Connor Finucane’s 37-game starting streak may continue in Army’s season opener against Lehigh Friday.
Finucane, who was granted a fifth year by the academy, is listed as the co-starter at left tackle along with Boobie Law, a fifth-year senior. The 2023 Army captain and three-year starter worked himself to be physically ready to play after reporting to preseason late due to fulfilling cadet field graduation requirements over the summer.
“He (Finucane) really embraced the opportunity to grow as a leader and prepared himself as a second lieutenant in the Army,” Monken said during his Monday press conference. “He was remarkably fast in picking up the playbook. Physically, he’s starting to come back around. He looks different than he did a year ago. He may never get to that point during the season. He’s working really hard to regain strength and muscle mass that he lost in doing those summer details and really preparing himself to be an infantry officer.
“He’s done a really good job of being a team player and a senior leader, allowing the leadership that is in place with our captains to do their job and he’s just supporting them.”
Army’s offensive line is projected to have two first-year starter in senior left guard Bill Katsigiannis and sophomore right guard Paolo Gennarelli.
”Bill Katsigiannis probably has played as well as any of our offensive lineman in preseason camp,” Monken said. “He’s playing as good as anybody.”
Other projected first-team starters include junior linebacker Andon Thomas, sophomore edge Elo Modozie and cornerback Jaydan Mayes. Mayes has battled a preseason injury, Monken said and the hope is he can play Friday.
Monken said the first-team punting job will be contested “down to the wire.” Returning top punter Cooper Allan and sophomore James Wagenseller are co-starters.
One name missing from the two-deep is senior running back Tyrell Robinson. Monken said Robinson, who is coming back from second knee injury, has not gone through a contact drill yet but he doesn’t think “we are too far away from that.”
“He’s making great progress and and he is ahead of where we anticipated he would be,” Monken said. “We fully expect for him to play and be in games this fall. What game that will be to start off with, I don’t know. Hopefully in the coming weeks, we have a better idea. I’d love for him to be in a game before the end of September. I don’t know if that will happen but the way he’s progressing I think there’s an opportunity or a chance that might happen.”
No freshman made the depth chart for the season opener.
Army depth chart vs. Lehigh
Offense QB: Bryson Daily, Sr.; Dewayne Coleman, Jr.; Cale Hellums, Soph. FB: Kanye Udoh, Soph.; Jake Rendina, Soph.; A.J. Williams, Sr. RB: Miles Stewart, Sr.; Hayden Reed, Jr. SB: Noah Short, Jr.; Samari Howard, Soph. WR: Liam Fortner, Jr.; Casey Reynolds, Sr.; Tobi Olawole, Soph. TE: David Crossan, Sr.; Parker Poloskey, Soph. LT: Connor Finucane, Sr. or Boobie Law, Sr. LG: Bill Katsigiannis, Sr.; Braden Bartosh, Jr. C: Brady Small, Soph.; Lane Parks, Soph. RG: Paolo Gennarelli, Soph.; Will Jeffcoat, Sr. RT: Lucas Scott, Sr.; David Hoyt, Sr.
Defense DE: Kyle Lewis, Sr.; Trey Sofia, Sr. NT: Jacob Tuioti, Jr.; Cody Winokur, Sr.; Kody Harris-Miller, Soph. DE: Jack Latore, Jr.; Andre Miller, Sr. OLB: Elo Modozie, Soph.; Eric Ford, Jr. ILB: Andon Thomas, Jr.; Baylor Newsom, Soph. ILB: Kalib Fortner, Jr.; Brett Gerena, Sr. LB: Chance Keith, Sr.; Josiah Banks, Sr. CB: Donavon Platt, Soph.; Jaxon Hammond, Soph. CB: Jaydan Mayes, Jr.; Damon Washington, Sr. S: Max DiDomenico, Sr.; Gavin Shields, Jr. S: Casey Larkin, Jr.; Collin Matteson, Jr.
Special teams K: Trey Gronotte, Sr. P: Cooper Allan, Jr. or James Wagenseller, Soph. Long Snapper: Owen Walter, Soph. Kickoff specialist: Anderson Britton, Jr. Holder: Matt Rhodes, Sr. KR: Lloyd Benson, Soph.; Miles Stewart, Sr. PR: Jaydan Mayes, Jr.; Justin Weaver, Jr.
Watch our season preview for more Black Knights’ depth chart
