Navy Football: QB Blake Horvath Talks Adjusting To New Offense For 2024

Joe Londergan | Aug 4, 2024

Nov 18, 2023; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry looks on from the sideline during the third quarter against the East Carolina Pirates at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports / Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, offensive struggles contributed to Navy missing the postseason for a fourth consecutive year. The Midshipmen were second-to-last in the AAC with 300.3 yards per game. To help correct that, Drew Cronic was added to Brian Newberry's staff as the offensive coordinator. 

Entering the season, junior quarterback Blake Horvath sits atop the depth chart. During Navy's Media Day, Horvath discussed learning the ins and outs of Cronics offense, heavily reliant on Wing-T concepts.

"I think in the spring, especially when you're learning a new offense, it's all about just getting the basics down," Horvath noted. "Where are you supposed to be? Coach Cronic says a lot 'assignment and alignment.' Where are you lining up? And then, are you doing your assignment?"

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Horvath started once for Navy last season, making four total appearances, but missed the final seven games of the campaign. He threw two touchdowns and rushed the ball 37 times for 183 yards. The spring and summer gave Horvath plenty of time to get familiar with Cronic's system that should, in theory, allow the Midshipmen to stretch the field in new ways. Now, it's all about execution and adaptability.

"I think the biggest thing that we walked about in the summer a lot is once you learn it, you got to start making plays. Blocks may not be there, you got to make a guy miss, things like that. It's about developing our playmaking, I think is the biggest thing. Once you get into, like, knowing the plays and knowing where you're supposed to be, who you're supposed to block, where the ball's supposed to go, and then sort of adapting on an every day basis...We're going to see things that we may not have prepared for, may not have seen before from our own defense because it's really innovative. The biggest thing I think is just learning to keep growing and developing our playmaking as an offense."

Midshipmen fans will have their first chance to see Horvath and Cronic's offense in action when they open the season on August 31 when they host Bucknell.