Midshipmen get early start | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Fans arrived at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Thursday afternoon to find players dressed in gray T-shirts and blue shorts. Instead of wandering onto the field to meet players and get autographs, the fans took a seat in the stands and watched the 2008 football season officially get underway.

First-year head coach Ken Niumatalolo decided to kick off Media Day with a workout, putting the team through a running test for about 45 minutes in front of an audience of approximately 600 fans.

Under previous head coach Paul Johnson, the timed shuttle run was conducted in the morning on the practice field at the Naval Academy. Niumatalolo moved the event to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to send a message.

"I wanted our kids to realize that every time we step on this field, it's business. That was the main reason behind it, just so we get in a frame of mind that this is our house every time we come here we're going to compete," Niumatalolo said. "Before, we've come here to the fan day, and it's kind of been our guys to jump on slide and do boxing, sign autographs. I wanted to take that atmosphere out of it so our guys realize that, first and foremost, anytime we come to the stadium, it's business."

Since being promoted to head coach last December, Niumatalolo has said many times that he has no intention of making dramatic changes to the Navy football program. Johnson led Navy to five consecutive winning seasons that were capped by bowl berths. The Midshipmen have captured the coveted Commander-in-Chief's Trophy five consecutive years by going 10-0 against Army and Air Force from 2003-2007.

Niumatalolo, who served as assistant head coach under Johnson the past six years, sees no reason to make sweeping changes. He will continue running the patented triple-option offense that has made the Midshipmen so successful and will maintain the basic framework for running the overall program that Johnson instituted. Conducting the shuttle testing in front of a crowd at the stadium is simply an example of slight alterations Niumatalolo will implement.

"There might be subtle changes like that, but we're not going to totally revamp anything. I'm going to build on the base that Paul set. He set a firm foundation. If we can continue to do what he did as head coach, I'd be ecstatic," said Niumatalolo, who played under Johnson at Hawaii and coached alongside him for a total of 11 years. "All the things that I learned from Paul, all the things that I saw him do that worked, I'm going to keep doing them."

While the Niumatalolo era technically began with a 35-32 loss to Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl, it truly starts in earnest this season. The soft-spoken but highly competitive Hawaiian, believed to be the first Division I football coach of Samoan descent, understands there will be increased scrutiny from the media, alumni and fans.

"That's to be expected when you follow someone who has been successful. What coach (Johnson) did here had never been done before. It was a phenomenal run," Niumatalolo said. "Fortunately, I was here with him. I saw what he was doing. I was part of the decision-making process. I know the logic behind why we did this, why we did that."

Johnson left Navy for Georgia Tech and took three assistant coaches - Brian Bohannon, Jeff Monken and Todd Spencer - with him. However, Niumatalolo and athletic director Chet Gladchuk were able to retain eight assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Buddy Green.

Green, with nearly three decades of experience as a college football coach, is by far the most experienced member of the staff. He was once head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga, served two stints as defensive coordinator at N.C. State and also was an assistant at Southeastern Conference powerhouses Auburn and LSU.

Niumatalolo, 43, readily admits that he has turned to the 55-year-old Green for advice many times since taking over as head coach.

"I rely on Buddy a lot. He's been in this business a long time. He's been an athletic director, been a head coach. He's a very wise man," Niumatalolo said.

In fact, Niumatalolo has sought input from every member of the coaching staff. While Johnson was more authoritative and set in his ways, Niumatalolo has sough to be inclusive and adaptable.

"Our meetings now involve a lot of discussion and ideas getting thrown around," Niumatalolo said. "I'll make the ultimate decision, but I'm going to get input from the other coaches. I'm not afraid to admit that I don't have all the answers."

Green has no doubt that Niumatalolo has the skills necessary to succeed as a head coach and believes that Navy can sustain the success established under Johnson.

"Kenny is a good football coach. He's a good person, a good leader, a good instructor," Green said. "He's very demanding and I think he'll motivate our guys to rise to another level. I'm enthused and excited about the direction of the program."

Defensive line coach Dale Pehrson, the longest-tenured member of the staff with 12 consecutive seasons at Navy, said it's been business as usual under Niumatalolo.

"Nothing has really changed. Kenny has brought some of his own ideas, but the basic philosophy is the same. Hopefully, we'll keep this thing rolling," Pehrson said.

Niumatalolo spent part of the offseason making appearances at booster and alumni functions. He recognizes the need to serve as spokesman for the program, but is anxious to return to the practice field and the role to which he is most accustomed.

"Football has always been the easy part for me. This is the only thing I've done for the past 19 years. Some of the other demands, going and speaking at functions, that's part of being the head coach," Niumatalolo said. "That's OK, but this is where I feel most comfortable … being on the field, working with the players."