Navy Notes: Concussions in the spotlight

With the team preparing to take on San Jose State (someone is racking up the air miles) here are a few items of note, with opinions built in, from the news wire.

Jonathan Wev calls it quits

Navy suffered a blow this week when it was revealed that cornerback Jonathan Wev has had to retire due to suffering the third concussion of his career. Wev started the game against VMI but only lasted a quarter or so before being taken from the field and not returning. Not only is this the third concussion of Wev's career, it is also his second of the season as he went down with the same injury in the opener against Notre Dame.

Opinion - This is awful news for both the team and the player, but it is the right decision for the playing career to end at this point. Despite what they would have you believe the long term effects of continual concussions are still something of a mystery to those in the medical world. Wev is by all accounts a solid student and sometimes in life you just have to realize that growing old and having a future are more important than football.

Fleming is the man at center

Navy has gone through four different centers so far this year, but now it looks like the Mids have finally found their man. Sophomore Tanner Fleming has done enough both on the practice field and in game situations to prove to coaches that he is the best option and you get the feeling from listening to those involved that they Fleming stepping up is just what they have been waiting for. Tanner needs to be the starting center," assistant coach Ashley Ingram said. "He's the best center we've got here. As far as knocking people off the ball, maybe the most talented center we've ever had since I've been here."

Opinion - It is impossible to overestimate the importance of the center position in the triple option attack. Though the role has gained more prominence in recent years (in large part due to the Jeff Saturday/Peyton Manning dynamic with the Indianapolis Colts) it is still seen as one of those dark arts positions by many. For a Navy center to be effective he has to be strong enough to hold the point of attack on fullback dives yet nimble enough to get out and lead on sweep and option plays. Fleming fits the body type for this thankless role perfectly and has the smarts to back them up. If he is on the field the Navy offense is better for it.