Candeto Pulling Rare Double
4/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sophomore tackle Carl Hazlewood (Huntsville, Texas) and sophomore punter/wide receiver Mason Burk (Round Rock, Texas) will be competing against Army this weekend in track, while freshman Craig Candeto (Orange City, Fla.) will be on the diamond. Hazlewood is a shot putter, Burk a sprinter and Candeto plays left field.
Though it is not rare for football players to also run track, Candeto's double sports of baseball and football is not as common, though the list includes all-time greats Joe Bellino (1960 Heisman Trophy winner, team captain of the 1961 baseball team) and Roger Staubach (1963 Heisman Trophy winner, First-Team All-East in 1963 on the diamond).
"It's pretty demanding, but it's also pretty exciting," said Candeto, who was a first-team All-State selection in football and baseball his senior year at DeLand High School in Orange City, Fla. "Both Coach Weatherbie and Whitmyre have been really understanding and I have to thank them for allowing me to do both at the same time."
Candeto practiced with the football team on Monday and Tuesday and on Wednesday, his day off from football, he started in left field for the baseball team, collecting two hits, in Navy's 8-4 loss to George Mason. Candeto practiced with the football team on Thursday and then boarded a bus with his baseball teammates on Friday morning to make the five-hour bus trip to West Point for this weekend's doubleheader. Friday's travel day is considered his mandatory day off by NCAA rules. Candeto will continue practice with the football team on days they are supposed to practice unless there is a baseball game. Spring drills end on April 28.
"The competition keeps me going," said Candeto, who is hitting .250 on the year but has been hot of late. "I am not going to say that I don't get tired, but I live to play the two sports. Every day that I get a chance to play one of them is a great opportunity for me."
Candeto, who is competing for the back-up quarterback job behind Brian Madden, was impressive in Thursday's football practice, completing the majority of his passes in Navy's new flexbone offense, an offense that he already loves.
"I think it is great. It is fast paced and we are working hard. Coach Hudspeth brings so much intensity to the team and I think that is going to carry over. In practice we are intense and his intensity and fast style of offense is going to give some people trouble in the fall."
"Craig has been very impressive so far," said Navy offensive coordinator Mark Hudspeth. "I definitely would love to have him out at practice every day, but I understand the situation. He is a talented baseball player and if he can help our baseball team, I am glad he is out there playing. It is going to take him some extra instruction to get the offense down, but I know he will work at it so I don't see a problem."
Candeto is excited about being a part of the Army-Navy baseball series after watching this year's football game from the sidelines.
"I am pretty excited," said Candeto. "I have heard they are always pretty exciting weekends when we get together in baseball and we need to beat them to stay up there in the Patriot League standings."
When asked what his favorite sport was between the two, Candeto smiled, but wouldn't commit to one or the other.
"It's tough to say," said Candeto. "I love whatever is in season. When I am at baseball, I love baseball, and when I am at football, I love football. The two sports compliment each other. You need to be aggressive in both. Baseball is a very humbling game and it teaches you to not get to high or to low and you need to be able to do that as a quarterback as well.
Whether football or baseball is Candeto's favorite, one thing is for sure. Navy fans will love watching Craig Candeto play both baseball and football for the next three seasons.
MADDEN COULD PRACTICE MONDAY
Quarterback Brian Madden (Jr./Lawton, Okla.) could be back on the field as early as Monday after watching the first three practices from the sidelines. Madden, who missed all of the 2000 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee in the spring game, had his right knee scoped March 20 and had part of the meniscus removed from his right knee.
"I am really glad I had that surgery, because my knee feels better now than it has at any point since the injury," said Madden. "I am excited to get back on the field."
