Very seldom do we ever hear of the military academies doing something worthwhile on Saturdays in the fall. Gone are the days when Army and Navy were prominent powers in college football. Rodger Staubach won the Heisman trophy back in 1963 and Army legend Pete Dawkins won the trophy in 1958. Those were great times for the Middies of Navy and Knights of West Point. Both teams were on par with the likes of Notre Dame and USC. However, times have changed, the sport has evolved and most elite players choose to play at big schools that can give them a shot to steal the spotlight and make their dreams come true, such as making it in the NFL.
West Point is not for everyone. To understand the type of player that walks through those halls you need to understand the physical and academic requirements for each cadet. First, each potential candidate must be nominated by a U.S. representative, Senator, vice-president or the president. The candidate also must pass a physical aptitude exam that requires the following:
This exam has five separate elements: a 300-yard run, two minutes of push-ups, a standing long jump, a basketball throw from a kneeling position and pull-ups. Each applicant gets one chance to take the test per application, so it’s best to practice these exercises before the formal exam if possible.
The academic qualifications are as follows:
Above-average high school or college academic records, and good scores on either the ACT or SAT tests are also expected. Your high school curriculum should include four years of English, college preparatory math including algebra, geometry and trigonometry, two years of a foreign language, two years of science, and a year of U.S. history.
Calculus and computer courses also are beneficial. And if you’ve participated in extracurricular activities such as clubs or student government, these will make you a strong candidate for admission as well.
As you can see, these are very unique individuals that enroll at the military academy. Football is just an added bonus for these young men.
Now to the good stuff. Army is coming off its best season since 1996, and it’s highest ranking in the AP (11th) since 1958. The black knights won 11 games in 2018, something coach Jeff Monken is very proud of but knows there’s more work to do.
“What we’ve done in past seasons has nothing to do with what this team will do. “This team will decide what they’d like to accomplish and then decide how hard they want to work towards those goals.
“I hope they’ve got high hopes and lofty goals. I certainly do if they would ask me. But it’s not important what I want. It’s what they want.”
Coach Monken took over the program in 2014 and since 2016, the black knights are 29-10. Quite remarkable if you ask me, but don’t take my word for it. Coach Monken’s record speaks for itself. A disciple and teacher of the spread option, Monken has made his teams a contender everywhere he’s gone. As head coach of Georgia Southern, he lead the Eagles to a victory of the Florida Gators, in the swamp. Last season, his black knights took Oklahoma to overtime in Norman. Now on the horizon looms a new test- The Michigan Wolverines, in the big house.
Beating Michigan will be no small feat. Army is undersized and definitely outmanned in this matchup. On top of that, the Knights have to replace the three-man rushing attack of Darnell Woolfolk, Andy Davidson and Calen Holt, who combined for 1,474 yards and 16 TDs last season. They also have to replace seven starters on defense. The most experienced and crucial player of this team is still intact- junior quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. The junior rushed for 847 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, along with 956 yards passing and 6 touchdowns. The Knights don’t throw the ball much but they’re very efficient when they do.
JDubb's Sideline Report 