1976 Navy Midshipmen football team

American college football season

1976 Navy Midshipmen football
ConferenceIndependent
Record4–7
Head coach
  • George Welsh (4th season)
CaptainJeff Sapp, Kevin Sullivan
Home stadiumNavy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Pittsburgh   –   12 – 0 – 0
No. 17 Rutgers   –   11 – 0 – 0
San Diego State   –   10 – 1 – 0
No. 12 Notre Dame   –   9 – 3 – 0
Colgate   –   8 – 2 – 0
Boston College   –   8 – 3 – 0
Cincinnati   –   8 – 3 – 0
Memphis State   –   7 – 4 – 0
North Texas State *   –   7 – 4 – 0
Southern Illinois   –   7 – 4 – 0
Penn State   –   7 – 5 – 0
Villanova   –   6 – 4 – 1
South Carolina   –   6 – 5 – 0
Virginia Tech   –   6 – 5 – 0
Army   –   5 – 6 – 0
Florida State   –   5 – 6 – 0
Illinois State   –   5 – 6 – 0
Richmond   –   5 – 6 – 0
West Virginia   –   5 – 6 – 0
Georgia Tech   –   4 – 6 – 1
Temple   –   4 – 6 – 0
Air Force   –   4 – 7 – 0
Dayton   –   4 – 7 – 0
Louisville   –   4 – 7 – 0
Marshall   –   4 – 7 – 0
Navy   –   4 – 7 – 0
Indiana State   –   3 – 7 – 0
Hawaii   –   3 – 8 – 0
Holy Cross   –   3 – 8 – 0
Miami (FL)   –   3 – 8 – 0
Syracuse   –   3 – 8 – 0
Utah State   –   3 – 8 – 0
Northeast Louisiana   –   2 – 9 – 0
Southern Miss   –   2 – 9 – 0
Tulane   –   2 – 9 – 0
  • North Texas State (originally 6–5) was awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy (USNA) as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. The team was led by fourth-year head coach George Welsh.[2][3]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11RutgersL 3–1317,501[4]
September 18at Connecticut
W 21–315,906[5]
September 25at No. 1 MichiganL 14–70101,040[6][7]
October 2No. 15 Boston College
  • Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
  • Annapolis, MD
L 13–1716,156
October 9at Air ForceL 3–13
October 16William & Mary
  • Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
  • Annapolis, MD
L 13–2121,681[8]
October 23No. 2 Pittsburgh
  • Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
  • Annapolis, MD
L 0–4526,346
October 301:30 p.m.vs. No. 11 Notre DameL 21–2761,172
November 6at SyracuseW 27–1022,333
November 13Georgia Tech
  • Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
  • Annapolis, MD
W 34–2820,010[9]
November 27vs. Army
W 38–10

Game summaries

Vs. Notre Dame

Navy Midshipmen (1–6) vs. #11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5–1)
Period 1 2 34Total
Notre Dame 3 21 0327
Navy 0 14 0721

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: October 30
  • Game attendance: 61,172
  • Recap/Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • ND – Dave Reeve 47-yard field goal. Notre Dame 3–0. Drive:

Second quarter

  • NAVY – Dave King 17-yard pass from Bob Leszcyznski (Bob Tata kick). Navy 7–3. Drive:
  • NAVY – Larry Klawinski 1-yard run (Bob Tata kick). Navy 14–3. Drive:
  • ND – Dan Kelleher 58-yard pass from Rick Slager (Dave Reeve kick). Navy 14–10. Drive:
  • ND – Al Hunter 5-yard run (Dave Reeve kick). Notre Dame 17–14. Drive: 60 yards.
  • ND – Al Hunter 28-yard pass from Rick Slager (Dave Reeve kick). Notre Dame 24–14. Drive:

Third quarter

  • No scoring

Fourth quarter

  • NAVY – Reggie Thompson 1-yard run (Bob Tata kick). Notre Dame 24–21. Drive:
  • ND – Dave Reeve 24-yard field goal. Notre Dame 27–21. Drive:
Top passers
  • ND
  • NAVY – Bob Leszcyznski – 21/45, 294 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
  • ND
  • NAVY
Top receivers
  • ND – Dan Kelleher – 7 receptions, 162 yards, TD
  • NAVY

At Syracuse

Georgia Tech

Vs. Army

Army Cadets (5–5) vs. Navy Midshipmen (3–7)
Period 1 2 34Total
Army 0 10 0010
Navy 7 7 17738

at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 27
  • Game weather: Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 77,612
  • [10]
Game information

First quarter

  • NAVY – Joe Gattuso 2-yard run (Bob Tata kick), 0:15. Navy 7–0. Drive: 51 yards.

Second quarter

  • ARMY – Greg King 11-yard run (Mike Castelli kick). Tie 7–7. Drive:
  • NAVY – Phil McConkey 11-yard pass from Bob Leszczynski (Bob Tata kick). Navy 14–7. Drive: 57 yards.
  • ARMY – Mike Castelli 37-yard field goal. Navy 14–10. Drive:

Third quarter

  • NAVY – Joe Gattuso 20-yard run (Bob Tata kick). Navy 21–10. Drive: 75 yards.
  • NAVY – Joe Gattuso 1-yard run (Bob Tata kick). Navy 28–10. Drive: 65 yards.
  • NAVY – Bob Tata 33-yard field goal. Navy 31–10. Drive:

Fourth quarter

  • NAVY – Dave King 16-yard pass from Bob Leszczynski (Bob Tata kick). Navy 38–10. Drive: 30 yards.
Top passers
  • ARMY – Leamon Hall – 13/31, 3 INT
  • NAVY – Bob Leszczynski – 2 TD
Top rushers
  • ARMY
  • NAVY – Joe Gattuso – 29 rushes, 128 yards, 3 TD
Top receivers
  • ARMY
  • NAVY

Personnel

1976 Navy Midshipmen football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
FB Steve Chafin
OL Jim Chamberlain
OL Gene Cioni
OL Ray Fritsch
RB Joe Gattuso
OL Cary Hithon
WB Dave King Fr
RB Larry Klawinski
QB John Kurowski
QB 15 Bob Leszczynski So
WR Phil McConkey
RB Leon Miller
OL 71 Mark Poston
OL Kevin Ryan
WR Steve Scott
TE Kevin Sullivan
RB Reggie Thompson
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB Otto Bulich
DB Greg Byrd
DL Pete Caulk
LB Bob DeStafney
DB Mike Galpin
DL Kelvin Graham
DL Jeff Hoobler
  Gregg Milo
MG Jeff Sapp
DB Larry Simpson
DL John Snyder
DB John Sturges
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P Art Ohanian
K Bob Tata So
Head coach
  • George Welsh
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
  2. ^ "Football History" (PDF). United States Naval Academy. p. 194. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  3. ^ "Navy Yearly Results (1975-1979)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  4. ^ Jackson, James H. (September 12, 1976). "Middies Drop Opener, 13-3, to Rutgers". The Sunday Sun. Baltimore, Md. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  6. ^ Joe Peacock (September 27, 1976). "Michigan's 49-Point 2nd-Half Burns Navy". Argus-Press, Owosso, Michigan. p. 5.
  7. ^ "Michigan Torpedoes Navy". Sparatanburg Herald-Journal (AP story). September 26, 1976. p. 8.
  8. ^ "Kruis leads Indians over Middies 21–13". The Roanoke Times. October 17, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Gattuso, Leszcynski sparkle, Navy nips Georgia Tech 34–28". Daily Press. November 14, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/1976/11/28/archives/navy-trounces-army-4th-year-in-row-3810-navy-trounces-army-4th-year.html "Navy Trounces Army 4th Year in Row, 38-10." New York Times. 1976 Nov 28. Retrieved 2021-Jan-12.
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