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Home / Sports News / Saturday is the 119th Army-Navy football classic and as usual, it’s a sellout, upwards of 100 thousand expected at City of Brotherly Love’s Veteran’s Stadium

Saturday is the 119th Army-Navy football classic and as usual, it’s a sellout, upwards of 100 thousand expected at City of Brotherly Love’s Veteran’s Stadium

  • By Arnie Leshin
Arnie Leshin

Has the tide for the Army-Navy football game changed?

Saturday, in Philadelphia, they will meet for the 119th time. That hasn’t changed, except that after losing American’s Game nine straight times, the Cadets have brought confidence to West Point.

Not only have they defeated the Midshipman in back-to-back tilts, but while they received theirfirst bowl game in 22 years, posted a 9-2 record,and has won seven in a row, the Navy has struggled by losing six times in nine starts.

But it has won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy (includes the Air Force) five of the last six times, and will come to play in its biggest game of every season.

Usually, you can say that the Middies have played a tougher schedule, except the Cadets have won close games against some tough teams that slowed down their powerful running game. They turned back Hawaii by three points, Miami of Ohio by one, and the Air Force by three, and there’s nothing wrong in how you get a W.

And for some reason, Army booked a game on the road versus 4th ranked Oklahoma, taking the Sooners into overtime before losing. That was an eye-opener. This confidence and better football has come aboard since Jeff Monken took over as head coach before the 2016 season.

His strength wa running the ball, which is what Navy has done through the years in reaching bowl games in 10 of the last 11 seasons, and a total of 24 times. This is the first time since 2001 that it had a losing record. Its chief threat is still to run, run, run, and bail out with short passes. But this team has battled injuries and can’t put together the possessions it once did.

But who knows, this is Army-Navy before a sold-out 100,000 at Veteran’s Stadium. This is the event where everybody pays their way. It’s right across from the Navy yard, but that doesn’t give the Midshipmen an edge. To beat the men from West Point, they must outplay them, make big plays, avoid turnovers, and contain their power game along the ground.

How tough has it been? Well, the Army has scored 41 touchdowns by running the ball. .The one-two punch in the attack are Darnell Wogiford and Ken Hopkin.

The offensive line is experienced, has size, and opens up big holes. They don’t throw the ball that much, but they have surprised at times this season, and are capable. They are averaging 317 yards by running the ball a lot.

Navy has stuck to its triple option flexbowe offense that has totaled an average of 237 yards. It throws the ball when it needs yardage, but has also been hurt by intercepttions. Its biggest threat has been Malcoy Perry. Its biggest problem has to be on defense, for it has to keep Army from making big plays.

This is the 10th year since Ken Niumstaolo took over as head coach from Paul Johnson, who recently retired from the same role at Georgia Tech.

Now Niumstaolo finds himself in the underdog role. He now has to bring more confidence and a stellar game from his players.

The history of these military rivals on the football field goes way back. Army had Mr. Inside, Glenn Davis, and Mr. Outside, Doc Blanchard, playing under legendary head coach Earl (Red) Blake during and after the World War II years. The Cadets can also bring up offensive star Pete Dawkins, tight ends Don Hollander and Bill Carpenter, stellar quarterback Arnold Galiffa, and running back Arnold Tucker.

The Navy counters with Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach, the stellar quarterback with two Super Bowls, another Heisman winner in running back Joe Belino, wide receiver Phil McConkey, who also played for the New York Giants, and running back Napoleon McCallun, who also played some NFL ball.

Off the field, West Point has graduated two US presidents,

Andrew Jackson and Dwight Eisenhower. Then there’s former elite retired college coach Bob Knight and present Duke head coach MikeKryzewski, and both are Hall of Famers.

The late senator John McCain was an Annapolis graduate and former president Jimmy Carter, who is now 94 years old. The Navy will not be in a bowl game this time, but the Army is headed for the Lockhard Armed Forces Bowl game in Fort Worth, Tex.You 

And for the record, the Middies have won this event 60 times, lost 51, and there have been seven ties. Oh, and weather reports have snow heading Philadelphia’s way, although they’ve played in it before.

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