Navy returns three quarterbacks who started at least one game at the position last year, as quarterback Malcolm Perry became one of two players in NCAA FBS history to rush for 100 or more yards as a quarterback and a running back in the same season (joining Michigan’s Denard Robinson). Fullback Anthony Gargiulo rushed for 423 yards and three touchdowns and is expected to take over as the primary fullback in 2018. Wide receiver Zach Abey was the Midshipmen’s starting quarterback last season, but moves to wide reciever for 2018 to maximize Navy’s production on offense. Abey rushed for 1,413 yards and 19 touchdowns. Abey and Perry (1,182 yards) gave Navy two 1,000-yard rushers for the third time in school history last year.

Navy returns six starters from a defense that faced five of the top 24 scoring offenses in 2017 and held all but one below its season average. Safety Sean Williams finished second on the team with 76 tackles and had an interception and four pass breakups last season. Defensive tackle Jackson Pittman and defensive end Jarvis Polu anchors the Navy defensive line as returning starters. Pittman had 20 tackles last year, while Polu finished with 32 stops, including 3.0 tackles for loss. Hudson Sullivan is the lone returning starter at linebacker.

Navy is a combined 18-6 in American Athletic Conference regular-season games since joining the conference. Only USF (19) has won more conference games in that span. Navy has not lost to a team that finished with a losing record in the last five years.