Six Navy Football Players Named Preseason All-AAC in National Magazine

The Navy Midshipmen have six players on Lindy’s Sports’ all-American Athletic Conference preseason team, released recently.

The publication hit newsstands earlier this month. The publication picked the Midshipmen to win the AAC this season.

Navy went 10-3 last season, concluding the campaign with a victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Armed Forces Bowl. The season was Navy’s sixth with at least 10 wins and fell one win short of their 11-wins seasons in 2015 and 2019.

More news: Navy Water Polo Star Earns Spot on Prestigious USA Junior National Roster

Navy Players on Lindy’s Sports all-AAC Preseason Team

Quarterback Blake Horvath, wide receiver Eli Heidenreich, defensive lineman Landon Robinson and defensive back Andrew Duhart. Running back Alex Tecza and offensive lineman Ben Purvis were on the second team.

Horvath will be a huge key for the Midshipmen. Horvath emerged as the starter last year and put together a year that helped the Midshipmen win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

He rushed for 1,246 yards and 17 touchdowns and throw for 1,353 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He threw for the 10th most yards in program history. He also became the third quarterback in Navy history to rush and pass for more than 1,200 yards in the same season.

More news: Navy Football’s Stock in American Athletic Conference Title Race Rises

Heidenreich caught six touchdown passes, which tied him for the most in Navy history in a single season. He was also Navy’s first receiver with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games in a decade. He finished the season with 39 receptions for 671 yards and six scores. He also rushed for 444 yards and three touchdowns.

Robinson was named an all-AAC first-team nose guard last year. He finished the season with 61 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, seven quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. He was part of the Midshipmen’s defensive effort that ended Army quarterback Bryson Daily’s program record of 10 straight games with 100 or more rushing yards.

Duhart returns after he finished last season with 29 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had four pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He has started nearly all of Navy’s games the past two seasons.

More news: Air Force Football Projected for Bounce-Back Season in Mountain West

Tecza was Navy’s second-leading rusher with 576 yards and 8 touchdowns on 125 carries and the third-leading receiver with 229 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 catches. Purvis was an all-AAC honorable mention last season.  

2025 Navy Football Schedule

Date, Time, Opponent (TV)

(all times local)

Aug. 30: vs. VMI, 12 p.m., CBSSN

Sept. 6: vs. UAB*, 3:30 p.m., CBSSN

Sept. 13: at Tulsa*, 8 p.m., ESPN+

Sept. 27: vs. Rice*, 3:30 p.m., CBSSN

Oct. 4: vs. Air Force, 12 p.m., CBS

Oct. 11: at Temple*, TBA, TV TBA

Oct. 25: vs. FAU*, 3:30 p.m., CBSSN

Nov. 1: at North Texas*, TBA, TV TBA

Nov. 8: at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Nov. 15: vs. USF*, 12 p.m., ESPN Family

Nov. 27: at Memphis*, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Dec. 13: vs. Army West Point, 3 p.m., CBS

(note: Army-Navy game at Baltimore, Md.)

(if Navy qualifies for AAC title game, it will be played Friday, Dec. 5, at site of higher seed)

For More Navy Coverage, Head to Armed Forces Sports On SI