Re the use of TRob in the A-N Game, I went to DVD and watched each Army offensive play . Army ran 62 plays . We lined up with QB and 2 RBs four times ( one in flexbone) , QB with 1 RB thirty seven times and QB alone twenty one times.

TRob was at RB 4 times in the QB w/1 RB set. He carried once off left tackle for five yards and ran wide for possible pitch or decoy 3 times , but QB kept or passed the ball. Udoh was at RB for 21 snaps , Buchanan for 11 , Stewart for 2 and Johnson for 2 by my count.

TRob lined up as WR 17 times. He was a pass target only once, but the ball was not catchable . Daily tended to go to Reynolds for most part as we know.

So TRob was in there for 21 of the 62 snaps . There was no intent to run him inside with good reason IMO , and very few plays with a pitch option were called in this game as opposed to the CC game where we ran the flexbone with TRob at Slot Back much of the time.

TRob was the Punt Returner on 4 punts . Ran one back for a yard .

TRob was the Primary Kick Off Returner . Ran one back to the 35 . Almost broke it .

So TRob was part of the offense quite a bit, but primarily as a WR. Would have been great to see him be targeted more, but even so I am sure he got the Navy pass defenders attention and perhaps opened others up . I think we see more of him at WR next year and also running " WR around " plays that Marshall ran in the Navy game. Bottom line: coaches are using him effectively and in terms of the particular game's needs.

Hi all, I know the last couple years after Army/Navy there was some push back from some old grads (some cared more than others) about players sitting on the wall with the Corps during the Alma mater.
I was on the field behind the players and part of the Corps this year and saw the Alma Mater on video and this situation appears to have been rectified.
A few players were up on the wall and Coach Monken ordered them off the wall and to stand at attention on the field during the playing of the Alma Mater.
Again, some of you may care about this more than others but the message clearly got to Coach Monken and as always, he is enforcing standards.

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• Location: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, MA

• Kickoff Time: 3PM Eastern, Saturday, December 9th

• GBK Cover-It-Live Opens: Saturday (12/9) @ 2:30 pm EST (however anyone can chime in at any time prior to and of course during the game)

• TV: CBS

You can enter the LIVE CHAT through either of our two message boards (which is where the LIVE chat will take place)…

... Premium (CLICK HERE - The 12th Knight) or Non-Premium (CLICK HERE - Army Black Knights Football) door!

With that being said, “Who’s Got Their Game Face On? .... Because It Is Showtime once again for the Black Knights”

See you back here at 2:30 pm EST (if not sooner) and even if you are taking in the game LIVE as will our GBK Team, you can still jump on either of the COVER-IT-LIVE Threads (The 12th Knight or Army Black Knights Football Message Boards).


• THIS IS LIVE & COMMENTS ON THIS THREAD AND RELATIVE TO PRE-GAME CHATTER ... BUT, IT CAN START ANYTIME (FROM NOW - END OF THE GAME).

• NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE HERE WITH YOUR GAME FACE ON.

WE WELCOME ALL COMMENTS THAT FALL WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF BEING RESPECTABLE.

Note: The most active fan participation with The LIVE Chat is on the 12th Knight premium message board. In addition, there will be minimum moderation of these threads, although GBK Recruiting Analyst A.M. Allan will be peeking in from time to time throughout the contest.

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Many of you have covered the issues at hand. I believe now most see what a disaster this decision to change offenses has been.

That isn't to say the old offense didn't need some fixing too. But what you see today is a result of not fixing our old issues adding new issues and facing some stiffer opponents this year. Our O line this year not hardly better than last year. That falls on Viti and Drinkall.

Our play calling is abysmal. The passes inside the 10 yard line are frankly stunning. And there is just as little creativity this year as what we saw the last couple with Davis. How is this any better? What advantage do we have? None would be my answer. All of this is clearly on Thatcher.

Talent? Probably about the same as any other year offensively. Daily is a tough physical runner. We have about 4 guys who can play fullback Udoh, Buchanan, Reed, Riley. O Line is plenty big. Hell the plebe center might be the best out there. Speed guys like Robinson and Marshall. Short and Alston at receiver. I mean damn we have the guys to put an offense together.

Tougher schedule? Sure but we've looked equally awful against one of the best teams LSU and one of the worst UMASS. We put up no offensive points against a good sunbelt team in Troy. And we failed to score a touchdown vs a horrible sunbelt team like ULM. Hint: It's not the opponents.

We just need more time! WRONG! This isn't a rebuilding project. Monken is in year 10 and has recruited and developed for the under center option. More importantly you aren't going to get the guys to make this work.

The bottom line as several have said is that we need an entirely new offensive Staff. And that staff needs to be lead by a coordinator who is an expert running an "Under Center, Option Based, Run Heavy, Offense". He also needs a professional Offensive line coach that both played successfully and has prior successful coaching experience. For support I would be ok with a couple of young coaches but I would suggest we find guys that have some other FBS level experience coaching.

Until we see a meaningful overhaul of staff of guys with demonstrated FBS competency and the expertise to run the right scheme our woes will continue.

Air Force has 10 coaches who are graduates and former players. Most have extensive time at other programs as well or played on really successful Air Force Teams. Love or hate them their success is not an accident. Calhoun was a coordinator in the NFL as well.

Monken seems to be very loyal. An admirable quality. However he needs to recenter and get back to what works. There are 40+ years of football since Air Force first went to the Triple Option. No Academy team has ever been successful with an offense that wasn't under center, option based, and run heavy. He is having to learn this lesson the hard way.

• Location: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, MA

• Kickoff Time: 3PM Eastern, Saturday, December 9th

• GBK Cover-It-Live Opens: Saturday (12/9) @ 2:30 pm EST (however anyone can chime in at any time prior to and of course during the game)

• TV: CBS

You can enter the LIVE CHAT through either of our two message boards (which is where the LIVE chat will take place)…

... Premium (CLICK HERE - The 12th Knight) or Non-Premium (CLICK HERE - Army Black Knights Football) door!

With that being said, “Who’s Got Their Game Face On? .... Because It Is Showtime once again for the Black Knights”

See you back here at 2:30 pm EST (if not sooner) and even if you are taking in the game LIVE as will our GBK Team, you can still jump on either of the COVER-IT-LIVE Threads (The 12th Knight or Army Black Knights Football Message Boards).


• THIS IS LIVE & COMMENTS ON THIS THREAD AND RELATIVE TO PRE-GAME CHATTER ... BUT, IT CAN START ANYTIME (FROM NOW - END OF THE GAME).

• NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE HERE WITH YOUR GAME FACE ON.

WE WELCOME ALL COMMENTS THAT FALL WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF BEING RESPECTABLE.

Note: The most active fan participation with The LIVE Chat is on the 12th Knight premium message board. In addition, there will be minimum moderation of these threads, although GBK Recruiting Analyst A.M. Allan will be peeking in from time to time throughout the contest.

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Hi everyone, I brought this up in my interview with Alex Aukerman tonight but two huge keys to the game that I haven’t heard many people discuss (one favors Navy and one favors Army) are:
1) Army has a size advantage in the trenches - and it’s not statistically insignificant. I noticed at the very beginning of the AF game that Army was bigger in the trenches and able to push AF around. I think the same thing can happen Saturday. Of course Newberry will load the box with 8-9 and dare Army to throw but if the Black Knights can complete a couple key passes to loosen up Navy’s D, we could be in for a very good day.
2) Coach Monken mentioned in his presser having to prepare for all 3 Navy QB’s and that he expects to see all 3. Quite frankly, a hobbled Arline concerns me the least of the 3. I also don’t know how healthy Lavatai is. Lavatai is the better passer and Arline is always a threat to break a long run, but neither of them put the fear of God in me.
Plebe Braxton Woodson, however is 6’3”, has an OK arm and is fast. He’s similar to HC’s QB Sluka with less experience and a worse arm but he could be a problem. I am glad JM and Coach Woody have the D prepared to face all 3 QB’s because Navy will probably play 2 or 3 early and stick with whoever has the “hot hand.”

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Who do you have to win it all? The way I’ve been picking games lately I would definitely NOT take my word for it.

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