100 for Johnson, 1 for Navy
Coach Hits Century Mark in Wins as the Midshipmen Hold Off Temple in Opener: Navy 30, Temple 19
Adam Ballard breaks free at the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter against Temple. Ballard scored two touchdowns in Navy's 30-19 win.
(Jonathan Newton - The Post)
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Saturday, September 1, 2007
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 31 -- Navy Coach Paul Johnson was given a game ball following his team's 30-19 victory over Temple before 30,368 at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
"I'm not sure I deserve it the way we played," he said after his 100th victory in 11-plus years as a head coach.
Navy led 14-0 following a 44-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada with 4 minutes 51 seconds left in the first quarter.
To that point, over the past two-plus meetings dating from 2005, the Midshipmen had outscored the Owls 94-23.
But Temple Coach Al Golden maintained his team had learned a lot between its finale last season, a 42-6 loss to Navy, and this season's opener. His team proved him correct. The Owls closed to 27-19 following a 23-yard touchdown pass from junior Adam DiMichele to freshman Matt Balasavage with 4:06 to play. Navy sophomore Nate Frazier blocked the extra point, and the Midshipmen sealed the victory with a 43-yard field goal by junior Matt Harmon with 1:07 to play.
"We were shaky tonight," Kaheaku-Enhada said. "There are a lot of things we can fix."
Another player who celebrated a milestone on Friday night proved crucial for the Midshipmen.
Junior slotback Shun White had his jersey retired at Raleigh-Egypt High in Memphis at the same time as the Navy-Temple game kicked off.
On Navy's third play, White caught a 37-yard pass from Kaheaku-Enhada. On the first play following Temple's touchdown that made the score 14-10, White gained 17 yards on an option pitch.
And on the series with Navy leading 27-19 late in the game, White gained 33 yards on an option pitch to put the ball at the Temple 31-yard line. Harmon's clinching field goal came three plays later.
White finished with eight carries for a game-high 122 yards.
After trailing 14-0, the Owls closed to 14-10 following a 41-yard field goal by sophomore Jake Brownell and an 18-yard screen pass for a touchdown from DiMichele to freshman Daryl Robinson.
