Dave Carey, The Examiner
2008-08-04 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

Annapolis -

Navy senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada was recognized as one of the top signal callers in the country when he was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Watch List.

The award is presented annually to the top quarterback in the country at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December.

But don’t worry about the honor going to Kaheaku-Enhada’s head.

“I don’t even know what that is,” he said with a laugh when he was told about the list. “I hope it’s not for my passing.”

Kaheaku-Enhada rushed for 834 yards with 12 touchdowns on 180 carriers and completed 55-of-98 passes for 952 yards with eight touchdowns against just five interceptions last season. For his career, Kaheaku-Enhada is ranked second in Navy history in total offense per play (5.9 yards) and seventh in career rushing touchdowns (22). Other players on the watch list include Colt McCoy (Texas), Pat White (West Virginia) and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow (Florida).

With Kaheaku-Enhada running the offense, Navy averaged 39.9 points and 444.6 yards per game last season en route to leading the country in rushing (351.5 yards per game) for an NCAA record third straight season and fourth time in the past five years.

Navy has won the past five Commander In-Chief’s Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the annual winner of the football competition among Army, Air Force and Navy. Navy also has played in five straight bowl games, losing the Poinsettia Bowl, 35-32, to Utah last season en route to finishing 8-5.

“I can see the look in our guys’ eyes and we are hungry,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. We have a lot of people that have something to prove. We have a lot of things as a team we want to prove to people, but you have to work.”

dcarey@baltimoreexaminer.com