{"id":116132,"date":"2017-12-06T16:07:04","date_gmt":"2017-12-06T16:07:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/12\/06\/navy-footballs-niumatalolo-his-success-speaks-for-itself\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:06:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:06:56","slug":"navy-footballs-niumatalolo-his-success-speaks-for-itself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/off-duty\/2017\/12\/06\/navy-footballs-niumatalolo-his-success-speaks-for-itself\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy football’s Niumatalolo: ‘His success speaks for itself’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ANNAPOLIS, Md. \u2014 Ken Niumatalolo has made Navy the football king of service academies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niumatalolo is the first coach in the history of the Army-Navy rivalry<\/a> to win his first eight games. He has grounded Air Force in four of the last six years and is 14-5 lifetime against his two biggest rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If those were his only accomplishments, it would be quite enough. Now in his 10th season at Navy, Niumatalolo has beaten Notre Dame three times, guided Navy into the Top 25 in each of the last three seasons and walked the sideline in nine bowl games (winning four).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis success speaks for itself,\u201d senior co-captain Darryl Bonner said. \u201cHe tells us he knows how to win, and he\u2019s proven it. We just follow his lead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niumatalolo didn\u2019t invent the triple option.<\/a> He merely perfected it. The unique offensive weapon, along with his hands-on leadership, make Niumatalolo attractive to schools with much more money and better facilities than Navy. He receives around $2 million annually, far more than Jeff Monken at Army and Air Force\u2019s Troy Calhoun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always told this to people: If there\u2019s an offer, I\u2019ll listen,\u201d Niumatalolo said. \u201cThis is America. You listen for opportunities. If there\u2019s an offer that\u2019s better for me and my family, well, my family comes first. I\u2019ve listened to these offers, but I have a great job. You look at these other places, and you realize that coaching at the United States Naval Academy is a great blessing. I coach great kids. I love living in Annapolis. The grass isn\u2019t always greener.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His predecessor, Paul Johnson, left for Georgia Tech. Niumatalolo had an interview with Brigham Young in 2015, but ultimately decided to stay put.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told him that I didn\u2019t think BYU was a better job than Navy,\u201d athletic director Chet Gladchuk said. \u201cThe United States Naval Academy is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. We have unparalleled support in the area in which we exist. And you\u2019re dealing with the highest quality of human beings on the planet Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a school designed to breed leaders, Niumatalolo is right up there with the best of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most important thing coach Niumatalolo has done is teach us to be better men,\u201d linebacker and co-captain D.J. Palmore said. \u201cHe always emphasizes our life outside of football and after football. He makes sure we do the right thing, and he\u2019s always got our back. I appreciate that, because I don\u2019t think I would have gotten that at another school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonner was recruited by North Carolina State, but chose Navy. After playing under Niumatalolo for four years, the slot back knows he made the right decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFootball is a rough sport. You\u2019re hitting all the time,\u201d Bonner said. \u201cBut what is really deep-rooted in this team, the foundation, is love. Just being out there with your brothers. You don\u2019t get that at other schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s tough to recruit at Navy, mainly because life after football means fulfilling a military commitment. Niumatalolo understands this , and uses it in his pitch to prospective athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur biggest selling point is not about the next four years, but the next 40 years,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about career opportunities. It\u2019s about getting one of the best educations in the world at the premier leadership institution in the world, and also playing big-time football. That\u2019s our sell: Prepare yourself for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t