Ford Higgins began his Navy football career like many service academy linemen: lightly-recruited, undersized and relegated to the scout team his freshman season. He didn’t play a varsity snap in 2016.
But unlike many Navy, Army and Air Force O-linemen that hope to develop their potential by their junior or senior season, Higgins jumped into the playing rotation his sophomore year. He played 10 games, including one start.
Two seasons later he’s a senior making his 20th career start and 19th straight at center as Navy (5-1, 3-1 AAC West) faces Tulane (5-2, 2-1 AAC West) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium.
“I’ve been fortunate and very blessed,” said Higgins, recruited out of Greater Atlanta Christian as a 6-foot-2, 240-pound tackle. “I was on the scout team as a freshman like a lot of freshmen, and I was just happy to be here. Then spring ball came around before my sophomore year, and the coaches took a liking to my speed and athleticism that I showed.”
Higgins has emerged as the Ford engine that powers a Navy offense leading the nation in rushing with 345.0 yards a game. The driver is a “Hot Rod” Lincoln, quarterback Malcolm Perry, the team’s leading rusher at 132.0.
Navy is scoring 37.3 points a game, even though Higgins was the only returning full-time starter up front. Senior left tackle Kendel Wright and senior left guard David Forney both opened the season with three career starts, while junior right tackle Peter Nestrowitz and junior right tackle Billy Honaker made their first career starts in the opener.
Although Higgins missed his sophomore season’s last two games with a broken ankle, that was only a temporary setback. By spring ball entering his junior year, head coach Ken Niumatalolo had ticketed him at center. There was an opening with the graduation of Parker Wade.
“I had never played center, but I was happy to play where coach thought was best for me,” Higgins said. “Parker taught me a lot of the ins and outs. Fortunately I was able to stay healthy last year, but by no means coming into this season did I think I had arrived. There is so much more to learn, even for starters. I’m still trying to get better for our last few games.”
Navy is on path to play beyond the regular season, unlike last year when the Midshipmen struggled to a 3-10 overall record (the 13th game was from playing at Hawaii as the NCAA permits).
Navy is only one win shy of bowl eligibility and still is in the running for the AAC West title, which would place the Midshipmen in the conference championship game. SMU (7-0, 3-0) leads the West, with Navy, Tulane and Memphis (6-1, 2-1) all one game back in the loss column.
“Obviously, we have a special player behind me at quarterback,” Higgins said. “Malcolm is a smart guy and has been dedicated to learning the offense. The coaches have put together great plans. We’re not surprised by what we see (from the defense). We’re able to adjust. We’ve got great football minds putting our play makers in the right spot for the moment.”
Higgins says his smooth transition to the academy lifestyle and breaking into the lineup was aided by senior outside linebacker Paul Carothers, a teammate since they played football together in middle school and at Greater Atlanta Christian.
“I didn’t know much about the Naval Academy until he got me in touch with the coaches,” Higgins said. “I saw it’s a special place. A top tier education and the chance to serve your country is hard to beat. “
At the start of the season, Carothers was voted one of four team captains along with Higgins, Perry and Nizaire Cromartie, even though Carothers is a backup.
“Paul is a special guy,” Higgins said. “He’s very confident and very strong in his values. You can hear it in his words that he cares about everyone else, and he shows it in his actions. It’s hard not to follow him with the confidence he carries. It’s contagious. I’ve been blessed to know him longer than the rest of these guys.”
Higgins manages to make the most out of his time, whether it’s with friends, teammates or earning his spot in the offensive line as a sophomore.
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Tom Shanahan, Author: Raye of Light http://tinyurl.com/knsqtqu
— Book on Michigan State’s leading role in the integration of college football. It explains Duffy Daugherty’s untold pioneering role and debunks myths that steered recognition away from him to Bear Bryant.
http://shanahan.report/a/the-case-for-duffy-and-medal-of-freedom
Don’t believe the myths at Duffy Daugherty’s expense about Bear Bryant’s motivation to play the 1970 USC-Alabama game or myths about the Charlie Thornhill-for-Joe Namath trade. Bear Bryant knew nothing about black talent in the South while he dragged his feet on segregation.
http://www.shanahan.report/a/forty-four-underground-railroad-legacy-facts
http://shanahan.report/a/myths-that-grew-out-of-1970-alabama-game-with-usc
http://shanahan.report/a/mystery-solved-in-thornhill-and-namath-myth
David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize winner and biographer; “History writes people out of the story. It’s our job to write them back in.”
https://www.augustpublications.com/
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