Army’s Lucas Scott honored as nation’s offensive lineman of year

Lucas Scott’s move to right tackle was a backup plan in Army’s preseason.

Scott started at right guard the last 11 games of his junior year. There was some uncertainty on whether three-year starter Connor Finucane would come back for a fifth season.

Scott practiced so well at tackle that the switch became permanent after preseason camp. The rest is history as Scott says. Scott has taken his game to the next level. 

Recruited as a 245-pound fullback out of Chenango Forks, N.Y., Scott received some of highest grades from Pro Football Focus College at right tackle this season.

Scott was honored nationally for his play when College Football Network named the Army senior its national offensive lineman of the year.

“It shows the credit to the offensive line that I get to play next to and the coach that I’m led by,” Scott said. “Coach (Mike) Viti is the best leader in the country. I truly believe that. When you are surrounded by four of the best linemen in the country you look a little bit better.”

Scott added, “You have guys like Bryson (Daily, Army quarterback) and Kanye (Udoh, Army running back) running the ball behind you and they made you look good. I’m just a product of my environment and the season we’ve had.”

The College Football Network also named Scott a first-team all-American and national offensive tackle of the year. Army was honored as the country’s offensive line of the year by the website.

NFL scouts have stopped by West Point to check out Scott this season. At least one NFL team has expressed interest in drafting Scott, Black Knight Nation has been told.

Finucane made CFN’s all-American second team. Sophomore center Brady Small made the third-team all-American.

Scott has transformed from a state champion running back and two-time state champion wrestler to recruited fullback to Army defensive end to an all-American tackle. He received offers to wrestle at Division I Army, Binghamton and a few Ivy League schools.

“Football and wrestlers will always tell you football is far above their only choice,” said Scott, who is 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds. “I really love wrestling and at the time coming out of high school, I probably had better wrestling offers.

“It was definitely a decision that I weighed on. I knew Army was the place I wanted to be. If I was going to come here, I knew I wanted to play football at the highest level (FBS). You can’t really turn that down.”

The greatness of Army’s offensive line is in the eye of the beholder. The Black Knights are one of three finalists for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s best offensive line. 

Sophomore guard Paolo Gennarelli was named an Action Network first-team all-American earlier this week.

Army’s Scott, Finucane, Small, Gennarelli and left guard Bill Katsigiannis have started all 12 games together, a rarity in college football and a testament to their toughness and work ethic.

“That’s been huge,” Scott said. “You don’t want to let the guy to the left or right of you down. You got guys like Bryson and Kanye that are taking 30-35 carries in games and they are getting up every time. They are practicing hard. It makes you almost obligated to do the same and do everything you can to stay healthy whether that be the training or practicing through injury.”

Camaraderie is what makes Army’s offensive line, the best that West Point has had in Jeff Monken’s 11 years. The starting five, who hails from New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Illinois and Texas, have united for one goal in Army’s M.O.B, the offensive line’s forever nickname – winning football games.

“We have a lot of similarities in a lot of ways,” Scott says. “We butt heads sometimes but we are all best friends on and off the field. We hang out and do everything together. We gel as a unit. We communicate really well and we love each other like brothers. That’s unheard in today’s college football with the portal. It’s contributed a lot to our success.”

Scott and Army have a chance to make history against rival Navy Saturday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. Army’s third straight victory over Navy would be the Black Knights’ academy-record 12th win this season.

The last two Army-Navy have been decided on goal-line stands by the Black Knights in double overtime in 2022 and the final seconds in 2023.

“(It’s) the biggest game of the year every year,” Scott said. “There’s no lie about that. We train for it all year long. We’ve had a great season but it will kind of feel like a failure if we don’t beat these guys. We’re really excited to play on that stage. I think it’s that’s why a lot of guys come here.”