QB might stay idle for Mids

Dobbs rests injured knee

Navy starting quarterback Ricky Dobbs said after practice yesterday that he will probably not play Saturday against Temple based on the recommendations of team doctors and trainers. Dobbs said the hope is that another week off will allow his injured right knee to heal sufficiently enough that he will be close to 100 percent by the Nov. 7 road game against Notre Dame.

Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ivin Jasper was in full agreement with the decision and said he is preparing sophomore Kriss Proctor to be the starter on Saturday when Navy seeks its seventh victory at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

"With me being anxious, I kind of push myself into thinking that I'm ready when I'm really not," Dobbs said. "I'm just taking it slow, going through the process with (the training staff). I think it's a good plan. They're going to try to have me get in there and practice by Wednesday and see how it feels, but definitely not planning on playing on Saturday. Coach Jasper said his mentality is that he doesn't want me to play at all. I think that's a good plan because it allows me to get one more week of rest."

Dobbs said the knee felt far better yesterday than it did the previous Monday when he tried to participate in post-practice conditioning following the SMU game. An MRI examination revealed that Dobbs has a bone crack that is believed to have occurred in high school then been aggravated by a hit on the second play of the SMU contest.

"Just going off the week I've had and how it feels now, I know by next week it will be good. I feel that this week I could be good enough to play at 85 or 90 percent, but I know one more week definitely will put it over the top," Dobbs said. "It's a whole lot better. I can move around more, put weight on it, walk up stairs without any pain."

Dobbs said it is likely he will have surgery in the offseason to remove the piece of the bone that has detached.

Sophomore quarterback Kriss Proctor made his first career start against Wake Forest and displayed solid command of Navy's triple-option offense while rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo admitted that Proctor's performance against a top team from the Atlantic Coast Conference made it easier for the coaching staff not to rush back Dobbs.

"It makes you sleep a little bit better at night. I thought Kriss handled the elements and all the things that Wake threw at him well," Niumatalolo said.

Jasper said Proctor earned good grades in terms of reading the triple-option, but received poor marks for ball-handling as a result of two fumbles. Jasper said he will work even harder this week to help the youngster improve upon his areas of weakness.

"I'm planning on Kriss being our quarterback until I hear differently from the medical staff," Jasper said. "I told Kriss to make sure he stays grounded, stays in the moment. He's going to get a lot of pats on the back, but he needs to maintain the mentality of continuing to improve and get better."

Navy (6-2) and Temple (5-2) are two of the hottest teams in the country as both are riding five-game winning streaks. The Midshipmen are seeking to win six straight for the first time since 1979 while the Owls are attempting to accomplish that same feat for the first time since 1973.

Navy can clinch a berth in the Texas Bowl with a win on Saturday. Temple, which has not played in the postseason since winning the Garden State Bowl in 1979, can assure its first winning season since 1990.

"There are a lot of similarities. They're playing for bowl eligibility and also have a five-game winning streak," Niumatalolo said.