The
Navy Midshipmen football team has represented the
United States Naval Academy in intercollegiate
college football since 1879. The team participated as an
independent school for the majority of its existence, but joined the
American Athletic Conference (formerly the
Big East Conference) as an expansion team in 2015.[1][2] The Midshipmen joined the
NCAA Division I-A when it was created in 1978, becoming one of the first independent schools in that division. The program has had 37 head coaches, one interim coach, and two separate periods where it went without a coach since its formation.[3]Ken Niumatalolo served as head coach of the Midshipmen from 2007[4] to the end of the 2022 season, when he was let go immediately after losing to Army to close out a 4-8 season.[5]
The academy adopted the nickname "Midshipmen" for its students when it was founded in 1845. Between 1870 and 1902, the school tried out a number of different ideas, before
Congress restored the name "Midshipmen" as the academy's nickname.[6][7] The term has been accepted since.[8] The Midshipmen have played in over 1200 games during the program's 133 seasons (through the
2015 regular season). In those seasons, seven coaches have led the Midshipmen to postseason
bowl games, ten have been elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame, and one,
Bill Ingram, has led the school to a recognized national championship.[3]
Vaulx Carter, the program's first coach, is the all-time leader in
win percentage, with a perfect 1.000.[NOTE 1][NOTE 2] Of coaches who have served in more than one game,
Gil Dobie has the highest win percentage with .850 after completing a record of
17–3.
George Sauer has the lowest win percentage of any non-interim coach, amassing a percentage of .222 and a record of
3–13–2. Ken Niumatalolo overtook
George Welsh's 55 wins in 2014, for the most games won at Navy, and his 9 seasons in 2017 for the most seasons coached at Navy. In 2014, Niumatalolo overtook
Paul Johnson, his predecessor, for the most bowl games coached, with seven,[NOTE 3] and most bowl games won (3).[3][10]
^Vaulx Carter was a player-coach who led Navy in only one game, an 8–0 shutout of
Johns Hopkins.[9]
^
abA calculated percentage taken as a whole number on a scale of one (1.000). When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.[14]
^
abcPaul Johnson coached Navy for the entirety of the
2007 season, but left to coach the
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets before 2007 Poinsettia Bowl. Offensive coordinator Ken Niumatalolo, took over coaching duties for the bowl game, and continues to lead the team.[27][28]
^A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "N/A" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record.
^Although the first
Rose Bowl Game was played in
1902, it has been continuously played since the
1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest
bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played.[11]
^Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[12][13]
^
abCharlie Weatherbie was fired as head coach on October 28, 2001, after losing 17 of his last 18 games. Defensive coordinator Rick Lantz was named as the interim head coach. He was fired at the end of the season, after going 0–3.[25][26]
Naval Academy Athletic Association (2012).
"Navy Bowl Game History"(PDF). 2012 Navy Midshipmen Football Media Guide. United States Naval Academy Athletics.
Archived(PDF) from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
Naval Academy Athletic Association (2005).
"Navy: Football History"(PDF). 2005 Navy Midshipmen Football Media Guide. United States Naval Academy Athletics. Archived from
the original(PDF) on October 24, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
^National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011).
Bowl/All-Star Game Records(PDF). Indianapolis: NCAA. pp. 5–10.
Archived(PDF) from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
^Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987).
"Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times.
Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.