The hugs, handshakes, high-fives and selfies were non-stop for senior nose tackle Cody Winokur after Army’s 29-24 win over UTSA.
One of Army’s four captains, Winokur had one of the largest cheering sections on Senior Day. Winokur and the Black Knights’ senior class have one more game at Michie Stadium, clinching hosts of the American Athletic Conference championship against Tulane Friday night.
“A great team win,” Winokur said in an on-the-field interview with Black Knight Nation after the game. “Everyone contributed. We’re excited to have another opportunity to come out in this stadium. We had to handle it today and we got it done. We played a full four quarters and found a way to win.”
UTSA provided Army with its toughest home test of the season. The Black Knights had outscored their opponents 188-62 in the first five home games at Michie.
Incredible that Army has won the AAC regular-season title in its first season in the conference. Thought the Black Knights would win more conference games than not with a favorable schedule. But, to finish 8-0 is something else.
Army, a 4.5-point home underdog, will need another full 60-minute effort to defeat Tulane and hoist the AAC trophy.
The Black Knights’ defensive depth continues to pay off. When starting safety Casey Larkin was banged up and left the game, Collin Matteson stepped up and pick off his first career pass. Junior safety Gavin Shields, Army’s nickelback, tipped the pass that led to Larkin’s game-sealing interception with 1:11 left. Both Matteson and Shields are more examples of Army players working their way up from the scout team to make an impact.
Larkin’s fourth interception of the season ties him for second in the AAC.
Army’s offense needs to be better and more consistent with its blocking. Might have been a little tough on the offense on the Black Knight Nation podcast. The Black Knights did have 407 total yards (217 rushing, 190 passing). But, Army had some tough sledding into between the tackles and on the perimeter. The longest run by a player not named Bryson Daily was nine yards by Noah Short. Army’s offense was often “behind the chains” or “off schedule” on first down.
Army coach Jeff Monken said there was a conscious effort to lighten Daily’s workload after averaging 35 carries the previous three games. Daily still carried the ball 27 times, 13 in the second half. Short ran a career-high 14 times.
Daily, who recorded an academy-record ninth straight 100-yard rushing game in a season, has 240 carries on the season, only 34 carries away from Mike Mayweather’s record of 274 in 1990. Army still has three games left to play. Daily also notched his fifth 100-yard rushing and 100-yard passing game of the season. He needs 399 rushing yards to break Ahmad Bradshaw’s Army single-season record of 1,746 in 2017.
Junior linebacker Andon Thomas was credited with 15 tackles by the coaching staff, one more than the official game stats. Thomas also recovered a North Texas fumble on a snap that quarterback Owen McCown wasn’t ready for late in the first half. He is 10th in the AAC with 79 tackles on the season.
Winokur and junior Jacob Tuioti, who started his second game (first since the season opener), rotated at nose tackle with the absence of sophomore Kody Harris-Miller. Harris-Miller, who was injured in the Notre Dame game, was on crutches Saturday. Haven’t heard if Harris-Miller will return to action this season.
Cornerback Jaydan Mayes’ hustle saved a touchdown, tracking down Devin McCuin at the Army 6 in the fourth quarter. Mayes was injured on the play.
Army kicker Trey Gronotte was pumped up during pregame warmups, kicking some of his practice boots over the net of the south end zone. Gronotte’s career-high three field goals were the most by an Army kicker since Quinn Maretzki’s three against Air Force on Nov. 4, 2023. Gronotte nearly made a fourth field goal from 47 yards out.
How great was Liam Fortner’s first catch of the season for 28 yards? Fortner’s blocking on the edge has been important to Army’s running game.
Army had two unsportsmanlike penalties that gifted UTSA 15 yards each on the Black Knights’ first kickoff and UTSA’s final drive. Can’t have those against Tulane.
