Back to the Navy Midshipmen Newsfeed

Navy football will begin full-contact practicing in wake of blowout loss to BYU

In the wake of Monday night’s 55-3 beatdown at the hands of Brigham Young University, coach Ken Niumatalolo has decidedNavy will start practicing live in preparation for its American Athletic Conference opener at Tulane Sept. 19.

“We’re going to practice normally. Touch football is over. Hitting bags is over,” Niumatalolo declared during a virtual news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Niumatalolo spoke to medical professionals at the Naval Academy to get their opinion about holding live practices. Since the season has started, Navy football will now test twice a week, and that factored into the 13th-year head coach’s decision.