Last season the Naval Academy men’s team played roughly one game a month during the fall to stay sharp and keep tat competitive edge before the serious business of the spring - this year it’s a little different.

Having graduated 12 seniors, Head Coach Mike Flanagan has a fairly young squad to prepare for 2016 and so has his Midshipmen playing almost every week through October. Their first game was Saturday, a 57-29 over a fairly young Dartmouth team. 

No. 8 Nick Marmareanu scored three tries for Navy and Cole Merki had two - the young flanker showing some smart play as he moves to the first team.

“We have some work to do but I am excited about our young crew,” said Flanagan.

Navy won the game despite playing a couple of players out of position, and resting some players who are hoping to enter Navy SEAL training, and need to be fit for screening later this fall.

“Dartmouth have some speed and they showed real bravery in the second half,” he added, but it was really all Navy’s day. Flanagan, however, did have kind words for Dartmouth Coach Gavin Hickie, who, with his work with the All American team, seemed to light a fire in Marmareanu who has started the season ablaze.

So that’s Job #1 done for Navy, and Job #2 is even harder, as Air Force zooms in Friday night for the first round of the Commander-in-Chief Trophy, the round-robin between Air Force, Army, and Navy. The Zoomies will play Army this fall, as well, and Army and Navy will play in March.

After that Notre Dame and Maryland face Navy, and then there’s a likely ACRC Bowl Series game. And there may be another game, too.

“We have more games, because we need it,” said Flanagan.