Army/Navy- Who will sing second ?

Passion. Discipline. Patriotism. Tradition. Those are some of the terms that come to mind when I think of the Army/Navy game. For the 119th time, the cadets from West Point and the midshipmen from Annapolis will suit up this Saturday for America’s game. The hero’s of this games past, come from the likes of Staubach, Davis,  Sprinkle, and Coulter. And today’s new blood of this historic rivalry looks to etch their names in the history books.

Since 2002, Navy has won 14 out of 16 games. However, the last two years have belong to the black knights. What’s been the difference the last two years then? Well I think it’s a couple of things:

1. Jeff Monken– The Army head coach is as good as they come when it comes to the triple option. And why wouldn’t he be? He’s a disciple of future Hall of Famer in Paul Johnson. And Monken has  a lot of the same qualities that Johnson does; he’s gritty, gutsy, and a motivator. Before Monken came to West Point, the cadets were struggling to win three games. Now they are a force to be reckon with. Just ask Oklahoma!
2. Navy seems to be having a hard time adjusting to conference play. Unlike Army, Navy actually plays in a conference. The AAC is not the SEC, but Navy isn’t exactly playing sisters of the poor anymore. The competition is tougher, to a degree. Coach Ken Niumatalolo is a heck of a coach, and he’s another one of Paul Johnson’s disciples, which means he runs the option. However, I feel that if Navy is going to have long-term success in the AAC, he might want to throw some new wrinkles in his offense.
3. Quarterback play – This has usually been an area of strength for Navy, but due injuries and graduation, the mid’s have struggled to find consistent QB play, as where Army has had solid performances lately.

Who will sing second in 2018? Army almost beat Oklahoma this season. Navy lost 42-0 to Cincinnati this season. One team seems to be on the upward, while the other seems to be trending downward. So, I like Army in this game. I think they move the ball with no issues and make the proper stops to beat Navy for a third straight year.

On that note, I hope you get to enjoy the game this weekend.  Soldiers on the field and off, Army-Navy brings an entirely different perspective to the gridiron, and for good reason. These men, who put on a show for three hours every Saturday in the Fall, go through hours each day of tough, physical and mental training. They’re preparing for something bigger than football and themselves, and we should all take the time to salute them.