Know your foe: An in-depth look at Notre Dame football’s Week 11 opponent, Navy Midshipmen

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Know your foe: An in-depth look at Notre Dame football’s Week 11 opponent, Navy Midshipmen

Notre Dame football will take on a 7-1 Navy team that always is difficult due to the unique scheme it runs. The Midshipmen employ a triple-option, one that isn’t widely used, thus typically gives the opposition some troubles.

That didn’t happen for the Irish last fall, as they posted an impressive 51-14 victory over Navy. It was looking like this game could have been a top-25 matchup, but the Middies lost last weekend, taking some of the luster off this contest.

It still will be an exciting game, as Navy will bring a very solid group to face off against the Irish. Find out below a bit more about Notre Dame’s opponent this weekend, with a look at where they rank statistically, the Middies head coach and best offensive and defensive player.

(Note: All stats are via NCAA.com.)

Navy’s defensive stats

Oct 25, 2025; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) looks to throw from the pocket during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Passing defense: No. 111 overall allowing 253.8 yards-per-game

Rushing defense: No. 40 overall allowing 126.2 yards-per-game

Total defense: No. 81 overall allowing 380 yards-per-game

Scoring defense: No. 64 overall allowing 24 points-per-game

Navy’s offensive stats

Oct 25, 2025; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen quarterback Blake Horvath (11) reacts after scoring a second quarter touchdown against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Passing offense: No. 128 overall passing for 149 yards-per-game

Rushing offense: No. 1 overall rushing for 317.2 yards-per-game

Total offense: No. 16 overall with 466.2 yards-per-game

Scoring offense: No. 27 overall scoring 34.8 points-per-game

Navy head coach – Brian Newberry

Oct 25, 2025; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry signals for a time out during the second half against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Newberry has been a coach since 1999, following his playing career with the Baylor Bears. It took multiple years for him to elevate to calling plays, but has been since 2011. Newberry’s focus has been on the defensive side of the ball, but has kept the traditional Navy ground-game churning. He took over the program in 2023, and has gone 22-11, after winning 10 games last fall.

Navy’s best offensive player – Quarterback Blake Horvath

The Irish shut down Horvath last year, as his only impact was on the ground, going for 129-yards and a score. He only threw for 88-yards with an interception, but has been a better passer this fall, at least with his accuracy. Horvath will eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second-consecutive season if he gets more than 74-yards on Saturday. He has 20 total touchdowns on the year, which is a very impressive number. Notre Dame will need to make the Navy offense one-dimensional and force Horvath to win the game with his arm.

Navy’s best defensive player – Linebacker Luke Pirris

I almost went with defensive tackle Landon Robinson, but due to his size compared with the Irish offensive line, I think they’ll not let him add to his 5.5 sacks on the year. Pirris is always around the ball, and played well against Notre Dame last fall. He’s a bit underweight to take on offensive linemen, so if Notre Dame can get to the second-level, they’ll be able to negate Pirris’ impact.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Know your foe: An in-depth look at Notre Dame’s Week 11 opponent Navy

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