KEYS to an Army victory
1 Possession » Lacking quick-strike ability, Army must protect the ball. The Black Knights’ downfall can be attributed to their nation-high 19 fumbles. Army ranks 109th in the nation in turnover margin, a year after ranking third, when it forced 30 turnovers and committed 14. Army has stressed its importance. Fumbles have helped limit the playing time of 230-pound FB Jared Hassin, who rushed for 1,013 yards last year but only 443 this season.
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2 Protect Steelman » Junior QB Trent Steelman gives Army its best chance to win. He missed three games with an ankle injury before returning in the season finale against Temple and injuring his knee on the second play. Before his ailments, he had started 33 straight games. Steelman has rushed for 583 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns. Though Army rarely throws, Steelman has been efficient (132.7 rating), completing 20 of 39 passes for 347 yards with two touchdowns.
3 Quick start » During its nine-game losing streak in the series, Army has scored a first-quarter touchdown only once (2006), and it turned out to be the most competitive game of the skid — losing 26-14. With both teams playing the same style, it will be critical for the Black Knights to establish early that they can stand up to the Midshipmen at the line of scrimmage. Army has done that effectively the last two meetings, rushing for 319 yards to 325 for Navy.
KEYS to a Navy victory
1 Stop the run » Employing the run-oriented option offense, Army leads the nation in rushing, averaging 350.9 yards a game. Because it uses the same offense, no team is more attuned to how to defend it than Navy. Playing disciplined, assignment defense is the key. The Mids want to stop the run and force the Black Knights to throw. No team in the nation has thrown fewer passes (91) or been less efficient (90.7 rating) in the passing game than Army.
2 Passing game » In the last two Army-Navy games, the Black Knights stopped the run early, forcing the Midshipmen into passing situations. In both, Navy’s first touchdown came on a pass from Ricky Dobbs. If this game follows the trend, Navy QB Kriss Proctor will have to convert. Navy typically has disdain for the pass, but when called upon to throw, Proctor (127.1 rating) has been effective, completing 51 of 100 passes for 774 yards and seven touchdowns.
3 Jabaree Tuani » The Navy co-captain and defensive end (6-1, 265) is the most inspirational and disruptive defender on the field, leading the Mids in tackles for a loss (12) and sacks (5.5). In a season in which he has battled injuries, Tuani is finally healthy and has been spectacular in the last two games — registering three tackles for a loss in a win at SMU and two sacks and two forced fumbles in a loss at San Jose State.
STATE OF THE TEAMs
Army
After making its first appearance in a bowl game in 14 years and beating SMU on its home field 16-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl, Army came into this year with hopes of taking another step forward under third-year coach Rich Ellerson. But that was a tall order after graduating 12 of 22 starters. In addition, the Black Knights (3-8) have struggled with injuries, losing their only returning starter on the defensive line, Jarrett Mackey, to a torn ACL, and veteran quarterback Trent Steelman for four games. Despite graduating four of five offensive linemen, Army leads the nation in rushing (350.9 yards a game) as halfbacks Raymond Maples (7.4 yards a carry) and Malcolm Brown (7.0) and fullback Larry Dixon (6.2) have proved tough to stop out of the wishbone set. Turnovers and difficulty stopping the run on defense, however, have prevented Army from cashing-in on its stellar ground game.
Navy
After eight straight bowl appearances, the record of Navy (4-7) suggests a program finally in freefall. Not true. With a reversal of their 0-5 record in games decided by three or fewer points, the Midshipmen would be on track for their most wins in a season in school history. Losing close games has been difficult to stomach for a Navy team accustomed to winning them. From 2004 to 2010, the Mids went 25-11 in games decided by seven or fewer points, relying on their trademarks — discipline, character and attention to detail. But those qualities have been lacking. Problems in the kicking game have been costly. Discipline was an issue in a crushing 35-34 overtime loss to Air Force at home, a game that has defined this season. Still, Navy does a lot of things right. The Mids have committed the fewest penalties (26) in the nation and only 13 turnovers, tied for seventh best.
By the NUMBERS
19 — True freshmen who have played this season for Army, more than any team in the country.
174 — Points yielded by Army in four games against teams from the Mid-American Conference.
9 — Consecutive wins for the Midshipmen over the Black Knights, the longest streak in series history.
12 — Smallest margin of victory during the streak. It came in 2006 — a 26-14 Navy win in Philadelphia.
On the Record
“The education you receive is unparalleled. People compare it to the Ivys. We have more to do in one day than they do in a whole week.”
– Linebacker Steve Erzinger on the workload at Army
“There’s so much passion in this game. A bowl game is a celebration. This game is how football was meant to be played.”
– Navy fullback Alexander Teich
