Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs is about to start his first season as a full-time starter and he's already making a bit of history.

Dobbs will be the first Navy quarterback since 1997 to don the green jersey, which means that he will not be hit during the Midshipmen's camp, which begins Tuesday.

"I was used to wearing a red jersey in high school, but since I've been here the only thing a red jersey has meant is that you were hurt so it is going to be different for me to wear a different jersey during practice," Dobbs said during the team's media day.

Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo and offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper decided to keep Dobbs noncontact because the backup quarterbacks are young and inexperienced. Sophomores Kriss Proctor, Kameron Smith and Michael Stukel are still competing for the No. 2 role, but none are ready to take the reigns of the team.

None of the three saw the field last season, but both Stukel and Proctor ran the triple-option offense while playing on junior varsity, and Smith learned the offense while playing with the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, R.I.

There's a lot of opportunities for injury while practicing the triple-option offense and Niumatalolo said he's not taking any chances.

"If I could put Ricky in a bubble I would do it," the second year head coach said.

The defense, on the other hand, isn't so excited about the move because it enjoyed one-on-one battles with Dobbs in the open field.

"Putting Ricky in a [green] jersey is going to take the fun away from the defense," safety Wyatt Middleton said. "We love to beat up on Ricky."