Week 4: Blake Horvath, Navy

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photo courtesy navy athletics

United States Naval Academy quarterback Blake Horvath has been named the DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Player of the Week for the second time this season after yet another sensational performance lifted the Midshipmen to a most impressive victory.

Horvath, a junior who won the starting job in the preseason, was masterful as he completed 9 of 12 passes for a career-high 192 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 12 times for a career-high 211 yards and four touchdowns as Navy beat American Athletic Conference preseason favorite Memphis, 56-44.

“I thought he was outstanding today – just his decision making, throwing the football on target and his ability to run,” Midshipmen Coach Brian Newberry said. “He can run -- that’s the most impressive thing with me. I didn’t know how effective a runner he was going to be and he’s been that. And his ability to get us in the right plays, to make the right decisions and run the offense. I’m blown away by his progress in a year. He’s playing at a really, really high level and he’s only going to get better.”

Horvath did not see any action as a freshman and played in four games last season, making one start. His first two starts this year were against Bucknell, which competed in the Football Championship Subdivision, and Temple, which has struggled recently in the AAC. Putting up big numbers against those teams was one thing, to do it against Memphis was another.

“I hope we have some believers now, I’ll say that,” said Horvath, who also caught a 13-yard pass. “With Temple and Bucknell, people were not 100 percent sure of what our offense could do. But we knew what we could do the whole time. Coming into this game, we didn’t want to be overzealous, but we had a lot of confidence with the playmakers that we have.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week College Honor Roll:

  • Maryland QB Billy Edwards Jr. (Lake Braddock) completed 28 of 32 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns as the Terrapins beat Villanova, 38-20.

  • Maryland WR Tai Felton (Stone Bridge) continued his torrid season, catching 14 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown as the Terrapins beat Villanova, 38-20.

  • Catholic QB Joey Gulbin, a graduate transfer from Fordham, completed 24 of 31 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals beat SUNY-Morrisville, 28-27.

  • Monmouth DB Deuce Lee (Gonzaga) made eight tackles and forced and recovered the game-clinching fumble in the final minute just outside the goal line as the Hawks beat Florida International, 45-42, for the first-ever win over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.

  • Rutgers DB Robert Longerbeam (T.C. Williams) made a team-high seven tackles and made the game-clinching interception as the Scarlet Knights beat Virginia Tech, 26-23.

  • Navy LB Colin Ramos made 20 tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack as the Midshipmen beat Memphis, 56-44.

  • James Madison WR Cam Ross (St. John’s) caught seven passes for 107 yards and one touchdown as the Dukes beat North Carolina, 70-50.

  • Bowie State DB Mekhi Williams (C.H. Flowers) made a team-high eight tackles with one tackle for loss and intercepted two passes as the Bulldogs beat Livingstone, 31-17.