ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Brian Newberry has run onto football fields for his entire life. He has never run onto a football field like this.
"Some days I come to work I pinch myself," he said.
It’s all systems go for spring practices. For the first time Newberry is leading a program. He is the new head coach of the Navy Midshipmen.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be sitting in this chair," said the 49-year-old.
He is prepared.
"I’ve bounced around a lot of different places. I’ve coached Division II, Division III, FCS (Football Championship Subdivision), worn a lot of different hats. I’ve coached on both sides of the football. I’ve kind of come up the hard way so-to-speak. I’ve had a lot of experience. I learned from a lot of great ones."
One of the men he has learned from is his former boss, Ken Niumatalolo, who was fired following the loss to Army in December. Niumatalolo left Navy as the winningest head coach in program history. Newberry was his defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.
"It’s tough to follow in those footsteps," said Newberry. "I don’t know if I’d be as prepared, certainly as I am now, if it wasn’t for the last four years with him and underneath him. I learned a ton from him."
Newberry said much of the Niumatalolo culture will remain while he’ll add his own spin. Also remaining is running the option on offense. For Newberry there’s no option for how he is approaching his new task at the Academy.
"The most important thing is just to be myself every day and not try to be something I’m not. I think the players appreciate that. I’m not Ken Niumatalolo. I wish I was a lot more like him in a lot of ways. But, I’m Brian Newberry and I’m going to do things the way I think they need to be done."
As for what it’s going to be like the first time he leads his Mids onto the field for the greatest rivalry in college football, the Army-Navy game, Newberry said he hasn’t thought a lot about it just yet. He added it is "a huge game for us. One we’re going to win."
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
