Army Black Knights football

Army Black Knights football
2018 Army Black Knights football team
First season 1890
Athletic director Boo Corrigan
Head coach Jeff Monken
5th season, 28–28 (.500)
Other staff Brent Davis (OC)
Jay Bateman (DC)
Stadium Michie Stadium
(Capacity: 38,000)
Year built 1924
Field surface FieldTurf
Location West Point, New York
NCAA division Division I FBS
Conference Independent
All-time record 685–518–51 (.567)
Bowl record 5–2 (.714)
Claimed nat'l titles 3 (1944, 1945, 1946)
Unclaimed nat'l titles 2 (1914, 1916)
Rivalries Air Force (CiCT)
Navy (rivalry, CiCT)
Notre Dame (rivalry)
Heisman winners 3
Consensus All-Americans 37
Current uniform
Colors Black, Gold, and Gray[1]
              
Fight song On, Brave Old Army Team
Mascot Army Mules
Marching band United States Military Academy Band
Outfitter Nike
Website GoArmyWestPoint.com

The Army Black Knights football team, previously known as the Army Cadets, represents the United States Military Academy in college football. Army is currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) member of the NCAA. The Black Knights currently play home games in Michie Stadium with a capacity of 38,000 at West Point, New York. The Black Knights are coached by Jeff Monken who is in his 3rd season as head coach. Army is a three-time national champion, winning the title in 1944, 1945, and 1946.

With the exception of seven seasons (1998–2004) where the team was a member of Conference USA, Army has competed as an independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with any conference. Currently, Army is one of six FBS schools whose football teams do not belong to any conference; the others being BYU, Liberty, New Mexico State, Notre Dame, and UMass. However, all of these schools belong to conferences for all other sports. Army is primarily a member of the Patriot League, BYU is primarily a member of the West Coast Conference, Liberty is in the ASUN Conference, New Mexico State is in the Western Athletic Conference, Notre Dame is part of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and UMass belongs to the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Three players from Army have won the Heisman Trophy: Doc Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946), and Pete Dawkins (1958).[2]

History

Army's football program began on November 29, 1890, when Navy challenged the cadets to a game of the relatively new sport. Navy defeated Army at West Point that year, but Army avenged the loss in Annapolis the following year.[3] The academies still clash every December in what is traditionally the last regular-season Division I college-football game. The 2016 Army–Navy Game marked Army's first recent win after fourteen consecutive losses to Navy. From 1944 to 1950, the Cadets had 57 wins, 3 losses and 4 ties. During this time span, Army won three national championships.[4]

Army's football team reached its pinnacle of success during the Second World War under coach Earl Blaik when Army won three consecutive national championships in 1944, 1945 and 1946, and produced three Heisman trophy winners: Doc Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946) and Pete Dawkins (1958).[5] Past NFL coaches Vince Lombardi[6] and Bill Parcells[7] were Army assistant coaches early in their careers.

The football team plays its home games at Michie Stadium, where the playing field is named after Earl Blaik. Cadets attendance is mandatory at football games and the Corps stands for the duration of the game. At all home games, one of the four regiments marches onto the field in formation before the team takes the field and leads the crowd in traditional Army cheers.[8]

For many years, Army teams were known as the "Cadets." In the 1940s, several papers called the football team "the Black Knights of the Hudson." From then on, "Cadets" and "Black Knights" were used interchangeably until 1999, when the team was officially nicknamed the Black Knights.

Between the 1998 and 2004 seasons, Army's football program was a member of Conference USA, but starting with the 2005 season Army reverted to its former independent status.[9] Army competes with Navy and Air Force for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

National championships

Army has won five national championships from NCAA-designated major selectors.[10]:108–115 Army claims the 1944, 1945, and 1946 titles.[11]

Year Coach Selectors Record
1914Charles Dudley DalyHelms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis[10]:1119–0
1916Charles Dudley DalyParke Davis[10]:1119–0
1944Earl BlaikAP, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Williamson[10]:1119–0
1945Earl BlaikAP, Berryman, Billingsley MOV, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Sagarin (ELOChess), Williamson[10]:1129–0
1946Earl BlaikBillingsley, Boand, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Poling[10]:1129–0–1

Bowl games

Army has played in seven bowl games. They have a record of 5–2.

Season Coach Bowl Date Opponent Result
1984Jim YoungCherry BowlDecember 22, 1984Michigan StateW 10–6
1985Jim YoungPeach BowlDecember 31, 1985IllinoisW 31–29
1988Jim YoungSun BowlDecember 24, 1988AlabamaL 28–29
1996Bob SuttonIndependence BowlDecember 31, 1996AuburnL 29–32
2010Rich EllersonArmed Forces BowlDecember 30, 2010SMUW 16–14
2016Jeff MonkenHeart of Dallas BowlDecember 27, 2016North TexasW 38–31 OT
2017Jeff MonkenArmed Forces BowlDecember 23, 2017San Diego StateW 42–35

Head coaches

CoachSeasonsGamesWinsLossesTiesPercentage
Hugh Mitchell (1918)111001.000
Geoffrey Keyes (1917)18710.875
Ralph Sasse (1930–32)3322552.813
Joseph Beacham (1911)18611.813
Dennis E. Nolan (1902)18611.813
Charles Dudley Daly1 (1913–22)87458133.804
Henry L. Williams (1891)17511.786
Biff Jones (1926–29)4403082.775
Earl Blaik (1941–58)181641213310.768
Garrison H. Davidson (1933–37)54735111.755
John McEwan (1923–25)3261853.750
Henry Smither (1906–07)210721.750
Leon Kromer (1901)18512.750
Harry Nelly (1908–10)3221552.727
Edward Leonard King (1903)19621.722
Harmon S. Graves (1894–95)2141040.714
Robert Boyers (1904–05)2181161.639
Herman Koehler (1897-1900)43319113.621
Dale Hall (1959–61)32916112.586
George P. Dyer (1896)16321.583
Dennis Michie2 (1890–92)16321.583
Jim Young (1983–90)89151391.566
Paul Dietzel (1962–65)44021181.538
Tom Cahill (1966–73)88140392.506
Jeff Monken (2014–present)55628280.500
William H. Wood (1938–40)32812131.481
Ernest Graves, Sr.3 (1906–12)216781.469
Bob Sutton (1991–99)910044551.445
Laurie Bliss (1893)19450.444
Homer Smith (1974–78)55521331.391
Ed Cavanaugh (1980–82)33310212.333
Rich Ellerson (2009–13)56120410.328
Bobby Ross (2004–06)3349250.265
Stan Brock (2007–08)2246180.250
Lou Saban (1979)111281.227
Todd Berry (2000–03)4415360.122
John Mumford (2003)16060.000
  1. Charles Dudley Daly coached did not coach the 1917–1918 seasons.
  2. Dennis Michie coached 1 game in 1890, and then coached a full season in 1892.
  3. Ernest Graves, Sr. coached the 1906 & 1912 seasons.

Rivalries

Commander-in-Chief's Trophy

Air Force, Army, and Navy have played each other every year since 1972 for the Commander-in Chief's Trophy. Air Force leads the FBS service academies with 20 victories, Navy has 15 victories, Army has 7 victories, and the trophy has been shared 4 times.

Air Force

Air Force and Army meet annually and vie for the Commander-in-Chief's. Air Force leads Army 36–15–1 through the 2017 season.[12], and 32–12 in the Trophy series.

Army and Navy play each other annually in the Army–Navy game, which is also a part of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. This series is one of the oldest and traditional rivalries in the NCAA. They first met in 1890, and have played each other annually since 1930. The games are generally played at a neutral site. Navy leads the series 60–51–7 through the 2017 season.[13]

Notre Dame

Notre Dame is a rivalry which some feel has fallen into obscurity. In much of the early 20th century, Army and Notre Dame were considered football powerhouses, and met 34 times between 1913 and 1947. Though the rivalry has slowed down, they last met in 2016. Many media members considered the 1946 contest to be the "Game of the Century".[14] Notre Dame leads the series 39–8–4 through the 2017 season.[15]

Michie Stadium

Michie Stadium is the home stadium of the Army Black Knights in West Point, New York, which was opened in 1924. The stadium is named after the first Army football head coach, Dennis Michie. In 1999 the field was renamed Blaik Field at Michie Stadium in honor of Former Coach Earl Blaik.

Traditions

Songs
Alma Mater is the Army's school song. Army's fight song is On, Brave Old Army Team. Army also plays other organized cheers; Army Rocket Yell, Black, Gold, and Gray, and USMA Cheer.[16]

Mascot
Army's mascot is Army Mules. The Army Mules date back to 1899, being officially adopted by Army in 1936.[17]

Current coaching staff

NamePositionFirst Year PositionFirst Year ArmyAlma Mater
Jeff MonkenHead Coach20142014Millikin
Jay BatemanDefensive Coordinator20142014Randolph-Macon
Brent DavisOffensive Coordinator/Offensive Line20142014Georgia
Todd SpencerOffensive Line20132013Pacific Lutheran University
Josh Christian-YoungCornerbacks20172015University of Central Missouri, Central Missouri State
Kevin CorlessInside Linebackers20142014Northwest Missouri State
Daryl DixonOutside Linebackers20162016Florida
David CorleyWide Receivers20172017College of William and Mary
John LooseSafeties201419921Ithaca College
Sean SaturnioTight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator20162014Hawaii
Mike VitiFullbacks20162016Army
Mitch WareQuarterbacks20142014Southwest Missouri State
Tucker WaughRunning Backs201420072DePauw
Chad WiltDefensive Line20162016Taylor
Brian HessHead Football Strength & Conditioning20172016Springfield College (Mass)
Aairon SavageDefensive Quality Control20172017Auburn University
Conor HughesAssistant Football Strength & Conditioning20172017Springfield College (Massachusetts)
Danny PayneDirector of Scouting20172017Kennesaw State University
Justin WeaverDirector of On Campus Recruiting20172017Lehigh University
Jansen PetagnaDirector of Player Personnel20172016LSU
Maurice SimsAssistant Football Strength & Conditioning20172017University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Dan McCarthyDirector of Football Operations20172017United States Military Academy
Jack O'ReillyDirector of Football Video Operations20182018Clemson University
Michael ZeoliAssistant Director of Football Video Operations20172017William Paterson University
Scott SwansonDirector of Strength & Conditioning19991997Wake Forest
Pat TreseyOffensive Quality Control20162016Mount St. Joseph
Brett MooreDirector of High School Relations20172017Georgia Southern University
  1. John Loose was the linebackers coach at Army from 1992 to 1998
  2. Tucker Waugh was the wide receivers coach at Army from 2000 to 2004.

College Football Hall of Fame

Name Position Years at Army Inducted
Bob AndersonHB2004
Doc BlanchardFB1944–461964
Paul BunkerHB/OT1901–021969
Chris CagleHB1926–291954
Bill CarpenterTE1957–591982
Charlie DalyQB1901–021951
Glenn DavisHB1943–461961
Pete DawkinsHB1956–581975
Arnold GaliffaQB1983
Ed GarbischC/OG1921–241954
John GreenOG1943–451989
Don Holleder1985
Harvey JablonskyOG1931–331978
Doug KennaQB1942–441984
John McEwanC1913–161962
Frank MerrittOT1942–431996
Robin Olds1985
Elmer OliphantFB1916–171955
Barney PooleTE/DE1974
Bud SpragueOT1926–271979
Joe SteffyOG1945–471987
Alex WeyandOT1914–151974
Harry WilsonHB19241973
Arnold TuckerQB2008

Other notable players

President of the United States and General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower and General of the Army Omar Bradley were on the 1912 Army football team. Eisenhower was injured and his football career was over by 1913, when the two future generals were juniors. Bradley, a star of the Army baseball team for four years, was on the field in 1913 when Notre Dame upset Army in a historic college football game in which the forward pass was used for the first time. Bradley played end opposite the legendary Knute Rockne, the Notre Dame end who later coached the Irish to national championships before dying in a plane crash near Bazaar, Kansas, on Easter Friday in 1931.

Retired Numbers

No. Player Position Career Date of Retirement
24[18]Pete DawkinsHB1956–58
35Doc BlanchardFB1944–46
41Glenn DavisHB1943–46
61Joe SteffyOG1945–47

Award winners

Doc Blanchard – 1945
Glenn Davis – 1946
Pete Dawkins – 1958
Earl Blaik – 1946
Tom Cahill – 1966
Tom Cahill – 1966
Bob Sutton – 1996
Glenn Davis – 1944
Doc Blanchard – 1945
Pete Dawkins – 1958
Joe Steffy – 1947
Andrew Rodriguez – 2011
Andrew Rodriguez – 2011
  • Defender of the Nation Award
Andrew King – 2016

Radio

Radio rights are held by the Army Sports Network.

Current broadcast team

Army Sports Network
  • Rich DeMarco (play-by-play)
  • Dean Darling (color analyst)
  • Tony Morino (sideline reporter)
  • Joe Beckerle (pre and post-game)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "USMA Publication Standards Manual Style Guide" (PDF). United States Military Academy–West Point. October 2, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Heisman Winners". The Heisman Trophy. Archived from the original on December 9, 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  3. ↑ Ambrose (1966), pp. 305–06.
  4. ↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 135, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  5. ↑ "Trophy Winners". The Heisman Trophy. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
  6. ↑ "Biography". Official Website of Vince Lombardi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
  7. ↑ Biggane, Brian (15 November 2008). "Bill Parcells is Dolphins' Godfather". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  8. ↑ Palka (2008), p. 197.
  9. ↑ "Army Football to Leave Conference USA After 2004 Season". The Official Website of Conference USA. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). The National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  11. ↑ "2018 Army West Point Football Media Guide" (PDF). Army Athletics. pp. 73–75. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  12. ↑ http://www.winsipedia.com/army/vs/air-force
  13. ↑ http://www.winsipedia.com/army/vs/navy
  14. ↑ Boston College Even with Irish in Yardage, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 13, 1946.
  15. ↑ http://www.winsipedia.com/army/vs/notre-dame
  16. ↑ "> Alma Mater & Fight Songs". Army West Point website.
  17. ↑ "> Army Mules". Army West Point website.
  18. ↑ "Army Retired Jerseys". Army. Retrieved May 13, 2018.

Bibliography

  • Anderson, Lars (2007). Carlisle vs. Army: Jim Thorpe, Dwight Eisenhower, Pop Warner, and the Forgotten Story of Football's Greatest Battle. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6600-1.
  • Drape, Joe (2012). Soldiers First: Duty, Honor, Country, and Football at West Point. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 9781429955348.
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