Always kidding, always joking, Navy wide receiver Brandon Turner put on his most serious face recently as he approached Danny O'Rourke, his old position coach.
Still digesting his team's 1-3 start, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo stepped onto a practice field just a short walk from the banks of the Severn River in early October.
It would've been easy for the Navy Midshipmen to get complacent Saturday. Easy for them to look past Texas State and dwell on their next game against Army. Easy for them to remember that their trip to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl has already been booked.
Quarterback Keenan Reynolds deftly handled nearly everything presented to him during his sensational debut season at Navy, rarely looking like a freshman along the way.
Corey Robinson completed 25 of 28 passes for 322 yards and a touchdown to lead Troy in a 41-31 win over Navy on Saturday.
Navy wide receiver Brandon Turner was worried.
Everything was going according to plan in the fourth quarter Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Plebe quarterback Keenan Reynolds had racked up 268 total yards and three touchdowns. The Midshipmen were up 24-10 against Florida Atlantic. Bowl eligibility was all but guaranteed. Then Reynolds' left elbow was bent awkwardly on a tackle near midfield. He played out the rest of the game and guided Navy to a 24-17 win.
Keenan Reynolds rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two more, and Navy had a season-high 563 total yards in a 56-28 rout of East Carolina on Saturday.
Maryland's quarterback options were whittled further Thursday when the school announced sophomore Devin Burns suffered a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, leaving true freshman Caleb Rowe as the only remaining scholarship option.
