Silverman: Army May Finally Be In Position To Sink Navy

By Steve Silverman
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There is hope for Army's football team.

The Black Knights have lost 14 consecutive meetings with Navy, but this time around there is legitimate optimism that they can escape the big game in Baltimore on Saturday with a victory and return to West Point with their heads up even higher.

Obviously, this game, as is the case every year, is about more than football. These are the best and brightest of America's college students and this country's future leaders. These are teams of equals, no matter what their records might suggest.

These facts deserve to be recognized by all who watch the Army-Navy game, have heard of the rivalry between the two academies or couldn't care less about football. Nobody gets into West Point, Annapolis or the Air Force Academy in Colorado without having special characteristics that have allowed them to stand out as young people.

There may be smarter individuals at Harvard and MIT, and there may be far better athletes at Alabama and Michigan, but when it comes to the combination of intelligence, physical skill and fighting spirit, the student-athletes you'll see Saturday are, truly, the best of the best.

Regardless if you are liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, our military academies are something all of us can feel proud of.

This particular rivalry has been a one-sided affair for a very long time. Navy has been a far superior team throughout this millennium, and it has demonstrated that edge since beginning its streak in 2002. Navy is also very good this year, as evidenced by its 9-3 record. The Midshipmen have been recognized as six- or seven-point favorites in Saturday's game, depending on which sports book you examine.

But for the first time in a while, Army will have a lot more than a fighting chance. The Black Knights are 6-5, their most wins since going 7-6 under then-head coach Rich Ellerson in 2010. Prior to that season, the last time Army won six games was all the way back in 1996, when it went 10-2 under Bob Sutton.

As usual, the Black Knights feature one of the best running attacks in the nation. Led by Andy Davidson's 818 yards and 5.5 yards per carry, Army is averaging 328 rushing yards per game. And on Saturday its option offense will be going up against a Navy defense that has had a hard time stopping the run.

Navy is allowing 176 yards per game on the ground, roughly 50 more than Army.

Army doesn't want to talk about its passing game because it has been a flat-out disaster. Quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw has attempted just 84 passes all season, and eight of them have been intercepted. He has a 42.9 completion percentage and has often looked uncomfortable in the pocket.

Navy is similar to Army in that it is also dependent on the run. The Middies are averaging a bit more than 327 yards on the ground, but will be missing their two best offensive players Saturday. Quarterback Will Worth, who has spearheaded Navy's triple-option attack with 1,198 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, will miss the game due to a foot injury. So will running back Toneo Gulley, who is averaging a whopping 9.9 yards per rush. Both were injured on the same play during last week's loss to Temple, a team Army upset on the road to open the season.

Worth's absence will also greatly impact a passing offense that has allowed Navy to have some semblance of balance. He completed 61.5 percent of his throws, with eight TDs to just three interceptions.

Backup Zach Abey, a relatively untested sophomore, will get the call as the starting quarterback. Abey has been in all the meetings, but has played sparingly over the last two years. He has an understanding of what he is supposed to do and what it will take to be successful. However, knowing what to do and actually executing on the biggest stage is a much different operation. It may not be smooth sailing like it was for Keenan Reynolds, a four-year starter who set all kinds of school records and drove West Point crazy each December he had the honor of representing Annapolis.

Another factor that should help Army is rest. The Black Knights have had two full weeks off to prepare, and it's a certainty that head coach Jeff Monken will have his players ready both physically and mentally.

On the flipside, Navy has played eight consecutive weeks.

I hate to say it, but if Abey struggles, it will be a good thing for the rivalry. This is supposed to be a yearly matchup of teams on relatively equal footing. That's what all involved deserve.

Army needs to start a one-game winning streak. It has been far too long.

Follow Steve on Twitter at @ProFootballBoy