Reynolds Out, Worth In At Quarterback For Midshipmen
For the first time since 2011, Keenan Reynolds won’t take a snap for Navy against Notre Dame.
Reynolds, who won more games for Navy than any quarterback in the program’s previous 135 years, graduated after the 2015 season. The Midshipmen were expected to use senior Tago Smith as his replacement, but Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 against Fordham.
Now it’s senior Will Worth taking the snaps in Navy's triple option offense.
“He’s good, and bottom line, if you’re going to be the Navy quarterback you have to be a game manager, you have to do a lot of things,” Notre Dame senior defensive lineman Isaac Rochell said of Worth. “He can do that. Keenan was a unique player, but ultimately this guy is really good and he manages the game and manages their offense very well.”
For all Reynolds’ success, he never beat Notre Dame.
He went 0-3 against the Irish as the starter in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In those games, he averaged 70 yards rushing, including a 110-yard performance last season while battling a leg injury.
Though he typically only attempted about 10 passes a game, he threw for three touchdowns against Notre Dame in his career. In Worth’s seven appearances this season, he’s attempted 12.4 passes a game — but twice has thrown 25-plus times.
Worth completed 15-of-25 passes for 299 yards last week in a loss to South Florida. On Oct. 1, he completed 56.7 percent of his 30 passes for 260 yards in a loss to Air Force.
“Obviously with a triple option team you’re focused on the run game, and if they can throw wrinkles in the pass game obviously that makes things a little more complex, so you have to prepare for those things as well,” Notre Dame junior safety Drue Tranquill said.
“Obviously Keenan was a really special player and they were able to do some things with him, and this guy is new to the offense and they’re trying to get him running in the offense before they start doing anything too crazy.”
Navy prefers to run the ball and limit possessions. It was able to do that with Reynolds, and it still doing it with Worth, though in different ways.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Reynolds was much shiftier than Worth, a power runner who stands 6-1, 205 pounds.
“Keenan Reynolds was a special player,” junior linebacker Nyles Morgan said. “I’d never seen anybody handle the ball the way he did. (Worth) is a lot bigger, a bigger body guy, so probably harder to take him down.
“Not different plays — their scheme will be their scheme. (Worth’s) not as fast, so I expect things to be more downhill.”
Worth has 616 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing this season. He’s averaging 3.8 yards per carry, and in a tough, physical game, Tranquill knows the Irish have to match Worth’s intensity.
Tranquill said he was able to watch Worth play against USF last Friday, a game in which Worth ran for 129 yards and fourth touchdowns.
“Kid’s a tough kid. He’s a really tough kid,” Tranquill said. “Obviously we’re going to have to be prepared for his grittiness and his ability to extend the play and get that extra yard or two.”
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