Blake Horvath

Last updated

Blake Horvath
Blake Horvath Navy Vs USF (54929645161) (cropped).jpg
Horvath in a 2025 game
No. 11 – Navy Midshipmen
Position Quarterback
ClassSenior
Personal information
Born (2004-01-28) January 28, 2004 (age 21)
Hilliard, Ohio, U.S.
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school Hilliard Darby (Hilliard, Ohio)
College
Awards and highlights
Stats at ESPN

Blake Horvath (born January 28, 2004) is an American college football quarterback for the Navy Midshipmen.

Contents

Early life

Horvath attended Hilliard Darby High School in Hilliard, Ohio. Coming out of high school, he committed to play college football for the Navy Midshipmen. [1] [2]

College career

In Horvath's first collegiate season in 2022, he did not appear in any games for the Midshipmen. [3] He made his first career start in week five of the 2023 season, where he ran for 88 yards on 18 carries before leaving the game in the second quarter with a season-ending hand injury. [4] Horvath finished the 2023 season completing six of his twelve pass attempts for 84 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 37 carries for 183 yards on the ground. [5] [6]

Heading into the 2024 season, Horvath was named the Midshipmen's starting quarterback. [7] In week two, he completed five of his nine passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 122 yards and three touchdowns, as he led Navy to a win over Temple. [8] During week four, Horvath completed nine of his 12 pass attempts for 192 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 211 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, as he helped the Midshipmen upset Memphis. [9] [10] In the Army–Navy Game to end the regular season, Horvath combined for 311 total yards and four touchdowns (threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 204 yards and two scores) as the Midshipmen defeated Army's tenth-ranked defense 31–13. [11] [12] Horvath led Navy to victory over Oklahoma in the 2024 Armed Forces Bowl with a school-record 95-yard touchdown run and the go-ahead six-yard score to secure a 21–20 win; [13] he was named the game's most valuable player. [14]

Midshipmen holding a cutout of Horvath's portrait during the 2025 Army-Navy Game P20251213DT-0062.jpg
Midshipmen holding a cutout of Horvath's portrait during the 2025 Army–Navy Game

Horvath began his senior season as part of the Davey O'Brien Award's Class of 2025 and on the preseason watchlists for honors like the Manning and Maxwell Awards. [15] He led Navy to their first 7–0 start since 1978. [16] One of the wins during the streak was a 34–31 victory over Air Force, where Horvath recorded a school-best 469 total yards including 339 passing (fifth most in Navy history) and three touchdowns while rushing for 130 yards and another score. [17] [18] The passing performance was viewed as anomalous for the traditionally run-heavy Midshipmen, which offensive coordinator Drew Cronic credited to Horvath excelling in his "millennial Wing T" offense. [19] In a loss to North Texas, he suffered an upper body injury that kept him out for the following game against Notre Dame. [20] He also hurt his leg while playing South Florida. [21] The injuries hampered a campaign that otherwise saw him be named a potential finalist for the Heisman Trophy and a semifinalist for the O'Brien and Walter Camp Awards. [22] Horvath struggled against Army as he fumbled three times, one of which was recovered by Army, and had an interception by Justin Weaver returned for a touchdown before being overturned because Weaver was down. [23] Amid his difficulties, he ran for a touchdown and threw another to Eli Heidenreich on fourth down to rally Navy from a 16–7 deficit. [24] While leading 17–16, Horvath briefly fumbled again but caught the ball and dove for the game-sealing first down. [23] In a rainy Liberty Bowl against Cincinnati, Horvath threw for two touchdowns and 108 yards while rushing for a third score, earning him MVP honors as the Midshipmen won 35–13. [25]

He is majoring in operations research. [26]

College statistics

SeasonTeamGamesPassingRushing
GPGSRecordCmpAttPctYdsAvgTDIntRtgAttYdsAvgTD
2022 Navy Athletics logo.svg Navy Did not play
2023 Navy Athletics logo.svg Navy 411–061250.0847.020163.8371834.90
2024 Navy Athletics logo.svg Navy 12129−38013957.61,3539.7134164.41751,2467.117
2025 Navy Athletics logo.svg Navy 111110−18814560.71,47210.2106160.42081,1475.515
Career [27] 272420–417429658.82,9099.82510162.54202,5766.132

Military career

Following his graduation, Horvath will commission as a naval aviator. [26]

References

  1. ↑ Avendano Orozco, Nestor (September 20, 2024). "Navy QB Blake Horvath: OC Drew Cronic 'Really Innovative Play-Caller'". Press Box Online. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  2. ↑ Kilzer, Paul. "Horvath Commits to NAVY !!!!". Coach Sink. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hodgkinson, Oliver (August 25, 2023). "Navy Quarterback Blake Horvath is Built for the Big Stage". College Football Network. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  4. ↑ Wagner, Bill (October 10, 2023). "Injury to Blake Horvath adds another wrinkle to Navy football quarterback quandary". Capital Gazette. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  5. ↑ Wagner, Bill (September 18, 2024). "Navy football position report: Quarterback has gone from a question mark to a strength". Capital Gazette. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  6. ↑ Wagner, Bill (March 26, 2024). "Blake Horvath, Braxton Woodson battling for Navy football starting quarterback job". Capital Gazette. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  7. ↑ Jackson, Luke (August 7, 2024). "New System, New Quarterback For Navy Football As Blake Horvath Takes The Reins". Press Box Online. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  8. ↑ Wagner, Bill (September 7, 2024). "Navy football routs Temple, 38-11, behind QB Blake Horvath, dominant defense". Capital Gazette. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  9. ↑ Wagner, Bill (September 21, 2024). "Navy football stuns Memphis, 56-44, behind QB Blake Horvath, late pick-six". Capital Gazette. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  10. ↑ Londergan, Joe (August 7, 2024). "Navy Football: 2 Midshipmen Land on Comeback Player of the year watch list". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  11. ↑ Brooks, Steven B. (December 15, 2024). "Horvath, Navy defense key upset of No. 22 Army, clinching Commander-in-Chief's Trophy". American Legion . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Horvath's 4 TDs Send Navy Past Army, 31-13, For Commander-In-Chief's Trophy". American Athletic Conference. AP. December 14, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Navy gets 95-yard TD run from Horvath and stops 2-point try to beat Oklahoma in Armed Forces Bowl". CBSSports.com . CBS Sports. AP. December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Past MVPs". Armed Forces Bowl . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Navy Quarterback Blake Horvath Named to the Davey O'Brien QB Class; Navy Fans Can Help Horvath Win the Award". Navy Midshipmen . October 30, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  16. ↑ Helwick, Steve (October 26, 2025). "Blake Horvath's 174 rushing yards, 4 TD keep Navy unbeaten". Underdog Dynasty. SB Nation . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  17. ↑ James, Mike (October 5, 2025). "Horvath and Heidenreich make history as Mids outlast Air Force". On3.com . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  18. ↑ Helwick, Steve (October 4, 2025). "Aerial-driven Navy outlasts Air Force in 34-31 service academy shootout". Underdog Dynasty. SB Nation . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  19. ↑ Trister, Noah (October 24, 2025). "Yes, that's Navy with an undefeated record — and one of the nation's most explosive offenses". KTVB . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  20. ↑ Thamel, Pete (November 8, 2025). "Sources: Navy QB Blake Horvath is out for tonight's game at Notre Dame with an upper body injury that he suffered toward the end of the North Texas game". ESPN.com . ESPN . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Injured Navy star QB Blake Horvath exits vs. South Florida". WTKA . November 15, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Blake Horvath Emerges as Heisman Trophy Candidate for Navy Football". Eye On Annapolis. November 21, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  23. 1 2 Capurso, Tim (December 13, 2025). "Three Wild Sequences That Changed the Course of Army-Navy Game". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Army Edged by Navy, 17–16, in 126th Army-Navy Game". Hudson Valley Press. December 17, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Blake Horvath, Navy seniors go out in style, top Cincinnati in Liberty Bowl". WJOX-FM. January 2, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  26. 1 2 Lambrecht, Gary (November 10, 2025). "Blake Horvath: He's Just Different". Navy Midshipmen . Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Blake Horvath College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
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