Brian Newberry enjoys Navy Bowl win over Oklahoma with friends from Westmoore

FORT WORTH, Texas – After hoisting the Armed Forces Bowl trophy, Navy coach Brian Newberry descended from a makeshift stage into a crowd of fans waiting to congratulate him on the field. Among them was a rowdy band of Westmooreriders.

Newberry’s old teammates and coaches – Westmoore High School’s class of 1992 – greeted him with warm hugs after Navy’s 21-20 win over Newberry’s home-state Sooners.

Thirty-three years after Newberry quarterbacked Westmoore to a second-place finish in the 1991 Class 5A state championship game, it was high time to celebrate a win Friday.

“It was great,” Newberry said of the support.

Todd Dilbeck, Westmoore’s offensive line coach when Newberry was there, gathered the group for photos. There was Jeffrey Adams, a former secondary coach at Westmoore. And former teammate Brad Smith, whose son plays for Newberry at Navy.

“We really have a special bond that I don’t think is really common,” Smith said. “It’s been 30 years and we still meet and talk regularly. Being here on this field celebrating Brian and the Naval Academy’s victory over Oklahoma is just an incredible feeling.”

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Adams said: “Just incredible. So proud of him, so proud of his character and his integrity.”

Dilbeck added: “What they did today is phenomenal. They played Navy football. They are a great team in the second half and it showed. It was just incredible for him and his family.”

Navy, which trailed 14-0 after the first quarter, scored 21 unanswered points. OU scored a touchdown with six seconds left and opted to go for two and win instead of playing in overtime.

Navy defensive end Justin Reed sacked OU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. to effectively end the game.

“Really, really proud of our players,” Newberry said. “To fall behind 14-0 and then fight back, fight and fight, that’s what they’ve done all year… They’re fighters. I am proud that these are the people, the young men, who will lead our country and serve as warfighters.”

Navy secured a 10-win season, the Midshipmen’s first since 2019. Newberry led Navy to stunning victories over Air Force and Army in his second season as coach before defeating Oklahoma in a bowl game to cap a magical year .

Navy players knew about Newberry’s roots in Oklahoma and knew Newberry had grown up a Sooners fan, but that didn’t motivate them to play harder. Playing against the Crimson and Cream was motivation enough in itself.

“The prestige of Oklahoma is what motivates you to play,” said Navy quarterback Blake Horvath, whose 95-yard touchdown run was the longest in school history. “We don’t need to make a big deal out of his roots and prove something is wrong.”

Navy defenseman Alex Tecza said Newberry preaches “nameless and faceless” when it comes to opponents. Although Tecza admitted that it’s difficult to commit to that mantra when you see a “seven-foot guard or whatever” on the other side.

“No matter what team we play, it’s not about them, it’s not about the crowd, it’s not about their coaches, it’s not about the fans – it’s about us,” Tecza said. “I don’t think anyone except the guys in our room believed we could do what we did today.”

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In fact, many people believed that the Navy could beat Oklahoma. However, this was still notable given the obvious size and capability disadvantages the Navy faced.

“If you look at the players,” Dilbeck said, “there is no comparison.”

But Navy won by playing classic Navy football. Smashmouth, flawless football.

That’s all Newberry knows. So he was trained at Westmoore.

“Our coaching staff loved our kids, they treated them right, they worked hard, but they knew we cared about them,” Dilbeck said. “And I think that’s what convinced Brian to come into coaching because at the Naval Academy he can train them hard, he can treat them right and he’s a man of character, a man of his word.”

Adams described Newberry as the “perfect” coach.

“He’s calm and collected,” Adams said, “yet assertive and aggressive.”

Newberry and his old friends from Westmoore laughed, told stories and posed for photos after the game. They hugged and shared an unusual closeness all these years later.

Smith, who defended Newberry as Westmoore’s left tackle, said he’s thought a lot about why that was. Why this team, unlike any other Smith has played for, is so cohesive.

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Brian Newberry enjoys Navy Bowl win over Oklahoma with friends from Westmoore

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