They say necessity is the mother of invention. That somewhat explains how Navy came to change its defensive philosophy during the off-season, dramatically altering the job description of a standard position within its 3-4 alignment.
Starting outside linebacker Josiah Powell battled injuries last season and wound up missing five games. After trying a couple different replacements, defensive coordinator Dale Pehrson gave converted safety Justin Norton a shot at spot known as “striker.”
Norton proved a real revelation, starting four of the final five games and performing extremely well. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder made his first collegiate start against East Carolina and responded with a career-high eight tackles.