Niumatalolo Falls Short in Return

Those same deafening cheers he heard as a high school player for Radford and as a University of Hawai'i quarterback and assistant coach reverberated through Aloha Stadium last night in the Warriors' 24-17 win against Navy.

But this time, it was different for Hawai'i son Ken Niumatalolo, Navy's second-year head coach. Those same cheers that inspired him to play hard were now backing his opponent.

"Feels weird," said Niumatalolo, just after listening to another familiar sound: UH's alma mater.

Trailing by seven, Navy just made a fourth-and-1 stand against the Warriors at the Navy 16 with 5:41 left in the game. Niumatalolo was on the line of scrimmage on his sideline to see the crucial play and pumped his right arm.

The Midshipmen would drive to UH's 39, but the Warriors preserved their lead on sacks on third and fourth downs as time ran out.

"Very emotional game," Niumatalolo continued. "To come back here to the stadium, it was different for me. I love these kids that I coach. Our guys on our team, I love them. It's unfortunate we came up short. I give Hawai'i all the credit in the world."

This is the same Niumatalolo who once sold newspapers with UH game lineups as a kid at Aloha Stadium.

It was the stadium where he would help Radford High — just in the shadow of Aloha Stadium — to the 1981 O'ahu Prep Bowl title that culminated an emotional season in which his coach John Velasco had passed away a few weeks earlier.

It was the same place he played collegiately for UH and graduated from in 1989. He also would help his college alma mater as a graduate assistant and assistant coach from 1990 to 1994.

Adding to the emotion was the presence of family.

On the Navy sidelines were cousins Thor and Fred Salanoa. Thor was his teammate at Radford and Fred, now Radford's football coach, was the team's waterboy.

Although his family lived in La'ie, Niumatalolo stayed with the Salanoas near Radford.

"I'm so proud of him," Thor Salanoa said. "Every week we talk to each other. In college (Thor went to Brigham Young), we were always calling up each other, still keeping in touch."

Also on the sidelines were Niumatalolo's sons, Va'a and Ali'i. It was extra special for Va'a, a 16-year-old linebacker for a Maryland high school. He said this was his first return to his father's home since he was about 1.

"It was great to come out there and see family and everyone," Va'a said. "This is the first time I've seen a game in here. Well, a second time. I saw the Kahuku (vs. Farrington state semifinal) yesterday."

He was impressed by the UH crowd.

"It's a lot louder than I thought it would be," he said. "Inside the stadium, it was as loud as Notre Dame and Ohio State. It got pretty loud. I was impressed."

Another family member was on hand and wished him well before the game. Mayor Mufi Hannemann greeted the nation's first college coach of Samoan ancestry as Navy left the field from its final pregame warmups to the locker room.

"It's very special because his mother and I are cousins," Hannemann said. "I'm so proud of him. He achieved what so many people just dream about."

Hannemann said Niumatalolo is a role model for coaches from here and those of Polynesian ancestry. He saw leadership ability when Niumatalolo was a youth.

"He was always a leader," Hannemann said. "He was always very intelligent; he was very disciplined. It's not surprising that he's doing so well."

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Navy Accepts Invitation to Texas Bowl

The United States Naval Academy has accepted a bid to play in the 2009 Texas Bowl, it was announced Saturday.

Navy's 23-21 win over Notre Dame on Saturday secured its spot in the December 31 bowl game, as the Midshipmen will play a team from the Big 12 at Reliant Stadium.

"We are very proud to host the Midshipmen at the Texas Bowl this year, and we want to congratulate Coach [Ken] Niumatalolo and the entire Navy program on the tremendous victory today," said Texas Bowl manager Heather Houston. "Navy has had a great season thus far and will provide a great match-up for the Big 12 opponent. Our fans will be in for quite a game."

Navy's win Saturday improved the team to 7-3, the best record among FBS independent teams. The Midshipmen are the first team this season to accept a bowl invitation.

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Ken Niumatalolo's Midshipmen Almost Pull the Epic Upset Over No. 6 Ranked Ohio State

All the elements were in place for an epic upset of No. 6 Ohio State by Navy.

“If Ohio State comes in totally focused on us, we had no chance,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “We felt like we had them in the perfect storm.”

The Buckeyes weathered that storm with the help of a college football rarity.

Brian Rolle intercepted a potential tying 2-point conversion in the closing minutes and returned it for two points the other way, helping the Buckeyes hold off pesky Navy 31-27 on Saturday.

“It wasn’t a dazzling fourth quarter for us, by any means,” coach Jim Tressel said in the understatement of the day.

A crowd of 105,092—the largest ever to see the Buckeyes open a season— sat in stunned silence after the 21-point underdog Midshipmen scored twice in 4 minutes to cut a 29-14 deficit to two points with 2:23 left.

Navy went for the tie, but Rolle stepped in front of Ricky Dobbs’ pass and rumbled up the sideline to preserve the win in the Midshipmen’s first trip to Ohio Stadium since 1931—and keep the luster on next week’s rematch between the Buckeyes and No. 4 Southern California.

“I remember a lot of bad things from last year, like that long, silent ride home,” linebacker Austin Spitler said of USC’s 35-3 pasting of the Buckeyes. “It’s up to us now. We’ll have our doubters and now we’ll have to go out and prove we’re good.”

For a while, at least, they were against Navy.

Terrelle Pryor was 14 of 21 for 174 yards, and ran for a touchdown and passed for another to help Ohio State build its lead. But then the Minutemen seemed to make every big play.

Dobbs, who completed 9 of 13 passes for 156 yards and two scores, rolled left and hit Marcus Curry on a 16-yard scoring pass with 1:24 left in the third quarter to cut Ohio State’s lead to 20-14.

The Buckeyes countered with two quick scores.

Aaron Pettrey, who kicked three field goals, made a 52-yarder early in the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Navy’s Mario Washington caught a pass that Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman ripped out of his arms with Ross Homan falling on the loose ball. Three plays after that, Dan Herron took an option pitch and bounced in off left tackle on a 6-yard scoring run to put the Buckeyes up 29-14.

It stayed that way when Pettrey’s extra-point try clanged off the upright.

Navy turned the game around with a defensive stand. The Buckeyes passed on the field-goal attempt and went for it on fourth-and-2 at their own 15 with 6:30 left, but linebacker Tyler Simmons surged forward to stop Herron for no gain.

“I certainly should have kicked a field goal on fourth-and-1,” Tressel said. “That was a huge mistake in my mind.”

On the next snap, Dobbs lofted a perfect spiral over the middle to Curry, who had a step on safety Anderson Russell. Curry then outran everybody to the end zone, completing the third-longest pass play in Navy history. The 85-yard score narrowed the lead to 29-21.

“I made the move and had enough gas to get all the way there,” Curry said. “But I was dying at the end.”

Pryor then overthrew a receiver and Navy safety Emmett Merchant intercepted and returned it 28 yards to the Ohio State 33 with just under 4 minutes left.

Dobbs ran for 4 yards, then passed for 5. On third and 1 at the 24, he faked a handoff and sprinted straight up the middle for the touchdown.

The gasp from the partisan crowd was audible.

Navy called timeout to set up for the 2-point try. Dobbs then took the snap and dropped back, passing over the middle. Rolle was the only player close and the junior thundered up the Navy sideline 99 yards.

“I’d seen it on film, but I was surprised he actually threw it,” Rolle said. “I was like, ‘Wow.”’

“The guy came out of nowhere,” Dobbs said. “I don’t know how he broke on it.”

After getting the onside kick, the Buckeyes—finally, gratefully—were able to run out the clock.

“This game shows we’ve got a long way to go,” Spitler said. “The preparation starts tomorrow.”

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Rude Awakening Helped Mold Coach

Ken Niumatalolo grew up 2 miles from Pearl Harbor with a father who served in the Coast Guard.

He is now the football coach at the Naval Academy. A perfect fit, it seems. Last year, Niumatalolo became the first Navy coach to take the Midshipmen to a bowl game in his debut season.

And his background does give him a deep pride in his school's mission.

"When you see the (USS) Arizona Memorial from where you grew up, it does bring a lot of appreciation for the service academies and the military," Niumatalolo said as he prepared for the season opener Saturday against Ohio State in Ohio Stadium.

It can be tempting to view Niumatalolo's career arc as almost predestined. But that is far from the truth. Niumatalolo, 44, did not grow up dreaming of becoming a coach, not surprising given the dearth of Polynesian coaches. He is the first head coach of Samoan ancestry at any level of college football.

Even when he was a backup quarterback at Hawaii, he figured any career he'd have in sports would be in broadcasting, not coaching. But Newark, Ohio, native Bob Wagner, then Hawaii's coach, offered Niumatalolo a job as a graduate assistant.

"He was just a great team guy," Wagner said. "An outstanding person. That was a slam dunk."

Married with a baby daughter, Niumatalolo (pronounced Nee-ooh-mah-tah-LO-lo) thought about turning down the job because of the meager pay, but decided to give coaching a shot.

He moved up the ladder at Hawaii and then went with Paul Johnson to Navy in 1995 to coach under Charlie Weatherbie. Two years later, when Johnson left to become coach at Georgia Southern, Niumatalolo became the Midshipmen's offensive coordinator.

After his second season in that job, Weatherbie asked him to meet for breakfast at a McDonald's near the team's facility in Annapolis, Md. Niumatalolo figured they would discuss offseason plans. Instead, Weatherbie fired him.

"I was a young offensive coordinator," Niumatalolo said. "I probably thought I had all the answers. It was probably more a personality difference. I'm kind of a fiery guy. It humbled me and helped me to appreciate things."

He had gone from hotshot coordinator to unemployed with a wife and now three children to support.

"It was a rude awakening," he said. "When I got fired, I realized I'm not very talented. There aren't many things I can do."

Fortunately, he latched on at UNLV working for John Robinson, the former Southern California and NFL coach. When Johnson was hired as the Midshipmen's coach in 2002, he brought back Niumatalolo as his offensive line coach and eventually coordinator to help run the triple-option offense.

When Johnson left to coach Georgia Tech at the end of the 2007 season, Navy quickly anointed Niumatalolo as successor.

He took over a good thing and has kept it rolling. Navy has won 13 straight games against Army and Air Force, the longest streak ever by one service academy over the others.

Niumatalolo is as competitive as any coach, and he realizes everyone in his profession is judged by his record. But he also knows -- and appreciates -- that a coach at a service academy has a greater mission.

"The one thing I think about is that this place is about leadership," he said. "Yeah, we're all competitors. We want to win football games. But I know that eventually these young men will serve our country in a leadership role as an officer.

"They're going to make decisions that will put others in harm's way, along with themselves. Hopefully, some of the things they learn from myself and our coaching staff will help them become better leaders and help them in the future, not just with serving but as husbands and fathers. There is a great sense of responsibility."

He feels a similar sense of responsibility to succeed because of his heritage.

"I know there are many Samoans or Polynesian players who are doing well in college or the NFL," he said. "To be the first football coach is a great honor. Hopefully, if I do well, I can open doors for others.

"(But) I don't want to be remembered as the first Samoan football coach. I want to be remembered as one who is successful."

As impressive as Niumatalolo's first season was, nothing would put Navy football in the nation's consciousness as much as a victory over Ohio State.

Niumatalolo said it will require a Herculean effort just to have a chance. Then again, he's used to improbable stories, mainly his own.

He frequently passes the McDonald's where he was fired. Each time, the memory comes back.

"My son and I ate there the other night and I was kind of joking about that," Niumatalolo said. "I told my son, 'Ten years ago, I got fired here and in a couple weeks we'll be playing at the Horseshoe.' "

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Niumatalolo is Full Speed Ahead

At this time last year, Ken Niumatalolo was an unproven head coach preparing to direct his first preseason camp. Naval Academy football fans had no idea what to expect out of Niumatalolo, who served 16 years as an assistant at three different schools before getting an opportunity to run his own program.

Niumatalolo's head coaching debut was made more difficult by the fact he had to follow the man who resurrected Navy football. Paul Johnson became somewhat of a folk hero while leading the Midshipmen to 43 wins and five bowl berths from 2003-2007.

Niumatalolo needed just one season to escape the long shadow cast by Johnson, his close friend and mentor. The Hawaii native led Navy to an 8-5 record and sixth straight postseason appearance in 2008, providing tangible evidence he was the right choice to succeed Johnson. The Midshipmen continued their dominance of service academy rivals Air Force and Army en route to capturing the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the sixth consecutive year.

One year later, there is no doubt this is now Niumatalolo's program. The memories of Johnson's tenure, while never to be forgotten by appreciative Navy fans, are fading. As year two of the Niumatalolo era kicks off this week, players and assistants alike say the unassuming head coach appears more comfortable in the role.

"I do see Coach Niumat is settling in more and more each day. I think it's inevitable that the longer you are in a position, the more comfortable you become," Navy senior linebacker and co-captain Ross Pospisil said. "At the same time, I think (Niumatalolo) came into this with a lot of confidence. He knew how he wanted to be as a head coach. I thought he did a great job last year. It was a real smooth transition from Coach Johnson to Coach Niumat."

Niumatalolo posted the most wins by a first-year Navy head coach since Tom Hamilton led the team to an 8-1 mark in 1934. He is the first head coach to lead the Midshipmen to a bowl game in his initial season at the helm. He is just the second head coach to capture the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in his inaugural campaign.

There were numerous other milestones last season. Navy's upset of No. 16 Wake Forest marked the program's first victory over a team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll since 1985. The Midshipmen established a program record by beating four bowl teams.

"Those are all great accomplishments, but the credit goes to a lot of people other than me. We have 13 assistant coaches who bust their butts every day. We have 80-some players wearing helmets who are ultimately responsible for going out on the field and winning games," Niumatalolo said. "Football is truly a team sport. When you win, it's because of the efforts of many, many people."

It is Niumatalolo's nature to downplay his own contributions to Navy's success. The first Samoan collegiate head coach at any level has no ego and is truly humble. He has already put last year behind and is focused on keeping the Midshipmen moving forward.

"Sports is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of business. As a head coach at the collegiate level, you have to prove yourself every day," he said. "In this position, if you start patting yourself on the back you are asking for trouble."

Niumatalolo reiterated this week that a key component of continuing Navy's unprecedented run of winning seasons and postseason appearances involved maintaining the status quo. Many of the basic elements of how the program operates remain the same as they were under Johnson, who left a blueprint for success.

"From the beginning I said I wasn't going to change much and I didn't. It was a case of: if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it," Niumatalolo said. "As a head coach, I am not trying to be Paul. I learned an awful lot from Paul, but we are different people and thus different coaches. I am who I am. I can't try to be someone else."

There is no question that Niumatalolo has proven to be a different type of head coach than Johnson, both in terms of personality and style. He brings a different demeanor to the table and handles certain situations differently.

"Kenny has his own way of doing things. He has taken ideas and methods from various coaches he has worked with and created his own identity," Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper said.

Jasper played at Hawaii while Niumatalolo was an assistant and has worked with him a total of nine years since becoming a coach. Jasper is proud of how his close friend has handled the responsibilities of being a head coach.

"I think Kenny is doing a great job. He does his homework and brings a lot of wisdom to the position," Jasper said.

Niumatalolo has a fiery disposition and can yell at players just as loud and angrily as Johnson did. He was displeased with how some players performed during running tests on Monday and let the entire team know about it afterward.

"I think one of the most impressive things Kenny does as a head coach is get his points across without being negative or nasty," Jasper said on Media Day. "Earlier today, he chewed the team out real good without using one bad word."

Niumatalolo was promoted to head coach on Dec. 8, 2007, one day after Johnson departed for Georgia Tech. He's had plenty of time to put his own stamp on the Navy program while steadily developing as a head coach.

"I've definitely seen Coach Niumat grow over the last year. He certainly seems more confident there's no doubt he has a firm handle on what he wants to do and how he wants this program to run," Navy starting quarterback Ricky Dobbs said. "I'm sure a lot of fans were shaky when (Niumatalolo) first took over. They just didn't know how things would work out. I don't think that's the case anymore. Coach Niumat has proven that he can get the job done."

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Niumatalolos Starts at Home

Navy football coach Ken Niumatalolo is no stranger to pressure. He stepped firmly into a magnified situation last year - replacing Paul Johnson and his 45-29 record in Annapolis - and succeeded, leading the Midshipmen to eight wins and their sixth straight Commander-in-Chief's trophy.

But perhaps no game since the EagleBank Bowl will cause more anxiety for Niumatalolo than Friday's women's lacrosse national semifinal between No. 3 North Carolina and No. 2 Maryland, for which his daughter, Alexcia, is a starting defender.

"The games are starting to get a lot more nerve-racking," the coach said. "In the first and second round of the postseason, I started to feel it. Back in the regular season, I wasn't as nervous for her. But I'm starting to get more and more nervous because I know she wants to be on a championship team."

Alexcia Niumatalolo is the oldest of Ken and wife Barbara's three children. As a former Division I quarterback and aspiring coach, Ken was eager to raise athletic children. So when Alexcia showed an affinity for sports at a young age, father and daughter forged a relationship that set the foundation for her prowess.

"I didn't want to push her, but I wanted her to play sports," Ken said. "Thankfully for her, she enjoyed it. She enjoyed playing basketball and soccer and always wanted a ball in her hands. ... She was always very athletic, even at a young age - things kind of came naturally to her."

Alexcia didn't start playing lacrosse until her freshman year at Broadneck High School in Annapolis, but the fundamentals Ken helped develop at home laid the foundation for her future success.

It wasn't just X's and O's. The fuel for Ken's coaching is his desire to win - friends and associates echo that he is the most competitive person they know - a trait that wasn't lost on Alexcia during their driveway training sessions.

"He would coach me all the time and set up drills for me," she said. "Everything with him was always competition."

Once she got to high school, it didn't take long for Alexcia to discover her lacrosse talent. She said her basketball experience, which helped develop her hand-eye coordination and familiarity with running and defending set plays, helped ease the transition. That, combined with her natural speed, eventually caught the eye of Maryland coach Cathy Reese.

"My freshman year, in the first game after I was moved up from [junior varsity] to varsity, all of a sudden my coach told me I was starting," Alexcia said. "I figured maybe that was a good sign considering I had just picked it up."

Ken and Alexcia's relationship has evolved now that they are Division I head coach and athlete, with Ken still guiding his daughter however he can. Their conversations during the lacrosse season ultimately center around sports; the two discuss Alexcia's recent performance and the adjustments she needs to make going forward.

And when Alexcia is home for the summer, Ken keeps her prepared.

"He knows what it takes to be a Division I athlete," Alexcia said. "He knows that I have to train hard and play hard all the time. He definitely kicks my butt during the summer if I'm ever lazy."

Ken attended several Maryland games this season - when Navy's spring practice schedule didn't conflict. He admires how close the Terps are with their coach, which has helped him juggle the differences between coaching the men at the academy and his daughter.

"I've seen him coach a few times. I know he likes to yell a lot, but he doesn't use that with me because I don't like yelling," Alexcia said. "He's actually pretty nice to me."

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