After watching his triple-option offense wallow in the mud in a 38-0 loss to Connecticut on Saturday, Navy coach Paul Johnson barely knew what to say. He'd never finished a game with just 35 yards rushing, and he said several times that he didn't have any answers as to why it happened.

After laboring over the game tape Sunday, he finally knew how to react.

Forget the Connecticut game ever happened. "That's ancient history in my mind," Johnson said. "We didn't watch the tape with the team. We threw it out. In 20-some years of coaching, I've never seen anything like that, so I'm going to say it was an enigma."

Johnson said he didn't want to place too much emphasis on a game that was played in a downpour. After all, Navy didn't move the ball on a muddy field against Rice, either.

"The two poor [offensive] games we've had have come in quagmires," Johnson said. "When you don't have a very fast team - and this offense is predicated on deception - the bad field slows you down. If you look at the tape, it looked like we were playing in slow motion."

Navy (1-9) should get a boost this week against Wake Forest (5-5) with the return of quarterback Craig Candeto, who missed the Connecticut game with an ankle injury. Candeto leads the Mids with 635 yards rushing and nine touchdowns.

"He's coming along good," Johnson said. "He's fine. He's going to play."

Navy won't have fullback Kyle Eckel healthy, however. The sophomore is still rehabilitating a hyperextended knee he suffered against Notre Dame.

'Great work ethic'

As bad as Navy has been defensively this season, it's hard to imagine where the Mids would be without sophomore safety Josh Smith.

In the past five games, Smith has recorded 67 tackles, giving him 111 for the year. That's 50 more tackles than his next-closest teammate, Eddie Carthan, who has 61.

Against Connecticut, Smith made 21 tackles, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass. Despite barely getting invited to two-a-day practices, he has recorded double-digit tackle totals in five of Navy's 10 games.

"It's surprising that he's our leading tackler, but he's got a great work ethic," Johnson said. "He works at it. He studies film. He's committed. Therefore, he makes some plays. That's what we need."

Long breather

While Navy is still struggling to get healthy, Wake Forest has been enjoying an extended vacation. The Demon Deacons haven't played since Nov. 2, when they lost to Florida State, 34-21.

Attitude question

Johnson said before the season that one of his main goals this year was to change the attitude within the program. After an uninspired effort against Connecticut in which Navy had only three first downs, several Mids players were asked if the team had regressed in that area.

"I think the attitude on this team has changed," said senior lineman Derek Jazkowiak. "I think it's a more rugged, tough attitude than we had last year. If a team hits us, I think we're willing to him them back. But at the end of the season it amounts to a hill of beans unless you start getting some victories."

Next for Navy

Matchup: Navy (1-9) vs. Wake Forest (5-5)

Site: Groves Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Radio: WJFK (1300 AM, WNAV (1430 AM)

Line: Wake Forest by 27