Army defensive end Josh McNary has been selected as an honorable mention member of the Sports Illustrated All-America team. Only a junior, McNary has rewritten the Army record book since making the switch from linebacker to end during the 2008 season. With 18 sacks already in his career, he’s Army’s all-time leader in that category. Twelve of those sacks came this season, which set Army’s single-season record. He also holds the team record for sacks in game, compiling four in the Black Knights’ loss to Temple earlier this season. In addition to the SI honor, McNary was also selected to…
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A hard-hitting and sometimes sloppy first half is over, and Army leads 3-0. Here’s some thoughts and observations from deep inside the Military Times HQ in Virginia: Somebody on Navy has gotta help Ricky Dobbs out. Two huge holding penalties negated beautiful Dobbs’ passes that would have changed the storyline in the first half. Outside of Dobbs, the Mids running game can’t get going either. The man needs someone to step up. Army’s defense is stuffing the fullback. Navy’s Vince Murray, the second-most important cog in Navy’s ground attack, has only nine yards on the ground and one fumble. Army’s…
Coach Rich Ellerson has Army’s football program on the path to respectability. He’s already won more games this season than any other Army team has won in a single season this decade. However, Navy has already reached that mountain top. A season with less than eight wins is a disappointment to this program. Winners of seven games in a row over Army, Navy is a 14-point favorite this year. We here at After Action are predicting Navy to make it eight in a row — though the game will be closer than the experts predict. Navy has won by an…
The Honolulu Advertiser ran a Washington Post story (stay with me here) about Army coach Rich Ellerson today, which chronicles his efforts to turn around the Black Knight program. The piece gives a lot of great insight into the changes that Ellerson has brought to the program, but the best quote about Ellerson comes at the end of the story. Army defensive tackle Victor Ugenyi, when asked to compare Ellerson to former Army head coaches Bobby Ross and Stan Brock, drops this gem: He’s more like a hippie football coach. He’s from the West Coast. He gives a different perspective…
The New Orleans Saints released fullback Kyle Eckel on Wednesday. The former Naval Academy star was signed by the team in October after an injury to starter Heath Evans. Eckel played in five games and had a total of six yards rushing on two carries. He was the only service academy graduate on the roster of an NFL team this season. A 2005 graduate of the academy, Eckel was booted from the service in 2006 and began his NFL career. He had his best pro season in 2007 with the New England Patriots, carrying the ball 33 times and scoring…
No running back in the NFL has been more explosive this season than Tennessee’s Chris Johnson. He leads the NFL in rushing with 1,396 yards and is on pace for a 2,000 yard season and a shot at Eric Dickerson’s NFL record for rushing yards in a season. A former Marine is a one of the keys to Johnson’s success. Titans fullback Ahmard Hall, who served four years in the Corps, is quietly earning a reputation as one of the top blocking backs in the NFL, as ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli writes. Hall, like most fullbacks, rarely carries the ball and…
We already know where Navy and Air Force are headed this bowl season. The only questions that remain are what teams they will play and whether Army can sneak into the party. If Army upsets Navy on Dec. 12, they are contractually obligated to play in the Eagle Bank Bowl in D.C. And who knows. Hawaii knocked off Navy, and as opposed to the past seven years, the staff at After Action predicts this year’s Army-Navy game will be a throwback to when it seemed every game was decided on the last play. Here’s the rundown: Armed Forces Bowl, Dec.…
The Midshipmen met a Hawaii team, winners of three straight, that was desperate to earn a bowl bid,. Navy made it four after the offense, led by junior quarterback Ricky Dobbs, got shut out in the second half of the 24-17 loss. Dobbs, who scored his 23rd rushing touchdown which tied him for most by a quarterback in a season, said the team wanted to win for coach Ken Niumatalolo, who was born in Maui. “Nobody was really talking about it, but it was in the back of everybody’s mind. It’s a sense of pride thing,” Dobbs told the Associated…
The New Orleans Saints take on the New England Patriots tonight in Monday Night Football, which is as good of a reason as any to share the following: Drew Brees loves him some Marines. At least that appears to be the case, since he not only visited troops overseas with the USO in June, but found motivation in a Marine Corps running cadence. Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune has details: Brees will address the team with a quick intro, then repeat the team’s 2009 mission statements: “Be special,” “Finish strong” and “Smell greatness.” Then the team will break into a…
Too early for Army-Navy talk? Nonsense! So what if Navy still has one more game left before playing Army. From now until Dec. 12, it’s all about Army-Navy. Well, maybe not, but since this is the game that truly matters for these two academies and their teams, I say it’s time for After Action to start hyping this baby up. USAA’s official Army-Navy game site is up and running, and it’s pretty sweet. The site is loaded with facts and information on the teams and the rivalry, including an interactive timeline showing the results and a recap of every single…
