Navy has second consecutive game postponed because of coronavirus

Neither this past weekend’s game against Tulsa nor the Memphis matchup has been canceled, but Navy doesn’t share an open date with either team. The conference still hopes to reschedule those games.

Navy’s game against Memphis was slated to be senior day, the final home game of the season. The Midshipmen have just two scheduled games remaining — at South Florida on Nov. 21 and against Army on Dec. 12, a game moved to West Point, N.Y., after fan restrictions in Philadelphia prompted the academies to adjust to allow for cadets and midshipmen to attend.

“It hurts a little bit; definitely been some sad moments,” Kinley said about an hour before the postponement. “Some frustrating moments. … Just trying to be as optimistic as possible and focus on the things I can control.

“It’s like, ‘Was [the Oct. 24 game against] Houston my last game in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium?’ Those are the kind of things you try not to think about, but they can’t help but leak into your mind. It just teaches you to be grateful for every opportunity that you get and learn to treat it like your last because you don’t know what’s to come in the future.”

“It’s a coach’s cliche, but it really is true: You control the controllables,” said Coach Ken Niumatalolo, who also spoke before the postponement. “You don’t worry about the past. You don’t worry about the future. You just worry about where you’re at right now. … This is a different year for our world. People walking around in masks. … The whole world’s on lockdown.

“There’s no sense in me getting frustrated. Whatever the information we get, we do the best we can in trying to prepare our team. That’s where we’re at right now. My mind-set hasn’t changed as a coach — just keep pressing forward.”

The situation is certainly not unique to Navy. The SEC is dealing with outbreaks at several programs, and 10 Football Bowl Subdivision games were either canceled or postponed this past week. The University of Wisconsin has canceled two games and reported 27 active cases last week. Sports Illustrated reported that there has been a 14.7 percent postponement/cancellation rate for games this season.

There are additional factors at Navy, however. Its seniors typically aren’t going to the NFL and military service awaits, so senior day is a very big deal. Games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium have been limited to midshipmen, so no parents have been able to attend. Some have lined up outside the stadium to wave at the team as it arrives, and many attended the road games at East Carolina and SMU for the opportunity to see their sons play in person.

“It’s hard. Everybody wants to play,” Niumatalolo said. “You work so hard. Our seniors, this is it for them. It’s not like there’s the NFL. They want to finish their senior year off. You want to play every game. You work really hard in the offseason. You lift, you run, you train. To get games pulled out from you, that’s hard.

“We found early on that depression, anxiety, all those mental health issues are real deals. … The mental health was a real deal with our players, with society. Early on we were dealing with a lot of that and trying to build people’s spirits. It’s tough right now. Everybody wants to play. … But physical safety’s first.”