Side stories could take Army’s focus away from ‘Beat Navy’ week

As Army prepares for its annual tussle with arch-rival Navy in Landover, Md. in what coach Jeff Monken calls “almost like a season of its own,” several side stories threaten to take at least some of the focus off the ga6me that pits perhaps the best Black Knights team in 66 years against a strong 8/-3 Midshipmen squad.

Monken said that his No. 18 team is squarely focused on the Navy game and the chance to win its second straight Commander in Chief trophy Saturday.

“We have won a lot of games this year, winning this game would make this a great season,” the 11-year Army coach said at a press conference Monday. “Unfortunately, I have been on the losing end of this game since I have been here. I will tell that no matter what kind of a season we had, losing this game makes the season a bit of a disappointment.

Monken added: “I hope we don’t have to experience that. We are going to fight like crazy to try to win the game. That is the reality of it. That is the magnitude of this game and the intensity of this game and what it means to this institution. Even after 11 wins and a conference championship, this game means more than any of it.”

But, there is a lot of news coming out of West Point that has many Army fans taking to the Internet to discuss. First, the academy announced that offensive line coach Matt Drinkall has accepted the head coaching job at Central Michigan. Monken said Drinkall would coach the Navy game on Saturday before taking over his new position.

Then, CBS announced that it had agreed to extend its deal to broadcast the game with West Point and Annapolis by 10 years, through the 2038 season.

“I’m grateful that we get a chance to put this game on a national stage and, in some ways, a worldwide stage,” Monken said. “We have soldiers around the world who are going to be tuned in for this game. That is awesome to be on that stage.

“I am proud to know that the game still means that much. That this rivalry in this day and age of college football is still one that football fans want to be a part of. CBS is in the business to make money, so it tells me that a lot of people want to watch this game. It benefits us and it benefits CBS.”

Adding more to the digital chatter, Monken’s name has popped up as a leading candidate at both North Carolina and West Virginia. While he seemed to acknowledge that he is in the running for these jobs, he said nothing to put Army fans’ concerns at ease about taking one.

“It just comes with the territory,” Monken said when asked about the open head coaching positions. “I have been here 11 years. This is not the first time my name has popped up and that is what happens when coaches are successful. I’m glad because that means we are winning and I hope we keep on winning and this week will be a good week to continue that.”

It was also announced on Monday that Army standout senior quarterback Bryson Daily was not
selected as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, despite leading the Black Knights to the AAC title
and rushing for 1,474 yards and 29 touchdowns thus far. Daily also has passed for eight touchdowns.

Finally, with Army slated to play Marshall in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28, Athlon Sports report stated that following the resignation of Thundering Herd head coach Charles Huff to take the same position at Southern Mississippi, there is a possibility that the “entire Marshall football team is entering the (transfer) portal.”

Already, at least six players on the team have entered the portal, including starting quarterback Braylon Braxton and backup quarterback Cole Pennington. Such a move could either leave the Thundering Herd, which won the Sun Belt Conference with an 10-3 record, with few quality players or, in the worse-case scenario, not enough players to field a competitive team.