Navy tries to get grip on offense

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo felt compelled to set the record straight yesterday after his offensive coordinator was blamed for abandoning the read element of the Mids' triple option in last Saturday's game at Air Force.

During a lengthy interview in his office yesterday, Niumatalolo said he made the decision to stop running the triple-option package in favor of safer plays that protected the ball, not assistant coach Ivin Jasper.

"It wasn't Ivin. I'm the one who put the clamps on. With the way the game was going, I didn't feel comfortable taking any risks with the ball," Niumatalolo said....