By Tiffany Williams –
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Navy opened the 2025 season with a performance straight out of its playbook: ground dominance, defensive control, and explosive playmaking. The Midshipmen rushed for 464 yards and six touchdowns while holding VMI to just 15 yards on the ground in a 52-7 rout at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in front of 30,014 fans.
The 464 rushing yards were Navy’s most since 2018, while the 15 yards allowed tied for the program’s seventh-best defensive effort against the run since 1959. Head coach Brian Newberry didn’t hide his satisfaction with the opener, though he still saw room for growth.
“Obviously, it was good to get a win,” Newberry said. “One of our goals was to win the opener. Historically, when we do that, we’ve had some pretty good seasons. I thought there were some really good things out there, but like your first game of the year, we were a little sloppy. There are things we need to clean up moving forward.”
The Mids wasted no time imposing their will. Sophomore snipe Michael Barrow scored his first career touchdown on his first career carry, capping the opening drive. By halftime, the game was out of reach. Senior playmaker Eli Heidenreich had already made his mark, catching an 18-yard touchdown from quarterback Blake Horvath on a fourth-and-goal before adding a 4-yard rushing score. The dual-threat effort was a first for his career, giving him 11 receiving touchdowns overall—just two shy of the program record.
“Eli is a weapon,” Newberry said. “You like to have one of him at wideout, one at snipe, one at running back. He’s super talented, and we have to keep finding ways to get him the football.”
Heidenreich, who added nine carries for 70 yards and six receptions for 65, credited new offensive coordinator Drew Cronic for his expanded role. “We are getting creative, spreading it out and making it hard on the defense,” Heidenreich said. “I do attribute a lot to him. He is setting me up the right way.”
While Heidenreich delivered balance, backup quarterback Braxton Woodson provided fireworks. Entering after halftime, the sophomore ripped off touchdown runs of 74 and 68 yards, finishing with 180 yards on just seven carries. “These guys were electric,” starting quarterback Horvath said after completing six of seven passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in the first half before yielding the reins.
Alex Tecza added 89 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Navy’s defense suffocated VMI, recording five sacks and limiting the Keydets to 15 rushing yards on 22 attempts. Senior nose guard Landon Robinson notched two sacks, while linebackers Jaxson Campbell and MarcAnthony Parker were active throughout.
Newberry emphasized that while stopping the run was encouraging, the Mids need to shore up their pass defense. “I am pleased with giving up just 15 yards rushing,” Newberry said. “That’s where it all starts for us. What I wasn’t pleased with was they converted several third-down-and-long situations. We weren’t perfect in our coverage. Good lessons learned.”
Navy (1-0) now turns its focus to American Athletic Conference play, hosting UAB (1-0) next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The opener checked all the boxes: dominance up front, highlight plays, and contributions from both veterans and young depth pieces. For a program looking to rebound in 2025, it was exactly the kind of launchpad performance Newberry wanted.
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