2008 OUTLOOK: The Midshipmen left the 2007 season without a guaranteed bowl slot but should be able to play in the first Congressional Bowl, if plans for the bowl are finalized. A 6-6 finish would guarantee a sixth straight bowl bid, but this one will have to be achieved without Paul Johnson, now at Georgia Tech. The Mids have been built into a successful program -- the clear class of the academies -- by Johnson and now trusted aide Ken Niumataolo takes over. Do they skip a beat?

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Navy is the first team to lead the country in rushing three straight years, and the core of the people who did it last year should be doing it again this year. Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada takes a pounding, but usually keeps on ticking and there is depth behind him. Key parts like Reggie Campbell and Adam Ballard are gone, but there's enough depth here for the Mids to keep piling up the yardage.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Buddy Green's group was hammered by injuries last season and the effects were clear in the results. But things got better later on and now Green gets some key parts back in LB Clint Sovie and S Jeff Deliz. Young players were force-fed last season and continued to grow.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game is not the strength of this team and the return game has to get over the loss of Reggie Campbell, who had 2,255 yards and two touchdowns on kick and punt returns last season. Matt Harmon was just 6-for-10 kicking field goals and had two blocked but did kick a 46-yarder. Sophomore Kyle Delahooke takes over as the punter.

ROSTER REPORT

--QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada was held out of contact in spring ball after offseason knee surgery, but should be fine for the fall.

--FB Eric Kettani was among those who missed the spring scrimmage, sitting it out with a knee injury. K Matt Harmon (knee) and S Jeff Deliz (toe) were among the others not participating.

--Emmett Merchant, switched over to slot back early in the spring, has moved back to the defensive secondary. He is listed as the No. 1 kick returner.

--SL/QB Jarod Bryant and LB Clint Sovie were name co-captains for the 2008 season. Sovie, coming back from injury, said he was surprised.

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