Inside linebacker has been a critical position within the Navy defense ever since Buddy Green took over as coordinator in 2002 and installed a 3-4 alignment.
For the two decades since, the scheme employed by the Midshipmen has been designed to keep blockers off the two inside linebackers to allow them to fill gaps between the tackles and run sideline-to-sideline without interference.
An inside linebacker has led Navy in tackles 17 times since 2005. Colin Ramos continued the tradition by leading the team with 110 tackles last season on the way to earning the Tony Rubino Memorial Silver Helmet as Navy’s most outstanding player.
Ramos is the latest in a long line of outstanding players at the position and began his career playing alongside Diego Fagot, who led the Mids in tackles for three straight seasons.
Considering the recent history, it speaks volumes that Navy head coach Brian Newberry said this week that “I feel as good about our inside backers as I have since I’ve been here.” Current defensive coordinator P.J. Volker, who came to Navy along with Newberry in 2019, said the position is as deep as it’s been since they arrived.
Ramos, the senior defensive captain, returns to lead the unit and received high praise from Volker as someone who has set a new standard at inside linebacker, and brings unique intangibles to the position.
“We’ve been really fortunate since I’ve been here to have really talented inside linebackers that understand football and understand our schemes,” Volker said. “I think what separates Colin from everyone else I’ve coached is that everything is extremely important to him. Every rep in practice, every meeting, every film session… anything we do football-wise is detailed and important to him.”
Ramos burst onto the scene as a plebe, appearing in eight games and starting the final two of the 2021 season. The Don Bosco Prep product has now made 24 starts at the Will linebacker spot and amassed impressive career statistics — 198 tackles, 18 ½ tackles for loss, six sacks and five forced fumbles.
Although undersized for the position at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Ramos is difficult to block due to a combination of speed, quickness and surprising strength.
“I just love the way Colin Ramos plays football. He’s extremely physical and violent. He’s also as instinctual a linebacker as I’ve ever coached,” Volker said. “Colin can slip a block, but he’s also really sudden with his block destruction as well. He’s going to do everything in his power to win his one-on-one matchup on every play.”
Volker described Ramos, who was a first team All-American Athletic Conference selection last season, as a technician whose fundamentals are flawless.
“Colin plays with great eye discipline and sees things very well. He takes great angles and eliminates all the false steps,” Volker said. “He has the mental discipline to stay focused on the details for every down for three hours. He does everything you try to coach in terms of the mentality piece of things and sets the tone for the entire defense in terms of approach. He practices like it’s fourth-and-one on every single rep and that’s infectious.”
Navy needs to replace Will Harbour, the team’s second-leading tackler in 2023, at the other starting inside linebacker spot. As good as Harbour was last season, Volker and Newberry believe there will be no drop off in production because senior Kyle Jacob has stepped up and played at a very high level during preseason camp.
Jacob saw significant action off the bench in last season’s opener against Notre Dame and recorded a career-high seven tackles before suffering a season-ending injury.
Jacob underwent surgery and was not cleared to resume football activities until late May. He was one of the stars of summer strength and conditioning and surprised even the coaching staff with how quickly he rounded into top form after returning to the football field in August.
Newberry loves the combination of the two New Jersey natives, saying “both those guys are the epitome of Navy football.”
“Not a lot of people know about Kyle Jacob right now, but they will pretty quickly. Kyle has the same mentality as Colin does —- he’s smart, he’s hungry, he’s tough and loves football,” Newberry said. “I love his style of play — it’s what a Mike linebacker’s style of play should be. I’m looking forward to unleashing Kyle Jacob this season.”
Volker said there were times during scrimmage situations between the starting units that Jacob was the best defender on the field. Job Grant was listed as the co-starter at the Mike inside linebacker spot going into August drills, primarily because Jacob sat out spring camp.
It did not take long for Jacob to solidify himself as the starter with Volker saying it was “very, very evident to anybody that watched the first 15 practices because he was a wrecking ball out there.”
“We are a different defense with Kyle Jacob playing Mike linebacker. He is playing football at a very high level right now, playing at a different speed than any linebacker on the field,” Volker said. “He is a true thumper and one of the toughest guys I’ve ever coached in my career. He plays knock-em-back football; he lands on top in a dominant position.”
Jacob played in 21 games as a member of special teams his freshman and sophomore seasons. It was a cruel blow that a junior campaign that started with great promise came to such an abrupt end.
“I’m not going to lie, it was pretty frustrating. To put in all that hard work during the offseason and earn an opportunity to play on defense then get hurt in the first game was rough,” Jacob said. “Those things happen; you just have to come back stronger. I’ve put that in the past and am looking forward to this season.”
Although unable to participate in spring camp, Jacob was fully immersed off the field. He attended all the inside linebacker position meetings and lived in the video room.
“I would watch a ton of film to get mental reps,” he said. “I did it so much that when I finally got out there [in August] I was putting my eyes where they were supposed to be and playing fast.”
Sophomores Marcus Bleazard and Coleman Cauley are listed second and third on the depth chart behind Jacob at Mike. Junior Elijah Oatsvall and Grant, a sophomore, are backing up Ramos at Will. Volker said those six inside linebackers, and perhaps a couple more, will likely make the travel squad as the position is heavily involved with special teams.
“This inside linebacking corps is very deep. There are a lot of guys we have confidence and trust in,” Volker said. “We’re in a great place at that position. I’m really excited about those six guys in particular.”
