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    • Navy QB Blake Horvath learned the trade playing high school football in Ohio
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    Navy QB Blake Horvath learned the trade playing high school football in Ohio

    Kathleen William Posted on

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    Former Hilliard Darby standout Blake Horvath led the Navy football team to a 6-0 start and has managed to balance running a complex offense with fulfilling his academic and service responsibilities as a Naval Academy student.

    The eyes of the nation will be on Horvath on Saturday when the No. 24 Midshipmen face No. 12 Notre Dame (6-1) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The game will take place at 12 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC.

    After being named Navy's starting quarterback as a sophomore last October, Horvath was sidelined for the season after breaking the thumb on his non-throwing left hand on Oct. 7 against North Texas.

    But the 2022 Darby graduate, who had nothing to fear as a freshman, never lost faith during his recovery. After a solid spring, he posted impressive numbers in Navy's new hybrid offense that combines elements of the Wing-T, triple option and spread option.

    “I’ve grown a lot in a lot of different ways,” Horvath said. “The biggest journey was just managing a college football team. It's very different than high school. I have to operate things. The biggest person who showed me that is my quarterback coach, Ivin Jasper. He kind of took me along and taught me a lot of things. … It’s been a journey, but I’m trying to make the most of it and enjoy it.”

    Horvath completed 46 of 72 passes for 888 yards and 10 touchdowns with one interception. He also carried for a team-high 621 yards and 10 touchdowns on 79 carries.

    His success has made him a midseason candidate for the Heisman Trophy, the award given to the country's best player.

    “Blake has been a great player for us and has been a huge part of our success this year,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “More importantly, he is just a great young man and embodies everything that the Naval Academy values ​​and embodies, and he is a great leader for us. He's a super smart kid, a great teammate. He inspires the boys around him and there can’t be enough good things to say about Blake.”

    Hilliard Darby set Horvath up for success in the Navy

    Horvath received an introduction to the Navy's offense by leading Darby's version of the Wing-T. He set Darby program records for rushing touchdowns in a season (28) and career (49), career touchdowns (57) and rushing yards in a season (1,722).

    “It kind of created a level of comfort on offense,” Horvath said. “Often it is difficult to learn the option and different things. It takes a lot of time, so it was great for me that I already had the basics and knowledge of how to work in this system. The biggest thing I had to do was develop as a passer.”

    Darby coach John Santagata was confident Horvath would excel at Navy.

    “He understands the options component of what they do,” Santagata said. “The inside curve, the center lines, the center line triples and the other things under center, he's been doing (those things) since he was a seventh-grader. This has allowed them to take it to the next level and use other tricks like the shotgun to make the offense even more difficult to defend.”

    Horvath's experience and skills helped Navy score 44.8 points per game.

    “Blake has a really good ability to do the things we do under center, read it and make the right reads and get the ball dealt,” Newberry said. “Then he can pick up the gun and be a pro-style quarterback as well. That’s what makes him so good.”

    For Horvath from the Navy, family is important

    Horvath's parents, Alan and Laura, have attended numerous Navy games. Laura also continues a tradition she started when her son played at Heritage Middle School, baking brownies, cookies and other treats for the team.

    Their only wish is that offensive linemen get first prize at desserts.

    “I just feel like the offensive line is the most important person on the team and gets little to no credit for it,” she said. “They're very selfless and I've just always been – I give treats, but you always have to put your linemen first and make them feel like the important people that they are.”

    Blake Horvath showcased the baked goods during a Zoom call with the media on Wednesday.

    “She’s one of the greatest bakers I’ve ever met,” he said. “Maybe I’m a little biased. She's been doing this for a long time because I've played quarterback my whole life. So if I stay healthy, she wants to show her appreciation to the linemen.”

    Laura is also impressed with how her son has juggled his Naval Academy and football responsibilities.

    “He’s a very determined person,” she said. “When he has a goal, I have never seen him fail to achieve the goal he set for himself.”

    Horvath has a 3.53 in Operations Research. He was a member of the National Honor Society at Darby.

    Horvath is looking forward to the challenge of facing Notre Dame. His parents will be present.

    “It's really huge to be a part of a meaningful game against Notre Dame that has a lot of implications,” he said. “A big thing for Coach Newberry and the team this year is we want to be relevant. They don't want to be another game that Notre Dame has to play, another game that everyone has to play. You want to be a game that’s relevant to the national importance of college football, so we’re really excited as a team.”

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    Kathleen William
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