You have already won your greatest victory by putting the 1971 varsity squad on the field. The Marshall football team endured a tragedy, and from the ashes rose the Phoenix. No such words will be used next year if Navy bounces back from what could be its first winless season since 1948. He's been involved in challenges that don't take place often. He's been in situations where he had to fight to compete.
Bad things happen.
The critical path is what you do after that, the adjustments, the recovery.