The Navy MIdshipmen fell one point short of a miraculous comeback, and some of the Mids players sounded off after the game. The controversy stems from an overtime personal foul penalty on Navy quarterback Kriss Proctor. The call came after Proctor busted up the gut for an overtime touchdown, and while running off the field one of the referees flagged the Navy qb for mouthing off as he exited the field.
In comments from Dr. Saturday Proctor had a measured reaction.
"I got up and I was trying to run to our sideline," Proctor said. "Some guy got in my way and I just told him to move explicitly and he called it. It's unfortunate that the refs made a call like that, but it's football. That's the way it is. If we make that PAT, we wouldn't be talking about it."
Navy fullback Alexander Teich had a different take in comments to The Washington Times.
"This is an emotional game," fullback Alexander Teich said. "These guys know that coming in as a ref. You're reffing on CBS the Navy-Air Force game. There's no more emotion, you can't get any more psyched up about a game like that. You score a touchdown like that at the end, we'd fought back and worked so hard, it's disappointing. It's pitiful, really, it's pitiful. I'm just so upset about that."
The ref who made the call, Mike Defee, said the call was clear and Proctor "got in the face of an Air Force player right after the play."