Navy promotes defensive coordinator Newberry to replace Niumatalolo

Navy promoted defensive coordinator Brian Newberry to head coach to replace the fired Ken Niumatalolo, the football program announced Monday afternoon. 

Newberry has been Navy’s defensive coordinator since 2019, leading a unit that has been the strength of a struggling program. 

“It is a great honor and privilege to lead this program,” Newberry said in a statement. “It is a great responsibility that I fully accept and embrace. I could not be more excited and optimistic about the future of Navy football.”

The head coaching job was open after Niumatalolo’s surprise firing. Niumatalolo ended his 15-year tenure as the winningest coach in Navy history with 109 wins, but the Midshipmen went 4-8 this season for a third straight underwhelming season. 

Newberry played college football at Baylor in the 1990s. He previously was the defensive coordinator at Kennesaw State, Northern Michigan, the University of the South and Washington & Lee. 

Newberry’s best season arguably came in 2019, when Navy’s defense led the Midshipmen to an 11-2 record and a Liberty Bowl win. Navy’s defense ranked No. 16 in the nation that season, including No. 10 against the run. Newberry, now the 40th coach in Navy history, was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award in 2019 for the top assistant in college football. 

Despite going 4-8 this season, the Midshipmen were sixth in the nation against the run and finished 20th in sacks, 22nd in fumble recoveries and 30th in total defense. 

“Coach Newberry is respected and was highly endorsed by many within the Navy football family,” Gladchuk said. “Brian is organized, innovative, intelligent, inspirational and brings an expectation of competitive toughness that has made Navy one of the top defensive units in the nation.

“Often there comes a time in the careers of highly-accomplished coaches in our profession when documented credibility aligns with logical leadership opportunity and Coach Newberry’s time is now.”

Niumatalolo was fired by Gladchuk shortly after his team’s overtime loss to Army on Dec. 10 — a decision that surprised the longtime coach. 

“First of all, we just got kicked in the gut,” Niumatalolo told ESPN last week. “I was a little bit numb prior to him saying that, so most of it I couldn’t comprehend. I’m just like, ‘Chet, why don’t you take some time to relax.’ He said, ‘Well, it’s been building up.’”

Since 2020, Navy is 11-23, and the Midshipmen are 4-10 against Air Force and Army over the last 14 matchups. Niumatalolo said that COVID-19 played a significant impact on his program’s struggles over the last three years. 

“And if we lose next year, don’t worry about firing me. I’ll resign,” Niumatalolo said about wanting to finish out his contract. “You don’t have to pay me a cent. I’m not looking for a raise, I’m not looking for anything. I just want to finish my contract. We’re finally coming out of the pandemic. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. I thought we stood for something different.”

Gladchuk said Niumatalolo was fired for his team not meeting the program’s expectations. 

“There’s no confusion with regard to what the expectations are,” Gladchuk said. “And I think they’re realistic. They’re reasonable. They’re attainable. They’re expected. They’re resourced. I can’t make it any clearer.”

This article is based in part on wire service reports.