Special teams coach Sean Saturnio’s voice could be heard clearly as Army ran through another kicking game scenario during the team’s final preseason scrimmage.
Army’s third and final scrimmage served as a rehearsal for season opener at Louisiana-Monroe one week away. Jeff Monken and his staff provided players with as many ULM’s looks and situations as can be imagined. The travel offense was not tackled to the ground in the scrimmage that lasted 2.5 hours and included a halftime break.
“The situational things, coach Monken takes care of that and he really intelligent in what he does,” Army senior apache and co-captain Jimmy Ciarlo said. “That’s the way we’ve done it every single year, laying out certain situations and going over things maybe other schools don’t cover. Being able to see those things before they happen in a game for the first time is really great on coach Monken’s part. He spreads that message to the coaches and they really get all of those situations covered and handled.”
Junior quarterback Bryson Daily, Army’s opening-day starter, took the bulk of travel offense’s snap, throwing two jump-ball TDs passes to Isaiah Alston and scores to tight end David Crossan and slot Ay’Jaun Marshall.
Monken said that sophomore Dewayne Coleman is Army’s No. 2 quarterback and freshman Larry Robinson has earned the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.
It’s looking like running back Kanye Udoh and linebackers Tano Letuli and Elo Modozie will join Robinson as freshman on the travel squad.
Scrimmage observations
The first team offense to start practice was QB Bryson Daily, RB Miles Stewart, Slot Ay’Jaun Marshall, WR Isaiah Alston, TE Josh Lingenfelter, LT Boobie Law, LG Jackson Filipowicz, C Brady Small (freshman), RG Lucas Scott, RT Shayne Buckingham. Two-year starter and senior right guard Connor Finucane (sick) didn’t participate in the scrimmage but is expected to be ready for season opener.
The first team defense to start the scrimmage was DE Austin Hill, NT Kyle Lewis, DE Chris Frey, Apache Jimmy Ciarlo, Edge Trey Sofia, LB Leo Lowin, LB Spencer Jones, CB Jabari Moore, CB Cameron Jones, S Quindrelin Hammonds, S Max DiDomenico.
Sophomore safety Casey Larkin picked off a pass. Jackson Powell, Chris Frey and Kyle Lewis each recorded sacks or tackles for loss or minimal gain. Running back Hayden Reed forced a fumble on a kickoff with textbook, shoulder-to-football hit.
Sophomore Charlie Barnett made a 42-yard field goal for the scout team. Seniors Quinn Maretzki and Cole Talley are Army’s top kickers but Barnett continues to impress.
Defensive lineman Dre Miller scooped up a fumble and scored in a drawn-up scenario.
Freshmen quarterbacks Champ Harris and Mitch Bolden ran the scout-team offense. Harris had some success throwing the football, including a completion to Brady Mott.
The coaching staff threw the scout-team defense a reward when a ball was purposely fumbled and picked up by freshman linebacker Baylor Newsom for a touchdown on the scrimmage’s final play.
Hear from Jeff Monken, running backs coach Darren Paige, captain Jimmy Ciarlo and tight end Josh Lingenfelter in the videos below
