Army-Navy preview and ‘Tale of the Tape’

There’s not an easy way to do a quarterback comparison because Navy’s run a bit of a committee this year. Three different quarterbacks have thrown at least 40 passes for the Midshipmen this season, which doesn’t sound impressive until you realize Navy has only thrown 170 passes all season. The expectation should be that senior Xavier Arline (56.1% completions, 320 yards, 2 TD, INT in the last four games) gets the start again, but in light of not having a name with enough usage for a fair comparison, here’s a general comparison of each team’s passing offense.

Army’s top rushing option is actually quarterback Bryson Daily, who has 102 more carries than any other player on the Black Knights. He’s gained the most yards and found the end zone more times than any player on either team, so expect lots of plays with the ball starting in his hands on Saturday. The military schools are famous for running triple-option offenses and run-heavy schemes, but if Army runs any option plays on Saturday, the scariest option is the quarterback holding on to the ball. On Navy’s side of the field, fullback Alex Tecza leads the way with a staggering 6.2 yards per carry.

Neither team is exactly prolific through the air. Army and Navy are both within the bottom three passing offenses in the FBS. That doesn’t mean there aren’t threats on the perimeter, however. Navy slotback Eli Heidenreich has nearly half of Navy’s passing touchdowns, and he and wide receiver Regis Velez are the only Midshipmen with multiple receiving touchdowns this season. Army junior Isaiah Alston, the definition of a home-run hitter with 29.56 yards per catch, still leads the team in yards despite not having played since September. In his absence, sophomore Noah Short has led the team in every receiving category.

The Navy defense might be the best unit on either team or at least the one most poised for success on Saturday. The Midshipmen and the Black Knights aren’t very far apart in terms of total yards allowed, but Navy’s run defense and third-down defense are among the best in the nation. However, as good as Navy’s run defense is, the Army rushing offense is even better. That battle will probably be the one that most decides the game.

As impressive as Navy’s defense is, the Midshipmen offense might be equally unimpressive. Much like the Black Knights, Navy is a formidable team on the ground but in very few other places. However, while Navy’s rushing defense is stout, Army has been a little leaker stopping opponents on the ground this season. Navy’s offense might be one-dimensional, but against a team like Army, it might be the only dimension they need.