The "Ice Bucket Challenge" Raises Awareness for ALS

You may have seen the videos on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. A new challenge is being accepted across the nation and documented on social media sites to raise awareness for ALS, or sometimes known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to the patient's death. Patients in the later stages of the disease may also become totally paralyzed.

The Ice Bucket Challenge shows participants getting drenched with buckets of ice water and then nominating others to do the same.  According to the ALS Association website, those who refuse the challenge are asked to make a donation to the ALS charity of their choice.

According to the ALS Association's national president, Barbara Newhouse, the Ice Bucket Challenge has been a huge success.  In the last week alone, $168,000 has been raised in online donations.  During the same time last year they had raised $14,000.

The Ice Bucket Challenge has made its way to the United States Naval Academy via Tom O'Brien, University of Virginia's associate head football coach.  O'Brien was the former head coach at Boston College.  The Ice Bucket Challenge was started by former Boston College baseball player, Pete Frates who has lived with ALS since 2012.



Coach O'Brien challenged his son Danny, outside linebackers coach at USNA.



Coach O'Brien has challenged Navy Sports Information Director, Scott Strasemeier.

 

We're waiting for the video from former Navy quaterback, Ricky Dobbs and Navy equipment manager, Greg Morganthaler.

To make a donation to help fight ALS, you can visit the ALS Association webpage.

Mids Appear to Have Notre Dame's Number with a 35-17 Win

By Trevor Replogle

Mid-Atlantic Sports

Navy came into this afternoon's game against Notre Dame with a lot of confidence. They had won their past two games and had knocked off the Irish two of the past three years. It didn't take very long for that confidence to increase.

On Notre Dame's opening drive, the Navy defense stepped up and held the Irish on a fourth-and-goal from inside the one yard line. Navy then proceeded to drive the ball 99 yards on 6 plays to give the Midshipmen a 7-0 lead.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly was very disappointed with the result.

"We outman them by 70 pounds on average up front. If you can't get a foot on the one-half yard line, you get what you deserve."

Alexander Teich led the offense on their opening drive with two career bests - a 54-yard rush and a 31-yard, one-handed reception for the TD. That would be a sign for how the afternoon would go for Teich - and Notre Dame.

Teich's production from the fullback spot (26 carries and 210 yards) kept the Irish on their heels and opened the door for quarterback, Ricky Dobbs to continue to move up the NCAA's list of all-time rushing touchdowns for quarterbacks.

Teich, who started the season as a backup to Vince Murray, became the first Navy fullback to ever rush for over 200 yards. The offense as a team amassed 367 yards rushing, the most by any Navy team in the Notre Dame series.

Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo was pleased with Teich's performance.

"I'm very proud of him. He typifies our team. He lost out on the starting job last year and he didn't sulk or complain. He accepted his role and was a cheerleader for (starter) Vince Murray. When you run like he did today, the guys up front are doing their jobs."

With the Notre Dame defense primed to stop Teich, Dobbs was able to rush for 92 yards on 20 carries and found the endzone three times. Dobbs is now tied for 10th on the NCAA's all-time rushing touchdowns for quarterbacks, tied with former Navy QB Chris McCoy.

Although the Navy offense performed as efficiently and scored the most points that they had all season, coach Buddy Green's Navy defense was just as impressive. The defensive played a bend-but-don't-break style and matched Notre Dame's speed throughout the afternoon.

De'Von Richardson and Kwesi Mitchell were both able to pick off Irish QB Dayne Crist and both turnovers led to touchdowns by Navy.

Kelly was obviously not happy with his team in the redzone.

"Navy did what they need to do. There were bend but don't break and they when they got in short field they kept us out of the endzone. When we got close we couldn't get it in the endzone."

Niumatalolo felt that this was Navy's most complete performance of the season.

"We knew that in order to compete against Notre Dame, we had to play at a high level. We couldn't play like how we've played in other games this year and have a chance to compete. Like I said, I'm just proud of our young men for the way they played. No doubt, the most complete game of the year for our football team."

Navy improved their record to 5-2 while Notre Dame fell to 4-4. The Mids return to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium next Saturday when they host Duke. Notre Dame will play host to Tulsa next weekend in South Bend.

Photos by Travis Replogle

Navy Outlasts Georgia Southern

Trevor Replogle

Mid-Atlantic Sports

Coming into Saturday afternoon’s contest with Georgia Southern, the Navy football team was ready to put last Monday’s 17-14 upset to Maryland behind them. What most people didn’t expect was that they would be in a dogfight against an FCS opponent like the Eagles.

Georgia Southern’s football team is led by new head coach Jeff Monken, a disciple of Paul Johnson and his option offense. Monken and his Eagles used that knowledge against Navy and took the game to the wire before falling 13-7 in front of 33,391 fans and a CBS College Sports television audience.

Georgia Southern won the coin toss, but in Navy fashion, deferred to the second half. Alexander Teich took the kickoff, found a seam, and returned the ball 55 yards to the Georgia Southern 36 yard line. Over the next 6:44, Navy proceeded to run 10 plays and gained only 35 yards and settled for an 18-yard FG by Joe Buckley on a 4th and goal from the 1 yard line.

Niumatalolo was asked whether he considered going for the TD after getting stuffed in a similar situation against Maryland that ended Navy’s chances at getting the win.

“I did consider it, but I wanted to have something positive come out of that opening drive,” said Niumatalolo.

Buckley connected on a 42 yarder to give Navy the 6-0 lead with 2:07 remaining in the first quarter.

With the Eagles gaining more confidence as the game went on, Georgia Southern attempted a fake punt on a fourth and five from their own 39. They direct snapped the ball to upman Tobi Akinniranye, but the play was busted up by John Howell after just a one yard gain.

Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs completed a twelve yard pass to Aaron Santiago and carried the ball 5 times and 18 yards including a one yard TD plunge to give the Mids a 13-0 lead.

Buddy Green’s defense held Georgia Southern’s option offense to just 2 first downs and 23 total yards in the first half.

Niumatalolo was also pleased with the defense’s performance.

“It was a great job by our defense. It wasn’t just the guys getting tackles, it was all who forced the ball to someone else.”

Similarly to Navy’s opening drive of the first half, Georgia Southern found success in the second. Laron Scott took the kickoff 49 yards into Navy territory and set up the offense to cut into Navy’s lead. Robert Brown and Jaybo Shaw were the workhorses of the drive. Brown carried five times for 24 yards and Shaw tossed a 17 yard touchdown drive to J.J. Wilcox to cut Navy’s lead to 6.

Neither team was able score and the game ended in Navy’s favor 13-7. Both teams records are even at 1-1.

Navy travels to Louisiana Tech next week and Georgia Southern travels to Coastal Carolina.