ANNAPOLIS, Md. — From the moment he arrived at the Naval Academy, Ricky Dobbs was touted as a potential star in the football team’s triple-option attack.

The time has come for the junior quarterback to make good on that assessment.
After providing a glimpse of his potential last year, Dobbs will be counted on to run the offense and lead the Midshipmen to a seventh consecutive winning season.
Last season, Dobbs played occasionally in relief and started only one game, yet finished third on the team with 495 yards rushing and second in scoring with eight touchdowns. That came after a spectacular debut, when he replaced injured Jarod Bryant against SMU and ran for 224 yards and four touchdowns.
He also ran for 124 yards in his first collegiate start, a victory over Northern Illinois.
“There is something special about Ricky. Players, coaches, fans, they just love this kid,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “I think our team will rally around Ricky as our leader.”
Dobbs is a powerful runner with speed, and his strong arm makes him a legitimate double threat. Navy hasn’t had a decent passing attack in years, but this season could be different.
Offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper is talking about throwing the ball downfield more often to prevent opponents from loading up to stop the run, an idea that Dobbs has readily embraced.
“I would love to throw the ball on every down,” Dobbs said.
Navy graduated seven starters on offense, including Eric Kettani, who rushed for 1,862 yards and 14 touchdowns as the starting fullback, and slot back Shun White, who ran for 1,092 yards. Tyree Barnes was the go-to receiver in 2008 with 20 receptions for 400 yards.
Alexander Teich, who won the starting fullback job in the spring, had only seven carries last season. The slot back position is still up for grabs, and Niumatalolo hopes Mario Washington will take over for the departed Barnes as the main receiver.
“We do have some question marks on offense. We don’t have the big, bruising fullback that we’ve had in the past with guys like Kyle Eckel, Adam Ballard and Eric Kettani. We don’t have a slot back with breakaway speed like a Reggie Campbell or Shun White,” Niumatalolo said. “We have players with ability that can get the job done, but they need to go out there and produce.”
Navy fielded the nation’s most improved scoring defense in 2008, allowing 14.4 points per game fewer than the previous season. That unit should be even better this season because seven starters return, along with several important backups.
There was concern that Navy might slip after head coach Paul Johnson departed for Georgia Tech, but that hasn’t happened. Niumatalolo, Johnson’s longtime assistant and triple-option disciple, last year guided the Midshipmen to their sixth straight bowl berth.
More importantly, Navy beat Army and Air Force to capture the coveted Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the sixth consecutive season.
This year, however, will be even more of a challenge. Eight teams on the schedule played in bowl games last season, including Ohio State, Navy’s opponent in the opener on Sept. 5.
Navy also plays Nov. 28 at Hawaii, which also participated in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.