Navy kicked off the Rick Sowell era with a 14-7 victory over VMI Saturday.

But the team actually trailed the Keydets, 2-0, in the first 4 minutes, 44 seconds of the contest. In the end, that wasn’t of consequence, but getting off to slow starts was an issue for the Midshipmen last season.

Opponents took an early lead in six games, winning four of them. Those four losses contributed to Navy’s 4-9 record last year.

Sowell, who succeeded Richie Meade in the offseason, said he wasn’t aware of the team’s lethargic beginnings.

“We feel as though regardless if we start off behind or we start off ahead, it’s a 60-minute game, and ultimately at the end of those 60 minutes and maybe then some, we’ll score one more than our opponents,” he said Monday afternoon. “Ideally, you always want to start off on a good note, but whether you do or don’t, you still have a full game to play, and our focus is on playing strong for 60 minutes at least.”

Sowell said he wasn’t alarmed by the Midshipmen’s 0-2 deficit, noting that it was the season opener for players who are getting accustomed to a new coaching staff and a new system.

“I think a lot of that was the nerves, the anxiety of playing in that first game, the excitement,” Sowell said. “And we made a few mistakes, which I’m sure VMI would say as well. That’s typical of what you get in those first 10 minutes of your season. lot of anxiety, a lot of nerves flying around, and we just had to catch our second wind and settle down, and that’s what we did.”