Back in November, Army defeated a rated Air Force team, marking the first step toward reclaiming the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy from the Falcons. On that front, the Black Knights’ ultimate challenge would be to defeat their oldest adversary in the 124th Army-Navy game. Army defeated the Midshipmen 17-11 on Saturday.
“There’s no bigger game for us than this one,” Army head coach Jeff Monken remarked following the win. “We do not apologize for it. We don’t take down the ‘beat Navy’ signs around campus or in our building during the rest of the year and then put them back up when we’re getting ready for the Army-Navy game. “We practice for this game every day.”
What was the most important factor contributing to the victory? Monken considers the defense. The Army denied a Navy touchdown in each of the first three quarters. Navy scored all of its points in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Kalib Fortner’s 44-yard scoop-and-score was possibly the most important Army touchdown.
Monken was willing to deal with Tai Lavatai and Navy hitting a succession of short pass plays in the fourth quarter, which eventually led to a score and put them in the redzone with a chance to tie. “When they brought Lavatai in, they seemed to be more effective running the football with him running the zone follow and those kinds of things,” Monken said.
Monken was optimistic that by allowing the defense to play softer on the edges, he and defensive coordinator Nate Woody could prevent explosive plays over the top and in the run game long enough to let the clock run out before Navy could grab the lead. “They did an excellent job of halting the run. “Credit to Navy; they did a good job making some passes,” Monken remarked. “We were playing, and they were being a little soft on the periphery, trying to keep the ball in front of us. We felt that if we kept the ball in front of us, we’d be able to win the football game rather than having something tossed over our heads.”
The Black Knights’ tactics paid off, as they limited Navy to only 130 rushing yards, helping Army win the time of possession fight. “I’m proud of our defense for the way they defended the run because I think that’s where it’s got to start, especially in these games.” Monken finished. “If you can be effective stopping the run, you’re going to give yourself a great chance to win the football game.” With the victory, the Army reclaims sole custody of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 2020. This is the tenth time the Army has done so since the trophy was founded in 1972.
Army’s season concludes on a good note, as they will not compete in a bowl game this season despite a 6-6 record. Army’s two wins this season came against FCS opponents.
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