American college football season
The 1978 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy (USNA) as an independent during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by sixth-year head coach George Welsh.[1][2]
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|
September 16 | | at Virginia | | | W 32–0 | 28,472 | [3] |
September 23 | | at Connecticut | | | W 30–0 | | |
September 30 | | at Boston College | | | W 19–8 | 24,082 | [4] |
October 7 | | at Air Force | | | W 37–8 | 30,482 | |
October 14 | | Duke | | | W 31–8 | 21,431 | [5] |
October 21 | | William & Mary | No. 17 | - Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
- Annapolis, MD
| W 9–0 | | |
October 28 | | Pittsburgh | No. 18 | - Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
- Annapolis, MD
| W 21–11 | 32,909 | |
November 4 | 1:50 p.m. | vs. No. 15 Notre Dame | No. 11 | | L 7–27 | 63,780 | |
November 11 | | at Syracuse | No. 18 | | L 17–20 | 26,429 | [6] |
November 18 | 12:50 p.m. | at Florida State | | | L 6–38 | 45,795 | |
December 2 | | vs. Army | | | W 28–0 | 79,026 | |
December 22 | | vs. BYU | | | W 23–16 | 52,500 | |
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Navy (3–0)
|
10
|
13
|
7
|
7 |
37 |
Air Force (2–2)
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
8 |
8 |
- Attendance: 30,482
- Navy scored on six of its first seven possessions, gained over 400 yards of total offense and held Air Force to 75 yards through three quarters
- Navy's best start since 1960
- NAVY: Tata 47 FG
- NAVY: McConkey 19 run (Tata kick)
- NAVY: Tata 39 FG
- NAVY: McConkey 36 pass from Leszczynski (Tata kick)
- NAVY: Tata 43 FG
- NAVY: Gainer 17 run (Tata kick)
- AFA: Fortson 11 run (pass good)
- NAVY: Callahan 39 run (Tata kick)
[7]
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Navy
|
Passing |
Bob Leszczynski |
10/20, 188 Yds, INT
|
Rushing |
Kevin Tolbert |
5 Rush, 27 Yds
|
Receiving |
Sandy Jones |
2 Rec, 51 Yds
|
Florida St
|
Passing |
Jimmy Jordan |
15/27, 280 Yds, 4 TD
|
Rushing |
Greg Ramsey |
5 Rush, 51 Yds, TD
|
Receiving |
Sam Platt |
6 Rec, 145 Yds, 3 TD
|
Scoring summary
|
Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
NAVY
|
FSU
|
1
|
0:48
|
4
|
35
|
|
Navy
|
43-yard field goal by Bob Tata
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
4:10
|
3
|
60
|
|
Florida St
|
Greg Ramsey 12-yard touchdown run, Dave Cappelen kick good
|
3
|
7
|
2
|
2:28
|
6
|
77
|
|
Navy
|
46-yard field goal by Bob Tata
|
6
|
7
|
3
|
11:58
|
4
|
28
|
|
Florida St
|
38-yard field goal by Dave Cappelen
|
6
|
10
|
3
|
9:38
|
3
|
11
|
|
Florida St
|
Sam Platt 4-yard touchdown reception from Jimmy Jordan, Dave Cappelen kick good
|
6
|
17
|
3
|
6:55
|
4
|
56
|
|
Florida St
|
Sam Platt 36-yard touchdown reception from Jimmy Jordan, Dave Cappelen kick good
|
6
|
24
|
4
|
13:50
|
5
|
90
|
|
Florida St
|
Sam Platt 51-yard touchdown reception from Jimmy Jordan, Dave Cappelen kick good
|
6
|
31
|
4
|
9:00
|
7
|
53
|
|
Florida St
|
Grady King 23-yard touchdown reception from Jimmy Jordan, Dave Cappelen kick good
|
6
|
38
|
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
6
|
38
|
|
Scoring summary
|
Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
ARMY
|
NAVY
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
Navy
|
Bob Leszczynski 3-yard touchdown run, Bob Tata kick good
|
0
|
7
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
Navy
|
Steve Callahan 1-yard touchdown run, Bob Tata kick good
|
0
|
14
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
Navy
|
Bob Leszczynski 1-yard touchdown run, Bob Tata kick good
|
0
|
21
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
Navy
|
Steve Callahan 18-yard touchdown reception from Bob Leszczynski, Bob Tata kick good
|
0
|
28
|
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
0
|
28
|
|
Holiday Bowl (vs BYU)
[edit]
1978 Navy Midshipmen football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
OL
|
|
Rick Bott
|
RB
|
|
Steve Callahan
|
WR
|
|
Mike Chapon
|
RB
|
|
Dwayne Dennis
|
OL
|
|
Tom Feldman
|
RB
|
|
Duane Flowers
|
TE
|
|
Curt Gainer
|
TE
|
|
Carl Hendershot
|
WR
|
|
Sandy Jones
|
FB
|
33
|
Larry Klawinski
|
Jr
|
RB
|
|
Chris Klein
|
OL
|
|
Steve Kremer
|
QB
|
15
|
Bob Leszczynski
|
Sr
|
OL
|
|
Frank McCallister
|
WR
|
|
Phil McConkey (C)
|
TE
|
|
Matt McLaughlin
|
QB
|
|
Kevin McTavish
|
RB
|
|
Eddie Meyers
|
TE
|
|
Greg Papajohn
|
QB
|
|
Bob Powers
|
RB
|
23
|
Mike Sherlock
|
So
|
OL
|
|
John Taylor
|
RB
|
|
Kevin Tolbert
|
RB
|
|
Dave Walker
|
|
Defense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
DL
|
|
Steve Chambers
|
DL
|
|
John Merrill
|
LB
|
|
Gregg Milo
|
LB
|
|
Nick Mygas (C)
|
LB
|
|
Tom Paulk
|
DB
|
|
Fred Reitzel
|
DL
|
|
Mark Stephens
|
DL
|
|
Charlie Thornton
|
DB
|
|
Bob Wilson
|
DB
|
|
Chuck Zingler
|
|
Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
P
|
|
Lex Lauletta
|
P
|
|
Art Ohanian
|
K
|
|
Bob Tata
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
|
- ^ "Football History" (PDF). United States Naval Academy. p. 194. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ "Navy Yearly Results (1975-1979)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
- ^ "Navy torpedoes UVa, Cavaliers yet to score". The Danville Register. September 17, 1978. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Defense lifts Navy past B.C." The Baltimore Sun. October 1, 1978. p. C1, C15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Unbeaten Navy drops Duke, 31–8". Asheville Citizen-Times. October 15, 1978. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Searing, Robert (November 12, 2021). "SU football fans rush the field at the last game ever played at Archbold Stadium". The Post-Standard. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ Palm Beach Post. 1978 Oct 08.
- ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1978 Dec 03. Retrieved 2019-Jan-21.
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