Army Motivated and Ready To Start 2025 Football CampaignBy John ChuhranCaMMVets Media 8/28/2025
Highland Falls, N.Y. – The arrival of Labor Day weekend signals the renewal of another American pastime as college football officially begins on a national scale.
For the cadets of the U.S. Military Academy, that means it is officially time to consign the 2024 season (featuring Army’s first 12-win campaign highlighted by the Black Knights’ first American Athletic Conference Championship, victory in the Independence Bowl, and a final ranking of 21st in the nation) to the record books. Now, Head Coach Jeff Monken and his team begin their quest for 2025 football success. It all begins at 6 PM on Friday night when the Black Knights face the Tarleton State Texans at Michie Stadium (TV on CBS Sports Network). Tickets are still available.
“This is a new team,” said Monken. “It's a new group of seniors – some guys in some positions that they haven't been in before. They're excited for those opportunities and we're very aware that we're not the 2024 team. We haven't played a game together yet, so there's a lot we're going to find out on Friday night.”
Monken thinks that playing at home is an advantage.
“I'd be happy if we could play every game at home,” Monken said. “I really like playing here at Michie Stadium, to dress in our own locker room, be in front of our own fans, and just the familiarity of being here. To go away from home is a challenge, so it's great to be at home. I know our guys will be excited to be in front of the corps of cadets and the home fans. It's exciting for everybody.”
Challenges are numerous. Offensively, star quarterback Bryson Daily (with an NCAA record 32 rushing touchdowns as a senior and 1,653 yards rushing to rank sixth in Heisman Trophy voting before graduating) and the team’s other 1,000-yard runner, Kanye Udoh (who transferred to Arizona State before the Independence Bowl), have left West Point along with three of the five young men who comprised last year’s Army Offensive Line that was voted the best in the nation.
Taking over as starting quarterback is senior Dewayne Coleman, who showed he has both the ability to play the position and the cool thinking to make moves and adjustments when he started and won the important game against Air Force by a score of 20-3 last year when Daily was sidelined due to injury.
“Certainly, Bryson Daily was a big part of our run game last year, setting the record for (rushing) touchdowns and well over a thousand yards rushing” Monken said. “I don’t know if we will be the same with Dewayne and the carries he will get – those may get spread out just a little bit to some of the other guys. But I still expect that Dewayne is going to carry the football a lot. He is a talented player, he is quick and he’s got good speed and I think he will have a good year as a runner for us as well.” “We’re not going to completely change the offense. There are things you saw us do a year ago that we will continue to do this year, but maybe (we’ll do) more of some things than others, which might be a little different than last year.”Monken thinks the Black Knights, who led the nation in rushing yards per game in 2024, have the personnel to again fight for a berth in the FBS Bowl Series championship tournament, the AAC title and for the Commander-In-Chiefs’ Trophy, which was claimed by Navy thanks to the Midshipmen scoring a dominant 31-13 win last December.
Highland Falls, N.Y. – The arrival of Labor Day weekend signals the renewal of another American pastime as college football officially begins on a national scale.
For the cadets of the U.S. Military Academy, that means it is officially time to consign the 2024 season (featuring Army’s first 12-win campaign highlighted by the Black Knights’ first American Athletic Conference Championship, victory in the Independence Bowl, and a final ranking of 21st in the nation) to the record books. Now, Head Coach Jeff Monken and his team begin their quest for 2025 football success. It all begins at 6 PM on Friday night when the Black Knights face the Tarleton State Texans at Michie Stadium (TV on CBS Sports Network). Tickets are still available.
“This is a new team,” said Monken. “It's a new group of seniors – some guys in some positions that they haven't been in before. They're excited for those opportunities and we're very aware that we're not the 2024 team. We haven't played a game together yet, so there's a lot we're going to find out on Friday night.”
Monken thinks that playing at home is an advantage.
“I'd be happy if we could play every game at home,” Monken said. “I really like playing here at Michie Stadium, to dress in our own locker room, be in front of our own fans, and just the familiarity of being here. To go away from home is a challenge, so it's great to be at home. I know our guys will be excited to be in front of the corps of cadets and the home fans. It's exciting for everybody.”
Challenges are numerous. Offensively, star quarterback Bryson Daily (with an NCAA record 32 rushing touchdowns as a senior and 1,653 yards rushing to rank sixth in Heisman Trophy voting before graduating) and the team’s other 1,000-yard runner, Kanye Udoh (who transferred to Arizona State before the Independence Bowl), have left West Point along with three of the five young men who comprised last year’s Army Offensive Line that was voted the best in the nation.
Taking over as starting quarterback is senior Dewayne Coleman, who showed he has both the ability to play the position and the cool thinking to make moves and adjustments when he started and won the important game against Air Force by a score of 20-3 last year when Daily was sidelined due to injury.
“Certainly, Bryson Daily was a big part of our run game last year, setting the record for (rushing) touchdowns and well over a thousand yards rushing” Monken said. “I don’t know if we will be the same with Dewayne and the carries he will get – those may get spread out just a little bit to some of the other guys. But I still expect that Dewayne is going to carry the football a lot. He is a talented player, he is quick and he’s got good speed and I think he will have a good year as a runner for us as well.” “We’re not going to completely change the offense. There are things you saw us do a year ago that we will continue to do this year, but maybe (we’ll do) more of some things than others, which might be a little different than last year.”Monken thinks the Black Knights, who led the nation in rushing yards per game in 2024, have the personnel to again fight for a berth in the FBS Bowl Series championship tournament, the AAC title and for the Commander-In-Chiefs’ Trophy, which was claimed by Navy thanks to the Midshipmen scoring a dominant 31-13 win last December.
Only Center Brady Small and Right Guard Paolo Gennarelli return to the Offensive Line which was the recipient of last year’s Joe Moore Award as the best in the nation. New starters Will Jeffcoat, Teddy Williamson, and Henry Appleton were strong replacement players a year ago and look to continue to keep the OL as an advantage for the Army running attack.
With Hayden Reed and Jake Rendina as top fullbacks and Jake Rendina leading the group of slotbacks, the Army running game is expected to again be strong.
Defensively, the two inside linebackers will be senior co-captains Andon Thomas and Kalib Fortner, both veterans who have demonstrated the ability to correctly identify and anticipate opposing offensive plays, while tackle Kody Harris-Miller will be leading the battle in the trenches where the quick first move and endurance late in the game can be the differences between winning and losing.
The schedule of opponents is formidable. Tarleton State (1-0) made a strong statement as the Texans convincingly defeated FBS foe Portland State 42-0 last Saturday when a small number of teams kicked off the 2025 season. The Texans, ranked eighth in the pre-season FBS coaches poll, have methodically strengthened their roster and do not look like a pushover
“The team that we are facing on Friday night is like an FBS team,” Monken said. “We said as a staff that they could come into the American Conference and compete. It is going to be a real challenge for us and we realize that.”
Tarleton State was voted pre-season favorite to win the United Athletic Conference. Quarterback Victor Gabalis, the league’s unanimous pick for Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and a Walter Payton Award Watch List selection, passed at will in the opener, completing 14-of-24 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns – one caught by former Army tight end Danny Joiner for a four-yard TD. The Tarleton State Defensive unit was especially impressive, forcing four turnovers (a fumble recovery and three interceptions – one returned for a touchdown); Caleb Lewis grabbed two errant Portland State tosses and Omar Emmons picked off the third and forced the fumble. Five Texans – Gabalis, OL Hunter Smith, DL Brandon Tolvert, LB Ty Rawls, and DB Kasyus Kurns – were chosen for the pre-season All-UAC team.
In an unusual twist, the Texans benefitted from former Army player Danny Joiner, a tight end who pulled in a four-yard toss from Gaballs for a touchdown. Balancing the aerial attack was a stout running game that advanced 301 yards in Oregon.
This will be a season filled with great promise and hope for Army and its supporters. It all begins on Friday night.
(-CaMMVets Media-)
With Hayden Reed and Jake Rendina as top fullbacks and Jake Rendina leading the group of slotbacks, the Army running game is expected to again be strong.
Defensively, the two inside linebackers will be senior co-captains Andon Thomas and Kalib Fortner, both veterans who have demonstrated the ability to correctly identify and anticipate opposing offensive plays, while tackle Kody Harris-Miller will be leading the battle in the trenches where the quick first move and endurance late in the game can be the differences between winning and losing.
The schedule of opponents is formidable. Tarleton State (1-0) made a strong statement as the Texans convincingly defeated FBS foe Portland State 42-0 last Saturday when a small number of teams kicked off the 2025 season. The Texans, ranked eighth in the pre-season FBS coaches poll, have methodically strengthened their roster and do not look like a pushover
“The team that we are facing on Friday night is like an FBS team,” Monken said. “We said as a staff that they could come into the American Conference and compete. It is going to be a real challenge for us and we realize that.”
Tarleton State was voted pre-season favorite to win the United Athletic Conference. Quarterback Victor Gabalis, the league’s unanimous pick for Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and a Walter Payton Award Watch List selection, passed at will in the opener, completing 14-of-24 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns – one caught by former Army tight end Danny Joiner for a four-yard TD. The Tarleton State Defensive unit was especially impressive, forcing four turnovers (a fumble recovery and three interceptions – one returned for a touchdown); Caleb Lewis grabbed two errant Portland State tosses and Omar Emmons picked off the third and forced the fumble. Five Texans – Gabalis, OL Hunter Smith, DL Brandon Tolvert, LB Ty Rawls, and DB Kasyus Kurns – were chosen for the pre-season All-UAC team.
In an unusual twist, the Texans benefitted from former Army player Danny Joiner, a tight end who pulled in a four-yard toss from Gaballs for a touchdown. Balancing the aerial attack was a stout running game that advanced 301 yards in Oregon.
This will be a season filled with great promise and hope for Army and its supporters. It all begins on Friday night.
(-CaMMVets Media-)