Army flips script vs. Navy as coach’s battle plan works to perfection
Redirecting….
Army flips script vs. Navy as coach’s battle plan works to perfection
WEST POINT — James Gibson listened to Jeff Monken’s message and believed.
Monken addressed his Army players, their families and alumni at the team’s football banquet following the 2015 season. The Black Knights had finished with a 2-10 record. Seven of Army’s defeats were by seven points or less including a season-ending, 14th consecutive loss to 21st-ranked Navy, 21-17.
Monken vowed Army would flip its record. Barely three years later, the Black Knights have not only done that, the roles have reversed in the race for the Commander in Chief’s Trophy and service-academy supremacy.
As the Black Knights and Midshipmen prepare for their annual clash Saturday in Philadelphia, Army is now the ranked team, currently No. 23 in The Associated Press writers’ poll. On the other hand, Navy is 3-9 with three of its losses by a combined nine points.
The Black Knights own two-game win streaks over both Air Force (2017-18) and Navy (2016-17). Army’s four-game winning streak over its rivals is West Point’s longest since the Commander in Chief’s series was established in 1972. Also, the Black Knights can post their first back-to-back 10-win seasons in history with a win on Saturday.
“We are doing exactly what we said we were going to do and believed what we were going to do,” Monken said.
Gibson credits Army’s rise to an old-fashioned toughness and work ethic.
“When you are brought into a program and you lose seven games by a touchdown or less, one-possession games, that hurts,” Gibson said. “You want to focus in the offseason, ‘What can I do in this situation so when that time comes during the game I’m ready?’ You don’t win those (close) games on game day. You win those games with preparation.”
Pulling out tight games had been Navy’s trademark under head coach Ken Niumatalolo. The ball always seemed to bounce the Midshipmen’s way in late, critical moments. Now Army is the team winning the fourth quarter: Nine of Army’s 19 wins over the last two seasons are by seven points or less.
“They are doing a really good job of continuing to battle to the finish,” Niumatalolo said of Army. “They got a belief. They have a system in what they are doing offensively and defensively. It’s really impressive with what they have done.”
Monken points to recruiting when asked if he’s borrowed anything from Navy’s recent success. He followed Navy’s model of attracting taller players with an increased wingspan who can carry more weight. Army’s offensive line averages 289 pounds compared to 254 pounds before Monken took over the program in December 2014.
“You realize that they (Navy) are getting some guys that are maybe long and not completely developed,” said Monken, who was a Navy assistant along with Niumatalolo from 2002-07. “Then, they are developing guys and players that can fit into their schemes and I really admired the way that they looked physically and the way they played.”
Army center Bryce Holland will start in his fourth Army-Navy game Saturday. The fifth-year senior said the Black Knights’ motivation has “never been about turning the tide” in the series.
“For us, it doesn’t matter to maintain the streak and go 3-0 against Navy the last three years,” Holland said. “It’s about winning this next game, executing our assignments and fundamentals. Freshman year, I went into that game the same way I went into it now and the last couple of years — how can I do my job the best way possible?”
It’s the message Monken preaches every day.
The rivalry doesn’t take a break after the final whistle Saturday.
“It’s a 365 day-a-year battle,” Monken said. “We battle for recruits day in and day out. I hope our uniforms look better than their uniforms because that’s going to help in recruiting ... that’s going to get our guys charged up. I hope the sandwiches that we are eating before the game taste better than the ones they are eating. We got to eat Tony Luke’s roast pork with broccoli rabe and they had some hamburger from Joe’s.”
How does Army stay ahead of Navy and on top of service-academy football? The old-fashioned way.
“We try to work really hard and try to execute better in everything that we do,” Monken said.
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