Well friends, that sucked. I thought the Black Knights had the better, more complete, more versatile team through the first half of yesterday’s game against Air Force. But then we hit the second half, and… Well, that’s not at all how things played out down the stretch. It’s a shame, too, because Army wasted a terrific performance from their defense, a defense that’s been struggling throughout most of this year. But the offense absolutely could not get going in the second half, and that proved to be the decisive factor.
This was not what I was expecting.
Final: air force 13, Army 7
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 5, 2022
We identified three keys coming into this game:
1. Hold Air Force FB Brad Roberts under 4.5 yards/carry.
2. Don’t turn the football over.
3. Manage the field position game.
Army managed all three of those things this week, and that’s why they still had a very real chance to win in the closing minutes despite being outgained, 324 yards to just 145. In a way, this was the rarest, worst kind of loss because the team executed the game plan, and they didn’t self-destruct through stupid mistakes. Instead, they got beat physically on the field.
Roberts managed 135 yards on 33 carries. That’s not bad, but it’s still just barely over 4 yards/carry, and if we’re being honest, it wasn’t Roberts who did most of the damage when it counted. That was Air Force QB Haaziq Daniels. Daniels had 14 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown and went 6/13 through the air for all of 98 yards with an interception. Which isn’t remotely a great day or anything. However, it was enough to put 13 points on the board.
If you’d told me coming into this game that Army’s defense would hold Air Force to just 13 points, I’d have been overjoyed. I took for granted that the Black Knights would be able to get something going on offense when it mattered. They came into this game with #2 rushing attack in the country as measured by both yards/game and yards/carry. They have been really, really good on offense, especially when they’ve avoided turnovers. But Army rushed for a measly 78 yards on 35 carries this week. QB Jemel Jones had 21 of those 35 carries, and he must’ve run Quarterback Draws on 19 of his 21 carries. That worked for a minute at the end of the second quarter, but Air Force adjusted after the half.
Army just kind of kept running that same Draw anyway.
What can you do?
Jones delays and goes down hill for 6️⃣#GoArmy | #BEATairforce
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 5, 2022
pic.twitter.com/qqOycuafRU
The Black Knights even managed the field position game successfully despite giving up nearly 10 yards/punt in sheer punting leg strength coming into this contest. Among other things, they got an absolute coffin-corner punt to end the first half, so at the end of the day, even special teams did its part.
None of that mattered. Army averaged just 2.2 yards/carry, went just 4/14 on 3rd down, went 1/4 on 4th down, and completed just 4/14 passing attempts for all of 67 yards with an interception. That was not a legitimate offensive effort, nor was it particularly close to getting a victory. Even on a day when the team was +1 on turnover margin until literally the last 20 seconds of the game and in which the defense put up a sack plus 6 tackles for loss. The defense gave up just 1 touchdown plus 2 field goals, and it still felt like the game was completely out of reach once Army got down by a single field goal in the second half.
Let’s take a minute to shout-out Firstie team captain S Marquel Broughton. Broughton led the team with 10 tackles, 9 solo, plus a tackle-for-loss and at least one pass break-up. Bottom line, this game would not have been close — at all — without his outstanding individual effort. He was Army’s Player of the Game, for sure, and though the Black Knights couldn’t somehow pull out a miracle on that crazy last minute drive, he was more responsible than anyone for putting them in position to at least have a chance to make it happen.
Broughton brings it in!
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 5, 2022
Army comes up with the big interception. pic.twitter.com/7Y4dbAiy2t
Looking Ahead
The Black Knights need to somehow turn the page ahead of a monster match-up at Troy next weekend. I don’t love their bowl chances at this point, but if they can somehow win out, they’ll still make it to the postseason despite everything. The problem is that Troy’s defense is monumentally better than the Zoomies’ defense, and Air Force just stopped these guys cold.
But hope springs eternal, yeah?
Let’s see if maybe the Black Knights can’t continue to play good defense while searching for a new wrinkle or two on offense. That was a bad beat, but these guys can bounce back. That’s what the Black Knights do.
Here’s hoping, anyway.
Jeff Monken waited near midfield for the coach's handshake at end of game and Troy Calhoun no-showed. So much for respecting rivalry. #ArmyFootball
— Sal Interdonato (@salinterdonato) November 5, 2022
Go Army! Beat Troy!!!
*Cover image via USMA Twitter.
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