Army Runs Over Tulane 35-14 To Claim AAC ChampionshipBy John ChuhranCaMMVets Media
West Point, N.Y. – Some may call Army’s triple option offense old fashioned and boring, but it’s hard to argue with success.
On Friday night at West Point’s Michie Stadium, the Black Knights (11-1, 9-0) executed their old-school style of play with a precision and effectiveness that produced a dominant 35-14 win over Tulane (9-4, 7-3) in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. Broadcast nationally on ABC-TV, it was the first-ever conference championship game appearance and win for Army, which only joined the AAC this year after being an independent college football team for most of the last century and a quarter.
“I think tonight has been the embodiment of what this entire season has been for this team,” said winning Head Coach Jeff Monken. “The determination, the toughness, the discipline, the brotherhood, the love for each other, the greatness that these guys displayed from day one, from game one – that’s what’s shown up tonight. We beat a really good football team. Congratulations to Tulane for being here and being a part of this game. We're honored to be in this game and to host the American championship. I'm proud of our team, I’m proud of everybody in that locker room and not just for the plays they made tonight, but for what they've done to get us positioned to be able to do what we did tonight.
“This is a really good football team and I think oftentimes we're considered a team that just has a bunch of little old guys, not very talented. The fact is we’ve got some talented guys. Are we as talented or more talented than other teams that we play? Maybe not, probably not but that doesn't matter. We just have to have the best team on a particular day in order to win. Tonight they played together and just played like the best team and it's been fun to be a part of this team with them all season long.
“I've coached a lot of seasons, coached a lot of games and there’s very few times in my career where I would say I was as proud of a team as much as I am of this one tonight. It's great to be here and be champions and to be able to celebrate that with these guys. Our senior class, what they've meant to this program, what they’ve meant to this team…there was just a raw determination in their spirit to get this program back to a championship level. Certainly to be able to call ourselves champions tonight is pretty fantastic. So, I’m proud of these guys and we're enjoying the victory here for a little bit before we get ready for the biggest game of the year next week.”
Leading the way for Army was the player who also finished the night tied for the lead in the nation for most rushing touchdowns scored this year. Quarterback Bryson Daily ran 26 times for 125 yards and four TD, boosting his season total to 29. He also completed both of the passes he attempted for 17 yards. Monken is usually reserved and thoughtful about praising his players, but he was candid and complimentary after what many observers considered to be his team’s most commanding win in an exceptionally successful season.
“I’d argue there’s not a guy in America more valuable to their team, that means more to his team than Bryson Daily,” Monken said. “So, I think he should be down there (at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York City). I don't have a vote in it and they're not going to listen to me, but, you know, he belongs down there. I know that the college football world would be thrilled to see that. How many times in history is there going to be an (American Military) Academy player that legitimately could go down there and everybody feels like that guy belongs (there). You know what? This is that time in history. That guy belongs down there – that's what I think “
Daily was not alone in rising to the occasion. Running back Kanye Udoh ran the ball 20 times for a game-high 158 yards, pushing his season total over 1,000. Udoh and Daily are only the third pair of running backs in Army history to both surpass 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. Linebacker Andon Thomas had a team-high tackles and added the game’s only interception. Kicker Trey Gronotte booted five PAT and usually sent the ball deep on kickoffs, but he’ll most remember the return run where he grabbed the Tulane receiver and forced a fumble. As a team, Army led in total offensive yards (352; 335 rushing), time of possession (34:20), turnovers (0 to Tulane’s 1 fumble lost and 1 interception), and penalties (0 to Tulane’s 5). With the 11th win, the Black Knights equaled their all time single-season high, first achieved in 2018 when Monken led Army to an 11-2 record. A crowd of 14,016 endured frigid temperatures in the mid 20s with a wind-chill reported to be 16 degrees – conditions that favored Army’s run-dominated offense. Army did not attempt a pass before intermission and scored touchdowns on its first two possessions, failed to convert a fourth-and-3 on the Tulane 4 on its third, and added its third TD on its fourth possession. The Green Wave struggled mightily – not with the cold, but rather with self-inflicted problems ranging from turnovers to penalties to simply not executing.With Army winning the coin toss and deferring possession to the second half, Tulane took the opening kickoff and Rayshawn Pleasant caught the ball on the Tulane 6 and threaded his way through the charging Black Knights until being brought down after a gain of 18 yards. QB Darian Mensah started the drive with three rushes that gained another 19 yards. On the fourth snap, Menasah hit Mario Williams with a quick 3-yard reception off right tackle, but then dashed 27 yards up the right sideline to put the Green Wave in prime position on the Army 27. After three short rushes and a false start penalty, Tulane faced a fourth-and-two on the Army 19. The Green Wave attempted a field goal, but rookie kicker Patrick Durkin balked at the set and failed to attempt a kick. Army defenders swarmed holder Brice Busch on the Army 29 and the cadets took over on downs.On Army’s first snap, Daily rolled left and made a late pitch to Noah Short, who turned the perimeter and charged up the left sideline for a 17-yard gain. Daily then led a methodical 11-play, 72-yard drive that ended with Daily charging five yards through the right C-gap to score his 26th touchdown of the year. Trey Gronotte stayed perfect with his 47th PAT of the year and Army led 7-0 with just 3:48 left in the first quarter.
West Point, N.Y. – Some may call Army’s triple option offense old fashioned and boring, but it’s hard to argue with success.
On Friday night at West Point’s Michie Stadium, the Black Knights (11-1, 9-0) executed their old-school style of play with a precision and effectiveness that produced a dominant 35-14 win over Tulane (9-4, 7-3) in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. Broadcast nationally on ABC-TV, it was the first-ever conference championship game appearance and win for Army, which only joined the AAC this year after being an independent college football team for most of the last century and a quarter.
“I think tonight has been the embodiment of what this entire season has been for this team,” said winning Head Coach Jeff Monken. “The determination, the toughness, the discipline, the brotherhood, the love for each other, the greatness that these guys displayed from day one, from game one – that’s what’s shown up tonight. We beat a really good football team. Congratulations to Tulane for being here and being a part of this game. We're honored to be in this game and to host the American championship. I'm proud of our team, I’m proud of everybody in that locker room and not just for the plays they made tonight, but for what they've done to get us positioned to be able to do what we did tonight.
“This is a really good football team and I think oftentimes we're considered a team that just has a bunch of little old guys, not very talented. The fact is we’ve got some talented guys. Are we as talented or more talented than other teams that we play? Maybe not, probably not but that doesn't matter. We just have to have the best team on a particular day in order to win. Tonight they played together and just played like the best team and it's been fun to be a part of this team with them all season long.
“I've coached a lot of seasons, coached a lot of games and there’s very few times in my career where I would say I was as proud of a team as much as I am of this one tonight. It's great to be here and be champions and to be able to celebrate that with these guys. Our senior class, what they've meant to this program, what they’ve meant to this team…there was just a raw determination in their spirit to get this program back to a championship level. Certainly to be able to call ourselves champions tonight is pretty fantastic. So, I’m proud of these guys and we're enjoying the victory here for a little bit before we get ready for the biggest game of the year next week.”
Leading the way for Army was the player who also finished the night tied for the lead in the nation for most rushing touchdowns scored this year. Quarterback Bryson Daily ran 26 times for 125 yards and four TD, boosting his season total to 29. He also completed both of the passes he attempted for 17 yards. Monken is usually reserved and thoughtful about praising his players, but he was candid and complimentary after what many observers considered to be his team’s most commanding win in an exceptionally successful season.
“I’d argue there’s not a guy in America more valuable to their team, that means more to his team than Bryson Daily,” Monken said. “So, I think he should be down there (at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York City). I don't have a vote in it and they're not going to listen to me, but, you know, he belongs down there. I know that the college football world would be thrilled to see that. How many times in history is there going to be an (American Military) Academy player that legitimately could go down there and everybody feels like that guy belongs (there). You know what? This is that time in history. That guy belongs down there – that's what I think “
Daily was not alone in rising to the occasion. Running back Kanye Udoh ran the ball 20 times for a game-high 158 yards, pushing his season total over 1,000. Udoh and Daily are only the third pair of running backs in Army history to both surpass 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. Linebacker Andon Thomas had a team-high tackles and added the game’s only interception. Kicker Trey Gronotte booted five PAT and usually sent the ball deep on kickoffs, but he’ll most remember the return run where he grabbed the Tulane receiver and forced a fumble. As a team, Army led in total offensive yards (352; 335 rushing), time of possession (34:20), turnovers (0 to Tulane’s 1 fumble lost and 1 interception), and penalties (0 to Tulane’s 5). With the 11th win, the Black Knights equaled their all time single-season high, first achieved in 2018 when Monken led Army to an 11-2 record. A crowd of 14,016 endured frigid temperatures in the mid 20s with a wind-chill reported to be 16 degrees – conditions that favored Army’s run-dominated offense. Army did not attempt a pass before intermission and scored touchdowns on its first two possessions, failed to convert a fourth-and-3 on the Tulane 4 on its third, and added its third TD on its fourth possession. The Green Wave struggled mightily – not with the cold, but rather with self-inflicted problems ranging from turnovers to penalties to simply not executing.With Army winning the coin toss and deferring possession to the second half, Tulane took the opening kickoff and Rayshawn Pleasant caught the ball on the Tulane 6 and threaded his way through the charging Black Knights until being brought down after a gain of 18 yards. QB Darian Mensah started the drive with three rushes that gained another 19 yards. On the fourth snap, Menasah hit Mario Williams with a quick 3-yard reception off right tackle, but then dashed 27 yards up the right sideline to put the Green Wave in prime position on the Army 27. After three short rushes and a false start penalty, Tulane faced a fourth-and-two on the Army 19. The Green Wave attempted a field goal, but rookie kicker Patrick Durkin balked at the set and failed to attempt a kick. Army defenders swarmed holder Brice Busch on the Army 29 and the cadets took over on downs.On Army’s first snap, Daily rolled left and made a late pitch to Noah Short, who turned the perimeter and charged up the left sideline for a 17-yard gain. Daily then led a methodical 11-play, 72-yard drive that ended with Daily charging five yards through the right C-gap to score his 26th touchdown of the year. Trey Gronotte stayed perfect with his 47th PAT of the year and Army led 7-0 with just 3:48 left in the first quarter.
Tulane tried to settle down and close the gap as Mensah led a series of rushes that got the ball to the Army 34, but more Green Wave penalties forced the visitors to try for a field goal. This time, Durkin’s kick sailed wide right.On the ensuing Army drive, Kanye Udoh showed a half second of patience on the first snap, taking a handoff from Daily and sprinting through the right A-gap. Angling to the right sideline, Udoh dashed 72 yards before being tripped at the Army 3. On the next play, Daily bulled the final three yards for Army’s second score to make it 14-0.
“I should have scored,” joked Udoh. “I let the guy get my ankle at the end there. I was one-on-one with the corner(back) and I was able to make him miss. Then it was off to the races and I lost the race.”
After nailing the PAT, Trey Gronotte booted a 62-yard kickoff to Pleasant, who again swerved and dodged and looked like he would deliver a long return. Gronotte and two deep defenders were all that stood between Pleasant and seven points and the Army kicker rushed into the breach. He grabbed Pleasant and held on, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Army’s Tommy Zitiello on the Tulane 38. A steady distribution of 10 rushes advanced the ball to the Tulane 4 before the drive stalled and Tulane took over on downs.
With a first-and-10 situation on the Tulane 20, Mensah underthrew a pass and Army linebacker Andon Thomas grabbed the ball, returning 16 yards before being tackled. Starting on the Tulane 21, Daily again called a variety of four rushes and then pushed the final three yards into the end zone for his third TD of the night to boost the Army Advantage to 21-0.
Gronotte popped up the kickoff and the ball only went 37 yards. With a 12-yard Tulane return, the Green Wave were in business on its own 40. Mensah ran for 8 yards and completed a 10-yard pass before finding Mario Williams 11 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Williams cut towards the right sideline and ran the final 31 yards into the endzone to cut the margin to 21-7 at intermission.
Army took the second half kickoff and continued its relentless running attack. Daily again was the patient leader, calling 11 plays, advancing 75 yards and finally running in from the Tulane 7 for his fourth TD to make it Army 28, Tulane. 7. All the runs used a lot of time and after the fourth Army TD, Tulane soon had two opponents to battle – the Black Knights and the clock.
Mensah was finding moderate success with short passes, completing 11 of his first 16 for 163 yards, but penalties plagued almost every drive, often forcing the Green Wave to fight multiple times for the same piece of ground. A 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty destroyed Tulane’s next drive and the Black Knights took over on downs on the Army 16 with just 2:13 left in the third stanza.
By the start of the final quarter, Army advanced to its own 25, and in a fourth-and-1, Daily blasted straight ahead for a gain of 6 and a new set of downs. Two plays later, Udoh had an 11-yard gain for another first down and two plays later he gained 17 more as seconds turned into minutes that were running off the clock. Six plays later, Army was in a first-and-goal situation on the Tulane 6 when Army called its first time out with 6:59 remaining. Udoh bulled ahead to be inches short of the goal line and followed with a leap over his own linemen into the end zone to all but seal the win for the Black Knights 35-7 as another 30 seconds disappeared.
The Army defense continued to play hard, chewing 5:19 off the clock as it slowed the ensuing Green Wave drive before Mensah found Bauman for a 2-yard TD pass to close out the scoring at 35-14.
The long possessions, the control of the clock, the methodical rushing gains – including the celebrated achievements of Daily and Udoh – all are built on the performance of five young men: LT Connor Finucane, LG Bill Katsigiannis, C Brady Small, RG Paolo Genneralli, and RT Lucas Scott.
“I’ve always thought the offensive line kind of sets the tone for the entire team,” Monken said. “If they’re tough, if they’re rugged then everybody else does it, too. I want the offensive line to play so well and be so admired that everybody on the team wishes they could play offensive line. That’s what these guys are. I think everybody wants to be that tough, that rugged, that efficient. We’ve got a lot of guys on our team making good plays, not just them, but I think it starts there.”
Army has seven days to prepare for the most important game of the year – the 125th Army-Navy Game. Monken thinks he has the men who can do the job needed to win. He’ll find out for certain at 3 PM next Saturday at Landover, Maryland.
(-CaMMVets Media-)
By the start of the final quarter, Army advanced to its own 25, and in a fourth-and-1, Daily blasted straight ahead for a gain of 6 and a new set of downs. Two plays later, Udoh had an 11-yard gain for another first down and two plays later he gained 17 more as seconds turned into minutes that were running off the clock. Six plays later, Army was in a first-and-goal situation on the Tulane 6 when Army called its first time out with 6:59 remaining. Udoh bulled ahead to be inches short of the goal line and followed with a leap over his own linemen into the end zone to all but seal the win for the Black Knights 35-7 as another 30 seconds disappeared.
The Army defense continued to play hard, chewing 5:19 off the clock as it slowed the ensuing Green Wave drive before Mensah found Bauman for a 2-yard TD pass to close out the scoring at 35-14.
The long possessions, the control of the clock, the methodical rushing gains – including the celebrated achievements of Daily and Udoh – all are built on the performance of five young men: LT Connor Finucane, LG Bill Katsigiannis, C Brady Small, RG Paolo Genneralli, and RT Lucas Scott.
“I’ve always thought the offensive line kind of sets the tone for the entire team,” Monken said. “If they’re tough, if they’re rugged then everybody else does it, too. I want the offensive line to play so well and be so admired that everybody on the team wishes they could play offensive line. That’s what these guys are. I think everybody wants to be that tough, that rugged, that efficient. We’ve got a lot of guys on our team making good plays, not just them, but I think it starts there.”
Army has seven days to prepare for the most important game of the year – the 125th Army-Navy Game. Monken thinks he has the men who can do the job needed to win. He’ll find out for certain at 3 PM next Saturday at Landover, Maryland.
(-CaMMVets Media-)