Bill Belichick did his best to provide a pep talk to his beloved Midshipmen before America’s Game between Army and Navy at Gillette Stadium. But ultimately the Midshipmen weren’t able to pull it out on Belichick’s home turf.

When appearing on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Saturday morning, Navy head coach Brian Newberry confirmed Belichick spoke with the team Friday, which was to be expected given the future Hall of Famer’s deep ties to the United States Naval Academy. Newberry also peeled back the curtain into Belichick’s message.

“He spoke to us for a long time,” Newberry said on the “College GameDay,” as transcribed by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “He had a lot of great messages — play within yourself, do your job, play for each other, trust your teammates.”

Unfortunately for both Belichick and the Midshipmen, it wasn’t enough to come out on top. The Army Black Knights earned a thrilling 17-11 victory to conclude an unforgettable event in Foxboro, Mass.

Story continues below advertisement

Army head coach Jeff Monken was among the many who spoke glowingly about the experience. And it’s why Gillette Stadium should be on the shortlist to host another Army-Navy game in the near future.

Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images