Navy linebacker Irv Spencer and slot back Reggie Campbell don?t know what it?s like to lose to Army ? and they want to keep it that way.
The official build-up to the 108th Army-Navy game began Tuesday with a media luncheon at M&T Bank Stadium where coaches and players from both teams reiterated the respect they have with one another, but stressed the importance of winning the game.
Navy (7-4) enters the Dec. 1 game in Baltimore having won a series record-tying five straight to Army (3-8), and leads the all-time series, 51-49-7. The game was last played in Baltimore in 2000, when Navy won, 30-28.
“We?re fortunate to never have lost to Army, but it?s always our toughest game of the year,” Spencer said. “The records don?t mean anything in service academy games.”
With a win against Army, Navy will claim outright its fifth straight Commander-in-Chief?s Trophy, given annually to the winner of the round-robin football competition between Navy, Army and Air Force. Navy defeated Air Force, 31-20, on Sept. 29. Air Force beat Army, 30-10, on Nov. 3.
Campbell said defeating Army has been one of the team?s biggest goals in a year in which it earned its five straight winning season. Navy will play inits fifth straight bowl game on Dec. 20 in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego.
“The game is not about you,” Campbell said. “This game touches so many other people from in the stands and around the world. It?s just a humbling experience to know that you are making someone?s day by representing Army and Navy.”
Johnson said the Army-Navy game is one biggest rivalries in all of sports because it marks the final regular season game for the men who will become the country?s leaders on and off the battlefield.
“When you have the chance to work with some outstanding young people and they are playing against some outstanding young people on the other side it?s like fighting your brother,” Johnson said. “You want to win yet you still care about them. It?s special to know that it means so much to people on both sides.”
Navy extended its winning streak to three games after defeating Northern Illinois, 35-24, on Saturday. Army enters on a five-game losing streak after falling to Tulsa, 49-39, on Saturday.
The Black Knights are guided by Coach Stan Brock, who took over for Bobby Ross, who resigned at the end of last season. Brock is Army?s fourth coach since Johnson arrived in Annapolis in 2002, but none of Brock?s predecessors have found a way to slow Navy. Since Johnson?s arrival, Navy?s average margin of victory over the Black Knights has been 26.8 points. Navy defeated Army, 26-14, last season at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
“We?ll coach to the best of our ability, the players will play to the best of their ability,” Brock said. “But we understand this is a much bigger game.”
