Need to get your football fix on all things Army, Navy and Air Force.
This is Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football. Now Here are your hosts,
Pryce Atkinson, Steve Carney and Mike Loveall the Army Navy game has come
and gone, and we'll get into all of it here on this episode of
Yards and Stripes your home for Service Academy Football, episode seventeen. As we
are recording here on Thursday December the watch the fourteenth but I'm Pryce Atkinson and
he is Steve Carney, and congratulations to the Army Black Knight sport capturing the
Commander in Chief Trophy for the first time since twenty twenty. Black Knights back
atop Service Academy Football with the win over the Naval Academy in America's game last
weekend and another thriller literally down to the almost the last second, the last
inch line. We're gonna get into all of it this on this episode of
Yards and Stripes. We're gonna preview the Lackeed Martin Armed Forces Bowl the Air
Force Academy gonna be taken on number twenty four. James Madison coming up just
before Christmas. We got a lot of news and notes to go through,
especially a huge congratulations to Trey Taylor, the senior defensive back from the Air
Force Academy winning the Jim Thorpe Award, just the second major award winner from
the Air Force Academy. So congratulates, congratulations out to him. We've got
our Travis Manden Foundation Honor Roll segment, segment, we got Coaches on the
Move, we got the American Athletics schedule format for both Army and Navy next
year. Man, Steve, we are loaded on this episode of Yards and
Strikes as we are part of the college football excuse me, the College Gridiron
Coast to Coast podcast network, so much football to talk about, Steven As
I'm getting tongue tied, because boy, it was one hell of a weekend.
Yeah, it was an amazing weekend. Price And you know, I
think it's funny because we all predicted that Army was going to win this game
in last week's show, in what I call the best show that we do
every year, the Army Navy Preview. It was funny because I expected Steve
Anderson to take Army. I kind of expected Bill Wagner to take Army.
But for both you and I to take Army as well, and you know,
for me being a Navy veteran, it was really difficult to say.
You know, Army is the better team, and I thought that Army was
going to win. We all took the over. So if you did get
if you did get the total over twenty seven and a half, you're welcome,
especially for the last play in the game, because that gave you over
twenty seven and a half. I thought it was going to be I thought
it was going to be very close to that number, and it turned out
it was extremely close. But it was You know, this game is always
an exciting nail bier to watch, and it doesn't matter, you know it.
You know, one one of these teams could be nine and two,
in the other two and nine, and this game was going to be exciting.
But for them both to be five and six and both to be so
evenly matched, where you know, what they do well, what one team
did well, the other team defended well. And to see how that game
finished was it. You know, I don't have any fingernails left because I've
bitten them all off. I pulled all my hair out, and so it
was it was an incredible way to finish the Service Academy football season for both
of these teams. And it it was just awesome. It's why it's why
we do this show. It's why we watched college football. Uh it was.
It was just wonderful all around, and h so many people got a
chance to witness what we get to witness every week. And I just love
that, you know, Yeah, and you want it to come down to
the very end. That's what you always want, these kind of rivalry games.
But something you mentioned just real quickly, you know, somebody asked me
or mentioned to me Saturday afternoon, you know, before kickoff, and asked
me if I saw the you know, college Game Day. I said no,
And you know, I didn't see any of it. I was out
and about doing some stuff before you know, an afternoon of football in college
sports and everything in college basketball. I was at a Christmas parade with my
son's scout troop. But somebody mentioned to me that the College Game Day crew.
I don't know if this is one hundred percent, but somebody told me
that they all picked Navy. I was like, that's funny because I told
them. When my buddy told me that, I said, that's funny because
we had a clean sweep on Yards and Stripes this week. Everybody pick an
Army and he goes, oh wow, he goes, you know, talk
about a contrast and styles. I said, well, well, I think
probably on the show, you obviously had Corso coached at Navy, and then
you had Belichick who was a guest picker, so I kind of understand,
but I don't know if it was a clean sweep. My what I just
left him with was, well, that's why if you want to know and
talk about Service Academy football, you should listen to the Yards and Stripes versus
those Yay who's on TV and Herb Street and Reece Davis. Because all four
of us we nailed it. We had Army as our winners team. Yeah,
we all had Army. We all had the over, and we all
took it. As my old friend the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes would say
to the pay Winda, you had Army fifteen to fourteen. I had Army
seventeen to thirteen. So yeah, we were both on the over, which
I kind of regretted that pick a little bit, not picking Army, but
kind of regretted going over because I think I saw the spread numbers in like
the last fifty Army Navy games, like forty something were on the hit the
under, So I was like, yeah, it was, it was,
it was the Yeah, it was. It was ten of the last eleven
and going into last last the last week's game, And the only reason that
last year's game didn't hit the under is because they went to overtime. So
if they all the others had gone the previous ten in a row had all
gone under, and so you know, the under is usually the smarter play
in this game. But I had a feeling that it you know, that
that number has come has come down significantly over the last decade. I think
when when the the understreak started, it was at like thirty six and a
half, and last week's game was twenty seven and a half. So obviously
there's it's going to be normally a close fought, you know, a very
low scoring type of game. And so I was lucky to get twenty seven
and a half. I know at kickoff, ESPN BET had it at twenty
eight and a half. So at that point, you if you were able
to get twenty eight and a half and you took the under you took it
to the pay window. But if you got twenty seven and a half,
you needed the over to hit. And I got twenty seven and a half.
And when Bryson Daily stepped out of the back of the end zone at
the end of the game to make it seventeen and eleven, I was happy.
Well, there were a lot of happy Army Black Knight fans and there
still are. Steven is let's get you know, kind of get into the
minutia of the game. Is Army gets a seventeen to eleven win. The
Black Knights finished six and six on the season, Navy five and seven.
But more importantly than those records, the one that counts as Army two and
zero against its Service Academy rivals. They capture that Commander in Chief trophy for
the first time since twenty and in the fourth time outright in the last seven
seasons, as they end the season on a four game winning streak that started
in Denver when they shocked Air Force, then undefeated Air Force and nationally ranked
Falcons, you know, twenty three to three, and they hadn't looked back.
They have been a different team since. So congratulations to Jeff Mounkins Black
Knights, and certainly Mike Buddy, their athletic director, somebody I know from
his time at Furman University. But boy, Steven, this was not one
you know is Army jumped out and we thought, boy, when they got
up seventeen to three, you know, game set match. In this one,
it was anything but especially after Army linebacker Caleb Fortner strip sack and fumble
recovery, he takes it the other way forty four yards for that touchdown to
make it seventeen to three with four forty nine left. But boy, yeah,
it comes down right to the wire. Ty Lavatai, who came into
the game for Xavier ar line in the second quarter. Down seventeen to three,
they ride his arm all the way down. They get a touchdown to
narrow the gap going for two, and then they hold Army to three and
out, and boy, Navy comes storming back down the field without timeouts,
and you know, they get down to the two yard line before they're stopped
with what three seconds left, and then Army with that safety taking out of
the back of the end zone with three seconds left and that's it. But
boy, in a game that we thought was over, there with about five
minutes to go. It turned out to be anything. But we saved in
certainly Foxborough hosting the game for the first time in the state of Massachusetts,
they saved all the fireworks, it seemed like, really for the end.
Yeah, the fourth quarter was just wild, going back and forth. You
know, you look at it, it seemed like the final quarter of each
half was the one where we saw all of the action take place. I
look at with the interception by Max d. Domenico of Xavier r Line that
led to Army's only offensive touchdown. You look at it. Navy was marching
its way down the field, the Domenico makes that interception inside the red zone.
In fact, it was I believe inside the five that he actually made
the interception and brought it back out to around the forty. But I was
like, okay, this is absolutely wild. That we talked about all of
the small almost intangibles that you know, was going to decide what happened in
this game. Turnover margin Navy was minus two, and both of the turnovers
led to touchdowns. The interception by the Dominico, obviously, Army goes down
and scores its only touchdown, and then the stripsack as you mentioned by Caleb
Fordner directly, Uh a touchdown. Uh. You know, the the little
lapses uh in concentration and the lack of attention to detail on on very small
events. Uh. Because even after the uh, after the interception, you
know, they they get to a point, they get down there and all
of a sudden, Tyson Riley is out wide to the right and nobody is
out there and they're going somebody get on him, and Daily is able to
snap the ball, get the ball over there. He misses there. There's
a pass deflection that misses by like the width of a finger. Uh.
You know, we went too far and the ball goes underneath the hand and
into the gut of Tyson Riley for that first touchdown. You know that,
you know that's a that's a play that you know, that's a that's a
lapse of concentration. Navy has a a drive going and they get called for
a penalty on third down on third and short where they got the first down
and ends up going from I think third and two to third and nine or
third and seven or third and three to third and eight and the d up
having to pump the ball after that and that and that next drive I believe
led to Quinn Moretzky's field goal at the end of the half. So it
was just these really small things that is attention to detail that that Navy had
problems with and then unfortunately led to their defeat in this game. Yeah,
and you know, the it started, you know, the one of the
biggest mistakes was, you know, when Tyson Riley was not covered and as
you mentioned, the ball was tipped and you know it maybe it was another
half step that could have been a pick six goingred, you know, one
hundred yards the other way. It wasn't it was. It was also the
first touchdown pass for Army against Navy since two and fifteen. And it also
marked ironically and kind of strangely, the eighth straight game that in eight straight
Army Navy game at least where Army has scored the game's first touchdown. Now,
as you mentioned, it was the their first and only offensive touchdown,
but you know that's all they needed in the game. And you know,
you know it kind of no doubt about Army, without a doubt, outplayed
Navy in the first half. You know, I think that you saw the
spark that ty Lavatai, the senior, came in when he relieved Xavier r.
Line his you know fellow senior you know under center at quarterback because I
think that first drive, you know, they couldn't get anything going. But
it was right after that where they really got on the move and you saw,
okay, this team is just better suited but you know with our line.
And he went the rest of the way, including almost taking them down
and winning you know, the game. You know there at the end or
at least almost you know, a chance to potentially tie it. But still
it's just incredible. You know again again they you know, Navy fights back,
makes a game of it. You know, we mentioned Quinn Moretsky last
week. Still has not missed a kick. What Service Academy game, right,
Steven, I believe now I think eight for eight. So that was
a big field goal there late in the half to go up ten oh for
the Black Knights at halftime. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, And I know
that there were certain members of the Moretzki family that thought I was trying to
jinx their son. Shout out to the Maretzkis. I know they they listen
to Yards and Stripes. They're one of the great families that do, and
you know it helped. You know, it's nice that that you know their
son was able to get, you know, to stay perfect in these games.
Missus Maretski, I'm not trying to jinx your son. I actually did
think he was going to kick five field goals to win the game for the
Black Knights, but uh, you know, he he's been so solid as
a kicker for this Black Knights team. And you know, going from forty
seven with the half ending, knowing that you're gonna have an opportunity for a
two for one at that point because Army was going to get the ball to
start the third quarter, and to be able to put Army in that position
where they could go two for one. They ended up not being able to
go two for one, but they had the opportunity. Really, if they're
able to get a touchdown at that point and make it seventeen to nothing in
the third quarter, I think Army runs away with this one. I think
it's like twenty four or even like twenty seven nothing at that point. I
think they really could have stepped on Navy's throat. So that's a credit to
the defense of the midshipman that they were able to get the three and out
there kind of get back, get back in the swing of things, so
to speak, and keep that game at ten to nothing and then finally get
on the board at the beginning of the fourth quarter to make it ten to
three and make it a one score game and really set up the fireworks in
the fourth Yeah, no question, you know, just like the first quarter,
the third quarter obviously was a scoreless period. But then you know,
Navy gets on the board with a field goal. Nathan Kirkwood knocks one home
there with twelve forty five to go to make it ten to three. You
know, you mentioned the false start penalty because Navy did have a false start
penalty on that drive. I believe it was second and four, and then
you know, a false start penalty on Trey Cummings, you know, moved
it back and you know those are you know, we know, watching academy
football for so long, those kind of five yard penalties can be drive killers,
and pre snap penalties are killers. Yep, and Navy had a lot
of pre snap issues. And speaking of Trey Cummings, I don't know if
if you saw it, but the feature story on Trey Cummings during the pregame.
You know that lasted obviously a long time on CBS Sports Network, then
on CBS where they they profile the Cummings family, was just incredible with his
mom, you know, tragically shot in Annapolis, you know, the day
of I Day when he was starting at the Academy. Really really tragic story
and your heart goes out to him. But it was a really well done
piece. But he was the false start penalty on that play. But you
know, maybe still finds a way to gets points on the on the Kirkwood
field goal and then three and out. Navy gets the ball back and you
know they you know, exchange some three and outs, but then the midshipman
there, you know, trying to get back in the football game, can't
do it. Caleb Portner strips ty Lavata as that his Navy had driven inside,
just inside Army territory. He stepped up to avoid the rush there,
but did not secure the football, and Fortner you know, strips it and
then turns right around. It kind of bounces right to him. Steve and
you know, almost in stride, bounces up, takes it and goes forty
four yards the other way. And that's what we thought would be the you
know, the end, the nail and the coffin, but it was anything
but I mean, it's just unbelievable. When everybody I was on you know,
I started flipping around like Okay, I'm gonna, you know, take
a look and see what else is out there, you know, to go,
you know, go back, you know, for to see the Alma
maters, just because you know the game was probably over, but you know,
go back, and boy, Navy's right back in this thing, you
know behind you know, a senior ty Lavati with that that will to win.
You know that you don't want to go out that way, and you
know, Navy driving down and you know, getting the touchdown pass to to
Jade Umbarger before the two point conversion failed because some people were wondering, why
go for two at that point? Why would uh Navy head coach Brian Newberry
go for two? You know, it didn't really come up in the postgame
press conference from my understanding, just because from what I saw, because it
really was you know, moot point at that point. But you know,
they were going for the win. You know, if they could have gotten
another score, you know, stop and score. So you know, lavatai
drives him down and you know, Umbarger was really the man of that drive.
You know, fifteen yard catch, a fourteen yard catch down to the
Army fourteen and then you know the touchdown pass out of the shotgun to Umbarger
to make it what's seventeen to nine there late in the game, steam giving
them a chance after they force another Army three and out. Yeah. Yeah,
the strip sack and fumble recovery by Fortners was just a really brilliant play
by him. He had seen that Lavata stepping up and he had tried to
tuck the ball down by his waist, but he didn't get it all the
way down, and he was able to get his hand in there and kind
of punch the ball out and yeah, it bounced right up to him like
like it was rugby, and it was off to the races for him.
And at that point I was with you. I was like, oh God,
this game's over. You know, it's it's now a fourteen point deficit.
Where here in the fourth quarter, you know what's gonna happen. You
know, Lavatah leads the team down, he gets the the score, they
they go for two and they and they fail. Uh. At that point,
and and I knew that at some point they were gonna have to go
for two if they didn't want to go to overtime for a second consecutive year.
And I think that Brian Newberry was smart that, you know, if
you let's go for it now, uh, because that gives us a point
where if we if we fail, we can go for it again. If
we can score before the end of the before the end of the quarter,
go for two again, and if we make it, then we can still
at least force overtime. And so you I, I like, I like
the aggressive nature of the call. When they don't make it, you're going,
okay, so they so now now you have to go for it.
Uh, you know that that you're gonna have to go for it again,
but you know, give uh give. I would give Navies defensive line credit
because on that last drive for Army they had a couple of procedure penalties pre
snap that forced them to go three and out and so Navy was able to
get the ball back in really good position and be able to and then the
Army defense kind of got a little soft there and were allowing the hitch plays
for LaVita. I mean, he ends up with almost one hundred and eighty
yards through the air, and most of it came on that last drive.
But we talked about maxd Domenico early. He had a pass defense on that
last drive on a hitch and go that you know, if he's not able
to get his fingertip on the football, I think Umbarger or yeah, I
think Umbarger gets that ball and is able to waltz into the end zone for
a touchdown with plenty of time remaining to go for two. And even if
you don't make that two point conversion, you get the on side kick,
so or you go for the on side kick at that point. So you
know, give Max do Domenico a huge credit, uh for the for the
for the knockdown there on that hitch and go that was that could have saved
the game for Army. Yeah yeah, uh Lava tie going five of eight
on that last drive and gets it down to the two yard line, and
just like the second year in a row, almost down to the goal line
as Navy got it to the two uh Lava ties. Uh you know,
a fourth and goal uh seconds remaining, uh drives it can't clearly did not
get the goal line. I know they were reviewing it. I'm like,
I don't know what you're reviewing, but Dre Miller making a big stop for
for Army. I mean, he was credited with the tackle the Army junior
defensive end, but it was really almost a team tackle. There were so
many guys there. It was just a scrum and you know, it was
a big, big moment for Dre Miller obviously making that play who was stretchered
off earlier in the season and the loss at Syracuse, but you know,
getting that stop preserving the victory for the Black Knights just an outstanding way for
this football game to When you think that we can't see these games end any
more, strangely they do. And this was just another kind of another unique
ending for the second year in row. After we saw overtime for the first
time ever last year. I know, it's so weird to think, Okay,
how how can they make this any different than than what we've seen?
You know, what sort of exciting finish are are we going to see?
We've seen We've seen you know, field goals winning game winning field goals in
the snow. We've seen. Now we've seen overtime, and how and how
well, this finish may have been, uh, one of the most heart
wrenching if you're if you're a Navy fan, and one of the most exhilarating
thrilling ends for for Black Knights fans, because you just see, you know,
you're thinking, okay, Navy has gone down the field. They've gone
down the field. They've gone down the you'll to get to within six feet
of your goal line. And on fourth down, here comes ty Lavatai,
who has been incredible since taking over for Xavier r Line. Not only one
hundred and eighty yards through the air, but he was averaging four yards of
carry. He had almost seventy five yards on the ground and he needed six
feet and by the way, he's six feet two. So it's you know,
he's he's all he has to do is basically fall over and he's in
the end zone and all of a sudden, as he's pushing forward, you
just see him get swallowed and I'm sitting there and I'm going he's short.
It's like, I'm like, oh my god, he's short. It was
like I couldn't believe. You know, I'm sitting here in my house watching
this game, and my wife is like, oh, my god, what's
wrong? What's wrong? Because she just hears me screaming short. It was.
It was absolutely it. You know every time we say this game,
you know, for a game that is not known for being one of these
running gun you know, you're not gonna have a fifty three fifty type of
game when these two teams play. But there is nothing short of exhilaration and
excitement in this game, and you know, nervous energy on both sides because
you feel you can feel it, you know, the the excitement from from
all of these players. And it's why, it's why I love this game.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, It's just it's America's game for a reason,
and America loves it. We loved it on Saturday. Was just fantastic.
Maybe if you're a Navy fan you didn't quite love it, but Army
fans still loving it. Is the Black Knights again back at Top Service Academy
football with that Commander in Chief trophy which was not in the house at the
Air Force Academy, probably gonna make Army come out and get it. I
remember when Navy won it, I think and kind of ended a street years
ago. They made Navy drive a moving truck out there to get it and
bring it back just because it's so big. But you know, the trophy
was not in the house to this to the dismay of some, but you
know, all accounts that I heard see from people that were at the game,
that worked the game, that were around the game there in Foxborough and
the Greater Boston area, it was a I heard it was a fantastic experience
from everybody that I talked to, from the Patriots that were hosting, to
the city, to the you know, the different events that were going on
around the game. Everything I heard was that it was tip top and a
fantastic, unbelievable weekend. So definitely at kudos and shout out to Foxborough at
Boston for their outstanding job hosting the game. As this game now will be
heading to the Greater DC area next year, but we got game balls to
give out. Steven big game balls here, especially being the one hundred and
twenty fourth Army Navy game. Who's going to get your game ball from Saturday?
Yeah, I was thinking I was thinking of going with Max de Domenico.
I mentioned the interception of Xavier r Line early the past breakup late against
Ty Lavatai. He certainly deserved recognition, but mine's gonna go to Dre Miller
as he was officially credited with the tackle of ty Lavatai about three inches from
the goal line with three seconds to play, to make sure that Navy did
not get into the end zone and had an opportunity to tie the game.
He forces the turnover on downs, a nose of a football away from pay
dirt, and so for that and being able to come back from what was
a really scary moment in the Syracuse game. You mentioned him having to be
stretchered off in that Syracuse game to be able to come back play in this
game and bring in one of the most important moments in Army season and something
that's going to be they'll replay that that finish for years because it was one
of the most exciting finishes we'll ever see. We'll see Dre Miller a lot
over the next few years when they show highlights of Army Navy on CBS.
So congratulations, Dre, you get my game ball. Well, congratulations to
sophomore linebacker Caleb Fortner from Army. He's getting my game ball because he had
a team high ten tackles had obviously the big strip sack on ty Lavatai on
third down there near midfield, and you know, recovered the fumble at the
forty four taking it the other way for the touchdown with four forty nine to
go. And guess really what turned out to be the difference in the game
a seventeen to thirteen lead is is maybe obviously scored a touchdown and then got
it to seventeen eleven with the safety there late. But Caleb Fortner coming up
big as Army linebackers doing that yet again late in the game in the Army
Navy game for a second year in a row. So congratulations to Army sophomore
Caleb Fortner, the linebacker with the team high ten tackles and then the strip
sack for the forty four yard touchdown. By the way, by the way
price yep, but by the way, before we before we finish up,
I know we went. We went heavy on on Army with the with the
game balls. I also want to acknowledge Colin Ramos's job obviously first team All
AAC linebacker and really showed why he should be first team All AC. He
had sixteen tackles in the game, and I know that a lot was made
on the on the television broadcast from Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson about Colin Ramos
versus Leo Loewen. Lowen had had a really big game, but Ramos had
had just an enormous contest, uh and did everything in his power to make
sure that that Navy was able to stay within striking distance. So I do
I do want to give him an acknowledgment as well. Yeah, one hundred
percent, and then you know, I'll just throw another quick with really quick
Bryce and Daily, you know, toughest nail. So Jeff Munkins said,
he's on the toughest he's ever had, you know, at the Academy turnover
free football. I believe what in his first Army Navy start twenty seven,
carries a team high eighty four yards and through that you know, had the
presence of mind to see Tyson Riley wide open and get him the football.
Although it was a little bit shaky, he got it, which cap turned
a turnover into points that twelve play, sixty five yard drive seven thirteen off
the clock, So that got Army the lead in one they would not relinquish.
So we got more to do Steven, We've got the Lockheed Martin Armed
Forces Bowl we're gonna preview. Coming up in the next segment the Air Force
Academy taken on number twenty four James Madison, that is coming up on December
of the twenty third. We got our Travis Mannan Foundation on a roll segment.
We got the new American Athletic Conference schedule format to tell you about.
We got a whole lot more to do, including a few couple of surprising
entries, one especially that has hit the transfer portal from our three academies.
We will do that right here. Coming up next on Yards and Stripes your
home for Service Academy Football as we are part of the College Gridiron Coast to
Coast podcast network, where you can listen to podcasts that involve any of your
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and Stripes or College Gridiron and boy, you will have an array of contact
at your fingertips this December during bowl season. All right, Steve and I
will be back here on Yards and Stripes, don't go away. A lot
more to do when we come back the latest with Navy, Army and Air
Force on Yards and Stripes, Service Academy Football. All right, moving lighter
right along here on Yards and Stripes your home or service Academy Football, Army,
Navy and Air Force. And we got a lot more coming up here
as we've got our Travis Mannion Foundation on a roll segment. We got a
lot of news and notes to pass along to you. But in this segment
we're gonna hit on several different things, including the American Athletic Conference releasing its
new schedule format, obviously Army being added to the mix. The eighties approved
the new format this week, and the Americans second season with football fourteen football
playing institutions will be next year as they continue with the single division format,
and the top two teams will meet in the regular season championship game to be
determined the exact date and time of that one. But what we do know,
Steven, is the opponents that Army and Navy will be facing at home
in a way. The full dates and schedules will be announced by the conference
in February. But what we do know is this Army's first year in the
American and we'll see Army hosting at Mikey Stadium, UAB East Carolina, Rice,
and UT San Antonio, while they will hit the road against Florida Atlantic,
North Texas, Temple and Tulsa. We know that there are other two
non conference games which you obviously will have four non conference We know two of
those will be against Navy and Air Force. What we don't know is if
the Army's two other games will involve Lehigh, Yukon, Syracuse, Dartmouth,
UNLB, U Mass WAKEORP, Ball State, who were all scheduled to be
on next year's schedule. So that's something that we're going to find out in
the coming weeks, likely more in February when that full schedule is announced.
Navy's opponents next year in the American at home will be Charlotte, Memphis,
Temple in Tulane, all coming to Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, while the
Mids will hit the road against UAB East Carolina, Rice in South Florida.
Not confirmed, but non conference obviously they will take Navy will take on Air
Force and Army. Yes, Army will be a non conference game, and
then Notre Dame and likely Bucknell is Navy's for non conference games, So if
you're scoring at home, I think Army got a little bit of a welcome
matt rolled out by the AAC. Is they will only two teams that made
bowl games last year or made bowl games this year out of the AAC.
Well, Navy will face four bowl teams next season in the Americans. So
Steve your thoughts on what we have gotten just released from the American regarding next
year's schedule. Well, I'm excited because that means Navy is coming here to
Tampa to play the USF Bowls, and hopefully I get an opportunity to be
at that game. I'll certainly do my best in order to do so.
I think you're right. I think Army got a little bit of a break
not having to play a couple of the bowl teams that are going to be
from the American Athletic Conference this year. They don't play USF, they don't
play Memphis, and they don't play Tulane, which I think is a huge
boost for them, and both of the bowl teams that they will face UH
in the in conference schedule are both gonna be at home, which is another
huge plus for the Black Knights schedule, whereas Navy will have two of their
conference bowl games at home UH in Rice an excuse me, in Tulane and
in Memphis, and then they will go to Rice and they will go to
USF. And in addition to that, they'll have a fifth ball team on
their schedule with UH with air Force and then of course Notre Dame UH being
being a part of their schedule. So that that's a that's a really tough
schedule for the midshipment. I think Army UH certainly seems to be at seems
to have it a little easier. They've got two conference bowl teams they'll play
obviously air Force, who will be in a bowl UH, so that's three.
And then determining who's going to be in their their other two non conference
opponents if they want to go easy, UH, do they go Lehigh and
Dartmouth, you know, neither of those teams are making a bowl game because
they're both FCS clubs. Or do they go Syracuse. That that would add
a bull that would add to their strength of schedule because Syracuse obviously in a
bowl game this year. They're playing in the Boca Ratone Bowl against South Florida
UH and then do you go with a with a WAKE or do you do
you try and make your schedule as challenging as possible. That is all to
be determined by the conferences. Obviously, the American will will have to talk
with the ACC if they want to shift around Syracuse and and Wake. Because
Wake was supposed to be late in the season. It was supposed to be
November sixteenth. Syracuse was scheduled to be early September twenty first. So we'll
see. We'll see what the conferences can work out and what Army schedule will
look like here in a couple of months. But of the teams that they
are going to play at home UAB Army and five all time against the Blazers.
They're also to eight all time against East Carolina. Now, both of
those teams they have not seen in twenty years. You gotta go back to
two thousand and four to find the last time that Army played either of those
teams. They're also going to Tulsa, who they've only played once all time.
That came back in two thousand and seven. Obviously, Army and Utsa
have played each other the last couple of years. North Texas they have seen
before. Temple obviously they have seen before. It's been a few years for
North Texas and for Temple this will be the first time that they ever played
Florida Atlantic going to Boca for that game. Hopefully for Army that game comes
late because you don't want to be in Boca in early September because it's going
to be hot as the Dickens. So it's going to be an interesting setup,
that is for sure for Army in their first year in the AC.
Yeah. One game to keep an eye on in terms of Army schedule is
a potential matchup with Notre Dame next year. It was reported several years ago
that Army and Notre Dame would meet in twenty twenty four, which would be
the one hundredth anniversary of the Four Horsemen game that Allowmi and Notre Dame played
in nineteen twenty four. Reports suggested possibly a November matchup at Yankee Stadium.
It remains to be seen. I have not heard any more about that.
But grantlin Rice, who was a journalist in covering the game, he pinned,
you know, at the Horseman game because of Notre Dame's backfield that Notre
Dame ended up winning thirteen to seven in a fantastic showdown, but that was
back in nineteen twenty four, so something to keep an eye on as a
potential Notre Dame Army one hundredth anniversary match up there in November between those two
teams. So we'll see. We will find out, obviously in the coming
weeks and months what the full and final schedules are going to look like.
All right, before we get to the our Lackeyed Martin Armed Forces Bowl preview,
just real quick, Steve, the transfer portal. It's alive and well
man, it's kicking, and it's probably bitten everybody's team in the rear end
to some degree, whether you're an Academy fan or not. But it has
bitten the academies. And one big bite, Steve that I was really kind
of surprised to see was from the Air Air Force Academy. Running back John
Lee Eldridge, who has a year of eligibility left, saw his name hitting
the transfer portal, as he is the third leading rusher for the Falcons.
UH the biggest name without a doubt, at least until this point. Up
to this point of any of our three players from our three teams hitting the
transfer portal. Defensive lineman Caden Blum also in the transfer portal for air Force
as well. But John Lee Eldridge a big name, yeah really and and
someone that was was a big part of the Falcons running game this year between
you know, the three headed monster that was Zach Larrier and Emmanuel Michelle and
and John Lee Eldridge. To to see him, uh, looking to play
elsewhere next year is is very very I don't I don't want to call it
concerning because it's football, but the fact that he's not going to be uh,
or that that he, you know, still with a year of eligibility
left, is looking to play somewhere other than in Colorado Springs is kind of
interesting. Uh. The fact is that you know, he's obviously got a
military commitment uh in front of him as well. But uh, I certainly
think that for for Eldridge to try and play elsewhere, I'm kind of curious
to see what teams would be looking to try and bring him in and what
his role might be if he's is he if he's looking to go to a
larger school, if he's looking to maybe go to a a smaller school,
maybe even uh drop down into the FCS category. You know what what he
would do for for one of those schools that But that's the one that when
you mentioned that he was officially in the transfer portal, I kind of I
just kind of went, WHOA, that could be very very big. Yeah.
Also in the transfer portal from the Naval Academy defensive back Elias Larry.
He appeared in twenty six games, started twelve over the past three seasons,
but he did not play in the Army Navy game, where he ended up
third on the depth chart, but also didn't play in five of the last
six. But he started this season at boundary corner for the Mids before Deshaun
Peel ended up getting most of the time there at that spot. So a
couple of names in the transfer portal right now. Who knows what else we'll
see in terms of others that are going to try and maybe sign up to
play elsewhere. But one thing I can guarantee is that we probably will see
a few more from the academies that hit the portal before it's all said and
done. All right, Steven, let's get to what we came for.
In the postseason, and that's Bowl time, baby, the Blockheed Martin Armed
Forces Bowl. That's the one bowl game that we have for one of our
teams, and that's the Air Force Falcons obviously eight and four. They will
be hitting the turf at Amon G. Carter Stadium there in Fort Worth on
Saturday, December the twenty third, at three thirty pm on ABC against the
number twenty four ranked James Madison Dukes out of the Sun Belt JMU ranked twenty
fourth in the AP poll eleven in one. And you know, certainly James
Madison fans this being their first ever bowl game, as they were ineligible for
one last year, and they petitioned obviously, you know a lot of you
know stories out that they you know, made their pleas made their case to
get into possible New Year six Bowl is the G five spot. But upset
at home by Apple State certainly could still you know, make that case if
you will. But due to double A rules, the only reason they are
getting to play in a bowl game is because there were not enough Bowl eligible
six and six teams, So by virtue, James Madison Jackson State become eligible
and so James Madison is moved into this slot as that will be the Falcons
opponent and they were record seventh appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl, their thirtieth
all time Bowl appearance for the Falcons. Yeah, and this is going to
be quite a clash of styles. I think if you're if you want to
see the irresistible force meeting the immovable object, this is the game that you're
going to want to keep an eye on in Fort Worth. I mean,
you look at Jordan McLeod, the Duke's quarterback. He threw for almost for
thirty four hundred yards thirty two touchdowns. A very good, a very strong
quarterback that knows how to keep the ball in the hands of his players and
out of the hands of others. He threw nine only nine interceptions this year.
For as many times as he put the ball in the air, I
mean you're looking at close to forty times per game that that he that he
put the ball in the air at least thirty and I think he averaged like
thirty six passing attempts per game. Meanwhile, you know thirty six passing attempts
for for Zach Larrier would have been I want to say seven games because he
only threw the ball eighty two times all season. You know. The I
think the big question for the Falcons is what's going to be the status of
Larrier? And you look at he was so good early on. It's he's
the reason why Air Force got out to their eight no start. He was
banged up going into Army. They end up losing that game, the turnovers
being the big part. He did not play very much in the next game
against Hawaii. I think he only got like five or six plays and they
lose that game to Hawaii. Did not play against unlv or Boys. He
stay. Air Force loses both of those games and find themselves on a four
game losing streak coming into this Bowl game. Now he's going to have a
month to get ready to get healthy again. I would assume that Troy Calhoun
is going to play him if he is healthy, you know, even close
to one hundred percent healthy. I would think you're gonna see Zach Larrier in
this game. Uh. And obviously Emmanuel Michelle, you'll get two of the
three the three rushing heads in this game, and so you're gonna see a
lot of ground game versus a lot of air game. Uh. And I
like the clash of styles. I think it's gonna make for a very interesting
Bowl game. I think abe See should be excited about having this game.
And obviously we know that there's gonna be a lot of people in this stadium
because as we talked about before before starting this segment, that this game usually
has a pretty pretty rockets crowd. Yeah, for sure. And this,
you know, being Air Force is seventh time in this Bowl game. I
believe it's just gonna be the second time at the new AM and G.
Carter Stadium there in Fort Worth. But attendance has always been strong. And
you know, James Madison playing in their first ever Bowl game as a member
of the FBS. You know, JMU fans are gonna be making that trip
from Harrisonburg, my wife's alma mater. Yeah, they're going to be,
you know, coming down in droves, especially getting down to some warmer weather,
which you hope unlike last year in twenty twenty two when Air Force beat
Baylor in the Armed Forces Bowl, that was frigid, right, This one
obviously going to be in the afternoon at three thirty Eastern Standard time kickoff.
But you know, attendance in the Armed Forces Bowl for Air Force, the
last six times has been over forty thousand every single time, except back in
twenty fifteen when it was just thirty eight thousand, nine hundred. So not
two shot far shy of forty thousand. But getting those kind of crowds of
forty plus at a Bowl game, certainly it makes for a great atmosphere and
it should be there at Aiming G. Carter Stadium in a matchup of two
teams that are incredibly stingy against the run JAMU, you know, giving up
just sixty one and a half yards per game on the ground, which is
the best in the country, and the Falcons are tenth in the nation giving
up just ninety six and a half per game. But big thing, Steven
is you know this time of year, you know, obviously there's usually two
questions being asked when it comes to Bowl time. Number one, which of
the teams is going to be the most motivated, you know, slash excited
to be there? And then number two, what will these teams? What
will each of these teams look like? Obviously with the transfer portal colliding,
you know at this time, with teams or players opting to hit the portal,
do they play do they not play? In their bowl games. And
then for James Madison certainly, you know a time of transition for them.
Is Kurt Signetti their head coach, he's off to Indiana where he was hired,
and Bob Chesney the replacement hired from Holy Cross where he went forty four
and twenty one in six seasons leading the Crusaders in woos to James Madison offensive
line coach Damien Robleski, he's going to be the interim acting head coach leading
the bowl prep. So a time of transition for the eleven to one Dukes.
And you know, as I mentioned, what is James Madison going to
look like? Steve? Because you know you talked about quarterback Jordan MacLeod,
who you know is already a transferred from USF in Arizona. He's already hit
the portal. But he will play in the bowl game. You know,
the Sun Sun Belt player of the year. You mentioned a lot of his
stats, you know, but also gone. You know mcleoud will play.
Their top two running backs will not be available. They're tight end, they're
all conference tight ends. Zach Corton will not play. Left guard Carter Miller
in three year starting offensive lineman Tyler Stevens. He will not be playing.
And if that sounds bad, that's nothing compared to the defense. James Madison
defense has been decimated by the portal Defensive player of the Year Jalen Green.
He is gone, the fun the Sun Belt player of the Year, he's
lost with an injury. But their top three tacklers, Aiden Fisher, Jalen
Walker, and Michael Kamara, they are all gone hitting the transfer portal as
his veteran d tackle and finalists for the Barlsworth Trophy James Carpenter and first team
All Conference player last year, and Chauncey Logan. He is gone. So
you're talking about a team that may not look anything like that eleven and one
team out of the fund Belt that we saw during the regular season. Stephen,
Yeah, it's it's gonna be It's definitely gonna be interesting, that's for
sure. All you know. The transfer portal, uh makes for an exciting
time. I wish that they would use the trans I think the transfer portal
needs to come a little later, Like I think like once you I think
that for teams that are going to Bulls. I can't see why, you
know, other than you know, see you know, guys that are looking
to go to the NFL. You know, I can say, Okay,
we're not gonna play because we want to get ready to go to the NFL
and we don't want to to hurt ourselves, h you know, hurt our
chances to make some serious cash at the next level. You know, and
I know that you know you're gonna say, well, if you're gonna let
guys not play because they're going to the NFL, you got to let these
other guys. You can't. You can't have a double standard. But it
really does stink that, you know, so many of these guys are not
going to play for the Dukes. Uh in this game, you you would
like and I'm sure that air Force is going you know, we want to
play the best James Madison team possible because you know, now air Force wins
and j and jam You's going, well, we didn't have anybody, uh,
you know, all of our guys are going elsewhere. You know,
we don't have a head coach, we don't have you know, our our
two leading receivers, we don't have our leading running back, we don't have
our top three tacklers. Because everybody has decided that they want to transfer to
a bigger school. And while it makes for an exciting transfer period, uh,
it really does ruin the you know, the the bowl game experience for
for a lot of it because there's going to be a lot of who the
hell is this guy? Yeah, there's no doubt about it. And you
know, they've got to move the portal. I'll just say that real quick.
Like, I can't imagine being a head coach right now when you're you've
got National Signing Day just around the corner, you've got transfer portal opening up,
you're trying to get ready for a postseason bowl game. I mean,
this is, without a doubt, the craziest busiest time a year for head
coach. So it would be it would be very taxing to be in that
profession right now. Certainly you get paid barely handsomely depending on where you're at.
But I think I think as far as the portal timing, it's got
to be moved. When do you move it, I'm not exactly sure.
I think you got to at least move it to January. But then again,
if your kids are gonna leave, you know, and you've got semesters
that are starting, you're you're kind of pinching them. But at the same
time, I've always believed that this December signing day ill timed. I think
if you're going to have two signing days, keep the one you traditionally do
in February. There are a lot of kids that decide, you know,
in like late August or before Labor Day in their high school seasons start that
they want to have it done and out of the way and commit. So
I think that you should have a national signay. If you're going to do
two, have the first one like at the end of the summer, and
then the second in the traditional time in February. That would be one thing
you could allevia. But it's just crazy trying to juggle all this. But
certainly Troy Calhoun and his staff are happy to be juggling things right now.
Is they are again going bowling again. Thirtieth all time Bowl game is the
Falcons fifteen thirteen and one in Bowl Game, seven and five in bowls under
Troy Calhoun, but they are four to oh all time against teams from the
Sun Belt, one to oh in Fun Belt teams in the postseason. So
cited for this Armed Forces Bowl, the Lockheed Mark Armed Forces Bowl kicks off
on Saturday, December the twenty third, three thirty Eastern Standard time on ABC.
Air Force and number twenty four James Madison JMU, a three point favorite
over under set at right now at forty one and a half and Steve.
You can get in the door for a decent deal via ticket Smarter. If
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absolutely is. We got more to do here on our final segment coming up
on Yards and Stripes, got our Travismenian Foundation on a roll segment around the
corner. Then we will start putting a bow on this episode of Yards and
Stripes. When we come back here, Steve Carney and myself Bryce Atkinson will
be right back in two thousand and seven mareen First Lieutenant Travis Mannion was killed
in Iraq after saving his wooted teammates. Travis's legacy lives on through the words
he spoke before his final deployment. If not me, then who words that
today fuel the spirit of Travis Mannon Foundation and through TMF these words can live
in U too. Show the world what you're made of, because character is
invisible until it's not. Find out how you can strengthen the character of your
community alongside empowered veterans, families of the fallen, and inspired civilians at Travismanion
dot Org. Now time for our Travis Manion Foundation Honor Roles segment where the
honor and remember a fallen hero, one that has given the ultimate sacrifice for
our nation and for our freedoms. And this week we're going to honor remember
Private First Class Jeremy P. Faultner US Army. Private Faultner gave the ultimate
sacrifice on March the twenty ninth, twenty eleven, from wound suffered when enemy
force is attacked his unit with small arms fire in the Knar Province of Afghanistan.
Faultner, a native of Griffin, George, was one of six in
the first Brigade combat team who perished in the attack, all in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom. He was just twenty three years old and was later awarded
the Bronze Star, one of the highest medals the US Army can award for
bravery and heroism. Faultner was assigned to the three hundred and twenty seventh Infantry
Regiment, a first brigade combat team, and was a member of the Elite
one hundred first Airborne Rangers based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Nicknamed Remy,
Faultner was born in the Atlanta suburb of East Point, Georgia, and
attended Llewell Middle School in Griffin High School, his company commander said of his
bravery, quote, we survived it. When it's all said done, Jeremy's
actions speak louder than anything we can do here end quote. As I mentioned,
he was awarded the Bronze Star by the US Army, and the Travismanian
Foundation later honored Private First Class Faultner through their Character Does Matter program in January
of twenty twelve, when his story inspired seven hundred students at Parkview High School
in the Greater Atlanta area and cadets at a drill camp in Lilburn, Georgia.
Faultner survived by his mother and stepfather, Judy and Tony Barry, his
father Joel Faulkner, and his siblings Kimberly, Rina, Joe, Eric and
Lindsay. We remember our heroes like Private First Class Faultner and so many others
that gave that ultimate sacrifice for us and for our freedoms. And as we
know obviously during the holiday season, it is a tough time for many families
that do not have one of their loved ones there at the table and sharing
in the holiday spirit. In this holiday season, if you'd like to support
the Travis Manning Foundation, when with isolation and loneliness prevalent with families you know
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Travis Manion Foundations Nine to eleven Heroes Run five kra series unites communities across
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war since. Join your community this September and register to run, walk or
rock by visiting nine to eleven Heroesrun dot org. The latest with Navy,
Army and Air Force on Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football. All right,
final segment here on Yards and Stripes, Army, Navy and Air Force.
And yes we're going to give some Air Force predictions coming up here in just
a few minutes. As again they will be taken on James Madison in the
Armed Forces Ball on December twenty third. But before we toss out our final
predictions of the entire season. That sucks to say, but you know,
a couple news and big news and notes to pass along for you. First
and foremost congratulations to Air Force senior defensive back Trey Taylor, the winner of
the Jim Thorpe Awarren as the most Outstanding defensive back in college football. He
is just the second major award winner in Air Force program history, as he
joins Chad Hennings, the Outstanding former Lineman and Dallas Cowboy who won the Outland
Trophy in nineteen eighty seven. Well you can now add Trey Taylor is the
twenty twenty three Jim Thorpe Award winner to that list. So congratulations to Trey
Taylor and certainly the Academy for that honor. Trey Taylor also named a third
team AP All American this week, as well as a first team All American
by the American Football Coaches Association, So congratulations on those All American honors,
which I'm sure will continue to roll in for him, Steve. And also
he has accepted the invitation to play in the East West Shrine Bowl Game.
So a lot of things rolling in and going to continue to do so for
Trey Taylor, who just had a fantastic season. And I, for one,
and I know for you and most of our listeners were excited to see
him rewarded UH with that Jim Thorpe Award. Absolutely, that is one of
the greatest, uh, you know, acknowledgments you can have of a season.
If you're a defensive back, you know, is to be UH nominated
for the Jim Thorpe Award and to win the award as as a Service Academy
member. That is a huge accomplishment for Trey Taylor. I'm kind of curious
because of his acknowledgment, of the acknowledgment that he is, you know,
one of the best defensive backs in all of college football. We're gonna we're
gonna start getting the question of whether or not he's going to be able to
play at the next level, if he if if he even wants I mean,
I'm sure he wants to play at the next level. I mean,
who wouldn't want to play in the NFL if you've got the if you've got
the talent to play in the National Football League. But you know, being
a Service Academy UH player, you have obviously other commitments that you're going to
have to honor UH by playing at the United States Air Force Academy, and
UH, if he wants to play at the next level, it's going to
be up to the powers that be, the chain of command to allow him
to be able to serve out his commitment in a different form than UH than
just a five year active duty UH service commitment, So we'll see what happens.
Uh. That's uh, that's something that's going to be determined down the
line. I would assume that, uh, if he is one of the
top picks. Uh. I'm not saying he's going to be a first round
pick in the National Football League. But if if he ends up getting drafted,
say in the second day of the draft, you know, will they
allow him to be able to try and pursue a dream of playing in the
National Football League. I would think that they they would, or at least
they should, because I don't think there's a better recruiting tool for the service
academies than being able to say, hey, you want to play football at
a service academy. We get guys in the NFL too. Yeah, Yeah,
that's definitely And I heard Jeff Munkin, you know, talking about that
before the Army Navy game, about you know, getting guys you know,
the opportunity to play, you know, in in the NFL and you know
Navy the same kind of thing as the you know, the pr benefit that
you get that it's a win win for everybody. But as you mentioned,
you know, it's usually a decision at the very top by the brass that
make that decision. But when we come back after Christmas and you know,
our last episode of the season, we'll certainly try and find some mock drafts
and maybe kind of see where he's sitting in potential you know, landing spot
for the spring NFL draft. All right, Other big news also there in
Colorado Springs Air Force holding a ceremony to celebrate that last being being installed in
that renovation project on the east end, east side of Falcon Stadium, a
ninety million dollar project that's coming to a close. Should be from my understanding,
everything open, operational, back to normal next year at least with that
phase of the project being done. So, I know, exciting times there
at Falcon Stadium. You know, Naval Academy coaching changes. We know that
we're going to see coaching changes. We're going to see assistants especially that are
making some moves. Me in our first big domino to fall in terms of
assistants as Navy offensive line coach and assistant head coach, Ashley Ingram, he
will be leaving Annapolis for the head coaching job at D two Carson Newman,
which is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Somebody has been in Annapolis.
A common denominator between you know, the last staff and the current one,
and you know somebody has been there for a while. I know that he
had the military billet for a while where he was the military designee on staff.
But a big hit that Brian Newberry staff is going to take losing Ashley
Ingram at Carson Newman. Yeah, it is going to be very, very
tough. I saw Keenan Reynolds, the legendary Navy quarterback and the guy that
you know, I have said is probably the best quarterback to play in Annapolis
since Roger Staubach. I saw him tweet out that coach Ingram was the reason
why he decided to play at Navy. That that I think is really high
praise from maybe one of the most talented players ever in the program. And
he's going to a program at Carson Newman looking to build up. It's a
I don't know, if you have not googled Carson Newman University, you would
kind of understand why you want to be there because it's a beautiful campus.
It's out in rural Tennessee. You know, it is outside of Knoxville,
but it it's in the it's it's in a very it's in a beautiful setting.
You've got the river right behind campus. Their their stadium is you know
right, it's a really cute looking D two style stadium, you know,
big set of bleachers on the home side, small set of bleachers on the
roadside. But he's going to be able to make his UH mark on a
program, and I think that's a that's a really important piece for for coaches.
I think every coach wants to be able to say, you know,
that's that's the mark that I've left on this sport and I was able to
make this sport better here in this way. And he's been able to do
it now for seventeen years, first on ken Yu Motzololo's staff and now I'm
Brian Newberry's staff in Annapolis, and now he's going to get an opportunity to
do it with his own staff. I look forward to seeing what he is,
what he's going to be able to do at Jefferson City, Tennessee.
It's going to be interesting to watch, and it gives me a reason to
watch Division two and keep an eye on a Division two school because you like
seeing what these former assistants are able to do. And if he's there for
whether it's you know, two or three years and he decides to move on,
or if he decides, you know, this is where I want to
leave, my market'll be it'll be interesting to watch for sure. Yeah,
and he had been up for some other head jobs the past, I believe
the Citadel when it had come open, you know, some smaller LA FCS
schools. You know, there were some other you know, jobs he was
in the mix for. So I guess, you know, not getting those,
you know, you kind of, you know, take a step back,
and you just want that head job. You want that shot somewhere.
So certainly congratulations to Ashley Ingram for getting that shot at Carson Newman. Also
real quick on the coaching front, there were reports nothing can burn by us,
but there were reports out there, Steve that Troy Calhoun and Jeff Munkin
interviewed for the Tulane job. Troy ended up or excuse me, Tulane ended
up hiring Troy's John Sumrawl. But there were reports out there that reportedly that
Troy Calhoun and Jeff Munkin both interviewed for that Tulane job. That would have
been a really good job to get and certainly John Sumral in a short time
at Troy, he's done a fantastic job turning them around and getting the Trojans
where they are right now yet again finally on the nose and notes into things
Army announcing this past week in conjunction, you know, with the media attention
in Boston and using that time as Army Athletic Director Mike Buddy announcing the Mikey
Stadium Preservation project has secured enough money to move forward and break ground this coming
spring, as they have raised over one hundred and seventy million dollars that will
be used for a renovation in rebuilding and modernizing the current East stands slated for
completion of summer of twenty twenty six. So it should be a nice little
project going on there at Mikey Stadium. And I've said that right now as
things stand for me, if you were to tell me you can go one
place to watch a college football game that you have not been to before,
where would you want to go? My My answer is, I want to
go to Mikey Stadium and I want to watch Army play uh in a game,
and that in that environment because you know, as so many people have
told me, it is, you know, one of the most awe striking,
you know times to to go see college football because of the fact that
you're on the campus at West Point and you know, things are a little
different there than they are, say, going to the University of South Florida.
Uh, you know, so things things are a little different, uh
going to Army and watching a game at Mikey Stadium. So I certainly,
uh, I certainly think that's going to be a good project for Army,
and UH. The fact that they're you know, being able to do this
and and keep that that beautiful you know backdrop, uh for their for their
college football home games, is is very important for them. I've got two
little notes that I want to pass on uh as well here in our news
and Notes segments. I saw that Navy put out that there were seven point
one eight million televisions watching Army Navy. That was up three and a half
percent from last year, and it was more than the NBA in season tournament
final in the Heisman Trophy presentation combined. So obviously, congratulations to Army and
Navy for putting on a hell of a show on television. And I want
to wish a happy birthday to Keenan Reynolds. We mentioned him when talking about
Ashley Ingram's move to Carson Newman. Keenan turned thirty on Wednesday, So a
happy birthday to kr absolutely And you know, we got to get out of
here, Steven without We got to get out of here with our predictions.
We can't do it without throwing out what we think in terms of James Madison
Air Force at Lackeyed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, which way you're gonna go with
is again James Madison a three point favorite over under in this one forty one
and a half. Yeah, without a lot of their weapons for this game,
I think it's gonna be a lot tougher for jam you to move the
ball down the field. Yes, they still have Jordan McLeod, but I
think that's gonna be a big, big minus for the Dukes. Again,
we come down to will Troy Calhoun tell us before say three o'clock on December
twenty third, if Zach Larrier is gonna play in this game, because I
think that's a huge question mark that's still standing out there for the Falcons.
But I'm gonna go under the assumption that Larrier is going to play, and
I am going to take the Falcons to beat the Dukes twenty one to twenty.
All right, so you're going air Force twenty one twenty. I'm not
too far away from you. I am also gonna take air Force as well.
I'm gonna take air Force by a field goal. I'm with you.
I think, certainly the unknowns in this game like mini bowl games with who's
gonna play, especially on the James Madison side of things. And you know,
the question in terms of air Force is what air Force team are we
going to see? Might they look like the eight to no air Force team
earlier in the season, or is it gonna be more like the last four
additions that we saw in the regular season where they ended the game had a
season on a four game losing streak. So a lot of question marks in
this one. But certainly, nonetheless, I think one of the reasons why
ABC has got this game on on the national network and it's not on ESPN
or you know, one of the many other networks you can watch your bowl
game, I think this is probably gonna be the best Bowl game of the
day. So I'm looking forward to James Madison and UH air Force. I
just think air Force is like U, Steve. I think They're gonna come
out and find a way UH to get the win as air Force has really
been game in their last several Bowl games. So excited for this one,
but certainly excited to do this again with you, Steven. After the holidays.
Merry Christmin to all our listeners, Happy holidays, happy New Year,
as we will be coming at you with one more episode after Christmas before New
Year. Steve, so hope you and yours have a merry Christmas, happy
holidays, and as well as all of our listeners who invest time with us
every week on the College grid Iron Post to Coast to Coast podcast network.
Friend Yes, Merry Christmas to you and your family, and a happy holiday
season. Two to our listeners around the world and across the United States.
Fans of Service Academy Football, thank you again. You know, the biggest
gift that you've given us is the gift of your listenership. So I want
to say thank you to all of you for listening. Absolutely well said,
and we will talk to you again after the holidays. Merry Christmas and enjoy
the games. Join us again next time for Yards and strikes Service Academy Football.
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