohannon. DuPaix would replace slot backs coach Jeff Monken while Ingram would succeed offensive line coach Todd Spencer.
More than likely, Niumatalolo will continue to work with the offensive line in some capacity.
Navy has not made any announcement with regard to the coaching staff, presumably because formal contracts have not been signed. That means the three proposed hires are tentative and subject to change.

The Capital just got off the phone with Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk to find out if there was any news with regard to the egregious officiating error that was made in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Gladchuk sent a letter to Mid-American Conference commissioner Rick Chryst on Friday morning seeking an explanation for the incorrect replay ruling that occurred in the fourth quarter of Navy's narrow 35-32 loss to Utah. Gladchuk has not heard back from Chryst yet, but hoped to by the end of the day.
Six days after the game, Gladchuk was still fuming about the fact the replay official did not know the rule that a fumbled ball that hits the pylon is a touchback, calling the mistake "totally inexcusable."
Gladchuk said there is nothing that can be done now, terming the situation a "fait accompli." However, Gladchuk would like to know how such a mistake could occur and to express to Chryst that he did not feel proper procedure was followed.
"In my opinion, the replay official should have requested a conference with the field officials to discuss what he was seeing on videotape. If that had happened, I am certain one of the members of the crew would have pointed out that the pylon is part of the end zone and therefore the ruling should be a touchback."
The Capital will provide another update once Chryst replies to Gladchuk.

The Capital has learned that Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk has sent a letter to Mid-American Conference commissioner Rick Chryst seeking a full and complete explanation for Thursday night's monumental mistake in the Poinsettia Bowl.
The Mid-American Conference officiating crew admitted in a statement after the game that the replay ruling with regard to a fumbled football hitting the pylon was wrong. Various sources have revealed that the replay official who upheld the call on the field did not know the pylon was part of the end zone.
Naval Academy officials were not satisfied with the post-game statement and want to know exactly how an official charged with reviewing controversial plays could not know such a basic rule of football.
The Capital will be looking into this issue more in-depth tomorrow and hopefully will hear directly from Gladchuk.

OK. While the pregame procession of hot air balloons was a bit weak, what happened next most certainly was not.
Following a rousing rendition of the national anthem, a pair of F-18 jet fighters from the nearby Miramar Naval Aviation base soared overtop the scoreboard and through a burst of fireworks.
I have seen darn near a hundred fly-overs during my time covering Navy football, but this may have been the most thrilling since the jets went directly over the field and the view was terrific as they sped past with aferburners roaring.

Predictions of rain in the greater San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl appear to have been slightly off. It's a chilly night at Qualcomm Stadium with game time temperature around 57 degrees. However, the skies are clear and the latest forecast states it will not rain until overnight.
After stopping by the press box to find my seat and set up my computer, I headed out to the parking lot to the official Navy Tailgate Party. It was quite an affair with some 6,800 fans cramming into a massive tent that was about two football fields in length.
Navy flew its director of catering services, Elvis Bond, out to San Diego to oversee the food operation. Bond had a local firm provide quite a spread of bratwurst, roast beef and chicken while there were all-you-can-eat shrimp stands at various locations around the tent.
Approximatey 1,600 members of the Brigade of Midshipmen are in attendance and performed a pregame march-on. Utah's marching band is currently on the field as part of a pregame show that featured about a dozen helium balloons in the shapes of a football, American flag, candy cane, Christmas stocking and snowman among others.
It was like watching the Macy's Day parade in a football stadium.

One of the more memorable events I attended as part of the week-long Poinsettia Bowl festivities was the Naval Academy pep rally aboard the USS Midway on Wednesday evening.
While the pep rally itself was somewhat cheesy, the location was nothing short of spectacular - on the flight deck of one of the most famous aircraft carriers to ever sail for the United States Navy.
I was aboard the USS Midway two years ago when I came to San Diego for the 2005 Poinsettia Bowl, but on that occassion we were below decks the entire time for a coaches' press conference. This visit was far more impressive because the pep rally was held on the flight deck, a massive structure that gave me a better understanding of how fighter jets were able to take off and land on a ship - a feat I always found amazing.
Because the USS Midway as been dutifully restored as a floating museum, the flight deck was loaded with fighter jets of all sorts. Some of the jets even had dummies dressed up as pilots in the cockpit.
I found myself not paying attention to the pep rally and instead looking around in amazement at my surroundings. What it must have been like to serve aboard a carrier in the Pacific Ocean theatre during World War II.
Following the pep rally, the Navy Drum and Bugle Corps played anchors aweigh while a spectacular fireworks display lit up the night over San Diego Harbor. It was truly an incredible scene and one I won't soon forget.

Poinsettia Bowl organizers selected the Omni as the media hotel and I cannot thank them enough. This is a four-star hotel in every way and media members covering the game are receiving a tremendously discounted rate.
My well-appointed room is located on the ninth floor overlooking San Diego Harbor. I have a great view of the bridge to Coronado and can see some of the ships berthed around the harbor.
This hotel is located right next door to Petco Park, the new baseball stadium where the Padres play. The Omni is literally across Tony Gwynn Drive from Petco Park and there is a skywalk that connects the hotel with the stadium. I have made a decision to come back to San Diego, stay at the Omni and go to a Padres game.
I love the fact the Padres built a public park as part of the overall stadium complex. It's called The Park at the Park and has a mini baseball diamond for kids to play on and a beautiful and well-deserved statue of Tony Gwynn. I have been cutting through the park each morning while walking from the hotel to the awesome breakfast place I discovered at 10th and J streets. My path takes me along a walkway that literally goes right past the outfield. It provides a great view of the field and I have seen folks liesurely sitting in the bleacher seats reading books or newspapers. Definitely a great spot to pass the time.
Just beyond center field behind the JumboTron scoreboard is Randy's Barbecue and the large photograph on the outside tells you it's named for San Diego pitcher Randy Jones. There is a similar stand at Camden Yards called Boog's Barbecue and proprietor Boog Powell can often be found cooking beef and greeting customers. I asked a security guard if Jones spent time at the barbecue stand and was told that indeed he does maintain a regular presence.

Here are a few little tidbits related to tonight's third annual Poinsettia Bowl that didn't make it into the paper this week.
* Well the ticket count is complete and it's a landslide victory for the Naval Academy.
Poinsettia Bowl media director Mark Neville said 46,000 tickets have been sold and organizers are hoping to have 40,000 come through the gate at Qualcomm Stadium.
The Naval Academy Athletic Association sold 18,000 tickets. Poinsettia Bowl officials are crediting another 7,000 tickets to Navy since they were clearly sold to Naval personnel around the greater San Diego region.
Both schools were allotted 10,000 tickets and had to sell them or eat them. Utah only sold 4,000 tickets and turned back 6,000 to bowl organizers. The Utes will receive a lower payout as a result.
In an interesting twist, Utah athletic officials asked Bruce Binkowski, the executive director of the bowl, to not sell the 6,000 tickets that were turned back to military personnel since Navy already had a major home field advantage. Hopefully, Binkowski told Utah athletic director Chris Hill the bowl would sell the tickets to whomever would take them.
"We know it's going to be a Navy crowd. We are prepared for a hostile environment," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Whittingham seemed miffed that Utah had not sold more tickets and was hopeful some of the general sales around the San Diego area had gone to Utah fans. The Utes have 32 players on the roster who hail from California, including 24 from southern California.
Players from the San Diego area included Darrell Mack (Monte Vista High, Spring Valley), David Cravens (La Jolla) and Chris Jones (La Jolla).
"We've always had a strong group of Utah fans whenever we have played San Diego State here," Whittingham said.
* Newly-named Naval Academy head coach Ken Niumatalolo gave a very thoughtful and eloquent introductory speech at Wednesday's official Poinsettia Bowl press conference.
Niumatalolo spoke from the heart when he talked about what an honor it is to serve as head coach of the Naval Academy and become emotional as he explained that he thinks every day about the fact the football players he works with will soon be serving a nation at war and may have to pay the ultimate sacrifice.
"My respect for these kids and what they volunteer to do for their country is enormous," Niumatalolo said.
Niumatalolo wore an impeccably tailored and extremely sharp suit with a gold tie to the event. Other than his introductory press conference with local media, Niumatalolo had not made a public appearance as Navy head coach. He represented the academy very well before a large contingent of media that included television, radio and print reporters from Maryland-D.C., Utah and California.
Niumatalolo opened his remarks by joking that Navy was going to scrap the triple-option and surprise Utah with another unique offense.
"As you know, I played at Hawaii. Well I've been talking to June Jones and we're going to go to the run-and-shoot tomorrow night," Niumatalolo joked.
* Navy's seniors can tie the all-time program record for victories by a single class with an upset tonight.
Reggie Campbell, Irv Spencer and the other members of the Class of 2008 have been part of 35 wins during their careers. The Class of 1919 holds the record with 36 wins.
"I think the seniors understand the significance of that achievement and would like very much to go down in the record books as the winningest class in Naval Academy history," Niumatalolo said.
* Whittingham brought the entire Utah team to Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday to see the San Diego Chargers rout the Detroit Lions. The Utes were hard to miss as they sat together wearing their red sweatsuits that were issued by the Poinsettia Bowl.
Of course, the purpose of the trip was to see former Utah All-American Eric Weddle, a rookie defensive back for the Chargers. Weddle was without question one of the finest players in Utah football history, a hard-hitting safety who finished with 277 tackles, 18 interceptions and 10 sacks in his career.
Weddle, a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, was widely considered the most versatile player in the country last year as he also had a significant role on offense. Weddle would line up as a receiver and would run the ball on direct handoffs or pitchouts. He scored five rushing touchdowns as a senior and was named Most Valuable Player of the Armed Forces Bowl after totaling six tackles, an interception, sack and fumble recovery on defense along with 56 yards rushing and a touchdown on offense.

As I parallel parked my rented PT Cruiser on the street outside the football stadium at the University of California-San Diego this morning, I had to be careful not to bump the antique convertible Porsche that was in the parking space ahead.
It turns out that vintage Porsche is owned by Steve Johns, who may soon be joining the Navy football staff. Johns was an assistant coach at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas while newly-named Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo was on staff and the two have remained in touch.
Niumatalolo is in the process of formulating his coaching staff and no formal announcement will be made until all contracts are signed. However, word got out last week via a report in the San Luis-Obispo Tribune that Jon DuPaix, offensive coordinator at Cal-Poly, had been hired to serve as Navy's slot backs coach. He would replace Jeff Monken, who is going to Georgia Tech along with former Navy head coach Paul Johnson.
Now, by chance meeting, The Capital has learned that Johns will also likely be joining the staff. Johns played at Occidental College in California and began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at UNLV under then-head coach John Robinson. He later coached special teams and linebackers at UNLV.
Only one member of Robinson's staff was retained by Mike Sanford, his successor at UNLV. Johns worked as an assistant at the University of LaVerne after being let go and spent last season as defensive coordinator for Grossmont College in El Cajon, Cal.
Navy conducted a practice that lasted just short of two hours at UCSD this morning. Starting outside linebacker Matt Wimsatt has been practicing since late last week and appears ready to play in Thursday's Poinsettia Bowl against Utah. It had been feared that Wimsatt suffered a season-ending injury versus Army.
After practice, I took a leisurely drive down North Torrey Pines Avenue. I stopped by the world-famous public golf course of the same name then parked the PT Cruiser at the Torrey Pines Nature Reserve in order to watch a large contingent of surfers ride well-formed, five-foot waves.
In yesterday's blog, I wrote that I would be having lunch in La Jolla, but I chose instead to visit Del Mar, another quaint coastal town I have come to love after four visits to the San Diego.

I'm sitting in Cox Arena watching Navy take on San Diego State in basketball. The Aztecs are a lot bigger and more athletic, but the Midshipmen are playing hard and holding their own. Greg Sprink just scored on a baseline dunk to tie the score 16-16.
It's been a very long, eventful day. I woke up at 5 a.m. in Annapolis and it doesn't look like I'll go to sleep until midnight (or later) in San Diego. Following a five-hour flight and a quick trip to the Omni Hotel to get checked in, I headed straight to Miramar Speed Circuit to catch up with the Navy football team, which was participating in an event organized by Poinsettia Bowl officials.
All the players and coaches participated in Go-Kart racing with the approximately 125-member traveling party being divided into heats. Some players took the racing seriously while others were just goofing off.
Junior offensive lineman Anthony Gaskins, a huge drag racing enthusiast, came in determined to prove his driving prowess was for real. Gaskins has received formal training in drag race cars and was anxious to show off his skills.
On the opposite end of the spectrum was wide receiver O.J. Washington, whose primary goal was to cause accidents, run people off the road and generally wreak havoc.
There were lots of hoots and howls, especially when long snapper Matt Oberlander took a turn at breakneck speed and nearly flipped his Go-Kart. Oberlander was ejected onto the track and is lucky he wasn't hurt.
I arrived at the indoor racing facility an hour into the event and found it interesting that assistant coaches Jeff Monken, Brian Bohannon and Todd Spencer - all of whom are bound for Georgia Tech - were gathered outside and engaged in casual conversation. Buddy Green, who is remaining at Navy as defensive coordinator, sat by himself on a bench nearby talking on a cell phone.
Newly-named head coach Ken Niumatalolo said Navy has gone through two short, but crisp practices since arriving in San Diego. The team is working out at the University of California-San Diego, a nice facility located in picturesque La Jolla (one of the true garden spots of the United States).
I arrived too late to attend practice today, but am planning to go out there tomorrow then have lunch overlooking the ocean in La Jolla.
Navy's traveling party is slated to visit the world famous San Diego Zoo tomorrow afternoon. It was good to see the football players make the 20-minute trip to Montezuma Mesa to support the basketball squad. All the football players and coaches sat together in the stands wearing their newly-issued Poinsettia Bowl sweat suits.
There is quite a healthy contingent of Navy fans in Cox Arena tonight as those who came to town early for the football game also took the opportunity to root on the basketball team.

I've probably disappointed all the people who got hooked on this blog during the week that Paul Johnson was traveling around the country to consider head coaching offers at other schools.
Since Johnson left Navy to become head coach at Georgia Tech and long-time assistant Ken Niumatalolo was elevated to replace him, my blog posts have slowed to a trickle.
Sorry, I'll try to do a better job of keeping this blog fresh and filled with new content. My goal is to post at least one blog entry per day next week while I'm in San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl.
Diehard Navy football fans no doubt read the article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that outlined terms of Johnson's contract with Georgia Tech. I've been meaning to post a link to that article because it contains interesting information for Navy.
Georgia Tech had to pay the Naval Academy Athletic Association approximately $500,000 to buy out Johnson's contract. Frankly, that seems kind of low for a head coach whose total compensation package was in the range of $1.5 million per year, but I'm sure Jack Reale, Johnson's agent, insisted on a figure that would not scare away any potential suitors.
Regardless, that is $500,000 worth of additional cash in the NAAA coffers to use in whatever area athletic director Chet Gladchuk deems necessary. My guess is that athletic director Chet Gladchuk is saving an additional $500,000 per year in salary for the head coach. Hopefully, some of that money will go to the assistant coaches.
Here is the link to the AJC story on Johnson's contract:

http://www.ajc.com/printedition/content/printedition/2007/12/12/techjohnson1212.html?cxntlid=inform

He's fast, he's quick and he's got moves. He has a cannon arm and can throw the ball deep with touch or to the sideline with accuracy.
His name is Ricky Dobbs and those who have seen him perform in practice or junior varsity games have already tabbed him as the future starting quarterback for Navy.
Dobbs, a plebe from Douglasville, Ga., has the potential to be the best dual-threat quarterback at Navy in quite some time. I have personally seen him throw the ball 60 yards in the air and hit the receiver in stride. I have personally seen him shake-and-bake a defender out of his cleats on an option keeper.
There was immediate concern among some diehard Navy fans that Dobbs would follow former head coach Paul Johnson to Georgia Tech. During a candid interview with The Capital today, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound freshman admitted he thought about it.
"My reaction at first (when he hard the news about Johnson) was that I wanted to go because it's home, it would be 15 minutes from my house," Dobbs said.
"But I thought long and hard about it and decided I'm going to stay because I think I was brought here for a reason."
Wide receivers coach Brian Bohannon was responsible for recruiting Dobbs, who surprisingly did not know much about Johnson before committing to the academy.
"I chose the academy for the future benefits as far as having a great degree and pretty much a job for life if I wanted. I knew a Naval Academy education would guarantee a good future for me and my family," Dobbs said.
There aren't many players at Navy who could make the depth chart at Georgia Tech, but Dobbs certainly has shown the athletic abiity to compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Dobbs himself thought briefly about the possibility of running the triple-option in the ACC with family and friends attending every game.
"At first, I thought if I went to Georgia Tech I would be at home. If Coach Johnson would have asked, I was gone," Dobbs said. "But the foundation I've established here... that is what made me stay."
Dobbs attended the Naval Academy Prep School and has already built bonds with the other football players in his class.
"It started last year at NAPS. I would tell the guys that by the time we graduate here, we're going to make it to the Top 25," Dobbs said. "I told my classmates we would be the catalysts and that I would be the leader. I feel as though I need to try to fulfill that promise."