Monken Moves Up All-Time Wins List with Victory vs. Villanova

Saturday, September 17

West Point, NY

12:00 PM

Army West Point

1-2 , 0-0

Villanova

2-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Villanova

Army West Point

Monken Moves Up All-Time Wins List with Victory vs. Villanova

September 17, 2022 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

WEST POINT, NY - With the 49-10 victory over the Villanova Wildcats, Head Coach Jeff Monken logged his 59^th career win at Army West Point, breaking the tie and surpassing the legendary Charles Daly for No. 2 on the Academy's all-time win list. Monken, now only trails Earl "Red" Blaik (121 win) in program history.

On the afternoon Army dominated by way of the ground game, stacking up 472 total rushing yards, marking the first time since 2019 tailing over 450 rushing yards as a team.

Army got to work quickly in the first quarter, striking first on a five-play, 68-yard drive on their opening drive of the game. RB Jakobi Buchanan ignited the Black Knights with a 55-yard run (career-long), followed by a seven-yard TD run by QB Tyhier Tyler two plays later.

Villanova answered Army's quick struck with a TD drive of their own, marching 11 plays, 75 yards to score by way of a QB Connor Watkins five-yard TD pass to WR Rayjuon Pringle.

The Black Knights punched back on their very next drive by way of Tyler's second rushing TD of the day, a 23-yard run to extend the lead, 14-7. The score gave Tyler his third career multi-TD rushing performance.

After generating zero turnovers in the first two games combined, the Black Knights defense intercepted Villanova QB Connor Watkins twice in the second quarter to halt two Wildcats drives and keep the momentum. The first interception was by S Marquel Broughton on Army's own 30-yard line and the next offense drive was stopped by an interception by CB Jabari Moore at Army's 32-yard line.

Army's offense was able to capitalize on the second turnover by marching nine plays, 80 yards capped off by QB Cade Ballard's first rushing TD of the year, a six-yard run to take a 21-7 lead into halftime. Army totaled 266 yards on the ground in the first half, a season high.

Coming out of the half, Army came out strong again when RB Tyson Riley broke free on a 70-yard TD run to extend Army's lead, 28-7 on the opening drive. It marked his first TD of the season, his third career TD and was also his longest career rush. Riley was the workhorse for the Army offense in the game, totaling a career-high 159 yards on 21 carries, the first time a non-Army QB has broke 150+ rushing yards since Larry Dixon did so in 2014.

Following a 11-play drive that resulted in a field goal by Villanova to make the score, 28-10, the Army offense continued to score. Army followed Villanova's field goal by marching on their longest drive of the afternoon, a 14-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 8:31 of game clock, which resulted in Tyhier Tyler's third rushing TD of the game, from three yards out.

Later in the fourth quarter, RB Tyrell Robinson returned a punt 73 yards for a TD, the first punt or kickoff returned for a TD by Army since 2007 and another rushing TD, a 24-yarder by freshman Hayden Reed completed Army's scoring, in the 49-10 win.

Postgame Notes:

With the victory, Head Coach Jeff Monken logged his 59^th career win at Army West Point, breaking the tie and surpassing the legendary Charles Daly for No. 2 on the Academy's all-time win list. Daly still holds the best win percentage for all Army coaches with over 40 games of coaching at .804.
In the Jeff Monken era (2014-pres.) Army is 14-2 against FCS opponents.
Army is now 14-2 at home since the start of the 2020 season.
Army's rushing attack produced 472 yards on the ground. It is the first time Army has cleared 450+ yards on the ground as a team since totaling 594 in 2019 (vs. Virginia Military Institute, 11/16/19).
Last season Army ran for over 400 yards twice (vs. Wake Forest and Bucknell).
QB Tyhier Tyler scored three rushing TDs on the day (a seven-yarder, 23-yarder, and a three-yarder), on 12 carries for 77 yards. It marks his second career three TD game (Liberty Bowl vs. West Virginia, 12/31/20).
RB Tyson Riley totaled a career-high 159 yards on 21 carries, featuring a 70-yard TD run in the third quarter (career long rush). It marks the first time since Larry Dixon in 2014 (158 yards vs. Fordham) an Army RB has surpassed 150+ rushing yards in a game.
RB Tyrell Robinson returned a punt 73-yards for a TD in the fourth quarter, marking Army's first punt or kickoff return for a TD since Jeremy Trimble did so vs. Temple in 2007.
Robinson also logged six carries for 89 yards, including a long of 32 in the second quarter.
S Marquel Broughton and CB Jabari Moore both logged interceptions in the second quarter, Broughton's fifth career INT and Moore's sixth.
Freshman RB Hayden Reed logged his first career carries, rushing three times for 29 yards and a TD.
Sophomore LB Brett Gerena logged his first career sack in the second quarter.