Navy football traditionally plays the role of underdog, surprising opponents who don't see them coming. More than once, we've seen comments like "we weren't prepared for their speed" from opposing coaches. But after the Mids surged to a 10-win season, reclaimed the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, and capped the season with a bowl win over Oklahoma, it's unlikely they'll slip under anyone's radar in 2025.

Senior quarterback Blake Horvath, whose standout performance helped ignite the team’s resurgence, understands that shift better than anyone.

“Besides Army and Air Force, there were no teams that had us circled on their calendars,” he said. “But now? Every team we beat last year probably feels like they need to get us back.”

Horvath believes the Mids' preparation this spring needs to take that into account. In his eyes, Navy needs to get ahead of the curve.

“I’m sure every single team in spring ball and into their fall camp is going to dedicate a day or more just to stop our offense,” he said.

That sentiment was echoed by Navy’s defensive coordinator P.J. Volker. Navy’s defense was instrumental to the offense's success last year, turning takeaways into a 104-7 scoring advantage in their 10 wins, often setting up the offense with prime field position. But relying on turnovers can be tricky; it can be as much about what the offense does wrong as it is what the defense does right. Teams that reap the benefits of takeaways one year often regress the next year if those takeaways were a product of luck. Volker's aim is to ensure that luck has nothing to do with it.

“This team understands that it's not the 2024 version of Navy football. It's 2025 and we've got to write our own story,” he said. “If you're sitting there resting on what you've done in the past, you're going to get passed up really quick. We're all on the hunt.”

One way to maintain that edge is through competition in practice, which is something that rising senior nose guard Landon Robinson relishes.

“It gets very, very heated, very physical in spring ball," he said. "Like I said, guys are competitive. Guys are trying to go get a spot on the roster, so you've got to go make your name known, get your name buzzing, as Coach Volker says.”​

Yet maintaining such intensity season after season can be difficult, especially at service academies, where depth and roster turnover pose constant challenges. Navy's had letdowns in the past; the wheels fell off the wagon after the team's magical 2019 campaign. Admittedly, there were extenuating circumstances back then, but there are plenty of other examples of one-hit wonders in college football. Head coach Brian Newberry is determined not to be one of them.

“The biggest thing for us is not feeling like we’ve arrived,” Newberry said. “We need to keep the chip on our shoulder that got us here.”

“Sometimes sustaining success is harder than building it,” Horvath said, echoing a comment his head coach made earlier in the week.

The reality of managing heightened expectations is something Navy hasn’t faced in several years.

“If we’re the same team we were last year, we’re going to get beat. We have to evolve,” Horvath added, conveying the team's sense of urgency.

Integral to the team's evolution is the individual development of key players, including Robinson, who will be taking on an added role. An imposing athlete known for his strength and uncommon athletic ability for his position, Robinson is embracing his responsibility to set the tone, not only physically but mentally.

“You can’t ever be complacent,” he said. “The moment you get complacent, you stop improving.”

The intensity and commitment to improvement from a player who is already a star sets an example for younger players. As part of the senior class, Robinson takes his role as a leader seriously.

"Earning first-team all-conference is a goal I've had, and I'm super thankful for that, but I think I can definitely improve," he said. He cited specific goals for 2025, such as more sacks and plays behind the line of scrimmage, as well as what it will take to get there.

"There's always something to improve on," Robinson said. "I'm always working on my strength and my speed. My conditioning, obviously. I play a lot of snaps out there, so the more in shape I can be, the better. There's always something I can work on, and I'm always talking with Coach Hall on what I can do better.”​

Navy's depth will also be tested this spring, particularly on the offensive line, where three starters from last season graduated. Horvath knows how much he depends on the line, and while he acknowledges this concern, he is confident that competition in practice will reap benefits.

“It’s definitely a challenge,” he said. “But I’m excited to see who steps up. There’s no clear-cut favorite, so it’s an open opportunity. I trust the guys we have, and going against players like Landon Robinson every day in practice will only make them better.”

One thing that Horvath appreciates is coaching stability, something that has eluded him for most of his career. In his first three years in Annapolis, Horvath had three different offensive coordinators. But now Drew Cronic will be calling the plays for a second consecutive season—something Horvath has yet to experience.

“This year, for the first time, we've got full carryover from season to season on our staff-- no new coaches, no coaches that left. So it's a weird feeling now to finally build on something. I feel like we haven't been able to do that the past two seasons.”

If Navy wants to prove last season was just the beginning, the work starts now. Fall wins are built in spring practices, where sweat wipes away complacency. Points from 2024 don’t carry over, but the habits and mindset from the spring will. And if Horvath and Robinson are any indication, the Mids have received the message.

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