Navy intends to hire Kennesaw State defensive coordinator Brian Newberry, the Baltimore Sun Media Group has learned. Newberry would replace Dale Pehrson, whose retirement was announced on Dec. 15.

Newberry just completed his fourth season as defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Kennesaw State, a fledgling Football Championship Subdivision school. Former Navy and Georgia Tech assistant Brian Bohannon is the head coach at Kennesaw State, which began its program in 2014 and has made the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs the last two seasons.

A source at Kennesaw State confirmed that Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo and athletic director Chet Gladchuk have decided to hire Newberry, who started his college coaching career in 2000.

Contacted on Saturday afternoon, Navy athletics spokesman Scott Strasemeier said nothing.

“I have no confirmation on a new defensive coordinator, but I do know that Coach Niumatalolo and Mr. Gladchuk are moving quickly and I expect an announcement fairly soon after the holidays,” Strasemeier said.

Newberry served as secondary coach at Elon from 2007-2010 when Jay Batemen was defensive coordinator. Bateman drew widespread praise for his performance as defensive coordinator at Army West Point, which entered Saturday’s Armed Forces Bowl ranked ninth nationally in total defense and tied for 13th in scoring defense.

In advance of the Army-Navy game, Niumatalolo spoke glowingly about Bateman, who was subsequently hired away to become defensive coordinator at North Carolina.

“Jay is as good a defensive coordinator as there is in the country. I’ve always thought that. Obviously, he gives option teams like Air Force and Navy a hard time. I also watch what he does against conventional offenses and it is very impressive,” Niumatalolo said. “Jay is really innovative with what he does and gives you multiple looks. There might look like a little bit of chaos with what they do, but they know exactly what they want to accomplish.”

Kennesaw State ranked second in all of FCS in total defense, allowing just 263.7 yards per game. The Owls finished seventh in scoring defense, giving up an average of 15.4 points.

Navy fans will be thrilled to know that Kennesaw State ranked 11th nationally in third down conversion defense at 28 percent. Getting opponents off the field on third down has been a major problem for the Midshipmen over the years.

Kennesaw State also dominated defensively in 2017, ranking seventh nationally in scoring defense (15.5 points) and third in turnovers gained (35). The Owls led the Big South Conference in rushing defense (102.1 yards), pass defensive efficiency (117.0) and red zone defense (76.9 percent) while standing second in sacks (31), third down stops (34.5 percent) and turnovers-on-downs (53.8 percent).

Newberry joined the Kennesaw State coaching staff after spending the 2012 season as defensive coordinator at Division II Northern Michigan. He previously served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.

Newberry’s coaching experience also includes five years (2004-06, 2001 and 2002) as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Washington & Lee University. He also spent one season as defensive backs coach at Lehigh after beginning his career as a graduate assistant at Southern Arkansas in 1999.

Newberry played collegiately at Baylor and graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s of science degree in education. He helped the Bears to the Southwest Conference co-championship and an appearance in the 1994 Alamo Bowl and to a No. 5 national ranking in total defense in 1995.

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