March 5, 2010

ANNAPOLIS, Md.--Naval Academy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo announced Friday that defensive line coach Justin Davis has been promoted to a full-time assistant coach replacing Joe Speed and Wake Forest graduate assistant Napoleon Sykes has been hired as Davis' replacement and will assist Buddy Green with the secondary.

"Justin Davis has done a phenomenal job for us assisting Dale Pehrson with the defensive line and he will continue in that role," said Niumatalolo. "Justin is also an outstanding recruiter and I am happy we will be able to keep him on staff."

Davis is entering his fourth season at the Naval Academy and his third working with the defensive line. In his first year, he worked with the outside linebackers.

Navy has compiled a record of 26-14 (.650) in his three years at the Naval Academy, winning three Commander-In-Chief's Trophies, earning three bowl bids, winning a bowl game and beating Notre Dame twice. The defense has not allowed a touchdown to Army in his tenure.

The 2009 season was one to remember, as the Mids tied a school record for wins with 10, won a school-record seventh-consecutive Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, appeared in a school-record seventh-consecutive bowl game and ran their winning streak against the other two Service Academies to an amazing 15-straight. The defense finished 18th in the country in scoring defense (19.4 points per game) and sixth in red zone defense.

Davis came to the Naval Academy after serving as a graduate assistant at Toledo for two seasons, assisting with the secondary under defensive coordinator Tim Rose. Davis also coached under Rose as a graduate assistant at Louisiana Tech and served for one season at Wagner College, where he coached linebackers.

A native of Rome, N.Y., Davis was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Maine from 1998-2001 where he played linebacker. As a senior, the Black Bears won an Atlantic 10 championship and a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs.

Davis received his bachelor's degree in communications from Maine in 2001, and earned his master's degree in exercise science from Louisiana Tech in May of 2005.

"Napoleon has played and coached for a man I have the utmost respect for in Jim Grobe," said Niumatalolo. "I expect him to give us a boost in recruiting the state of Maryland."

A native of Woodstock, Md., Sykes earned three varsity letters at Wake Forest as a linebacker and special teams performer from 2003-05. He graduated from Wake Forest in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in journalism.

Sykes got his coaching career started in the summer of 2006 when he served as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, the Gilman School, in Baltimore. Sykes went on to serve as the defensive coordinator for the semi-pro Bay Atlantic Sharks that fall and helped lead them to the Semi-Pro National Championship Series.

After teaching and serving as the co-defensive coordinator at Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, N.C. in 2007, Sykes returned to his college alma mater to serve as the offensive graduate assistant in 2008 and the defensive graduate assistant in 2009.

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