1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:05,839 Need to get your football fix on all things Army, Navy and Air Force. 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:12,039 This is Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football. Now Here are your hosts, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:17,719 Pryce Atkinson, Steve Carney and Mike Loveall. Welcome into our final edition 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,600 of Yards and Stripes for the season. As we say congratulations to the Air 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,120 Force Falcons ending the season victorious in their bowl game. We'll get into the 6 00:00:27,199 --> 00:00:30,920 Lockey Martin Armed Forces Bowl in a few minutes. As I'm Pryce Sackinson, 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:36,240 joined by my man Steve Carney. As always Stephen Mary belated, and as 8 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,039 we get ready to turn the page to twenty twenty four. Happy New Year, 9 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:43,039 my friend. I hope you guys had a great holiday. Yes, 10 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:50,200 we certainly did here in Tampa, thankfully not too chilly on Christmas Day, 11 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,640 nice and a nice bomby one here in Florida. I hope you and your 12 00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:59,079 family had a great Christmas as well, and wish you and of course the 13 00:00:59,119 --> 00:01:02,399 listeners of You and Stripes a very happy new year. And I hope twenty 14 00:01:02,439 --> 00:01:08,920 twenty four brings tons of success and hopefully some more great football for us in 15 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,280 the Service academies, that's for sure. But we got one more game to 16 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:18,200 talk about here as we wrap up the twenty twenty three season with the Lockheed 17 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,319 Martin Armed Forces Ball. It's amazing to think this game seems like it was 18 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,879 forever ago, because of course we took last week off for the Christmas holiday. 19 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:32,879 But what a what a performance by Air Force finally getting off the schneid 20 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:38,079 and doing it against I would say, maybe the best non Power five school 21 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,640 out there. I know there was a lot of changes for James Madison, 22 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:47,439 but they were very, very good. Yeah they were. And you know, 23 00:01:47,519 --> 00:01:49,920 like you said, you know, they Air Force ends the schneide, 24 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,359 you know, a four game losing streak as they came down the stretch with 25 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,760 and you know, but they got off it. They got off that schneid, 26 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:04,120 that losing Streek with their fifth straight Bowl win, defeating the number twenty 27 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,680 four James Madison Dukes thirty one to twenty one in the Lockey Martin Arm Forces 28 00:02:07,719 --> 00:02:15,000 Bowl, their first win ironically over a ranked team for Troy Calhoun's unit since 29 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:20,199 knocking off Number nineteen Boise State twenty seven to twenty in twenty and sixteen. 30 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,000 Steep, I don't know if you can believe, I mean eight years since 31 00:02:23,039 --> 00:02:27,360 their last win over a ranked team, as James Madison was number twenty four 32 00:02:27,479 --> 00:02:31,080 in the A People. But congratulations again to Air Force. Is that senior 33 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:37,000 class they leave undefeated in the postseason again winning their fifth straight Bowl game, 34 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,080 only the second team to knock off JMU this season and first to do it 35 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:45,280 in regulation as the Dukes are playing in their first ever bowl game and now 36 00:02:45,479 --> 00:02:49,400 Falcons remained perfect against the fun Belt all time five and zero and two to 37 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,599 zero bowl games. But boy, it was a sea of purple. I 38 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,919 knew several folks that were down there. My wife went to James Madison, 39 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,840 knew a bunch of people that went to Fort Worth and or inside Amon G. 40 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:02,439 Carter Stadium for this one because, like I said, you know, 41 00:03:02,479 --> 00:03:06,800 that first Bowl game ever for the Dukes. A lot of JAMU fans wanted 42 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,879 to be there for history. But it was not a historic finish for James 43 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:16,240 Madison as they came up short by ten two. Air Force. Now let's 44 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:21,000 get into it, Steve, because I mean Emmanuel Michelle. He led the 45 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,159 way the running back for Air Force again with another outstanding day, but this 46 00:03:24,199 --> 00:03:28,840 time a career high an Air Force Bowl record two hundred and three yards rushing 47 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,639 thirty five carries, including two touchdowns As the Falcons, they ran for three 48 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:38,840 fifty one against JMU, which had the nation's top FBS rushing defense, only 49 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,759 giving up sixty one and a half yards per game, but they were missing 50 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,000 several players. Do the transfer portal, the most they had given up all 51 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:51,120 year on the ground was one hundred and forty six. Air Force on three 52 00:03:51,199 --> 00:03:54,639 plays in the first quarter, surpassed what JMU was giving up per game at 53 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:59,479 sixty one and a half. And you know, after trading scores midway through 54 00:03:59,479 --> 00:04:03,759 that first quar order, Michelle scored midway through the second quarter. They gave 55 00:04:04,159 --> 00:04:09,680 Air Force the lead for good at fourteen seventeen or fourteen to seven following an 56 00:04:09,719 --> 00:04:14,159 interception by Jonathan Young at midfield that really kind of changed, you know, 57 00:04:14,479 --> 00:04:19,199 it allowed Air Force to seize that momentum as Jonathan Young intercepted JAMU quarterback Jordan 58 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:25,279 McLeod who was under heavy duress, and that that led to a touchdown and 59 00:04:25,319 --> 00:04:29,000 the lead for good for Air Force team. Yeah, and you look at 60 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,680 and I remember Jordan McLeod from his time. McLeod is a USF guy, 61 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:39,480 so so I've seen McLeod quite a bit, and he was, as you 62 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,439 mentioned, under tons of pressure from air forces defense. But you got to 63 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,000 give a ton of credit to the rushing game for the Falcons, not only 64 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:54,279 with Emmanuel Michelle. You mentioned thirty five carries two hundred and three yards and 65 00:04:54,319 --> 00:04:58,879 those two touchdowns, including a fifty four yard score, but they ran the 66 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:04,720 ball twenty eight other times, so and they really spread the ball around as 67 00:05:05,079 --> 00:05:10,519 Michelle got a lion's share of those carries. But you know Zach Larrier, 68 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:15,240 who was back after missing four games due to injury, he had nine carries 69 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:19,120 for twenty six yards, including a score. John Lee Eldridge, the third 70 00:05:19,639 --> 00:05:26,319 who we've talked about, had eight carries and almost a ten yards per carry 71 00:05:26,759 --> 00:05:30,560 average in the game. Aiden Calvert had a couple of carries, including a 72 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,319 ten yard run. You know, you saw Dylan Carlson and Owen Burke and 73 00:05:34,439 --> 00:05:41,079 Dane Kinneman all getting opportunities to possess the football in this game. And I 74 00:05:41,519 --> 00:05:46,519 really think that the way that they were able to spread the wealth around really 75 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,480 caused havoc for the Duke's defense because they weren't sure just who was going to 76 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:55,519 get the football when you've got four guys in the backfield, or three guys 77 00:05:55,519 --> 00:06:00,199 in the backfield, including the quarterback, and any one of them could have 78 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,639 the football. It really does spread an eleven man defense very thin. And 79 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:10,160 that's what happened with Jmu. I mean, they had plenty of opportunities. 80 00:06:10,199 --> 00:06:14,839 Aiden Fisher at a huge game for the Dukes on defense, seventeen tackles, 81 00:06:14,879 --> 00:06:20,079 including twelve solo tackles, which is just an incredibly ridiculous number. But you 82 00:06:20,079 --> 00:06:26,839 know, he ended up having to make all of those plays because the rushing 83 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,360 offense of the Falcons was able to get past the initial defensive line and get 84 00:06:31,399 --> 00:06:35,079 into the linebacking corps. And when you get into that linebacking corps, you're 85 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:41,959 gonna find yourself being able to move the football down the field with consistent and 86 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:48,279 significant effect. And they were able to turn a lot of those opportunities into 87 00:06:48,319 --> 00:06:51,839 scores when they were able to get into the linebackers. Yeah, you know, 88 00:06:51,879 --> 00:06:56,639 they came out and you know, took control there in the second quarter 89 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,920 with interception, but James Madison was the one that scored first in the third 90 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,519 before you know, Air Force answered right back with a nine plays seventy five 91 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:08,920 yard drive that Larrier capped with his one score of the game. You know, 92 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:14,519 Larrier's first start Steve since the Air Force game, so it you know, 93 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:16,240 been several games. You know, Michelle had been banged up, Dan 94 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,279 Keneman started wide receiver who had been banged up. But I think it's big 95 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:26,399 of a story to me in the game as big as Air Force's rushing offense 96 00:07:26,639 --> 00:07:30,120 was against what his what was statistically, without a doubt, you know, 97 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,360 the best rushing defense in the country statistics wise, but as big of a 98 00:07:34,399 --> 00:07:41,279 deal and big as Air Force was running the football behind Larrer Michelle and then 99 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:46,199 John Lee Eldridge. I thought the play of senior linebacker from Naperville, Illinois, 100 00:07:46,199 --> 00:07:48,680 Bo Richter, you know, the linebacker defensive end hybrid. I mean, 101 00:07:48,879 --> 00:07:55,279 he was a menace in the game. Three sacks all after halftime, 102 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,480 four and have tackles for a loss, and you know on television, you 103 00:07:59,519 --> 00:08:03,639 know they just kept I mean you saw number eight all around the football, 104 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,720 whether it was making a tackle, making a play, helping close the pocket 105 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:09,279 that he may not have got because he came close to several sacks in the 106 00:08:09,279 --> 00:08:13,879 first half and didn't get him. He was all over the place and in 107 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:18,600 the JMU offensive backfield. It seemed like the entire game. I thought this 108 00:08:18,759 --> 00:08:22,000 big of a story. Uh in the game was Bo Richter as much as 109 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,519 anything. Michelle was fantastic, but boy, on that other side of the 110 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,839 football where Air Force has just been so good all season long. As he 111 00:08:30,959 --> 00:08:33,519 was one of the game captains along with Trey Taylor. You know, the 112 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:39,360 outstanding in Thorpe Award winning safety was that you know that linebacking defensive line, 113 00:08:39,399 --> 00:08:43,480 because boy, they just controlled the line of scrimmage against JMU from the start 114 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,120 until the very end. Steven, Oh, absolutely, and you look at 115 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:52,240 uh they have four sacks, nine tackles for loss as a as a defense. 116 00:08:52,759 --> 00:08:56,399 Uh, You've got you've got to give credit to the to the defense. 117 00:08:56,519 --> 00:08:58,720 And you're absolutely right, Bo Richter. When you were when you were 118 00:08:58,759 --> 00:09:01,799 watching in that game and it was like, Okay, how many guys do 119 00:09:01,919 --> 00:09:05,320 they have that wear number eight? Oh it's only one. Yeah, that's 120 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:09,799 one guy out there. It was incredible to watch. I mean, uh, 121 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:13,759 you know, we talked and now it seems like it was forever ago, 122 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,200 but it was, you know about about two months ago when when Air 123 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:22,360 Force played Army and uh and how the the Air Force defense, Uh, 124 00:09:22,519 --> 00:09:28,039 seemed to be swarmed over by by the Black Knights at that point, and 125 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,120 we were saying, Okay, how many how many guys wear the number three? 126 00:09:31,279 --> 00:09:35,559 Oh, that's only Leo Loewen. You've got to be kidney. But 127 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,879 I look at Richter in that same at that same light, it seemed like 128 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,559 they they did uh, they did a really good job in film study on 129 00:09:43,639 --> 00:09:48,519 the Dukes and knowing what they were going to run, they knew that their 130 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,360 offense was going to be rather vanilla, you know, going with with so 131 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:58,919 many UH players in the portal, and the fact of the matter is that 132 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:03,919 they had, you know, an interim coach, so you knew that things 133 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:09,080 were going to be different this time around. And I think they were really 134 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:13,279 well prepared. And you've got to give Troy Calhoun and the coaching staff a 135 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,480 lot of credit for being prepared for what James Madison was going to throw at 136 00:10:16,519 --> 00:10:22,519 them. Yeah, speaking of Troy Calhoun, you know, just another clearly 137 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:28,200 another great season for the Falcons, seventeen season at the Helm of the Falcons. 138 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,559 Twelve of those winning season, thirteen bowls they've qualified for, and you 139 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,879 know, eight bowl wins, including five in a row in the last two 140 00:10:35,879 --> 00:10:41,320 in the Armed Forces Bowl. So you know, the consistency under Troy Calhoun 141 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,559 continues, you know. And another thing that continued was, you know, 142 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,879 playing in the Dallas fort Ward Metroplex, a chance for Trey Taylor, the 143 00:10:48,879 --> 00:10:54,039 Thorpe Award winner to play you know, at home again by and large in 144 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,720 his final college game this time. And then John Lee Eldridge to get back 145 00:10:56,759 --> 00:11:01,600 on the field where he proposed to his girlfriend right after the Baylor game last 146 00:11:01,639 --> 00:11:03,679 year in the freezing cold, if you remember that one. So you know, 147 00:11:03,759 --> 00:11:09,720 some things stay the same. But regardless, it is a big congratulations 148 00:11:09,759 --> 00:11:13,600 to Air Force thirty one to twenty one over number twenty four James Madison in 149 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:18,720 the lockeed Martin Armed Forces Bowls once again. Air Force finishes the season at 150 00:11:18,799 --> 00:11:24,399 nine and four overall steven game balls. Let's give out our lockeed Martin Armed 151 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:28,639 Forces Bowl game balls? Which way you want to go with yours? Yeah? 152 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,679 For me, I mean, it's pretty obvious that there are two guys 153 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,240 that deserve game balls in this game, So I'm going to go on the 154 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:43,759 offensive side to Emmanuel Michelle. We've talked about him about how much his performance 155 00:11:43,919 --> 00:11:50,000 meant for the Falcons offense two hundred and three yards and Air Force Bowl record 156 00:11:50,039 --> 00:11:56,840 two touchdowns, thirty five carries and really when the Falcons needed to move the 157 00:11:56,919 --> 00:12:03,159 sticks, they counted one to do so. So I'm gonna go with Emmanuel 158 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,440 Michelle for my game ball, all right, my game ball. Of course, 159 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,120 I'm gonna go other side of the football. In Bo Richter, you 160 00:12:11,159 --> 00:12:15,759 know, the outstanding linebacker out of Naperville, Illinois, leading the way. 161 00:12:15,799 --> 00:12:20,000 He had six tackles, which was second best on the squad, but finishing 162 00:12:20,039 --> 00:12:24,080 with three sacks, an Air Force Bowl Game record, all of those coming 163 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:28,440 in the second half, forced to fumble five of the four of the tackles 164 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:33,879 that he had for four of the five were solo tackles, as he finishes 165 00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:37,799 the season with ten sacks on the year, three forced fumbles, and forty 166 00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:43,759 five total stops. But he led the way for the defense for the Falcons, 167 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:46,519 and you can't take away what some of the other guys behind him did 168 00:12:46,519 --> 00:12:50,200 because it was a total team effort. But you know Air Force playing clean 169 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,679 football, as they didn't commit a single penalty in the game, holding James 170 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,919 Madison to less than three hundred yards, and you know, four of eleven 171 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,279 on third down is all jam you could muster in the game. So right 172 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:09,879 at just under thirty five percent on third down conversions for Jamu so Bo Richter 173 00:13:09,159 --> 00:13:13,440 number eight leading the way for me getting my game ball Steven. We got 174 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,919 more to do here on this episode, a lot more to do. We 175 00:13:16,919 --> 00:13:20,879 got to talk about the transfer portal, We got to talk about coordinators is 176 00:13:20,919 --> 00:13:24,600 obviously Navy is going to now be looking for a new offensive coordinator. National 177 00:13:24,639 --> 00:13:26,840 Signing Day has come and gone, which is a little bit different when it 178 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:31,679 comes to the academies. We're going to give out our players of the Year 179 00:13:31,759 --> 00:13:35,440 for Army, Navy, and Air Force and who we thought was the most 180 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,639 outstanding in service academy football, our Travis Mannion Foundation on a roll segment. 181 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,559 A whole lot more here to do when we come back, as we are 182 00:13:43,639 --> 00:13:48,240 part of the College Gridiron Coast to Coast Podcast Network that you can listen to 183 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,039 all the assortment of podcasts on the College Gridiron Coast to Coast Network on Apple, 184 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker, wherever it is you get your podcasts, Spotify doesn't matter. 185 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,919 Check us out Yards and Stripes on the College Gridiron Coast to Coast Podcast Network. 186 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,559 As we have been there all season, and we got a lot more 187 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,200 content for you as we barrel down the stretch a bowl season. But when 188 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,840 we come back, we're going to talk National Signing Day, We're going to 189 00:14:11,879 --> 00:14:13,759 talk transfer portal. We got more to do here on this episode of Yards 190 00:14:13,759 --> 00:14:18,679 and Stripes, your home for service Academy Football. Yards and Stripes is sponsored 191 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,320 in part by ticket Smarter. College football season is here. We know you're 192 00:14:22,399 --> 00:14:26,159 looking for the best seats at the most competitive prices, and we want to 193 00:14:26,159 --> 00:14:30,919 make sure you take advantage of ticket smarter and their mobile app. We know 194 00:14:31,039 --> 00:14:35,399 more than ever that buying college football tickets online requires trust, and ticket smarter 195 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:39,240 has partnered with more than one hundred universities and twenty four conferences as their official 196 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:45,440 ticket resale marketplace. 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You can use our code all season 205 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,960 long and save for the best selection of seats to the biggest games. Don't 206 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,720 wait, though, get the best selections in pricing now with ticket Smarter. 207 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:35,480 Remember our codes LWOS ten and LWOS twenty. Thanks Smarter. Ticket Smarter the 208 00:15:35,559 --> 00:15:41,919 latest with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football. 209 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,440 All right, continuing on here on Yards and Stripes, you're home for 210 00:15:45,559 --> 00:15:50,399 Service Academy Football, as we are in our last episode of the season. 211 00:15:50,559 --> 00:15:52,720 A whole lot more to get to, including our Travis Medium Foundation Honor Roll 212 00:15:52,759 --> 00:15:56,960 segment and our Players of the Year for Army, Navy, and Air Force 213 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,360 respectively, and our and out from Service Academy Football. We'll do that here 214 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:03,600 in just a little bit. But now we've got kind of the perfect storm 215 00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:07,639 which every coach loves. All hitting at the same time the transfer portal and 216 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,840 National Signing Day and Steven, you know, we've talked about the transfer portal 217 00:16:12,879 --> 00:16:17,240 a little bit in that last episode in our you know, Armed Forces will 218 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,320 preview Air Force. Kind of the big names hitting the portal, John Lee 219 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,960 Eldridge, you know, with what I think two years of eligibility the running 220 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:29,200 back, and then Caden Blum linebacker or excuse me, defensive lineman from Air 221 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:33,639 Force, and then for Navy Elias Larry. That was the one really only 222 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:38,039 name defensive back who appeared in twenty six games over the last three seasons. 223 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:44,399 But really, up until you know now, we hadn't heard anything on the 224 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,879 or the on the Army side of things. But since we last taught, 225 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,840 there have been a couple of new names and one big one in fact, 226 00:16:51,919 --> 00:16:55,240 that has hit the portal, and that's Isaiah Austen and he did hit the 227 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:59,679 portal last year very very, oh so briefly. This time it looks like 228 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,160 he is in the portal to stay the big six to four wide receiver for 229 00:17:03,279 --> 00:17:08,480 the Black Knights, as according to Twitter his Twitter account, he's announced offers 230 00:17:10,279 --> 00:17:15,799 from the following school James Madison, Yukon, Bobby Moe, Old Dominion, 231 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:21,599 UMass, Southern miss Iowa State, Houston in Kansas. Also joining Alston in 232 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:26,400 the transfer portal backup quarterback Champ Harris, the true freshman who started in place 233 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:32,599 of Bryce and daily against LSU, and UMass linebacker Tanno Latouli, who was 234 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:37,599 the backup to Army Navy game MVP Caleb Fortner. And the fourth and final 235 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,359 one that at least we've heard is backup quarterback Larry Robinson, the second so 236 00:17:42,039 --> 00:17:47,119 Army getting into the transfer portal action. Nobody is immune to this dagum thing, 237 00:17:47,599 --> 00:17:51,119 as it seems. Portal madness continues every single day where you turn it. 238 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:56,440 Look. But a big headlining addition that will be out there for somebody 239 00:17:56,519 --> 00:18:00,559 if he stays in the portal is Isaiah Alson. Steve. Yeah. And 240 00:18:00,599 --> 00:18:03,559 the fact is that Austin has said that he wishes to leave West Point, 241 00:18:03,599 --> 00:18:07,880 which means he's gonna have to pay some money back. It's gonna cost him 242 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:12,480 some cash to get out of this, because you know, he's at the 243 00:18:12,519 --> 00:18:19,519 point where if he stays any longer, he's going to have military commitments now. 244 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:25,480 So if he has with two years left, he's able to move if 245 00:18:25,519 --> 00:18:29,519 he goes to Iowa State. Uh My, my buddy Rocco Beck, who 246 00:18:29,599 --> 00:18:34,880 is the son of former Tampa Bay buccaneer in New York Jets tight end Anthony 247 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:40,279 Beck, uh is the quarterback there, and he's gonna find himself with with 248 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:45,039 some with a definite arm there. In fact, you look at the teams 249 00:18:45,079 --> 00:18:48,319 that he has mentioned, and what do they all have in common. They 250 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:52,160 all like throwing the football out wide, which is not something that you do 251 00:18:52,279 --> 00:18:56,839 a lot at West Point. Yeah, so, uh, it is interesting 252 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:03,039 to see him leave. I thought that it this year obviously was a little 253 00:19:03,039 --> 00:19:07,559 bit of a disappointment for him production wise. Of course, he got banged 254 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,680 up and that that is never gonna help. But uh, the fact of 255 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:18,000 the matter is that he now feels like he's gotta be a he wants to 256 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:23,079 be able to try and uh take his game to the next level and if 257 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:29,119 he wants to play in the NFL and not have to worry about a military 258 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,240 commitment in order to do so, this is gonna be his best his best 259 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:37,119 opportunity now for for guys like Champ Harris. Harris only was there one year, 260 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:42,640 so he's gonna move. I I would expect to see him. I 261 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:48,119 I don't see him being a D one type like I could see him moving 262 00:19:48,279 --> 00:19:53,319 down, uh to f CS or even Division two and and try and start 263 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:59,319 at that point. But that's uh, that's gonna be his decision. And 264 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,000 for somebody like Tanna Latully, you know, the linebacking corps has always been 265 00:20:04,319 --> 00:20:07,880 the bread and butter for the Black Knights, So I have a feeling he's 266 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:15,079 going to find himself in a really good situation. Yeah. Alston the leading 267 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,960 receiver again, you know, played in just four games this year due to 268 00:20:18,039 --> 00:20:21,240 injury, but still led the team in receiving yards if you can believe that 269 00:20:21,279 --> 00:20:25,559 in only four games with two hundred and sixty six yards on just nine catches, 270 00:20:25,599 --> 00:20:30,440 but listed as a junior on the Army roster. You know, Alston 271 00:20:30,559 --> 00:20:34,160 said on social media that he has two years of eligibility remaining. So we'll 272 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:38,519 see what the six foot four one and ninety five pound our carter at New 273 00:20:38,599 --> 00:20:44,519 Jersey Native ends up doing. It'll be interesting to see what happens is this 274 00:20:44,559 --> 00:20:47,920 is the second time he has entered the portal now, but as he said, 275 00:20:48,519 --> 00:20:52,079 quote, decided to resign my commission from the United States Military Academy and 276 00:20:52,079 --> 00:20:56,279 separate himself from the academy end quote. So uh, I'm gonna have to 277 00:20:56,319 --> 00:21:00,680 pay a little money back to the United States Military Academy. Make that move, 278 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,079 all right. The other thing that went down, Stephen, was National 279 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:07,000 Signing Day. Since we last talked, and you know, as the early 280 00:21:07,039 --> 00:21:11,640 signing period now is in December, I don't think anybody would argue it really 281 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:17,759 falls at an awful time as you hear college assistant coaches in college saying routinely 282 00:21:17,839 --> 00:21:21,599 that you know, they're not even on the field coaching their teams in bowl 283 00:21:21,599 --> 00:21:23,680 prep as they're out, you know, conducting in home visits, and they 284 00:21:23,759 --> 00:21:29,759 might be elsewhere on campus hosting transfer portal recruits that are looking to make quick 285 00:21:29,799 --> 00:21:33,599 decisions. But nonetheless, the National Signing Day has come and gone. At 286 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,480 least the early period is the second one will be held in the traditional spot 287 00:21:37,519 --> 00:21:41,599 in February. But as we know, and we've talked about it linked here 288 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:47,039 many episodes, you know, academies they cannot announce a National Signing Day class 289 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,000 because they recruits just simply do not sign national letters of intent when they go 290 00:21:52,079 --> 00:21:56,519 to an academy. They still have the lengthy appointment process and the you know, 291 00:21:56,799 --> 00:22:02,359 the academies simply just do not put out a list of kids that are 292 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:07,200 joining the program until basically I Day or report Day, you know, in 293 00:22:07,319 --> 00:22:15,759 June, So we won't get an official recruiting class until basically early to Midsummer, 294 00:22:15,599 --> 00:22:21,000 not long before these teams start August camp. But what we do know 295 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:25,319 is the reporting that you know, the outstanding beat writers that cover you know, 296 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:27,880 each of the academies, Brett Brighaman for Air Force and Bill Wagner for 297 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:33,240 Navy, and South Enderdonado for Army. These guys track this stuff, and 298 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,640 Brett Brigaman did a lot of great reporting on this. As he said, 299 00:22:37,279 --> 00:22:42,400 with his reporting and calculations, forty six players made it known that they were 300 00:22:42,599 --> 00:22:48,960 going to be quote unquote signing with the Air Force Academy, including eleven three 301 00:22:48,039 --> 00:22:52,240 star players and one that really has turned some heads. It might be the 302 00:22:52,319 --> 00:22:56,240 jewel of Air Forces class, a kid by the name of Jonah Dawson who 303 00:22:56,319 --> 00:23:00,200 runs a one hundred yard dash in ten point eighty six out of rain sure 304 00:23:00,319 --> 00:23:06,960 Cookemongo, California, had offers from seven Division I programs but chose Air Force 305 00:23:07,039 --> 00:23:11,359 over Army, so quite a quite a big deal and it was. It 306 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,319 was funny in a story that really good reporting and Brent had in the Colorado 307 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:22,160 Springs Gazette where Jonah Dawson, having some long locks, said that they were 308 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,240 going to him as his dad and brother are going to are going to go 309 00:23:25,279 --> 00:23:30,079 with the buzz cut in the summer with him before he gets to Colorado Springs, 310 00:23:30,079 --> 00:23:33,039 so he doesn't have that traumatic experience and going through it for the first 311 00:23:33,039 --> 00:23:38,240 time there at at Ida or report day in Colorado Springs. So if you're 312 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:45,359 gonna if you're gonna taally this stuff, what twenty four to seven Sports has 313 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,720 in two poor seven Sports is obviously the probably the pre eminent recruiting site. 314 00:23:48,759 --> 00:23:55,240 There's some others, but because kids cannot sign, you're basically going on known 315 00:23:55,319 --> 00:23:59,039 commitments and if you're scoring those at home. Here's the way. Two four 316 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:03,039 seven has all three of the academies lined up. They have Navy at one 317 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,279 twenty eight, They have Air Force at one seven, followed by Army at 318 00:24:07,279 --> 00:24:11,160 one sixty three. Steve, Yeah, and I think that doesn't make that 319 00:24:11,559 --> 00:24:17,079 doesn't make Hillabeans when it comes to you know, recruiting, we all we 320 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:22,119 all know that that that number, it doesn't mean much and and really it 321 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:27,359 depends on what you get from these guys on the field. And and as 322 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:33,000 you mentioned, you know, they can't really announce anybody until I day. 323 00:24:33,279 --> 00:24:38,200 So I think that once that happens, I think that twenty four to seven 324 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:45,440 Sports needs to update things. And I think that letting your boy there go 325 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:52,440 and not have his locks cut in Colorado's springs. All I keep thinking about 326 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:59,119 is the first scene in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which is of course 327 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:06,039 the haircut scene where everybody's getting their haircut and hearing goodbye sweet heart, hello 328 00:25:06,319 --> 00:25:11,880 v e Nam which is it is a traumatic experience for for people. I 329 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:18,200 saw it myself at Great Lakes going through enlisted boot camp. Uh. You 330 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:21,799 know, you get some of these people that come in with long you know, 331 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:23,559 these kids coming in with long hair, and all of a sudden it's 332 00:25:23,599 --> 00:25:30,079 getting shorn off and you've got a bald head after that. It can it 333 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:33,799 can mess with some people. And so I you know, I give I 334 00:25:33,839 --> 00:25:37,920 give credit to the family to make sure that he's going to be all right 335 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,920 going to Colorado. He's gonna be fine. But it's it is it. 336 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,759 I like the show of solidarity, that's for sure. Yeah, all right, 337 00:25:47,759 --> 00:25:51,519 And the other thing that since we last talked Stephen on the you know, 338 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:56,039 coaching side of things, maybe announcing that offense corner coordinator Grant Chestnut will 339 00:25:56,039 --> 00:26:00,519 not be retained Brian Newberry, the head coach. The decision was simply based 340 00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:07,000 on the offensive lack of productivity. Possible to really argue against that in any 341 00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:11,200 way, shape or form, as they only averaged two hundred yards rushing eighteen 342 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:17,400 points a game with that boom or bust offense, which it seemed like, 343 00:26:17,559 --> 00:26:21,759 you know, it lacked certainly lacked an identity from week to week. It 344 00:26:21,759 --> 00:26:26,640 seemed like they were changing things up. I mean, obviously inconsistencies at quarterback, 345 00:26:27,279 --> 00:26:30,559 just a litany of things that just some things were not right. There 346 00:26:30,599 --> 00:26:36,079 were reports that there were some personality clashes on the offensive side of the football 347 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:41,119 in terms of the coaching staff, and so Navy looking for an offensive coordinator, 348 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,319 which at this point we still don't have any kind of news or anything 349 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,359 surfacing yet in terms of that, but I think just as big as probably 350 00:26:48,799 --> 00:26:53,720 trying to place a replace offensive coordinator, in my opinion, that guy is 351 00:26:53,759 --> 00:27:00,839 already on staff, and Ivan Jasper for Navy is the replace that they're going 352 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,319 to have to still make with Ashley Ingram, who left offensive line coach assistant 353 00:27:04,319 --> 00:27:08,440 head coach, had been on the staff in a variety of roles for what 354 00:27:08,519 --> 00:27:15,920 twelve plus years. He was the one that was single handily responsible for developing 355 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:21,759 that really strong pipeline of players coming in from Tennessee, no doubt about it. 356 00:27:21,839 --> 00:27:25,440 Probably anybody will close to the program will tell you was the best recruiter 357 00:27:25,519 --> 00:27:29,319 on staff. He has gone to Carson Newman, which is just outside of 358 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:33,759 Knoxville, Tennessee. So no coincidence there is he was able to get a 359 00:27:33,839 --> 00:27:37,640 lot of good players from the volunteer state as he's now left for Carson Newman. 360 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:42,559 So NYVY now with two openings. But will they might they move Ivan 361 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:48,039 Jasper back up? Something tells me no. With Chuck Glad Chuck still the 362 00:27:48,079 --> 00:27:52,720 athletic director there who forced Kenny Neamatalolo, the former head coach, to get 363 00:27:52,799 --> 00:27:56,599 rid of Ivan right after the Air Force game two years ago. So what 364 00:27:56,759 --> 00:28:00,720 might happen there and certainly Ashley Ingham's replacement, those are the two things that 365 00:28:00,799 --> 00:28:03,160 are going to be watched in terms of coaches on the Navy side of things. 366 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:08,680 Steve Yeah, absolutely and I had said on the social media platform that 367 00:28:08,799 --> 00:28:15,759 is formally known as Twitter when the when the decision was made to relieve Grand 368 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:22,559 Chestnut of his duties as offensive coordinator after just one season, I had mentioned 369 00:28:22,599 --> 00:28:26,000 that he had been brought in from Kenesaw State to try and put a wrinkle 370 00:28:26,519 --> 00:28:30,880 into Navy's offense and all he did was succeed in making them look old and 371 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:37,720 wrinkly. And that's that's unfortunate for him, because you know, you you 372 00:28:37,839 --> 00:28:42,960 have a really big responsibility when you're coming to a service academy to try and 373 00:28:44,799 --> 00:28:48,799 yeah, you're not going to overhaul a side of the football, but you 374 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,319 are going to look to try and put your stamp on it. And unfortunately 375 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:57,039 for him, the offense did look stale, It looked old, and it 376 00:28:57,119 --> 00:29:03,839 looked ineffective for you know, large chunks of the season. And the fact 377 00:29:03,839 --> 00:29:07,160 of the matter is is that he ended up having to go through four different 378 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:15,759 quarterbacks and trying to find someone who was effective at at running an offense. 379 00:29:15,839 --> 00:29:25,000 And finally ty Lavatai stepped up and was able to make something happen for a 380 00:29:25,079 --> 00:29:30,920 number of in his opportunities, especially at the back half of the Army Navy 381 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:37,039 game after Xavier ar line looked it looked woeful under our line. And so 382 00:29:37,359 --> 00:29:42,759 I really think that, you know, what they do for an offensive coordinator, 383 00:29:42,799 --> 00:29:48,160 I think is secondary to the loss of Ashley Ingram. You're absolutely right 384 00:29:48,519 --> 00:29:52,720 about how good of a recruiter he was. You know, Keenan Reynolds said 385 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:59,599 himself that coach Ingram was the reason he went to Annapolis. And when you're 386 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:06,759 getting guys of that ILK saying, you know, proclaiming how important he's been, 387 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,400 losing him I think is big for Brian Newberry. And that's gonna be 388 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,920 maybe the toughest uh replacement. You know, you really can't replace Ashley Ingram, 389 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:21,319 but you're gonna have to find somebody to fill that role. And that's 390 00:30:21,359 --> 00:30:26,279 gonna be a really tough uh role to fill. And whether they're able to 391 00:30:26,319 --> 00:30:30,400 find somebody from outside of the program to to do so, or if they 392 00:30:32,079 --> 00:30:37,240 decide to stay internal, that's gonna that's gonna be a huge someone. Someone's 393 00:30:37,279 --> 00:30:41,319 gonna have some huge shoes to fill. Mm hmmm. Yeah, So it'd 394 00:30:41,359 --> 00:30:42,799 be a lot to uh, you know, to watch there. What is 395 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:45,799 Navy going to do? Is Brian Newberry going to be allowed to kind of 396 00:30:45,799 --> 00:30:52,119 go his route with both the Hires. You got to think that somehow it's 397 00:30:52,359 --> 00:30:56,000 gonna be likely triple option esque with both of them, But we don't know, 398 00:30:56,359 --> 00:31:00,720 Uh could he might go outside the box. But watching to see the 399 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,640 offensive line and offensive coordinator Hires it Navy will be something to certainly pay attention 400 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:10,079 to in these coming weeks as we continue here on Yards and Stripes, Your 401 00:31:10,079 --> 00:31:12,599 Home for Service Academy Football. We got our Travis Manian Foundation Honor rolls coming 402 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,319 up next, and then we got our Players of the Year Steve and I 403 00:31:15,359 --> 00:31:18,799 will do that next year coming up on Yards and Stripes, Your Home for 404 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:25,480 Service Academy Football. In two thousand and seven, Marine First Lieutenant Travis Mannion 405 00:31:25,559 --> 00:31:29,799 was killed in Iraq after saving his wooted teammates. Travis's legacy lives on through 406 00:31:29,799 --> 00:31:33,559 the words he spoke before his final deployment. If not me, then who 407 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:37,759 words that today fuel the spirit of Travis Mannion Foundation and through TMF these words 408 00:31:37,759 --> 00:31:41,920 can live in you too. Show the world what you're made of. Because 409 00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:45,319 character is invisible until it's not. Find out how you can strengthen the character 410 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:51,400 of your community. Alongside empowered veterans families of the fallon and inspired civilians at 411 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:57,680 Travismanion dot org. We've come to our Travis Manion Foundation Honor Roll segment, 412 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:01,599 our final one of the c and this week we're going to honor remember Lance 413 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:07,599 Corporal Dennis Jay Veeder from the United States Marine Corps. Lance Corporal Veeder gave 414 00:32:07,599 --> 00:32:10,319 the ultimate sacrifice on March the ninth, two thousand and seven, while conducting 415 00:32:10,319 --> 00:32:15,359 combat operations in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. He was assigned to the 416 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:21,160 Marine Wings Support Squadron four seventy two, Marine Wings Support Group forty seven out 417 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,720 of the fourth Marine Air Wing, based out of Wyoming, Pennsylvania. He 418 00:32:23,799 --> 00:32:28,960 was a native of Jessup, Pennsylvania. Lance Corporal Veeder was the youngest of 419 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,240 six children and a twin. He was born and raised in the Marine Corps 420 00:32:31,279 --> 00:32:35,799 and in the first sixteen years of his life traveling from Virginia to California and 421 00:32:35,839 --> 00:32:39,519 then overseas to Okinawa, Japan. He enjoyed military bratt life and loved meeting 422 00:32:39,559 --> 00:32:44,599 new people and doing new things and his father, Donald's retirement. After his 423 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,640 father Donald's retirement, the family settled in New Township, Pennsylvania, where Veeder 424 00:32:47,799 --> 00:32:53,079 graduated from Abington Heights High School and later enrolled at Penn State University before joining 425 00:32:53,119 --> 00:32:59,480 the Marine Reserves as a truck driver. His character strengths story shared by his 426 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,640 father, Donald said, quote, when Dennis was three years old, we 427 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,599 had one of the first homes. When entering the neighborhood and parked on the 428 00:33:06,599 --> 00:33:09,480 street, Dennis and his twin brother Adam would greet the neighbors with a dance, 429 00:33:09,519 --> 00:33:14,000 show standing on the roof of the family car naked. Of course, 430 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:17,519 That care free, don't worry attitude lasted all his life and still makes a 431 00:33:17,599 --> 00:33:22,039 smile today. End quote. His top character strengths are listed as humor, 432 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:28,279 hope, social intelligence, Remember heroes like Lance Corporal Dennis Peeder from the United 433 00:33:28,319 --> 00:33:31,400 States Marine Corps, so many others around this holiday season. So we move 434 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:37,519 forward into the twenty twenty four and as we move into twenty twenty four, 435 00:33:37,599 --> 00:33:40,880 you can support the Travismannian Foundation online as we are proud to partner with them 436 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:45,119 yet again this season, and we thank them for their partnership. You can 437 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,960 check out more at Travismanion dot org online to figure to find out how you 438 00:33:49,599 --> 00:33:53,880 can support families that have lost a loved one or also help them come together 439 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:59,160 and heal as they serve their communities. To carry on the legacy of commitment 440 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:04,680 in service in communities across the country. Travis Mallion Foundations Nine to eleven Heroes 441 00:34:04,759 --> 00:34:07,920 run five k ra series units communities across the country and around the world to 442 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,880 honor the sacrifices of September eleventh and the war since. Join your community this 443 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,960 September and register to run, Walk or rock by visiting nine to eleven Heroes 444 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:22,079 run dot org. The latest with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards 445 00:34:22,079 --> 00:34:30,039 and Stripes Service Academy Football once again, thanks to the Travismanion Foundation for being 446 00:34:30,079 --> 00:34:34,159 a partner a trusted value partner this season again on Yards and Stripes. We 447 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:38,880 appreciate Travismanion once again. You can check them out Travismanion dot org online as 448 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:44,760 we will continue hopefully the TMF on a roll segment next season when we return 449 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,000 with you. But we got there'll be a lot happening between now and then, 450 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:52,000 But we want to talk players of the year. Steve and I came 451 00:34:52,079 --> 00:34:58,000 up with who we thought were our players of the year for all three service 452 00:34:58,039 --> 00:35:00,480 academies, and then who we thought was our overall Player of the Year, 453 00:35:01,039 --> 00:35:02,719 Steve, where do you want to get? Where do you want to start 454 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:06,119 here? You want to start? Well, let's start with Army Black Knights 455 00:35:06,159 --> 00:35:08,880 because they are a top Service Academy football as the winners of the Commander in 456 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:14,400 Chief Trophy yet again knocking off Air Force, who was undefeated at the time, 457 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,559 and then beating Navy and another thriller. Who is your player of the 458 00:35:17,639 --> 00:35:22,920 year from West Point? Yeah, from West Point, from the now defending 459 00:35:23,079 --> 00:35:28,159 Commander in Chief Trophy champions. I'm going to go with linebacker Leo Loewen. 460 00:35:29,079 --> 00:35:36,599 He was the leader of that Black Knights defense and someone that I think that 461 00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:43,079 when his foot as his football career comes to an end and he gets into 462 00:35:43,679 --> 00:35:49,880 being a leader of men outside of the one hundred yards long fifty three and 463 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,119 a third yards wide stretch of green Grass, I think is going to be 464 00:35:53,159 --> 00:36:02,039 a tremendous commander. I really respect the work that he put in and it 465 00:36:02,239 --> 00:36:07,360 showed throughout the year. You know, he was consistently one of the top 466 00:36:08,039 --> 00:36:14,840 performing defensive players for that Black Knight's team, and when they were going well, 467 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,320 it's because that defense was going well. So I'm gonna go with Leo 468 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:21,760 Leewing, all right, I'm going to go other side of the ball with 469 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:27,599 Army. In junior quarterback Bryson Daily out of Abernathy, Texas. He led 470 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:31,519 Army with nine hundred and thirteen yards. He had seven rushing touchdowns and he 471 00:36:31,559 --> 00:36:37,800 had seven throwing the football as the only got sacks seven times, ironically, 472 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:42,039 four of which were in the Syracuse game. But I thought the leadership that 473 00:36:42,119 --> 00:36:45,599 he brought on the offensive side of the ball with the brand new offense that 474 00:36:45,679 --> 00:36:51,960 drew Thatcher brought in from Nebraska Carney, you know, outstanding, Especially the 475 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,239 toughness he showed. I think it was Salanderdonado talked about. You know, 476 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:58,320 he brought a toughness to that position, which number one you got to have 477 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,920 if you're an academy playing in that type of system. But a toughness maybe 478 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:07,480 not seen since I'm odd Bradshaw was under center for the Black Knights. But 479 00:37:07,079 --> 00:37:14,840 I thought the steadiness of Bryson Daily certainly not you know, getting a lot 480 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,599 of playing time after getting hurt, you know, in the UMass game, 481 00:37:17,599 --> 00:37:22,559 that did not help Army, And that was probably the difference between uh making 482 00:37:22,599 --> 00:37:25,960 a Bowl game with his injury, getting knocked out. So I'm gonna go 483 00:37:27,519 --> 00:37:31,599 with my Army Player of the Year in Bryson Daily. Uh, which way 484 00:37:31,639 --> 00:37:35,800 you want to go? Next to you? Let's go? Why don't we 485 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:37,599 go? You call it, well, why don't we? Why don't we? 486 00:37:37,639 --> 00:37:43,440 Why don't we switch to Air Force? Because they were second in the 487 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:49,760 in the Comander in Chief Trophy standings having beat Navy but also lost to Army. 488 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:53,239 And I'm gonna go with quarterback Zach Larryer for the Falcons. For me, 489 00:37:54,440 --> 00:38:01,960 you know, he was probably the most important player for that Falcons team 490 00:38:02,039 --> 00:38:07,440 because without him this year they went out in four and and with him they 491 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:13,800 went nine to oh. So just the way that he was able to perform 492 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:19,079 this year on the ground in his limited time through the air, because like 493 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:22,599 most Service Academy teams, they don't throw the ball a whole heck of a 494 00:38:22,639 --> 00:38:28,239 lot, but he was really efficient through the air when he did take to 495 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:30,239 the area. I mean, all you have to do is look at his 496 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:36,000 time in the Armed Forces Bowl here three for five with a with a touchdown. 497 00:38:36,559 --> 00:38:45,039 I really think that Zach Larrier's his performance is is it can't be understated, 498 00:38:45,159 --> 00:38:49,079 you know, six hundred and five yards on the ground, almost eight 499 00:38:49,119 --> 00:38:57,679 hundred through the air, and I just really think that without him, the 500 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:01,440 Air Force offense sputtered, and with him it looked like a well oiled machine. 501 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:07,800 All right, I'll go other side of the ball here, I'm gonna 502 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:10,400 go Trey Taylor, the senior safety, you know, out of the greater 503 00:39:10,639 --> 00:39:16,679 Dallas Fort Worth area. The Thorp Award winner only the second major award winner 504 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:24,000 from the Air Force Academy, joining the great Chad Hennings as a major Award 505 00:39:24,039 --> 00:39:28,519 winner. As Taylor, as a safety won the Thorp Award, was the 506 00:39:28,559 --> 00:39:31,519 third leading tackler for Air Force with seventy four stops. He had three inter 507 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:37,760 interceptions for pass breakups, you know, but he was you know, it 508 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,559 was a defense, you know, that wasn't just all about Trey Taylor. 509 00:39:40,559 --> 00:39:45,639 There were certainly Alec Mock, but Richter, there were many capable guys on 510 00:39:45,679 --> 00:39:50,960 that defense, which is I think one of the reasons why they finished eighteenth 511 00:39:51,039 --> 00:39:54,199 and scoring defense in the country. And maybe I don't know if it's the 512 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:59,280 top defensive statistic, we could argue about that, but in terms of total 513 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:04,559 defense, Air Force finished the season steve at six in the nation, behind 514 00:40:04,639 --> 00:40:08,239 only Penn State one, Michigan, Ohio State Ohio, U Iowa, and 515 00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:12,960 then air Force at number six, and behind air Force was Clemson Notre Dame, 516 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:15,559 Texas A and M and Georgia rounding out the top ten. Some pretty 517 00:40:15,559 --> 00:40:20,079 good company, you know, in a league that is a fairly known as 518 00:40:20,119 --> 00:40:25,280 a pretty high scoring league in the mountain Less. So Trey Taylor would be 519 00:40:25,679 --> 00:40:30,840 my player of the Year from the Air Force Academy. And then finally, 520 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,760 you know, we'll talk Navy Steve, you know, and I think you 521 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:37,119 and I are probably gonna go the same direction on this one for the midshipman 522 00:40:37,159 --> 00:40:40,280 in terms of our player of the Year at the Naval Academy. Yeah, 523 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:45,239 I would, you know, I wish there were more guys that you could 524 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:52,119 say deserved this this honor, you know, Alec Tesca I thought had a 525 00:40:52,119 --> 00:40:58,800 you know, had an opportunity, you know, I I but really there's 526 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:01,599 one guy, and it's Colinos, the linebacker. I mean, you look 527 00:41:01,639 --> 00:41:07,239 at one hundred and ten tackles, which is just a ridiculous number. He 528 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:13,400 had fifty seven solo tackles, including two sacks also, you know, not 529 00:41:13,559 --> 00:41:16,599 too shabby and getting his paws up in the area at four passes defense, 530 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:22,119 he forced two fumbles, recovered one of them. You know, he was 531 00:41:22,159 --> 00:41:30,760 an All American Conference Linebacker first team for a reason. He was probably the 532 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:37,320 best defensive player in the conference, you know, especially being around the conference 533 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:42,599 as much as I am in you know, with the University of South Florida 534 00:41:42,639 --> 00:41:46,400 here, he was the He was the best defensive player I saw this year 535 00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:52,800 by far. And so I'm gonna go with Colin Ramos as my player of 536 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:55,119 the Year for Navy. Yeah, I'll make it a yeah, for sure, 537 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:59,159 I'm with you on the junior from Wayne, New Jersey. You know 538 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:04,519 that one hundred and ten total tackles this season, two sacks, two forced 539 00:42:04,519 --> 00:42:07,800 fumbles, you know, is is one hundred and ten tackles, second most 540 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:10,639 in the American but the most in a single season by Navy players since Cody 541 00:42:10,679 --> 00:42:15,679 Peterson in twenty and thirteen. And maybe he's had some pretty good ones on 542 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:19,199 defense, you know, especially if that linebacker raider spot over the past ten 543 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:22,880 years, and to put up those kind of numbers that Coloramo's did just outstanding. 544 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:28,559 So yeah, we're we're definitely thinking the same on the save wave link 545 00:42:28,599 --> 00:42:31,400 there in terms of your you know, kind of Player of the Year over 546 00:42:31,519 --> 00:42:35,360 Service, you know, all of Service academy, I would you know, 547 00:42:35,519 --> 00:42:37,079 obviously we will we pick, you know, between one of our three. 548 00:42:37,079 --> 00:42:42,119 I would certainly go Trey Taylor for my player of the year in terms of 549 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:45,159 all the academies, just because a thorple winner, Thorp Award winner, Major 550 00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:49,679 Type Award winner, and how good that air Force defense. That's that's the 551 00:42:49,679 --> 00:42:52,079 way I would go with my player of the year overall. Yeah, and 552 00:42:52,119 --> 00:42:57,000 that's a that's a great pick to make, you know, Trey Taylor was 553 00:42:57,000 --> 00:43:00,639 was a fantastic player. Of my three, I'm gonna go with Colin just 554 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:06,039 because he, like I said, he was the best defensive player I saw 555 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:10,519 this year in person. And so give them plenty of credit. And I'm 556 00:43:10,559 --> 00:43:15,639 not taking anything away from what Army was able to do with Leo Loewen and 557 00:43:15,679 --> 00:43:20,360 what air Force was able to do on both sides of the football, but 558 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:24,079 Colin Ramos was the best player that I saw in person. He was outstanding. 559 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:29,440 All right. That'll do it for the twenty twenty three season for a 560 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:32,760 Steve Man, I enjoyed doing this with you all season long. Most importantly, 561 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:37,760 appreciate all your hard work Appreciate all the supporters, everybody investing time every 562 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:43,320 week for downloading, listening, subscribing. Appreciate Ticket Smarter, the College Gridiron, 563 00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:46,079 Coast to Coast Podcast Network for being a part of just a great network 564 00:43:46,119 --> 00:43:51,920 of shows that you TJ and so many spearhead and put together every week. 565 00:43:51,960 --> 00:43:54,039 But just cannot thank you enough, Steve. It's been a ton of fun 566 00:43:54,440 --> 00:44:00,199 all along the way from August until now well, and that means that we're 567 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:08,079 only now one hundred and ninety some odd days away from the start of the 568 00:44:08,119 --> 00:44:14,760 twenty twenty four college football season for Service Academy Football, and I look forward 569 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:20,159 to being back here with you. Come you know, late August as we 570 00:44:20,199 --> 00:44:23,039 get ready for the or maybe even early August, who knows, when we 571 00:44:23,079 --> 00:44:30,039 get things as we get things started here for the twenty twenty four season on 572 00:44:30,159 --> 00:44:32,119 Yards and Stripes, I certainly look forward to it. I wish you a 573 00:44:32,159 --> 00:44:38,360 happy new year, my friend. I wish obviously the listeners anybody who's downloaded 574 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:45,679 taking time out to listen to a couple of guys who love Service Academy Football 575 00:44:45,880 --> 00:44:51,679 talk about something we're passionate about. I really appreciate it absolutely. That is 576 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:54,480 what we do and that is what we are passionate about here on Yards and 577 00:44:54,519 --> 00:44:58,480 Stripes, Army, Navy, and Air Force. And we will do it 578 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,440 again in the off season, Steven. But hope everybody has a wonderful, 579 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:07,920 happy, safe new year and just we cannot wait to do this again. 580 00:45:07,960 --> 00:45:12,320 But appreciate everybody for taking the time to tune in and listen every single week 581 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:15,280 and for bearing with a few schedule changes here and there over the years. 582 00:45:15,599 --> 00:45:20,039 But we will do it again, Steven. Until we talk to you next 583 00:45:20,039 --> 00:45:22,719 time here on Yards and Stripes. Have a happy new year, buddy. 584 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:27,920 We'll talk to you soon. Join us again next time for Yards and Stripes 585 00:45:28,159 --> 00:45:31,719 Service Academy Football. To get more on all things Service Academy Football, like 586 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:37,639 Yards and Stripes on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at yards and Stripes and 587 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:43,159 make sure that you're subscribing to the College Gridiron Coast to Coast podcast feed on 588 00:45:43,239 --> 00:45:47,480 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google and wherever you get your podcasts.