HOW ONE MIDSHIPMAN CHANGED THE GAME: THE EVOLUTION OF ARMY-NAVY SPIRIT SPOTS
Every December, the Army-Navy rivalry plays out before the teams even take the field. It happens in living rooms, on social media feeds, and in the tight-knit circles and text message threads of academy alumni who wait eagerly each year for a uniquely military tradition: the spirit spot.
For decades, spirit spots—short, often humorous videos produced by the cadets and midshipmen—were charming, low-budget productions. Think handheld cameras (long before we had cameras on our cell phones), in-between-classes shooting schedules, and jokes that landed mostly within Bancroft Hall. But in the last decade, one name has become almost synonymous with the modern spirit spot.
Rylan Tuohy didn’t just elevate the genre; he helped reinvent it.
A Midshipman With a Camera and a Vision
Tuohy didn’t arrive at the Naval Academy intending to start a spirit spot renaissance. In fact, he nearly chose film school instead. But with a family history of military service—including a great-great-uncle who earned the Medal of Honor in World War II—he ultimately opted for Annapolis and a technical degree, keeping film as a passion project on the side.
Even before he arrived, Tuohy knew about spirit spots.
“I always had a thought in the back of my mind that if I was fortunate enough to attend, what would my take on it be?” he said.
As a plebe, Tuohy wasn’t even allowed electronics, but he teamed up with an upper-class midshipman to create his first spirit spot in 2012. It got 5,000 views rather quickly—small by today’s standards, but enough to get him excited about the potential.
And as a young filmmaker with no budget, views became his currency.
“I became hyper-focused on how I could increase the view count on every video,” he said. “That was the beginning of my DIY film school.
He studied trends, watched how audiences reacted, and released videos at strategic times. The result? Each project became a little sharper, a little funnier, a little more ambitious.
Building the Modern Spirit Spot
Tuohy’s first breakout was We Give A Ship, a witty video that celebrates the dedication, discipline, and identity that define naval service—with playful jabs at the Army Black Knights.
But it was Naptown Funk, a Naval Academy parody of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ smash hit, that would take the spirit spot tradition to a new level.
Shot in just four hours, with a cast of 50-60 midshipmen, no budget, and the support of Annapolis city officials, the production shut down Maryland Avenue and became an instant viral hit. Ten years since its release, it sits at 8.8 million hits on YouTube.
Tuohy wasn’t surprised it resonated. He could feel the meeting of pop culture, production quality, and academy humor.
“By then, I had made 10 to 15 videos,” he recalled. “I had a pulse on what resonated. And everyone loved Uptown Funk.”
Naptown Funk didn’t just raise the bar. It reset it. And suddenly, service-academy spirit spots had entered a new era—one where students weren’t just filming jokes in their common rooms. They were producing mini-movies.
Continuing the Tradition—After the Uniform
Tuohy served five and a half years on active duty before transitioning in 2022. Today, he’s a full-time writer and director, creating commercials you’ve most certainly seen (USAA with Gronk, anyone?) and working on TV development projects. His resume includes contributions to Top Gun: Maverick, The Terminal List, and Masters of the Air.
But leaving active duty didn’t mean leaving spirit spots behind.
“Why did I have to still be active duty to make these?” he said. “My heart still roots for Navy. I wanted to come back to my roots and apply everything I’d learned.”
That return culminated in We’ve Got Big Decks, his boldest and most production-heavy spirit spot yet. Filmed aboard the USS Midway with a cast and crew of more than 50, the video required real fundraising from the Navy and academy community—and delivered one of the most ambitious spirit spots ever made.
The reaction?
“Overwhelmingly positive,” Tuohy said. “It was definitely edgier, but it was also a net positive addition to the collection.”
Tuohy recently released a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the epic spirit spot video. Through aircraft displays, flight-deck spaces, and carrier compartments, the crew was able to make it look like they traveled the world without ever leaving the Midway.
Why Spirit Spots Matter
To Tuohy, spirit spots endure because they are uniquely woven into academy culture. No other college football rivalry has anything quite like them—and no other student body spends weeks scripting jokes, choreographing dance numbers, or parodying pop-music hits as part of game-day prep.
“Everyone brings poster boards to game day,” he explained. “This is the video version of that. Who can be the wittiest? Who can be the funniest? At the end of the day, you have a violent football game on the field, but this boils down to who can make each other laugh the most.”
For Tuohy, they’re more than entertainment. They’re the reason he found his career path.
“It led me directly to what I do now,” he said. “I’m so grateful for that.”
The Future of Spirit Spots
As for whether we’ll see more from him, Tuohy said he isn’t done yet. He recently pitched a larger-scale concept to the Navy—one that could double as a commercial. While it didn’t move forward this year, he plans to try again.
“We’re in an interesting time,” he said. “But I have a new idea that’s universal, fun, and elevated. We’ll see if we can make it happen.”
And so the spirit spot tradition continues—born from student creativity, elevated by viral ambition, and kept alive by alumni who still believe in the power of a good parody to unite a community (plus a healthy desire to sing second!).
In the Army-Navy rivalry, victory on the field matters. But victory in the spirit spot arena? They want to ‘sing second’ there as well.
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Teal Yost
Managing Editor at MyBaseGuide
Teal Yost is a Navy spouse, journalist, and managing editor of Military Brands, where she leads storytelling that connects and empowers the military community. With more than a decade of experience in...
Teal Yost is a Navy spouse, journalist, and managing editor of Military Brands, where she leads storytelling that connects and empowers the military community. With more than a decade of experience in...
Expertise
- Media Strategy
- Journalism
- Public Affairs
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