Where Army Football Stands So Far

After its first 2-0 start since 2021, which includes a monumental 24-7 upset victory against Florida Atlantic University, Army football is soaring into the stratosphere following its first-ever conference victory in the American Athletic Conference.

Despite being 3.5-point underdogs against Tom Herman and the Owls, Army quarterback Bryson Daily, slotback Noah Short and running back Kanye Udoh amalgamated for 347 yards on the ground, possessed the football for nearly 40 minutes, and outgained FAU 449-235 - nearly a 2:1 margin. It was such a great day for Army, that kicker Matt Rhodes scored a touchdown.

With two opening triumphs in which the Cadets have outscored their opponents 66-14, Army football is relishing this bye week to convalesce and recuperate. So, especially with a bye week, that begs the question: what is the state of the union for Army football right now?

For perspective, it is important to wind the clocks back to the dark days of West Point football, when Army first joined a conference during head coach Bob Sutton's final two seasons as the sideline boss for the Black Knights on the Hudson.

Army's History Of Conference Play Was Abysmal Years Ago

This was West Point's first conference win since 2004, the program's final season in Conference USA. During the program's affiliation with Conference USA from 1998-2004, Army produced a 13-67 record and finished 12-41 in conference play.

During those years, Army had a 19-game losing streak and produced two single-win seasons, and even completed a winless campaign in 2003. Prior to that moribund 2003 season, West Point's then-athletic director Rick Greenspan facilitated an exodus from conference affiliation, which came with a hefty exit toll of $400,000.

Army had become such a woebegone program, that the athletic program had requested the sagaciousness of Hall of Fame coaches Bill Parcells and Tom Osborne , who had formed a panel to audit the inefficiencies and shortcomings of the Black Knights.

That Was Then, This Is Now

Fast forward to 20 years after its departure from Conference USA, Army has only just begun its slate of conference matchups in 2024. Its remaining American Athletic Conference (AAC) foes are Rice, Temple, Tulsa, University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), East Carolina, North Texas, and University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA).

While Army does play in the same conference as its historic nemesis Navy, that sacrosanct game will remain as a non-conference clash between the service academies. There is a scenario in which both warring factions could play each other twice - should both programs compete in the conference championship. Navy has been in the AAC since 2015.

So far this season, Army is just one of three remaining undefeated teams in the AAC, with the other two unblemished programs being Navy and Memphis.

Army Has Returned To Its Flexbone Roots, And The Early Results Are Great

In 2023, when Army had Drew Thatcher as its offensive coordinator, the team deviated from its traditional flexbone triple option and transfigured into a spread gun option scheme in response to new cut-blocking rules. The results were agonizing; Army averaged just 20.5 points per game and finished 107th in offensive efficiency.

This season, with Cody Worley as the head honcho for the offense and providing tutelage for the quarterbacks, Army currently ranks first in the nation in rushing (390 yards per game), they are averaging 6.8 yards per rush attempt, and the aforementioned Noah Short and Bryson Daily are third and eighth in the AAC in rushing, respectively.

The numbers keep getting better, too. Per ESPN, Army ranks 11th in offensive efficiency. Pro Football Focus has Bryson Daily ranked 33rd out of 273 quarterbacks, right tackle Lucas Scott ranks third at his position, and cornerback Jaydan Mayes is 74th out of 738.

Clearly, extraordinary contributions are being made on both sides of the ball.

What Should We Expect As The Season Progresses?

Army will now enter the more grueling segment of its schedule, with five consecutive conference games coming up after this bye week, beginning with Rice.

Army has not faced Rice since Week 1 in 2019, so there are virtually no players remaining on either roster from their previous game, which was a 14-7 Army win.

Being in a conference for the first time in 20 years inexorably introduces Army to opponents it has not competed against in eons. The Black Knights have not faced East Carolina since 2004; they have also not played a game against Tulsa since 2007, and the Cadets have not encountered Temple since 2017.

Ultimately, Army will emerge from its bye week healthy, productive, and with an untainted record, which are the most crucial things that any team could possibly ask for following a layoff.

The next five weeks will determine just how ready Army and head coach Jeff Monken are for conference competition. They will come out firing against Rice, and this 2024 season could very well be a special one.

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