Army Navy Game
Boy those Black Knight uniforms were awesome weren’t they?
Stan Brock Dismissal
The next guy could not do much worse, unless we brought Todd Berry back
The First Year Back With the Wishbone
Considering there were only four plays, created by an offensive coordinator that had no option experience, I think that the offense did about as well as could be expected. It would be nice to have used Carson Williams in some capacity, but there is always next year. Also, Collin Mooney was a very pleasant surprise, rushing 1,361 yards to become the all time Army leading single season rusher. We could certainly use him next year. But if we have to sit through another season where the fullback gets 37 carries a game….
The Defense
Once again the defense had a stellar year and kept the team in many games. John Mumford will return to the defense in some capacity next year. We are hoping that Ted Bentler will be given another year of eligibility. He transferred from Iowa and lost a year of eligibility in accordance with NCAA rules. I am not sure if there is such precedence, but perhaps Army’s case is that he has signed into the Army in a time of war and should not be penalized a year of football. Bentler’s prospective return could make the difference between making a bowl game and not making one.
The Detroit Lions
Looking back, it may be a good thing that Caleb Campbell did not play for the Lions last season. He may have been wiped out with the rest of the squad as new management cleans a very dirty house. Of course, we will never know if he might have made a play at some point in the season to help the Lions win a game. Oh, well.
New Coach
Rich Ellerson is a winner who brings a unique offense and defense to a place that definitely needs a non-conventional approach. If you have ever visited San Luis Obispo, you know that it is not an athletic campus. There is more enthusiasm for nature and engineering projects than for any athletic team and he has won there. I am not sure how Army would match up against Cal Poly SLO, but last year I probably would have taken SLO and given 10 points. Cal Poly SLO finished the year ranked 97 and Army finished 128 (Sagarin). You must figure that with Army’s history, facilities, ESPN contract, resources and recruiting ability that he should be able to get Army in the 70s or 80s at a minimum. Army has not been ranked that high in a decade.
Also, coach Ellerson is fairly familiar with West Point, as his father and brothers are graduates. He should understand what cadets do off the field and this may help him form a bond between the corps and the team that has not existed in a long while. His teams also show a lot of discipline and character.
Ellerson’s credentials look solid, and it appears he is the right man for this job. Some alumni will wonder, though, if the Academy Brass may have missed the boat by not giving the job to Mike Sullivan, the New York Giants’ Wide Receivers’ Coach and a member of the West Point Class of 1989.
Schedule
Below is the non-official 2009 schedule.
|
2009 |
|
Sep 5 |
at Eastern Michigan |
Ypsilanti, MI |
|
Sep 12 |
at Duke |
Durham, NC |
|
Sep 19 |
Ball State |
West Point, NY |
|
Sep 26 |
at Iowa State |
Ames, IA |
|
Oct 3 |
Tulane |
West Point, NY |
|
Oct 10 |
Vanderbilt |
West Point, NY |
|
Oct 17 |
at Temple |
Philadelphia, PA |
|
Oct 24 |
Rutgers |
West Point, NY |
|
Nov 7 |
at Air Force |
Air Force Academy, CO |
|
Nov 14 |
VMI |
West Point, NY |
|
Nov 21 |
at North Texas |
Denton, TX |
|
Dec 5 |
vs Navy |
Philadelphia, PA |
This year’s team would have won 3 games on this schedule and 6 gets us to the Mighty Eagle Bank Bowl in Washington DC. This is a big step, but I think that this years Cal Poly team could win 6 on Army’s 2009 calendar. Of course 12 wins puts us in the Tostitos Bowl – I am sure that we could get Great Pacific to sponsor an awesome tailgate.
Recruiting
According to Scout.com, Army’s incoming recruiting class is ranked 89th nationally, down from last year’s 80th ranked class, but far ahead of Air Force (ranked 110) and Navy (ranked 118). The future is bright if Ellerson turns out to be the right coach to make it work in the years ahead.
GO ARMY!