Army West Point Athletics
2008 Spring Football Outlook
April 02, 2008 | Football
Fans of the Black, Gold and Gray are eagerly anticipating August 29 when the Black Knights kick off the 2008 campaign versus Temple at Michie Stadium. Second-year head coach Stan Brock and the rest of the coaching staff have completed their much-talked about review of the offense and will unveil the revamped system this fall.
“I don’t think that it’s a secret that we’ve worked hard on our offensive scheme,” Brock says. “There are going to be some things that are different in that area. I’m anxious to see how the players handle those changes. The changes that you make on paper, you have to see if you can execute them out on the field. I’m anxious to see those kinds of things. It’s a big goal.”
Army returns 38 letterwinners and 11 starters from last season’s 3-9 squad. The Black Knights have some significant holes to fill on both sides of the ball with the graduation of several key performers last season, but the coaching staff believes this season’s squad is up to the challenge.
“The confidence factor is something we’ve been looking to improve all through the winter,” Brock says. “I want the team to be confident in what they do and their ability to do it. Little things can’t bother us. Whether we give up a touchdown or we get stopped, it’s a long game. There are a lot of confidence drills that we’ve been doing all winter and we’ll continue to do them during the spring.”
OFFENSE
The Black Knights return 16 letterwinners and four starters from last year’s unit that averaged 275.6 yards and 16.9 points per game. Army scored 19 offensive touchdowns in 2007, only six of which came on the ground. Improving on their 86.6 rushing yards per game is a primary goal for the Black Knights’ coaching staff this spring. The passing game produced 2,268 yards a year ago, the second-highest single-season total in Academy history.
Quarterback
The Black Knights welcome back one experienced signal caller in junior Carson Williams. Williams started the final 10 games of his sophomore season, and is the only quarterback on the Army roster with collegiate game experience. As a sophomore, Williams completed 151 of his 287 attempts for 1,781 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. After only two seasons, Williams has already cracked the Black Knights’ all-time top 10 in completions, yards and touchdown passes.
Entering spring drills, sophomore Chip Bowden is listed second on the depth chart. The Plant City, Fla., native and product of the U.S. Military Academy Prep School made the travel squad as a plebe, but did not make an appearance in 2007. Juniors Chase Prasnicki and Kyle Stancombe, along with sophomore Joe Van Deusen will also get looks this spring.
“We are not very deep at the quarterback spot,” Brock says. “We have a guy that we consider our starter, and after that, we’re looking for some help. It will be a great competition to see how that shakes out. The spring will give us a chance to take a look at these other guys.”
In addition to the quarterbacks currently on the roster, Brock believes there are opportunities for some newcomers to compete when they arrive on campus for fall preparations.
Offensive Line
No matter who is under center, the offensive line will be a key to Army’s success. In addition to opening holes in the running game, the front five will have to improve in pass protection as well. The Black Knights allowed 31 sacks last season with each of their 12 opponents recording at least one.
“It’s going to be very important for me to see the offensive line come together,” Brock explains. “I really believe that they set the tone for practice. That’s who wins football games, and that’s who makes everything go the way it’s supposed to go.
Last season the Black Knights were forced to use seven different starting lineups due to various injuries along the front wall, but that has led to increased depth entering the 2008 season. Army returns five players that have started at least one game, including two regulars from last season’s unit.
Senior right tackle Mike Lemming is the only returning lineman who started all 12 games at the same position last season and enters the spring listed as the starter at that spot. Senior Brandon Cox was also in the lineup in all 12 outings a year ago, splitting time between left guard and left tackle. He is currently on top of the depth chart at left guard. Anchoring the middle is senior Tyson Quink. Quink made one start last season at center. One of the players that benefitted from last season’s carousel is slated as the starting right guard. Sophomore Mikel Weich was the only plebe to play up front, playing in four games, including three starting assignments. Rounding out the projected front five is junior left tackle Jason Johnson. Johnson played in seven games, making five starts, while battling an elbow injury.
The offensive line has a chance to be one of the deepest positions on the roster. Athletic junior Ali Villanueva is listed as the back-up left tackle. The 6-10 Villanueva is in his first full season on the offensive side of the ball after switching from his defensive end position last fall. Senior John Keller and junior Richard Miller are slotted as the top reserves at left and right guard, respectively. Junior Karl Thompson enters spring drills as the No. 2 center.
“We feel we have the opportunity to have as much or more depth than we’ve had during the time I’ve been here all along the offensive line,” Brock offers. “We have kids who have developed to the point that they will be competing for the starting job. There is nothing better than competition along the offensive line. Our younger guys are looking good and will get a shot. This is a very important spring for the group.”
Tight Ends
One of the more productive groups of last season’s offense was the tight end corps, but Army will have to replace Justin Larson’s production from that spot. Larson was third on the team with 21 catches for 273 yards and three touchdowns during his senior season. The cupboard is far from bare. Senior Mike Evans was a regular last season, starting five of the 12 games he played in. Evans was fifth on the team 11 catches for 126 yards. Junior Ernie Bernal returns to the squad after playing in all 12 games last season as the Black Knights’ third tight end and on special teams. Bernal had two caches, including one touchdown.
Sophomore Todd Miller, senior Dominick Cinotto and junior Matt Coulthard will be vying for playing time as well.
“I feel very good about the tight ends,” Brock says. “We have two guys with lots of playing time in Bernal and Evans, and we feel pretty good about the other guys that will push for playing time. In our system when we get down to the goal line, we start using three tight ends. I’d like to see that be very competitive.”
Running Backs
Army entered last season with a “running back by committee” approach and did not deviate from that plan the entire season. Five players toted the ball at least 25 times last season four of which return this season, including the top four ground gainers.
Senior Tony Dace topped the rushing chart a season ago with 97 carries and 330 yards. Dace showed his promise as a feature back in the season finale versus Navy, racking up 104 yards the Black Knights’ first 100-yard rushing game since 2005. Sophomore Patrick Mealy also returns to the backfield. Mealy was a significant contributor as a plebe with 302 yards on 94 carries.
Senior Wesley McMahand, Army’s leading rusher in 2006, returns after starting six times last season and posting 213 yards and two touchdowns as a junior. Junior Ian Smith came on late in the season, rushing for 146 yards on just 26 carries over four games.
In addition to the quartet of runners that produced last season, Army welcomes back Tony Moore who missed the 2007 campaign due to injury. Moore was second on the squad in 2006 with 399 yards and led the Black Knights with five rushing scores.
“If we can get everybody healthy, we can have a good group of guys that can go out and play and do a good job,” Brock contends. “I’m really excited about all the things that Patrick Mealy has done. He’s going to be a really good one. With McMahand, Dace and all those guys back, we should have a full cast of characters back there. That is going to be an exciting group of guys.”
Wide Receivers
The biggest loss on the offensive side of the ball is at wide receiver. Army must find a way to replace the production of Jeremy Trimble, who finished his career as the Black Knights’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches.
Senior Mike Wright, considered to be one of the most consistent workers on the team, is Army’s top returning receiver. Wright played in all 12 games, making three starts. He caught 12 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown.
Proven production is sparse after Wright. Speedster Junior Damion Hunter returns after missing a substantial amount of time with injuries over the past two seasons. Hunter caught six passes in four games a year ago. Wright and Hunter are the only two returning wide receivers who caught a pass last season.
Sophomore Jameson Carter enters the spring listed opposite Wright as one of the starting wideouts. Senior Jamison Maehler, junior Don Gbaanador, senior Tim Horan and senior Joe LeForte are also expected to add depth to the receiving corps.
“It’s hard to replace someone like Jeremy Trimble,” Brock says. “Mike Wright is just rock-steady, I can’t say enough about the way that he works. This is a group that needs to step up this spring and show what they can do. Tim Horan is probably the fastest of the group. There are a lot of unanswered questions at wide receiver.”
DEFENSE
Army welcomes back five starters and 19 letterwinners on defense. The Black Knights began the year allowing 22-or-fewer points in five of the first six games, but were touched for at least 30 in their final six outings. Army allowed 30.3 points and 423.5 yards per game in 2007. The Black Knights’ pass defense gave up just 190.0 yards per game a year ago, but must replace all four starters in the secondary this season.
“There’s been a lot of talk about the offense, but the defense is something we’re really excited about, too,” Brock states. “Coach (John) Mumford and his staff have worked very hard in the offseason to make improvements and changes in the defense. We have a lot of new people on defense.”
Defensive Line
The most settled portion of the Black Knights’ defense is the front four. The unit is anchored by junior Ted Bentler who broke into the starting lineup in fourth game of the season. Bentler, a defensive tackle, led Army’s defensive linemen with 42 tackles and 3.0 sacks. Junior Mike Gann enters the spring as the other starting defensive tackle. Gann played in all 12 games a year ago, making 22 tackles, including 2.5 stops for loss.
Experience abounds on the edge where juniors Victor Ugenyi and Nick Emmons return. Ugenyi has played in 18 games in his first two seasons, including all 12 last year. He led the Black Knights with 7.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore. Emmons played in all 12 games last season, including starts in each the last four. He racked up 21 tackles, four of them behind the line of scrimmage.
Junior Fritz Bentler is listed as the backup to Ugenyi at one end spot, while senior David Shore is slotted behind Emmons. Both players appeared in two games in 2007. Seniors David Kava and Mark Faldowski start spring workouts as the backup tackles.
“We expect guys like Mike Gann, who received a lot of playing time last year, to be big contributors,” Brock says. “We have players who have played, but we’re not very deep. We’ll be trying to find out who is behind those guys. The competition at the defensive line will be something that we’ll keep a very close eye on.”
Linebackers
A solid mix of veteran leadership and youth comprise the Army linebacking corps. Senior Frank Scappaticci started all 12 games at the weakside linebacker spot in 2007, but has been moved to the middle for spring drills. Scappaticci is Army’s top returning tackler with 89 stops in 2007. He also tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
On the strong side, senior John Plumstead returns for his first full season as a starter. Plumstead, a special teams ace for much of the season, was pressed into the starting lineup after an injury to Charlie Rockwood last season. Plumstead started the final three games of the season, finishing with 43 tackles. He made 6.5 tackles for loss, including two sacks. Sophomore Josh McNary is slotted at the will linebacker. McNary began his rookie season as a defensive end utilized in pass-rush situations, but was moved back a level midway through the campaign. He played in a total of 10 games, making 15 tackles that included two behind the line of scrimmage.
Senior Arlance Jenkins has the most experience on the second unit. Jenkins, the backup middle backer, has drawn field duty in 18 games over the last two seasons. Sophomore Stephen Anderson is slotted as McNary’s backup on the weakside. Anderson made an immediate impact as a plebe both defensively and on special teams. He played in all 12 games, accumulating 15 tackles. Senior Matt Eason is listed as the reserve strongside linebacker after playing in all 12 games a year ago, primarily on special teams.
“We have to replace two guys from last year at linebacker,” Brock says. “(Charlie) Rockwood got hurt, which allowed some of the young guys to step in there and play. We have bodies at the position, now it’s about who’s going to step up. There are some young guys that can play. We feel like we have a little more speed available, but it’s hard to replace experience. Frank (Scappaticci) has experience and so does Plumstead, but that Mike position is going to be very important.”
Secondary
The biggest question marks on the defensive depth chart are in the secondary. All four players that started at least nine games last season were lost to graduation so safeties coach Adam Waugh and cornerbacks mentor Wally Ake must break in a new crop of defensive backs.
The most experience returns at cornerback with senior Josh Mitchell and sophomore Jordan Trimble. Mitchell started four times last season as a nickel back and after starter John Laird went down with a knee injury, making 30 tackles and intercepting two passes. He returned one of his picks 65 yards for a touchdown versus Rutgers. Trimble played in all 12 games as a plebe on special teams and as Army’s fifth defensive back, accumulating 14 stops on the season.
Senior T.J. Walker, who made two appearances last season, is listed as Mitchell’s backup at the field corner spot, while junior Mario Hill is the top reserve at the boundary corner spot.
“Jordan Trimble is a real good one and got some playing time last year,” Brock explains. “There are some guys who have played, but nobody that we had to go out there and totally depend on. We have some young guys that have ability, but it’s time for them to step up and get rolling.”
Last season’s safety tandem of Jordan Murray and Caleb Campbell ranked first and second, respectively on the team in tackles, combining for 200 stops. There are four candidates battling for the two starting spots as spring drills get underway.
At the strong safety position, seniors David Black and Lowell Garthwaite are both trying to earn the starting assignment. Black played in six games last season, while Garthwaite sat out the 2007 campaign. He started twice in 2006, making 10 tackles in seven games played.
At free safety, senior Markenson Pierre and sophomore Donovan Travis will battle for time on the first unit. Pierre made seven appearances in 2007, while Travis did not play as a plebe.
“Cornerbacks and safeties are our most important area of focus on defense ,” Brock stresses. “That’s going to be big because they’re going to get attacked. Hopefully, the pressure package that we’ve put together will take some of that pressure away. A good pass rush will make your cover guys better so we have to really work on getting to the quarterback.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Army special teams were a bright spot in 2007, but several key elements must be replaced. Army ranked fifth in the nation in punt returns last season, but must replace return man Jeremy Trimble who was the country’s eighth-ranked punt returner. Strong-legged kicker Owen Tolson is also gone after handling kickoff, field goal and punting duties as a senior. Tolson was Army’s three-year starter at punter and completed his career at West Point ranked second in Army history in punting yards and career punting average.
Senior Adam DeMarco is expected to handle all the field goal duties. DeMarco started the season on field goals, but due to a leg injury was limited to extra points during the second half of the campaign. He made 1 of 2 field goal tries and was 16 for 17 on his PAT tries in 2007.
Sophomore Matt Campbell did not see any action as a rookie, but is listed as the club’s top kickoff man entering spring drills.
Senior Andy Rinehart is expected to take over for Tolson as the Black Knights’ punter. Rinehart has never punted in a game, but served as the holder on the field goal/PAT unit, a duty he will continue this season.
Senior Carlo Sandiego will play a big part in the return game. Sandiego starts the spring as Army’s primary punt and kick returner. One of the Black Knights’ most elusive players, he has returned four kicks for 52 yards in his career. Sandiego has never returned a punt during game action in his West Point tenure. Damion Hunter and sophomore DB Richard King will also get a shot as return men. Hunter averaged 19.8 yards on nine kick returns as a plebe in 2006.
“There were times last year when we could have had Adam handle all of the kicking, but Owen was doing such a good job that we kept Adam as our extra point kicker,” Brock says. “We also expect big things out of Andy Rinehart. Coach (Gary) Miller has his hands full with not only with actual kickers, but finding the guys on the team to replace someone like Marcus Millen, our special teams captain last year. These young guys have to understand that special teams is a great way to get on the field and be seen. We have to get the kickers ready, and we’ve got to find a return guy.”
BROCK’S FINAL WORDS
“Overall, on offense I think the offensive line is going to be better. Last year we went into the season with an offensive line that had very little experience, and they got to play a whole year. They’re bigger and stronger now, and they have that year of experience. One of the big questions will be how they take control of this football team.”
“When you take new defensive linemen, a new Mike (linebacker) and a full set of defensive backs together and try to get them to work, the goal is really to learn to play together, communicate and act as one.”
