Army Postgame Notes

September 03, 2011 | Football

Sept. 3, 2011

TEAM NOTES
 Army opened its 122nd season of competition on Saturday versus Northern Illinois. The Black Knights dropped to 93-26-3 all-time in season openers.

 Saturday's game marked only the 11th time in Academy history the Black Knights opened away from West Point. Army is now 2-9 in those 11 outings.

 Saturday's loss marked the first time Army lost its opener under head coach Rich Ellerson (1-2).

 Army has opened its season versus a Mid-American Conference opponent in each of the last five years. Army is now 2-3 in those five games. The Black Knights are now 8-9 against MAC foes since 2005.

 Army had 22 players make their collegiate debuts on Saturday, including nine freshmen.

 Saturday's loss snapped Army's six-game winning streak in games contested on its opponent's home field.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
 Junior QB Trent Steelman made his 26th consecutive start on Saturday, the second-longest streak in Army history. Steelman has started every game of his West Point career.

 Sophomore WR Anthony Stephens, sophomore C Michael Kime, junior RT Derek Bisgard and sophomore WR Jared McFarlin all made their first career starts.

 Sophomore WR Jared McFarlin made his first career catch in the first quarter, a five-yard gain. McFarlin finished with four catches for 35 yards and his first career touchdown reception.

 Freshman RB Trenton Turrentine scored a 14-yard touchdown on his first career carry with 2:37 left in the first quarter. Turrentine finished with 68 yards on 11 carries.

 Freshman FB Larry Dixon registered his first career carry in the third quarter, picking up six yards.  Junior RB Malcolm Brown rushed for a career-high 92 yards on just eight carries.

 Brown scored Army's second-to-last touchdown on a one-yard carry. It was the third straight game that Brown scored a touchdown.

 Senior WR Davyd Brooks extended his streak of games with at least one reception to six straight games.

 Junior RB Kelechi Odocha made his collegiate debut, rushing three times for 20 yards.

 Freshman WR Chevaughn Lawrence made his first career reception.

 Senior QB Max Jenkins threw his first career touchdown pass to Jared McFarlin with 12.6 seconds left in the game.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
 Sophomore DT Holt Zalneraitis, sophomore DE Corey Watts, sophomore LB Reggie Nesbit, freshman S Hayden Pierce, sophomore S Tyler Dickson and junior CB Waverly Washington all made their first career starts.

 Sophomore DE Clayton Keller forced a fumble for the first time in his career with 6:11 remaining in the first quarter.

 Sophomore S Tyler Dickson made his first career interception in the second half.

 Army's 49 points allowed was its most since a 49-39 loss to Tulsa on Nov. 17, 2007.

 Senior LB Steven Erzinger recorded a career-high 21 tackles, including a career-best 16 assisted stops. Erzinger's 3.5 tackles for loss also tied a career high.

 Sophomore LB Reggie Nesbit recorded his first career double-digit tackle game with 12 stops.

 Sophomore DE Clayton Keller and sophomore DT Holt Zalneraitis each made their first career tackles for loss.

 Northern Illinois' 509 yards of total offense marked the most by an Army opponent since Rutgers gained 521 yards on Nov. 22, 2008.

 Senior LB Andrew Rodriguez made three tackles and recovered a fumble in his first game since 2009. Army's leading tackler that season, Rodriguez missed all of 2010 with a back injury.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
 Senior P Kolin Walk made his first career punt attempt. It was blocked and returned for a 16-yard touchdown early in the first quarter.

 The last time Army had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown was Oct. 23, 2009 against Rutgers when Steve Beauhamais returned one 11 yards at Michie Stadium.

 Junior K Eric Osteen recorded his first career kickoff with 2:35 left in the first quarter.

 Sophomore Raymond Maples returned a career-high seven kickoffs for a career-best 116 yards.

 Freshman Larry Dixon returned his first career kickoff, gaining 25 yards.