Army Black Knights football
| Army Black Knights football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1890 | ||
| Athletic director | Boo Corrigan | ||
| Head coach | Jeff Monken 5th season, 33–28 (.541) | ||
| 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 | 690–518–51 (.568) | ||
| 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 5th 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]
Contents
History[edit]
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[edit]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | Charles Dudley Daly | Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis[10]:111 | 9–0 |
| 1916 | Charles Dudley Daly | Parke Davis[10]:111 | 9–0 |
| 1944 | Earl Blaik | AP, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Williamson[10]:111 | 9–0 |
| 1945 | Earl Blaik | AP, Berryman, Billingsley MOV, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Sagarin (ELOChess), Williamson[10]:112 | 9–0 |
| 1946 | Earl Blaik | Billingsley, Boand, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Poling[10]:112 | 9–0–1 |
Bowl games[edit]
Army has played in seven bowl games. They have a record of 5–2.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Jim Young | Cherry Bowl | December 22, 1984 | Michigan State | W 10–6 |
| 1985 | Jim Young | Peach Bowl | December 31, 1985 | Illinois | W 31–29 |
| 1988 | Jim Young | Sun Bowl | December 24, 1988 | Alabama | L 28–29 |
| 1996 | Bob Sutton | Independence Bowl | December 31, 1996 | Auburn | L 29–32 |
| 2010 | Rich Ellerson | Armed Forces Bowl | December 30, 2010 | SMU | W 16–14 |
| 2016 | Jeff Monken | Heart of Dallas Bowl | December 27, 2016 | North Texas | W 38–31 OT |
| 2017 | Jeff Monken | 2017 Armed Forces Bowl | December 23, 2017 | San Diego State | W 42–35 |
Head coaches[edit]
| Coach | Seasons | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh Mitchell (1918) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Geoffrey Keyes (1917) | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | .875 |
| Ralph Sasse (1930–32) | 3 | 32 | 25 | 5 | 2 | .813 |
| Joseph Beacham (1911) | 1 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | .813 |
| Dennis E. Nolan (1902) | 1 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | .813 |
| Charles Dudley Daly1 (1913–22) | 8 | 74 | 58 | 13 | 3 | .804 |
| Henry L. Williams (1891) | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .786 |
| Biff Jones (1926–29) | 4 | 40 | 30 | 8 | 2 | .775 |
| Earl Blaik (1941–58) | 18 | 164 | 121 | 33 | 10 | .768 |
| Garrison H. Davidson (1933–37) | 5 | 47 | 35 | 11 | 1 | .755 |
| John McEwan (1923–25) | 3 | 26 | 18 | 5 | 3 | .750 |
| Henry Smither (1906–07) | 2 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .750 |
| Leon Kromer (1901) | 1 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | .750 |
| Harry Nelly (1908–10) | 3 | 22 | 15 | 5 | 2 | .727 |
| Edward Leonard King (1903) | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | .722 |
| Harmon S. Graves (1894–95) | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 |
| Robert Boyers (1904–05) | 2 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | .639 |
| Herman Koehler (1897-1900) | 4 | 33 | 19 | 11 | 3 | .621 |
| Dale Hall (1959–61) | 3 | 29 | 16 | 11 | 2 | .586 |
| George P. Dyer (1896) | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .583 |
| Dennis Michie2 (1890–92) | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .583 |
| Jim Young (1983–90) | 8 | 91 | 51 | 39 | 1 | .566 |
| Jeff Monken (2014–present)3 | 4* | 61 | 33 | 28 | 0 | .541 |
| Paul Dietzel (1962–65) | 4 | 40 | 21 | 18 | 1 | .538 |
| Tom Cahill (1966–73) | 8 | 81 | 40 | 39 | 2 | .506 |
| William H. Wood (1938–40) | 3 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 1 | .481 |
| Ernest Graves, Sr.4 (1906–12) | 2 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 |
| Bob Sutton (1991–99) | 9 | 100 | 44 | 55 | 1 | .445 |
| Laurie Bliss (1893) | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 |
| Homer Smith (1974–78) | 5 | 55 | 21 | 33 | 1 | .391 |
| Ed Cavanaugh (1980–82) | 3 | 33 | 10 | 21 | 2 | .333 |
| Rich Ellerson (2009–13) | 5 | 61 | 20 | 41 | 0 | .328 |
| Bobby Ross (2004–06) | 3 | 34 | 9 | 25 | 0 | .265 |
| Stan Brock (2007–08) | 2 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 0 | .250 |
| Lou Saban (1979) | 1 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 1 | .227 |
| Todd Berry (2000–03) | 4 | 41 | 5 | 36 | 0 | .122 |
| John Mumford (2003) | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | .000 |
- Charles Dudley Daly coached did not coach the 1917–1918 seasons.
- Dennis Michie coached 1 game in 1890, and then coached a full season in 1892.
- Jeff Monken's record as of eleven games into his fifth season (2018).
- Ernest Graves, Sr. coached the 1906 & 1912 seasons.
Rivalries[edit]
Commander-in-Chief's Trophy[edit]
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.[citation needed][when?]
Air Force[edit]
Air Force and Army meet annually and vie for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. Air Force leads Army 36–16–1 through the 2018 season.,[12] and 32–12 in the Trophy series.[citation needed][when?]
[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
 | This section does not cite any sources. (June 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
[when?]
| Name | Position | First Year Position | First Year Army | Alma Mater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Monken | Head Coach | 2014 | 2014 | Millikin |
| Jay Bateman | Defensive Coordinator | 2014 | 2014 | Randolph-Macon |
| Brent Davis | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line | 2014 | 2014 | Georgia |
| Todd Spencer | Offensive Line | 2013 | 2013 | Pacific Lutheran University |
| Josh Christian-Young | Cornerbacks | 2017 | 2015 | University of Central Missouri, Central Missouri State |
| Kevin Corless | Inside Linebackers | 2014 | 2014 | Northwest Missouri State |
| Daryl Dixon | Outside Linebackers | 2016 | 2016 | Florida |
| David Corley | Wide Receivers | 2017 | 2017 | College of William and Mary |
| John Loose | Safeties | 2014 | 19921 | Ithaca College |
| Sean Saturnio | Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator | 2016 | 2014 | Hawaii |
| Mike Viti | Fullbacks | 2016 | 2016 | Army |
| Mitch Ware | Quarterbacks | 2014 | 2014 | Southwest Missouri State |
| Tucker Waugh | Running Backs | 2014 | 20072 | DePauw |
| Chad Wilt | Defensive Line | 2016 | 2016 | Taylor |
| Brian Hess | Head Football Strength & Conditioning | 2017 | 2016 | Springfield College (Mass) |
| Aairon Savage | Defensive Quality Control | 2017 | 2017 | Auburn University |
| Conor Hughes | Assistant Football Strength & Conditioning | 2017 | 2017 | Springfield College (Massachusetts) |
| Danny Payne | Director of Scouting | 2017 | 2017 | Kennesaw State University |
| Justin Weaver | Director of On Campus Recruiting | 2017 | 2017 | Lehigh University |
| Jansen Petagna | Director of Player Personnel | 2017 | 2016 | LSU |
| Maurice Sims | Assistant Football Strength & Conditioning | 2017 | 2017 | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga |
| Dan McCarthy | Director of Football Operations | 2017 | 2017 | United States Military Academy |
| Jack O'Reilly | Director of Football Video Operations | 2018 | 2018 | Clemson University |
| Michael Zeoli | Assistant Director of Football Video Operations | 2017 | 2017 | William Paterson University |
| Scott Swanson | Director of Strength & Conditioning | 1999 | 1997 | Wake Forest |
| Pat Tresey | Offensive Quality Control | 2016 | 2016 | Mount St. Joseph |
| Brett Moore | Director of High School Relations | 2017 | 2017 | Georgia Southern University |
- John Loose was the linebackers coach at Army from 1992 to 1998
- Tucker Waugh was the wide receivers coach at Army from 2000 to 2004.
College Football Hall of Fame[edit]
| Name | Position | Years at Army | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Anderson | HB | 2004 | |
| Doc Blanchard | FB | 1944–46 | 1964 |
| Paul Bunker | HB/OT | 1901–02 | 1969 |
| Chris Cagle | HB | 1926–29 | 1954 |
| Bill Carpenter | TE | 1957–59 | 1982 |
| Charlie Daly | QB | 1901–02 | 1951 |
| Glenn Davis | HB | 1943–46 | 1961 |
| Pete Dawkins | HB | 1956–58 | 1975 |
| Arnold Galiffa | QB | 1983 | |
| Ed Garbisch | C/OG | 1921–24 | 1954 |
| John Green | OG | 1943–45 | 1989 |
| Don Holleder | 1985 | ||
| Harvey Jablonsky | OG | 1931–33 | 1978 |
| Doug Kenna | QB | 1942–44 | 1984 |
| John McEwan | C | 1913–16 | 1962 |
| Frank Merritt | OT | 1942–43 | 1996 |
| Robin Olds | 1985 | ||
| Elmer Oliphant | FB | 1916–17 | 1955 |
| Barney Poole | TE/DE | 1974 | |
| Bud Sprague | OT | 1926–27 | 1979 |
| Joe Steffy | OG | 1945–47 | 1987 |
| Alex Weyand | OT | 1914–15 | 1974 |
| Harry Wilson | HB | 1924 | 1973 |
| Arnold Tucker | QB | 2008 |
Other notable players[edit]
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[edit]
| No. | Player | Position | Career | Date of Retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24[18] | Pete Dawkins | HB | 1956–58 | |
| 35 | Doc Blanchard | FB | 1944–46 | |
| 41 | Glenn Davis | HB | 1943–46 | |
| 61 | Joe Steffy | OG | 1945–47 |
Award winners[edit]
- 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
- Andrew King – 2016
Radio[edit]
Radio rights are held by the Army Sports Network.
Current broadcast team[edit]
- Army Sports Network
- Rich DeMarco (play-by-play)
- Dean Darling (color analyst)
- Tony Morino (sideline reporter)
- Joe Beckerle (pre and post-game)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "USMA Publication Standards Manual Style Guide" (PDF). United States Military Academy–West Point. October 2, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
- ^ "Heisman Winners". The Heisman Trophy. Archived from the original on December 9, 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
- ^ Ambrose (1966), pp. 305–06.
- ^ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p. 135, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
- ^ "Trophy Winners". The Heisman Trophy. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ "Biography". Official Website of Vince Lombardi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
- ^ Biggane, Brian (15 November 2008). "Bill Parcells is Dolphins' Godfather". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
- ^ Palka (2008), p. 197.
- ^ "Army Football to Leave Conference USA After 2004 Season". The Official Website of Conference USA. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). The National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
- ^ "2018 Army West Point Football Media Guide" (PDF). Army Athletics. pp. 73–75. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
- ^ http://www.winsipedia.com/army/vs/air-force
- ^ http://www.winsipedia.com/army/vs/navy
- ^ Boston College Even with Irish in Yardage, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 13, 1946.
- ^ http://www.winsipedia.com/army/vs/notre-dame
- ^ "> Alma Mater & Fight Songs". Army West Point website.
- ^ "> Army Mules". Army West Point website.
- ^ "Army Retired Jerseys". Army. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
Bibliography[edit]
- 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.
External links[edit]
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