Whether or not you think Army is still relevant in college football today, one thing is for certain: West Point is still one of the best sporting venues in the country. Pregame on the Hudson remains a combination of pride, patriotism, and sheer mania as cadets, fans, and a general officer or two come together for some of the best traditions in college football.
Cannon blasts, military parades, skydivers, helicopters, American flags, and a sea of uniformed servicemen and women speckled with zany costumes greet fans and foes alike.
Combine all of that with the hope of a new season and the return of the much-anticipated option offense, and the excitement surrounding last Friday’s game against Temple was palpable. Yet the game that followed the festivities on Aug. 29 was anticlimactic, as the visiting Owls routed the Black Knights of the Hudson by a score of 35-7 in what was clearly a disappointing showing for the home team.
Perhaps most frustratingly, Army seemed to beat themselves with atrocious special teams play and a mistake-prone offense that was ineffectual at best.
What about that so-called “new option offense”? A unique combination of the flex-bone, traditional wishbone, and the spread offense, the Hudson Valley Express couldn’t get the train on the right track early in its debut.
Third year starting quarterback Carson Williams didn’t look comfortable and often had trouble making reads, which led to missed opportunities and an occasional fumble (one of which was returned by Temple for a touchdown).
Fullback Collin Mooney displayed the toughness and tenacity we have come to expect from a West Point fullback. The senior bruiser was the workhorse last week with 26 carries for 81 yards, mainly because of the offense’s inability to get the ball to the outside and into the hands of talented running backs Patrick Mealy and Tony Dace.
The passing game was similarly impotent, as Williams couldn’t find the open receivers underneath and forced passes upfield (one of which led to an interception).
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