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. Welcome back college football
fans, another episode of Yards and Stripes your home for Service Academy Football.
I'm Pryce Atkinson and he is Steve Carney. He's also Steve Carney. That's
under the weather, so he is pushing ahead, mushing with that sled getting
through this week, and that's why he is the most the MVP of this
show, hosting, producing, Steven does it all, folks, But welcome
in. Hope everybody had a good week, and Steve, I hope you
feel better, brother, But more than anything, just appreciate you man.
Appreciate all your help, hard work and doing this again this week a little
bit halfway on the DL bro. Yeah, I feel like I'm you mentioned
mushing forward. My head feels like mush right now, that's for sure.
And I certainly hope that whatever air quality has caused this to happen to me
goes away pretty soon. So but yeah, it was. It's it's been
a rough couple of days for me, and really that rough first day started
Saturday with having to watch Navy and USF just totally destroy my prediction of a
under fifty four and a half basically by halftime. But I'm sure, I'm
sure that's something we'll get into here in just a couple of minutes. Yeah,
definitely it was. That was a rough one to watch. But appreciate
you know, everybody hopping in this week investing a little bit of time with
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subscribe button wherever it is you listen to your podcast. And Steven, let's
let's just go ahead and hop right in it because we got we had two
games again last weekend, We've got only got two this coming weekend with air
Force now off this Saturday. But let's start there in Annapolis where it was
not pretty as South Florida rolled into Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in one for
the very first time, getting a forty four to thirty win over the midshipman.
Navy now just one in three overall, zero and two in the American
while the Bulls they're now three and two, two and oh in the American
And maybe just inconsistent play at quarterback. There were just a lot of little
things that just added up, but certainly that inconsistent play running the triple option
at quarterback with ty Lava Tai and Blake quarterback, you know, rotating,
just could not get anything really sustained on the ground. Steve only eleven first
downs for Navy in the football game, and you know, they got jumped
out to a big fourteen oh lead, but you know halfway through the first
quarter thanks to ty Lavatai and a couple of short touchdown runs, but they
just could not hang on from there as Byron Brown three hundred and thirty eight
yards through the air and three touchdowns, two of which were two wide receiver
Sean Atkins, and after that it was all usf once they rallied from that
fourteen oh early deficit. Yeah, and that fourteen nothing definicit I watched that
game as as part of the USF Football Radio Network, and we were discussing
how Navy had gotten too short fields thanks to a muffed punt and a turnover
on down, so they got really two very short fields and were able to
turn it into two scores. But after that, I really thought that USF
did a good job of shutting down any sort of rushing attack that the Midshipman
could put out. I know that they had two hundred and forty yards on
the ground, but they needed almost fifty carries in order to get to two
hundred and forty yards. And the big thing that Navy has always done to
be successful is control the time of possession, keep the other team's offense off
the field. And you look at the difference, it was only a minute
difference when it came to time of possession in this game. The Midshipmen were
at thirty one minutes and eight seconds. USF was at twenty eight minutes and
fifty two seconds. And the more time that the Midshipman defense ends up on
the field, I think the more they're going to get exploited as as a
whole. And so you know, this game, I don't think was ever
in doubt once they started being able to have to defend a longer field against
South Florida and once uh, and once the offense started having to go longer
fields, when they were having to go three quarters to the length of the
field as opposed to one quarter, they were gonna find themselves in big trouble.
Mm hmm. Yeah, you know, the offensive, you know,
futility for Navy just too much to overcome. And you know mentioned the turnovers.
You know, Blake Horvath, he came in trying to get things going,
and you know, I guess after the fourteen oh lead that they you
know, gave up. You know, twenty one twenty on a two yard
touchdown pass to Anton Hall Junior just before halftime was as close as Navy,
uh really get the rest of the way, But those three turnovers, the
biggest one obviously coming there in the second half when Tremeel Logan returned a fumble
seventy yards for a touchdown. Navy was just trailing thirty to twenty three at
the time. Uh. But that fumble scoop score that was that ended pretty
much any any hope that Navy had. But you know, let me ask
you that Steve because you know, looking well, having watched Navy this year,
looking at him statistically as well, this Navy team just doesn't seem you
know, obviously know they lost the game, but moving forward, just the
Navy team just doesn't seem to have an identity of what does this team do
well. I mean, we know that they're in the top five and rushing
offense and you know, only given up I think, just a couple of
sacks all season long, but that's a byproduct of the style that you play.
But this Navy team does not really have what is a calling card or
an identity quite yet. What do you think, Yeah, I think you're
absolutely right. You know, on offense, I don't think they have a
calling card, and I think a lot of that has to do with the
fact that they really don't know who their number one quarterback is going to be.
You know, when they when they brought in Ty Lavataie on the short
fields, it seemed like things were okay. But then they brought in Blake
corvat Uh and he got an opportunity to throw the football a little more than
Lavitie did, and I don't think was very successful. And it was like
Okay, they go back to Lavatai, they go back to Horvath, and
I think that was I think a big issue on offenses. They don't have
one person that the that the football is going through. And I think that's
that I you know, when when the midshipman are successful, and I can
go all the way back to you know, watching when I was in the
Navy, watching those midshipman teams in the middle of their fourteen consecutive wins over
Army in the Army Navy game, you could always tell that there was one
There was really for the most part, one guy that that took charge and
was the general on the or the admiral on the field. Uh So,
I think that's a big thing on the offensive side, and you're right on
the defensive side that there's not there's not that person that uh the you know,
the middle linebacker that's going to take charge and and that is going to
get everybody in the best position to win. And they find themselves, you
know, having to you know, having to defend you know, more down
the field behind them as opposed to getting to the quarterback in front of them.
M Yeah, you know, the Navy defense has had its moments this
year, you know, in a shutout over Wagner and playing really pretty good
on the road at Memphis, you know, making some big plays but yet
giving up some big ones at the same time. But you know, you
know, a fairly prolific offense coming to town last weekend and then another one
coming up this weekend, at least defensively, it seemed like that's maybe where
Brian Newberry's first you know, Navy team might butter its bread, especially with
his defensive background, but you know, certainly trying to kind of get i
mean literally the ship righted in the right direction this coming weekend, but Navy
falling at home forty four to thirty two visiting South Florida. All right,
let's move on out to the Colle Colorado Springs in our other game of the
weekend, Steve and Boy. Right now, Air Force looks like a simply
put a well oiled machine, my friend, as they have now won two
in a row and snapped a four game losing streak in the Springs to San
Diego State, and Air Force just dominates San Diego State forty nine to ten.
Is now air Force off to its best start since two thousand and three,
five and zero perfect in the Mountain West. San Diego State drop into
two and four overall zero and two in the Mountain West. And you know
this, ironically, San Diego State scored it's only touchdown to open the game
scoring, but air Force roaring back with three State Street three straight touchdown drives
to take a twenty one to seven lead behind it two Emmanuel Michelle short touchdown
runs two and three yards. But I think the story of this one not
just the Air Force defense yet again and air Force playing a complete game,
but Falcons quarterback Zach Larrier just simply outstanding, rushing for a team high one
hundred and yards and throwing for one hundred and eighty nine and two touchdowns.
This Air Force team is the most complete Air Force team I think we've seen
in years. Yeah, and that's saying a lot, seeing as you know,
the last couple of years, I think the Falcons have had some really
good squads and to see them and with some amazing talent on those squads and
say that this is the most complete team that coach Calhoun may have had in
maybe having in you know, six or seven years, is really saying something.
And you're right about Zach Larrier. You know what a fantastic performance he
put on and showed why he and and like when we go back to you
know, going back to what we were talking about Navy, you know,
they don't have one guy that is going to run it's gonna that the offense
is going to run through. And the Falcons do have that one guy in
Larrier and runs Coach Calhoun's offense as good as anybody will run that that type
of offense. I think that uh, you know, you look at what
he did, what he did on the ground, as you mentioned, with
the career high on the ground, throwing two touchdowns and only one incompletion.
That I think was the that's the big thing. There was no uh,
there were no turnovers, so you don't have to worry about, uh giving
your opponent a short field and that that is always a big plus when you're
when you're running a service academy offense. And I really do think that the
and the other thing that I really liked about it is that you know,
they they didn't pump the they didn't pump the football. You know, they
had one punt on the on the afternoon, which meant that every time you
were going down the field, you were you were getting points in one uh
one shape or form, and most of the time you're going down the field,
you're ending up in the end zone. That is huge when you're when
you're air Force. I want to ask you this question, you know,
how long do you think it's going to be before the pollsters for both AP
and the and the coaches side finally realized that a second Mountain West team deserves
to be in the top twenty five. I know that the coaches have them
just outside of the top twenty five. I think they're at twenty ninth,
but they're they're really they're up at the top of the others receiving votes.
On the AP side, I think that and you know, AP has kind
of an East Coast bias, uh because you look at at some of the
teams that are in the also receiving votes. Most of them are on the
are are out west. You know, they're and they're in the Midwest.
They're out west. You don't have a whole lot, you know, you
look at what their top twenty five is, it is very vanilla. But
it was nice to see Fresno State in the top twenty five on the AP
for a second consecutive week, and now Fresno State's in the coaches poll.
I think that air Force is very close to joining them in the top twenty
five. And if they keep putting up scores like this, I think they're
going to be there. Yeah, I think right now that Air Force is
a top twenty five team. You can't convince me right now that they are
not one of the way they're playing one of the twenty five best teams you
know in America at this moment. I think the difference, at least,
especially between Fresno State, who's ranked twenty fourth and the AP and the coaches,
I think there's you know, one big difference, or I guess maybe
in this case too, and that's the fact that Fresno State has gone on
the road. It won two games against Power five opponents. They went to
Purdue and they went to Arizona State and won both those games. Now,
we obviously know that Purdue in Arizona State are no Juggernauts, But the point
is that's the difference. Air Force has not done that. They have not
gone on the road to play, you know, a Power five opponent and
gotten a win over a team like a Purdue or an Arizona State. Really
I mean dominating the teams that you play, and maybe the best team.
I mean I thought sant New State might be the best team that they play,
but maybe at this point so far, that best team that they played
and it's not just because the score thirteen to three is Sam Houston State and
Sam Houston State, you know, in their first year in the FBS,
they you know, anybody that follows college football religiously knows that Casey Keeler's team,
you know, parentally is one of those you know that it used to
be one of those you know teams in the you know FCS that was always
at the top of the FCS rankings, make it run at the national championship
in the one Double A playoffs. But you know, Air Forces is not
like you said, they're knocking on the door twenty night in the Coaches I
can't believe they're only getting seven votes you know, in the in the ap
pole. But again, your Service Academy team, you're playing the hand that
you've been dealt in right now. You haven't played one of those big games
against a Power five opponent, and that's just the way the you know the
dogs lie with the Falcons schedule at this point, you know, but still
all you can do. I've always said this when it comes to the ser
Academy teams, all you can do is play the hand your dealt and beat
the teams that you know that are on your schedule. And that's exactly what
Air Force is doing. You know, their defense just was outstanding again.
You know, I mentioned I thought this was I think this might be the
most complete team, and I really do believe that because outside of the COVID
year, I mean, this is a program that's won what double digit games
every season since twenty nineteen, and I think they're maybe even better defensively this
year than they were last year, and maybe offensively just a hair maybe quite
not is good is last year under with HAZYK Daniels and Brad Roberts. I
guess the star power was certainly higher last year. But right now that Air
Force offense is just steady. Eddy. They're not missing any beats, Steve,
you know, with Larryer at quarterback in his first year, and then
you've got you know, you know, certainly Emmanuel Michelle or John Lee Eldridge
are the two guys that come to mind that can can beat you any day.
And you know Elder was quiet. This past weekend. Emmanuel Michelle stepped
up yet again, but it was the steady handle Larrier in a complete effort
offensively for Air Force. Yeah, for me, I look at for for
air Force. Their their biggest uh, their biggest tests are still to come.
They might be three and oher in the Mountain West, but you look
at the three teams that they've beaten are combined in four now UH in the
conference, and so I would like to see them, you know, like
I said there, their big tests are coming up in two weeks. They've
got Wyoming at home. Of course, last last year they went to Laramie
and were handed their first defeat of the year. I think that's gonna be
a big test for them against the Cowboys. Unfortunately, they don't see Fresno
State before any possible conference championship. That's that's the one thing that I think
really keeps them out of the top twenty five before the end of the year,
because I think you can you can go on, you can beat Wyoming,
you can beat UNLVU. But the problem is is that you said you
got to play the hand that you're dealt and unfortunately, uh, when you
when you're pat when you're like when you've got a Pat Hill mentality at fransno
state where you'll play anybody anywhere at any time, you know. I think
that Air Force has done that. But I think a lot of teams don't
want to play Air Force. I think they they don't want to expose their
own weaknesses, and they find themselves in a position where okay, you know
it's gonna take the sam Houstons to go out there and and put themselves out
there, whereas you know, you know, Power five teams aren't gonna want
to play Air Force, much like a lot of them don't want to play
Navying and a lot of them, you know, I give Army a ton
of credit because them being because of being an independent, they get an opportunity
to play more of these Power five teams because they can create their own schedule.
But you know, you know, Navy with the with the conference schedule
that they're that they're tied to, they don't get the opportunities. Air Force
with the conference schedule they're tied to, don't get the opportunities than Army gats
mm hmm, yeah, totally one hundred percent with you right there. All
right, let's before real quick again. Forty nine to ten Air Force just
all over San Diego State, a team that had had air Forces number until
last year, especially in Colorado Springs, that is no more as Brady Hoak's
team falls to two and four, while our Falcons are now five and zero
and undefeated in the Mountain West Conference. All right, Steve, let's give
out some game balls. Which way you want to fire first this week?
Friend? Well, I mean I think I think for me it's obvious who
my game ball is going to go to, and that's, of course Trey
Taylor of the Air Force Falcons for that thirty yard pick six in their forty
nine to ten win over the Aztecs. The defense was fantastic. I mean
you look at it, thirty one solo tackles out of fifty one tackles,
made four tackles for loss, including the sack and of course the pick six.
So Taylor's gonna get the game ball. But really you can look at
almost anybody on that defense and say they deserved it. But I'm gonna go
with Trey Taylor. All right, I know you like you some defense I'm
gonna go offense, and I'm gonna go with Zach Larrier because you know,
the starting quarterback for the Falcons was basically flawless outside of one pass attempt that
he missed. Set career highs on Saturday in the win over San Diego State,
had had one hundred and three yards rushing, which was a career and
team high. And then the senior from Young Stan Ohio, he was six
to seven throwing the football for one hundred and eighty nine yards, a career
high two touchdowns, also a career high and real quick. Four of his
eight carries on the ground those went for first downs, and so almost say
a flawless performance by air Force without you know, playing turnover free football and
only committee one penalty, a five yard fall start penalty was the only penalty
for the Falcons. You know in the games, that recipe will win you
a lot of football games being able to run the ball. And I you
know, I'll say this real quick too, Steve, I think that shutting
the door they did on San Diego State, I mean the door was shut
earlier than this, but I guess putting that last emphatic statement on this game
was to me. It kind of encapsulated everything about this game as fairly short
touchdown drives with some big plays you know for air Force. But the very
last score was a sixteen plays, a eighty five yard drive that took ten
twenty off the clock. As that made it forty nine to ten and it
was over from there. But you know, Zach Larrier outstanding right now directing
that air Force offense. So he gets my game ball. All right,
We got more to do. We got a couple of games Army and Navy
in action this weekend. We got our Travis man Manyon Foundation Honor Roll segment
coming up. We've got more to do, including make some picks, and
we will do that here coming up on this episode of Yards and Stripes,
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and Air Force on Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football Welcome back into the Arts
and Stripes your home for Service Academy Football, Army, Navy, and Air
Force. That is what we do here. He is Steve Carnehi and Pryce
Sackinson as we rumble along on this edition as we are almost hitting the midway
point here of October in the regular season, not quite yet, but slowly
approaching the halfway point of the twenty twenty three college football season. As we
are part of the College Gridar and Coast to Coast podcast Network. New episodes
coming to you every Tuesday, although we might vary a little bit as we
are doing getting out Wednesday this week. But Steve, we got a pair
of games coming up this weekend. Both Army Navy are at home this weekend,
and let's start at Mikey Stadium up on the Hudson as two and two
Army going to welcome Power five and accfow Boston College, who is ten and
three making that trip to Mikey where the Boston College is one third teen and
lost eleven and the Eagles lead the all time series as well, twenty five
to thirteen. But the Eagles are coming to Mikey with a little bit of
confidence this weekend as they get a last second field goal to knock off Virginia
twenty seven to twenty four. You know mentioned they're two and three this season.
Every single game Steve that Boston College has played this year has been close
outside of getting boat raced at Louisville, but everything else has been literally a
three score game, including taking number three Florida State down to the wire in
a game they got down but continued to fight scrap claw that they only lost
thirty one to twenty nine there up in Chestnut Hill. But they will be
making this trip to Army another you know, big chance against another Northeast program
for Jeff Monkin's team coming off the bye week. Jeff Mounkin has a ten
to nine record off of bye week since twenty seventeen, but including a perfect
six and oh since twenty eighteen. Coming off the bye weeks another big test
for this Army team. But having that bye week certainly in this gauntlet of
a stretch that Army has a big, a big shot in the arm to
be able to get some rest and prepare for BC. Yeah. Absolutely,
having that extra week after the loss in Syracuse was I think crucial for the
Black Knights and I'm kind of surprised a little bit by ESPN's analytics department,
as they have the they have Army as a over sixty percent predictor to win
this football game. And I know that Boston College isn't very good. You
know, they've got their two wins are against teams. You know, Virginia
is probably outside of themselves, probably maybe the worst team in the ACC.
There are other wins against Holy Cross which is one double a. You know,
they lost in overtime to Northern Illinois before their uh uh, the game
against Florida State that they gave the Seminoles all they could handle, you know,
but I wouldn't put this, uh, you know, the the Eagles
are gonna be ready for this. I would certainly look at their quarterback.
Their quarterback is kind of you know, a more mobile version h and A
and a quarterback that could could have played an Army because of his mobility and
his ability to rush the football. But he also can throw the but Jesus
out of it as well. Thomas Costaiano's not only with almost four hundred yards
on the ground in three touchdowns, but he's got almost eleven hundred yards through
the air and ten more touchdowns. So this is a team that certainly knows
how to put points up on the scoreboard, and for Army to be successful,
you gotta make sure that he's holding his helmet on the sideline, because
if he's got his helmet on and he's on the field, he's going to
be a force to be wrecked with. And I think that Army's defense is
going to be in for some really big trouble if they can't dominate the time
of possession. We talked about it in the last segment with Navy against USF.
They couldn't dominate the time of possession, they end up getting beat by
the Bulls. Air Force dominated their time of possession, they win he easily
over San Diego State. This obviously is gonna be the exact same thing,
you know, against Boston College. If Army can dominate the time of possession,
if Bryson Daily can keep himself on the field and keep Thomas Casianos off
the field, I think Army is gonna be in good shape. But if
not, Boston College has the horses to beat Army this week. Yeah,
this is gonna be a twelve noon kickoff Saturday on the CBS Sports Network.
Army a three point favorite, as of now, over under is fifty.
And you know, talking about Power five teams, you know, Army's last
home win or Power five team goes all the way back to twenty seventeen when
they beat Duke twenty one to sixteen. But you know they, you know,
Army no stranger to beating Power five teams, just don't have that opportunity
that often. The most recent win over a Power five anywhere was that twenty
four to twenty two went over Missouri in the twenty twenty one Armed Forces Bowl.
And you mentioned keeping that Army offense on the field and Thomas Cassiano's on
the sideline holding that helmet. Army Tyrrell Robinson, the junior running back has
been getting some live reps and practice is back on the practice field. His
return, we don't know if it will be this Saturday, but that would
certainly be another playmaker, especially a guy with some speed, albeit coming off
injury. That would really help Jeff Monkin on that Army offense, you know,
really kind of get going and give them another one of those playmakers.
And you know, real quick defensively too. You know, the Army defense
a stout unit, but one that has you know they're one of two teams
are the Black Knights along with Louisville that have not allowed a single point in
the first quarter this season. So something to keep an eye on is,
you know, the Eagles and Jeff Afley's team come in there to Mikey for
what should be a you know, October games there at Mikey are just absolutely
gorgeous, and I would expect a perfect afternoon for football on Saturday. Is
is Army in Boston College gonna do battle there again twelve noon on the CBS
Sports Network. Steve Let's move up to Annapolis now Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium,
where Mayvy gonna try and protect that home turf once again as they welcome
to and two North Texas Navy one and three overall zero to two in the
American This is a three point thirty kickoff on the CBS Sports Network, maybe
giving six points to the Mean Green over under a sixty point five, and
you know this is gonna be the Mean Greens first league game since joining the
ACC or the American Athletic Conference the AAC this past offseason. And you know
mentioned the over under at sixty point five. Another prolific offense come into Navy
Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. And you know, these teams met only one time,
and that was back in two thousand and seven when Navy outlasted North Texas
in Denton seventy four to sixty two, and at the time, it was
the most points ever scored in a regulation FBS game, but that record was
broken in twenty and sixteen when pitt beat Syracuse seventy six to sixty one.
And ironically, that Navy North Texas game at O seven also marked the very
last time a Navy football game wasn't on some form of television, either on
the air or streaming. But this one will be alive on the CBS Sports
Network on Saturday at three thirty as Navy welcomes North Texas Steve Yeah and the
player to watch for the Me and Green is obviously their junior quarterback Chandler Rogers,
who has been really, really strong through the air. You know,
he doesn't have as many yards as like a Thomas Castianos did with for BC
that we just talked about. But here's the most important uh, here's the
most important thing. Doesn't turn the football over. He only has he's thoring
just one interception through North Texas's first four games, and they don't put the
ball on the ground. They give up a ton of yards though, and
I think that that could be very very good for the midshipman. You know,
North Texas's defense quite porous, especially on the ground. They give up
five hundred and three yards per game, which is just a ridiculous number,
and two hundred and forty of those come on the ground, so it's almost
fifty to fifty. I think that really the midshipmen have a really good opportunity
to exploit this. And well, I think it's funny that they're actually uh
they're actually getting they're giving less than a touchdown, which I think is a
good call there, but uh that that they're going to be able to hopefully
slow things down. The one thing that I that they didn't do against USF
is they let the pace get dictated by the Bulls. If they can dictate
the pace, I think they're going to be in much better shape. And
being able to do that, of course, is got to start with the
quarterbacks. You've got to be able to dictate the pace as a quarterback and
be able to, you know, like I said, get shove the ball
down their throats and you do that and you're going to win this game.
Yeah, and you mentioned dictate the pace. One thing that could very well
help Navy dictate the pace clearly, as we all know, is the ability
to run the ball and move the chains. And you know, while Navy's
fifth in the country and rushing offense at two hundred and twenty seven yards a
game, North Texas is one hundred and thirtieth against the run, giving up
two hundred and forty one yards per game, Steve, So that might be
something to watch as is. Certainly you want to sustain those long drives keep
North Texas off the field. I think if Brian Newberry's defensive unit can come
in there and get a few stops on third down, that's something that could
maybe make a difference in a game where this could be possession by possession.
You know, you mentioned the last one that resembled a you know, a
basketball score at Alumni Hall there in Annapolis, seventy four to sixty two.
You know, North Texas wants to make it, you know, something of
that ilk on Saturday. But if Mayvy can you know, control the football
convert on third and some fourth downs. Keep this thing, you know,
a fairly low scoring affair. You know North Texas's inability to stop the run,
that could be the key in the football game. I agree with you
completely. Being able to shove the ball down the mean Green's throat is going
to end up being the key for this And like I said, it dictates
the pace. It's it's gonna you do that, You're gonna you're gonna end
up winning the time of possession handily. We're talking two to one. Maybe
when it comes to time of possession. If you can get to forty minutes,
you're gonna find yourself in really good shape if you're the midshipman. Yeah,
one hundred percent. One other thing to look at, maybe keep an
eye on this game is the ability to convert inside the red zone. North
Texas is twelfth in the country in red zone offense converting at almost ninety five
percent. Well, maybe it's just one hundred and twentieth in America converting seventy
one percent of the time. So not just getting in the red zone and
converting. I think you want to convert and convert those opportunities into seven,
especially when it's one of those prolific offenses like you have in North Texas.
Coming to Annapolis again three thirty Eastern Standard time, Saturday afternoon, a CBS
Sports Network doubleheader as Army kicks off at noon in the Navy at three thirty.
We got some games to pick and we'll do that coming up. But
coming up next our Travis Minian Foundation on a roll segment or the honor remember
a fallen hero that has given the ultimate sacrifice, and we'll do that next
to your in Yards and Stripes, your home for Army, Navy, Air
Force Service Academy Football. In two thousand and seven, Marine First Lieutenant Travis
Manion 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 Mannion Foundation and through TMF these
words can live in you 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. I'm continuing on here on this episode of Yards
and Stripes, your home for Service Academy Football. And now it's time for
a Travis Manian Foundation Honorable segment where we take a step back and honor and
remember a fallen hero, one that has given the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,
for our freedoms. And this week we're going to remember Army specialist Anthony
Dixon, who died on August the first, twenty twenty four in Samara,
Iraq. When ied detonated near his guard posts. He was just twenty years
old. A native of Lindenwold, New Jersey, Specialist Dixon was supporting Operation
Iraqi Freedom and was assigned to the Army's first Squadron, fourth Cavalry, first
Infantry Division, based out of Schwinfurt, Germany, and he enlisted in the
Army after graduation from Overbrook High School in two thousand and two, hoping to
raise money for college, learn new skills, and fight for his country.
Family member said he hoped to become a police officer or secret service agent when
he left the service. He enlisted in the Army at the same time as
his longtime friend that he got to know and befriend in Junior High Adam Frolick,
who was twenty one years old from Pine Hill, New Jersey, and
Frolic who had was serving in a different unit over in Iraq, was killed
just months before in March. Specialist Dixon, whose parents are both ordained ministers,
was described by family members as a high spirited young man with a passion
for fast cars. He had been in Iraq since February, and while stationed
in Iraq or stationed in Germany, he met the woman he planned to marry.
He deployed Iraq in February of two thousand and four, and he's survived
by his parents, Jacqueline and Alexander, along with four siblings, one of
which his sister Celestis, said, quote, he died doing what he wanted
to do and where he wanted to be end quote. The Travis Mannen Foundation
honored Specialist Anthony Dixon through the Character Does Matter Program on October the twentieth,
twenty eleven, when his story inspired one hundred and thirty students at his alma
mater, Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We take the time to
remember heroes like Specialist Anthony Dixon from the US Army for put their lives on
the line every single day and giving that ultimate sacrifice, and the Travis Manon
Foundation is continuing the legacy and commitment of service of folks like specialistics in communities
across the country. You can get involved in support TMF in a Myriada ways
online at Travismanion dot org or participating in community projects in a city town near
you. Travis Mallon Foundations Nine to eleven Heroes Run five k race series unites
communities across the country and around the world to honor the sacrifices of September eleventh
and the war since. Join your community this September and register to run,
Walk or rock by visiting nine to eleven Heroes Run dot org. The latest
with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football.
All right, welcome back in episode number seven of the Yards and Stripes and
we appreciate eight to the Travis mann And Foundation for partnering with us again this
season. Check out more online at travismann In dot org to find out how
you can get involved in a local community near you As loved ones and so
many others carry on the legacy of service in local communities that others have left
behind given that ultimate sacrifice for our country. And Steve, let's you know
time to you know, pick a few games here. We only have two
to pick this week, real quick. A couple of notes to pass along.
The Navy at UNC Charlotte game coming up on the fourteenth Saturday that went
in Charlotte, North Carolina. That's been announced as a two pm kickoff on
ESPN Plus. And not only is it going to be a two pm kickoff
on ESPN Plus, that game also is now a sellout between Navy and UNC
Charlotte. Finally, Zach Larrier mentioned, well it got my game ball.
But you know, awards and honors pouring in for him this past week as
he was named the mount Less Offensive Player of the Week, the fourth Falcon
to be honored by the Mountain West Conference this season, and he was also
named to Davey O'Brien's Grade eight Quarterback list for the week as they pick eight
quarterbacks who have you know, an outstanding week, you know with their performances,
and so Zach Larrier was one of those eight name to Davey O'Brien's Grade
eight quarterback list last weekend for his outstanding performance leading the Falcons to that big
forty nine to ten win over San Diego State. Steven, time to pick
some games. You want to go first in Army in Boston College. Yeah,
Army in this game giving three points. As you mentioned, the over
under is fifty. I think that for Army to have an opportunity to win
this game, it's going to be all about keeping Thomas Costianos on the sideline.
And in order to do that, gonna need a big day from Bryson
Daily, whether it's throwing the ball to Isaiah Alston or you know, being
able to use the utilize the running game to grind out the clock. But
the Army offense has to get down the field and they've got to put the
ball in the end zone. They can't settle for field goals in this game.
I think that they've got to get touchdowns in order to stay ahead of
Boston College. Because I think that the the Eagles offense is so potent against
Army. I think that I'm gonna go against the analytics on this and I
think that Castianos is going to have a big day against Army's Army's defense,
I'm gonna say that Boston College squeaks out a win at Mikey Stadium, and
I hate saying that because I love I love the venue. I think that
Army is a great squad, but I think that Boston College being a Power
five team, it's going to be very difficult for them to come out and
get a win over Boston College. I'm gonna go a little bit different direction.
I like the Black Knights in this one, coming back home to a
Mikey Stadium for the first time and feels like it feels like it's been a
while. But you know, hosting Boston College, you know it should be
a big crowd. The brig you know, the Corps will be, you
know, will be into this one. You know, clearly an acc and
a power five team coming into Mikey, which you don't get that often.
But I think that, you know, Army even in the loss to Syracuse,
you know, it was a big second half for Syracuse. I think
having the week off, I think that Army still played pretty well. I
like Army in this one. I like Army to the tune of you know,
maybe I'm gonna go like a twenty four to twenty close game, fairly
low scoring. I think that they beat the spread barely, but I think
that they will be what was the over under Army of three point favorite over
under fifty. I think it'll be on the under, just because I think
defenses will be, you know, fairly stout in this one. But I
like Army. I like Army to win at home. Like I said,
I think the week off is the big thing that will make a difference.
All right, other game this week we got Steve North Texas at Navy.
Navy given six home favorite over under sixty point five oddsmakers liking a shootout and
how can you not, especially with North Texas bringing that offense to Annapolis.
Which way do you see this one going? Yeah? I think I think
that this one, you know, Navy is gonna get a couple of opportunities
at short fields. You saw what they did against USF. I think that
they are gonna end up with something similar early on, and hopefully they'll be
able to build on this game. I'm gonna take Navy to win this game.
I'm gonna say it's gonna be thirty four to twenty four that the Midshipmen
are able to defend home turf this week and send North Texas out of here.
You know, I think that you know, and I'm going to predict
this, and and I know that that the folks in Annapolis may be wondering
why I'm predicting this, But I think ty lavataie has a really good game,
even even throwing the football, which he's not very good at. But
I think he's gonna end up being efficient throwing the football. And I think
you're gonna be able to run more of the offense through him this week than
you did last week against us F. I saw a lot of Blake corvav
last week. I think you see more Lavati this week. I think you're
gonna see a better offense being run through Lavata and especially the ground game.
But I even think he picks it up through the air as well. Man,
we're gonna be on opposite sides of that coin flip this week. Is
you like Boston College, I like Army, Well, I'm gonna go a
little bit different than in this game. I like North Texas. I think
the offense, I think just it's gonna be another problem for Navy. You
know, I know it's being played at home. That's that's certainly gonna help.
But you know right now, Navy just you know, struggling right now
to fine consistency on offense, sustaining drives and and honestly getting off the field,
you know on third down. I think that the Mean Green are gonna
make it a long afternoon. I do think it's gonna be not nearly as
high scoring, certainly as that last is that last meeting when it was seventy
four to sixty two, I think honestly cut the points maybe in half.
I still think it's it hits the the over just barely. I'm gonna go
North Texas forty Navy thirty three with the Meingreen getting a seven point win on
the road in Annapolis on Saturday steam. So I don't know, Man,
we'll see. That's why we pick them, that's why we watch them,
That's why we love them. We never know what's gonna happen the greatest theater
in the fall on turf, and that is what we call college football,
especially with Army NA be An Air Force. Steven. Absolutely, it's gonna
be. It's gonna be a wonderful weekend. I love these double headers.
You know, I was never a big CBS Sports Network watcher before they started
doing these doubleheaders or even the triple header that they had a couple of weeks
ago. Absolutely love watching CBS Sports Network for their love for Service Academy football.
It's great. Yeah, the CBS Sports Network does a tip top bang
up job, not just covering and broadcasting, but really bringing you know,
the the feelings, the you know what these student athletes at all three academies
go through where you know, interviews, you know, spotlights they put on
not just these student athletes, but you know the the students and you know
the the Corps and the brigade and you know all of them. It Army,
Navy, and Air Force. They just do a great job telling the
stories. And you know, especially having those home games is a backdrop on
CBS Sports Network. I mean whether it's Army at noon, Navy usually at
three thirty, or you know a seven thirty eight o'clock primetime kickoff there from
Colorado Springs. Man, I look forward to any any game we get on
the CBS Sports Network broadcast at home at any of the three schools. But
when we get double headers and even triple headers, you know that doubleheader Saturday,
that will be fun, especially for everybody listening right now that their cup
of tea is either Army or Navy. So can't wait to do it with
you again next week, Steve. Hope you get better, hope you feel
much better or back in the saddle and off that DL next week and we
will do it again next week. Here for you on Yards and Stripes,
who are home for Service Academy Football, Army, Navy, and Air Force
all season long on the College Gridiron Coast to Coast podcast network. Enjoy the
games this weekend, everybody, join us again next time for Yards and strip
Nights Service Academy Football. To get more on all things Service Academy Football,
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