On paper, Navy is very thin at cornerback. The Midshipmen have a pair of returning starters in Deshaun Peele and Andrew Duhart, but behind them are a bunch of youngsters that have never played a down of varsity college football.
Cornerbacks coach Robert Green is not worried because he has Mbiti Williams as an insurance policy and a pair of rising sophomores he feels confident will be ready by the time the Aug. 31 season opener against Bucknell rolls around.
“I like our development and I like where we’re headed. I think we’ve shown some great promise as a group,” Green said toward the end of spring camp. “Peele and Duhart have shown themselves to be veterans who have been through the fire. We have some young guys who are very talented and have really stepped up.”
Peele, who’s made nine career starts, is the only rising senior and the clear leader of the unit. The Norfolk, Virginia, native emerged in the second half of his sophomore season and showed he could be a playmaker, recording six tackles against Notre Dame.
Peele was probably Navy’s most reliable corner last season and earned honorable mention All-American Athletic Conference after tying for the team lead with four interceptions and five pass breakups.
“Deshaun is a quiet individual who leads by example. He doesn’t talk a whole bunch, but when he does people listen,” Green said. “Deshaun owns the room and everyone knows who the alpha is. He will pull guys to the side and make sure the standard is kept high.”
Duhart started 10 of 12 games last season and steadily developed into a solid performer, finishing with 35 tackles. The product of Trinity Episcopal school in Richmond, Virginia, had two tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and two pass breakups.
Playing cornerback against all the dangerous wide receivers in the American Athletic Conference involved a bit of on-the-job training for Duhart, who got into eight games as a member of special teams as a plebe.
“Andrew was just a young pup going into last season. He was trying to figure out whether he could play in this conference,” Green said. “Getting into games early on and testing the waters really boosted his confidence. He realized he could play at this level.”
Duhart’s first snaps as a cornerback came during the season opener against Notre Dame and he readily acknowledges it was “a bit of a shock to the system.” He replaced Elias Larry as the starter at field corner in the second game of the season and was much more comfortable by mid-November.
Green saw a much more confident Duhart during spring drills and believes that will translate to more interceptions and pass breakups this coming season.
“I want Andrew to challenge himself more because he has the ability. I want him to trust his training and be more aggressive with challenging routes and have tighter coverage,” Green said.
Duhart said confidence comes from perfecting fundamentals and refining techniques. A season’s worth of experience has enabled him to recognize routes faster, which leads to improved positioning. He spent the spring working to become a more well-rounded corner and a better leader so he could help Peele mentor the sophomores and freshmen.
“I would like to improve my ball skills going into next season, but that doesn’t mean I’m chasing any numbers. The plays will come when they come,” Duhart said. “As long as I get my skill set better and get my eyes better and get better at reading my keys, I’ll put myself in position to make more plays for sure.”
Williams was listed as the backup at both cornerback spots by the end of last season with Larry listed third. That was problematic because Williams was Navy’s starter at the bandit safety position.
Larry has since transferred to Colorado State, leaving Williams as the only other player on the roster with playing experience. Williams started 10 games at field corner as a sophomore before being switched to safety prior to last season.
“Mbiti is always there and is still one of the better corners we have,” Green said.
Green is also excited about rising sophomore Greg Johnson II and Ira Oniha, who came out of spring practice listed No. 2 on the depth chart at the respective cornerback positions.
“This spring, Greg and Ira have proven themselves worthy of going out and running the defense. They are both extremely athletic and have the length we like,” Green said. “They are very aggressive and want to man up every time. They’re both physical and will hit you.”
Duhart likes the energy and enthusiasm Johnson and Oniha bring to the practice field and believes they will provide the depth Navy needs after gaining a better grasp of the defensive system during August training camp.
Johnson, who was recruited as a safety, stood out during spring camp as a defender who relished thumping receivers that strayed into his area. “Greg definitely brings that edge of a safety — hard-hitting, come downhill and knock you back type of mentality,” Duhart said.
Two other rising sophomores — Amel Heathington and Bryce Allen — are currently third on the depth chart. Duhart believes his classmate Kenneth Hall, who has battled injuries throughout his brief two-year career, can become a contributor if healthy.
Green said performance on special teams will provide a barometer for what cornerbacks are ready to play on defense in 2024.
“We use special teams to get these guys ready for when we need them. Special teams allow them to have a one-play snapshot of the speed of the game. There is also a competitive factor because you have to beat someone one-on-one,” Green said.
New Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic has introduced a wide array of passing concepts, which have challenged the cornerbacks. Cronic’s “millennial” version of Wing-T offense relies on deception and misdirection and with changing formations and motions to confuse the defense.
“What Coach Cronic has brought to the table has forced [the cornerbacks] to have disciplined eyes. You have to be really honed in to reading your keys,” Green said. “He’s giving us some offensive sets that puts us in man coverage a lot of the time. We’re getting better as coverage corners simply because of this new offense.”
Green was a three-year starter at cornerback for Navy from 1995-97 and is now in his ninth season coaching cornerbacks for the Midshipmen. The retired Marine Corps officer said the greatest challenge is identifying players that can handle the mental aspect of the position.
“Cornerback is arguably one of the hardest positions in all of football. The athleticism and discipline needed requires a special mindset,” Green said. “A player has to develop the confidence to line up on an island in a one-on-one situation with the opposing team’s best athletes and win. One misstep can be the difference between a touchdown and an interception.”