Tag: Army

Air Force Football 2025: The Offseason

Air Force Football 2025: The Offseason Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire We’re just a few weeks removed from the bankrolled roster from Columbus celebrating a national championship. A bright spot for the Mountain West Conference was the participation …

Air Force Football 2025: The Offseason

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

We’re just a few weeks removed from the bankrolled roster from Columbus celebrating a national championship. A bright spot for the Mountain West Conference was the participation of Boise State in the first year of the expanded 12-team playoff.

This may be of little consolation to Air Force fans, coming off of a disappointing 2024 campaign. The good news is spring practice is right around the corner and last season is contrail for the Falcon football program.

 

A LOOK BACK

Last years Air Force team knew there would be challenges coming into the season. The enthusiasm from throttling James Madison in 2023 Bowl matchup was met with that harsh reality by the first weekend in September in the early 2024 schedule. Outside of a less than impressive week 1 victory over Merrimack of the FCS, the first two-thirds of the season were downright disastrous.

Last year’s team was challenged in ways this program hasn’t seen since that dreadful 2013 season, which was the sole year that Air Force has ever endured double digit (10) losses in a season. There was plenty of blame to go around for the horrendous start. Most of which can be attributed to a very inexperienced team, that compounded that tribulation with injuries. When all was said and done, there were more than 40 players that made their first career start at some point in the season.

After an unprecedented run of success over the last five full seasons, 2024 finally afforded teams like New Mexico, Colorado State and Navy the chance to finally score one in the win column. After years of catching L’s at the hands of Troy Calhoun’s squad, payback finally made it’s way to Air Force.

If the bleakness of what you have read so far, hasn’t already caused you to discard what I’m writing, good for you. Because all those lumps that the Falcons took last year weren’t in vain.

After that grueling seven game losing streak which included embarrassing losses to the bitter rivals, Navy and Army, the Bolts got it together. Air Force closed out the season with four consecutive victories, including a 28-0 shutout of Oregon State.

The winning streak may have come as a bit of a surprise at the time, when you consider just how poorly the team had been playing. But to those who know how critical the play off the offensive line, and teams ability to control the clock are, you knew improvement in that area would correlate to wins. And by the way, there was drastic improvement needed in all phases of their game.

A patient trust in offensive line coach Steed Lobotzke, may have been tried, but proved warranted. After multiple personnel combinations along the O-Line, the unit gelled. At the same time, a change at quarterback, going to Sophomore Quintin Hayes had some early ups and downs, as you will have with a player seeing the field for the first time, but ultimately paid off as well. Hayes got a much better command of the offense by seasons end, and the offense was able to distribute the ball to multiple playmakers that simply weren’t getting the space earlier in the year.

The defense which has been stellar for years prior, took a major tumble back at first. New players were broken in all over the field, and it showed. Injuries to All Conference stand-outs like Payton Zdroik and Camby Goff certainly didn’t help. But just like the offense, there were multiple defenders who made the most of their opportunity and solidified themselves as mainstays on a much improved unit.

While it’s unfortunate the year did not culminate with those desperately needed extra practices that are awarded to Bowl participants, the team appears to have turned the corner. The 2025 Falcons will have some holes to fill, just as most programs will. But the uncharacteristic youth movement last year should pay dividends this coming fall.

LOOKING AHEAD

At risk of getting a little too optimistic, there are some similarities to the 2020 team, which had a lot of young players see time in the most unorthodox of seasons. That COVID shortened year saw underclassmen, get critical experience that set the team on an absolute tear for the next three years.

Then Sophomore quarterback, Haaziq Daniels ended up being one of the most successful signal callers in the teams history. Now Hayes will get the same opportunity to stack wins over the next two season as the presumed starter heading into the year.

Flanking Hayes in the backfield is a deep group of ball carriers. Dylan Carson could very well be the bell cow of the offense at fullback if he’s able to remain healthy. Supporting him in that critical position Owen Allen really developed well last year. And Kemper Hodges, the converted quarterback will also factor into the production. This should be a 1,500 yard unit.

The fullbacks could probably account for even more yardage were it not for the playmaking ability of tailback Kade Frew. Another case of hopeful health, Frew is poised for a breakout season building off of last years momentum.

Lining up all over in multiple spots will be one of the most exciting players in the Mountain West, Cade Harris. Capable of leading the team in rushing and receiving, Harris could have a monster year depending on how the ball gets distributed. Think Brandon Lewis, Tim McVay or Micah Davis.

Defensively, there is an established stud or budding star at each level. Blake Fletcher looks to be in the mold of Alec Mock anchoring the middle of the defense. Payton Zdroik has the offseason to get well, and when healthy, he’s an absolute game wrecker. He is arguably the most disruptive player in the conference. Sophomore Safety Kyle Chen was one of the most highly rated prospects the to commit to the Academy a few years back. He got invaluable game experience last year, and with that can hopefully be the next in line for what has become a position of absolute strength for years now.

Unfortunately one of the most promising players on the team by years end was Lincoln Tuioti-Mariner. The hybrid safety-linebacker provided versatility, and plugged in well at the all important spur position. Perhaps another former 3-star prospect will be able to solidify the opening he leaves, in Houston Hendrix.

The one area the Falcons returned a ton of experience last year was special teams. Now their all-time scoring leader, Matthew Dapore has concluded his fine career at kicker. Reagan Tubbs has some experience filling in for Dapore in the past and should factor in to stabilizing the kicking game.

There are a lot of players who will factor into the open starting roles up for grabs, obviously. With all the new starts we saw last year, there were plenty more key contributors who will be leaned on going forward into the new season. With all the turnover last year, they are simply too many to name. That also means there is a lot of game experience returning as a bi-product. At least for those who stuck around.

RECENT NEWS

As already noted, the Falcons were dealt a difficult blow with Lincold Tuioti-Mariner ultimately leaving to suit up for Southern Utah. A few other notable players found new homes as well. The game against New Mexico next year got a little more interesting, as offensive tackle Tyler Lawrence elected to transfer to Albuquerque. And the defensive line took a hit when David Santiago headed to East Lansing, committing to play for Michigan State.

There were other transfers, but these were the most prominent in factoring in both past and projected playing time.

Offsetting some of these departures will hopefully some of the incoming class. Covered in really great detail by Brent Briggeman of the Colorado Gazette, the Falcons welcome in over 20 commits who hold a 3-star composite rating.

 

In other current events, Air Force has finalized their 12th opponent on the 2025 schedule, and it is the defending back to back National Champions. Of Basketball.

Uconn and Air Force have agreed to a home and home series in football over the next two years. The Falcons will travel East to Hartford in November of this coming year. Then in 2026, the Huskies will travel to the Springs.

There is still six months until the season gets kicked off officially. But between now and then, there will be plenty happening, and we will do our best to stay on top of all things Air Force football.

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Marcus Freeman named one of five finalists for Dodd Trophy

He deserves this for sure.

Notre Dame easily could have folded after its shocking loss to Northern Illinois in its home opener. Instead, [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] got the Irish back on track, and they haven’t lost since. That put the Irish in the College Football Playoff, and Freeman’s reward was a contract extension that locked him up for the next six years.

Now, Freeman has another reward coming his way. He has been named one of five finalists for the Dodd Award, which is given to the coach whose team best excels on the field, in the community and in the classroom. This is his first time making the final cut alongside all the other finalists, consisting of Army’s Jeff Monken, Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, Oregon’s Dan Lanning and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer.

Brian Kelly is the lone Irish coach to win this award, doing so in 2018. Given the current environment, it’s very likely Irish fans would be much happier seeing Freeman win it.

Here’s Freeman news conference this past week in case you missed it:

Obviously, the real goal is a national championship, but this is a nice one to have at the moment.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Blake Horvath, Navy run through Army in rivalry game

Navy got the best of Army thanks to Blake Horvath and a sturdy defense

The talk all season was about Army QB Bryson Daily. On Saturday, Navy quarterback Blake Horvath was the best quarterback on the field.

Horvath rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns and threw for two more as the Midshipmen downed the Cadets, 31-13.

Credit also goes to the Navy defense, which stopped Daily and the Army ground game. Army came in averaging better than 300 rushing yards per game and was limited to 113 on 30 carries.

Daily had thrown one interception coming into the rivalry game and was picked off twice in front of President-elect Donald J. Trump.

Navy had 275 rushing yards and outgained Army 378-178.

The Middies worked a fake punt to perfection, too.

Army is 11-2 and lost also to Notre Dame. Navy is 9-3.

Both  teams will play in a bowl game.

 

 

Oregon offensive line a finalist for the Joe Moore Award

After another stellar season, not counting the first two weeks, the Oregon offensive line is a finalist for the Joe Moore Award.

No one, perhaps not even the Ducks themselves, would believe this is possible after the first two weeks of the college football season.

But after a huge improvement and steady play for the remaining weeks of the season, the Ducks offensive line is in the finals for the Joe Moore Award, which is given out for the nation’s best offensive line.

Texas and Army are the other finalists.

It is the second year in a row and third time since 2019 that Oregon has been selected as a finalist for the award.

Oregon leads the nation in fewest total sacks allowed Oregon Ducks offensive stats ranked nationally after regular season since 2022 with 22, eight less than second-place Army (30). The Ducks led the nation in fewest sacks allowed in both 2022 and 2023.

Individually, left tackle Josh Conerly was named to the all-Big Ten first team by both the conference’s coaches and the media, and he leads the Ducks with an 80.3 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus while allowing just six total pressures in 404 opportunities.

Right tackle Ajani Cornelius was voted to the all-Big Ten second team by the media and the third team by the coaches, and guard Marcus Marper II was a third-team selection by the coaches.

The winner of the 2024 Joe Moore Award will be announced in a most unconventional way as representatives from the award committee will conduct a surprise visit to the winning university’s campus, likely in mid to late December.

Notre Dame vs. Army: Fourth-Quarter Analysis

Another win in the bag.

It’s a story Notre Dame has become all too familiar with this year, and that’s a good thing. Like so many other opponents before it, Army entered the fourth quarter realizing it had no chance against the mighty Irish. So it really was a matter of playing out the final 15 minutes of what ultimately was a 49-14 Irish victory.

Even with [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] calling off the dogs, [autotag]Aneyas Williams[/autotag] ran for a 58-yard touchdown on the Irish’s first offensive play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter. They simply could help themselves from adding onto their already insurmountable lead.

The Knights followed that with a drive mainly consisting of runs that took over 10 minutes, almost the rest of the game. The only question at that point was whether they could get their points total for the game in double figures. This they did when Bryson Daily completed his second touchdown run of the game from the 1-yard line.

The Irish are one step closer to assuring their place in the College Football Playoff. As long as they take care of business against USC, they’re home free and possibly home for the first round.

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Notre Dame vs. Army: Third-Quarter Analysis

All academic from here.

Notre Dame has gone up big against another opponent with little if any chance for a comeback. This time, the victim is Army, which finds itself trailing the Irish, 42-7, after three quarters.

The Irish immediately set the tone for the quarter when [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] ran for a 68-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. That likely broke any real hope the Knights had of keeping their perfect season alive.

On their first two possessions of the quarter, the Knights picked up a first down only to turn the ball over on downs right after. Only once did they run a pass play, which is typical for a service academy program.

After that second turnover on downs, [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] replaced [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] at quarterback and conducted a pass-heavy drive. But it was a 10-yard touchdown run by [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag], his second score of the game, that ended Angeli’s first drive.

It wasn’t all good news for the Irish though. [autotag]Mitch Jeter[/autotag] now has been unsuccessful on two field-goal attempts after a 30-yard kick was blocked. That issue might be magnified later on, but for now, the Irish can enjoy playing these final 15 minutes.

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Notre Dame vs. Army: Second-Quarter Analysis

The Irish have the lead halfway through.

Notre Dame’s defense did itself no favors at the beginning of the second quarter against Army. If one had told that unit the Irish would be up, xx-7, at halftime, they have might considered themselves lucky.

With the Knights near the end zone on third-and-short, [autotag]Rylie Mills[/autotag] was penalized for hands to the face, which gave Bryson Daily the fresh set of downs he needed to run for a 4-yard touchdown and get his team on the board.

[autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] led an impressive offensive drive that began at the Irish’s 25-yard line and mainly consisted of run plays. The Irish ultimately got to the 1-yard line on fourth-and-goal, but [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] lost a yard on a carry, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Backed up by their own end zone, the Knights went three-and-out for the third time in four drives. James Wagenseller’s punt only went for 32 yards, and Love carried the ball 41 yards over three plays for his second touchdown of the game.

Another Knights three-and-out followed, and Wagenseller’s ensuing punt went to midfield. After Leonard completed a 28-yard pass to [autotag]Kris Mitchell[/autotag], the Irish went with runs the rest of the drive, including one by Leonard that went for 13 yards and set the Irish up at first-and-goal. Leonard failed to score on two straight runs before handing it off to [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag] for a 2-yard touchdown.

Daily ran the ball 20 yards on the Knights’ first play from scrimmage, but [autotag]Leonard Moore[/autotag] forced a fumble, which was recovered by [autotag]Jack Kiser[/autotag]. The Irish tried to add onto their lead right before halftime, but after a false start penalty, [autotag]Mitch Jeter[/autotag] missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt as the clock hit zero.

Things are looking good for the Irish, but there’s half the game left.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

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Notre Dame vs. Army: First-Quarter Analysis

So far, so good for the Irish.

So far, Notre Dame is off to the start every one of its fans was hoping for in this Shamrock Series game against Army. All you really have to know is that the Irish have a 14-0 lead, but let’s go into specifics anyway because every unit contributed in the first 15 minutes.

The Irish’s defense started out fine by forcing a Black Knights three-and-out. Then, the offense took over, and [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] needed a little over two minutes to lead a drive that consisted of nothing but positive plays and ended with him throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Jordan Faison[/autotag].

The Knights then went three-and-out again, but the ball never left their side of the field because [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag] blocked the ensuing punt, and it was recovered by [autotag]Christian Gray[/autotag] to set the Irish up at first-and-goal. After two runs didn’t go very far, Leonard threw to [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] for a 6-yard touchdown.

The Knights had better success on their next possession, getting into Irish territory and being aided by an offside penalty by [autotag]Jaylen Sneed[/autotag] on fourth-and-1. When the quarter ended, they were in the red zone. We’ll see how much that makes a difference in this game later on.

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Notre Dame kicker, Army veteran highlighted in NBC Sports video

The Irish have a hero on their team.

Notre Dame walk-on kicker [autotag]Eric Goins[/autotag] is 30 years old, but there’s a reason he’s older than most college football players. After four years at The Citadel and seven years serving in the Army, he decided to pursue his MBA at Notre Dame. While doing so, he also decided to become a walk-on for the football team.

Goins has appeared in six games for the Irish this season and even registered a tackle. But his time at Notre Dame is about more than football. It’s about transition from military to civilian life, and he’s living proof of how much support the university offers military veterans who choose to continue their education there.

Still, Goins surely is bound to have some feels when the Irish go up against the Black Knights during the annual Shamrock Series game at Yankee Stadium. Both teams are fighting for their College Football Playoff lives, so this game is about more than just pageantry.

Regardless, Goins, with some additional thoughts from military brat [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag], talks about his experience in this video from NBC Sports:

Best of luck to Goins for the rest of the season and in pursuing his degree. We also thank him greatly for his service to our country.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

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Tale of the Tape: Notre Dame offense vs. Army defense

The Irish have their work cut out for them on this side of the ball.

A common criticism by Notre Dame fans this season is that their team’s offense isn’t up to snuff with the best in college football. While the numbers don’t necessarily support that theory, at least when it comes to running and scoring, Irish fans have pushed it all the same.

Fans particularly have criticized [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] for acting more like a running back than the gun-slinging quarterback they so desire. Never mind that Leonard has played very well lately.

If the Irish are to be exposed as a run-first offense, Army might be the opponent to do just that. The Knights are highly ranked in most defensive categories and even tied with Ohio State with the fewest points surrendered in the country.

Granted, the Knights haven’t played a ranked opponent all season, and the Irish will break that streak. Still, it’s something the Irish will need to keep an eye on as they prepare for this game.

Here’s how the Irish’s offense compares to the Knights’ defense nationally: