Posted 07/11/17, 4:53 PM

Two new team captains are taking the helm of the Navy Midshipmen.  Slot back Darryl Bonner and outside linebacker D.J. Palmore were co-elected by their teammates to be captains, working alongside head coach Ken Niumatalolo.

Niumatalolo has been head coach since 2008, and has served as an assistant coach from 1995-1998 and 2002 to 2007. The Midshipmen have gone 144-92 (.610) in his most recent 19 years as a coach, won 10 Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies, gone to 14 bowl games, and won six bowl games. In all 117 seasons without Niumatalolo, Navy earned a .549 record at (555-460-57).

Navy's surge in success has also been occurring in conference play. The Midshipmen joined the AAC in 2015 and are 14-3 (.823) since then.

However, not everything is ship-shape. The Midshipmen will begin the 2017 season after losing their last three games, the longest losing streak they've had since 2014 when they lost to Rutgers, Western Kentucky, and Air Force.

Perhaps the new captains can help get things in order.

Darryl Bonner, known as "Big Play" Darryl, rushed for 229 yards last year and recorded two touchdowns on 30 carries. Bonner also averaged 27.8 yards per catch. When all that is put into combination with his two kick-off returns for 71 yards, the senior slot back averages 14 yards every time he gets his hands on the ball. Bonner became a hero for the 2016 season when he really got started in the game against Houston, coming onto the field after the other slot backs suffered injuries. He became Navy's second leading receiver for the season.

Senior D.J. Palmore also has claim to fame. The outside linebacker led the Midshipmen in sacks in 2016, recording six. Palmore is also the fourth-leading tackler for the Navy with 56 stops. In his 25 game career for the Navy as a linebacker, he has made 99 tackles. Palmore started in 12 of the 13 games he played in 2016.

“Being elected team captain at the Naval Academy is one of the highest honors you can receive at an institution that prides itself on producing great leaders,” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “Darryl and D.J. are not only outstanding football players, but they are great leaders in the locker room and in Bancroft Hall and I have no doubt that they will be great captains for us.”

Navy will begin their 2017 season on September 1 at Florida Atlantic.

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