PHILADELPHIA » The affirmation was clear and direct.

“;I'm playing, I'm starting,”; declared Navy senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada earlier this week.

Considering recent maladies, that's a rather bold statement from the Kapolei alumnus. Though Kaheaku-Enhada has spent the bulk of this fading college football season on the sideline with hamstring issues, he remains in a position to close out his career in the most important game of any Navy season.

Facing Army this Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field here, Kaheaku-Enhada says he's nearly 100 percent to run Navy's triple-option offense. Whether he starts, said Mids head coach Ken Niumatalolo, “;remains a game-time decision.”;

The fact that Kaheaku-Enhada is in the mix to start at all remains a testament to his perseverance and desire to take the field against Army one last time.

“;I've been practicing with the first team and feel like my leg is ready to go,”; he said. “;I'm moving pretty good, but, right now, I need to be in game shape.”;

In partially tearing his left hamstring during an August scrimmage, Kaheaku-Enhada missed the opener against Towson, and only played in four of the 11 games to date. He came back in the third game against Duke, played the entire game against Rutgers, but reinjured the hamstring the following week against Wake Forest.

After three weeks of rest, he returned against Temple on Nov. 1, but aggravated the hamstring again. He missed the final games against Notre Dame and Northern Illinois, but now declares himself fit and ready for the Black Knights of the Hudson.

“;This season has been a learning experience for me,”; he said. “;I've had a chance to see things from the other side, but I never gave up. You have to bounce back, keep fighting and keep pushing. In a strange way, this has been good for me, because I've learned to deal with adversity.”;

If Kaheaku-Enhada can not go Saturday, the reins of the Navy offense will be in the hands of Ricky Dobbs, a sophomore from Douglasville, Ga.

Against SMU, Dobbs rushed for 224 yards, the fourth-highest rushing effort by a quarterback in Navy history, and has picked up 503 yards running on 105 carries. That's also good for a team-high eight touchdowns.

This season has been especially frustrating for Kaheaku-Enhada and his rehab efforts. Coming off a productive 2007, Kaheaku-Enhada rushed for 834 yards, 12 touchdowns, and led Navy to an 8-5 record. For his effort, Kaheaku-Enhada was projected as a potential all-American by the College Football Writers Association of America and landed on the Davey O'Brien Watch list among the nation's leading quarterbacks.

Then, the torn hamstring and an arduous rehab period.

“;It's been very tough on him,”; said Niumataolo. “;Yeah, it's been frustrating, and we counted on him to be successful this year. I guess that wasn't in the cards.”;

Still, Kaheaku-Enhada remains fifth among Navy ball carriers this season with 169 yards on 34 carries, three touchdowns and 5 yards per rush.

Given that Niumataolo is from Laie, he continues to be Navy's main recruiter for island athletes, and helped to bring Kaheaku-Enhada to Annapolis.

Those ties make Kaheaku-Enhada the sentimental choice to start against Army.

“;Kaipo has never been 100 percent this season, but he's looked the best all year in recent practices,”; Niumataolo added. “;I'm pushing him all week, but also need to be delicate. If he's 100 percent, he'll start.”;