Tag: Army

Notre Dame Fighting Thanos?!?!

Check out some concept work of Marvel themed college helmets done by 247Sports.

When I saw the headline Marvel themed college football helmets, I wondered what was in store as 247Sports prepared to change some of the most iconic looks to Marvel comic book themed mascots.

Some of them were very obvious, Michigan didn’t have to change much as they were already the Wolverines, Iowa the same with Hawkeye (just added an s), and Air Force staying with the Falcons. Other teams saw additions to their names like Richmond adding men to Spiders, Pitt added Black to their Panthers (RIP Chadwick Boseman), Toledo added Racoons’ to become the Rocket Racoons, Duke transformed into the Daredevils and Oregon became Howard the Ducks’.

There were some more fantastic reworked names such as the Arizona Hellcats, Marshall Thundering Thors, Army Moonknights, Virginia Tech Loki’s and others.

What they had in store for Notre Dame was quite different, as an avid Marvel reader and viewer, I knew this one was going to be a bit more difficult than others. The closest Notre Dame figure in a Marvel comic was actually when the reworked opening game covers for ESPN in 2016. They ended up with the Fighting Thanos’, if you have been under a rock for the last ten years then you need no introduction to the big, baddie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you are unfamiliar, Thanos is the epitome of evil, using the Infinity Gauntlet to house the Infinity Stones and posses massive power.

It’s hard to argue with what 247Sports chose for Notre Dame, it was going to be tough anyways. By adding the Infinity Gauntlet to the iconic gold helmet was a nice addition, but even cooler was the middle of the gauntlet was a clover. The kid in me loved it, moving away from tradition and having fun with Marvel. Which one did you like the best?

Rookie FB Connor Slomka moved back to Jags’ active roster after passing physical

Connor Slomka didn’t have to even spend a day off the Jags’ active roster as he passed his physical Tuesday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars started training camp Tuesday and already are trending in the right direction in terms of getting players back from their reserve lists. Undrafted rookie fullback Connor Slomka, who was placed on the team’s active/ non-football list Monday, passed his physical Tuesday and was moved to the active roster.

This comes after Slomka was one of five players placed on a reserve list Monday.

Under his previous designation, Slomka still accounted for a roster spot, but obviously needed medical clearance for activities on the field. Luckily, he had plenty of time to begin with as it appears physical activities won’t start until seven days in, when the team begins their strength and conditioning phase.

The rookie will enter 2020 after spending his collegiate career with Army. He’ll be coming off his best season in 2019 where he was able to accumulate 149 carries for 658 yards and eight touchdowns. In terms of his career numbers, he was able to garner 274 carries for 1,208 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.

As of now, he’s the only fullback on the Jags roster at 6-foot-0, 240 pounds. He will share a virtual running backs room with Leonard Fournette, Ryquell Armstead, and veteran Chris Thompson among notables.

Fans will not be allowed to attend Oklahoma at Army with New York order

OU is currently scheduled to travel to West Point, NY, in week four to face Army. But the teams will be playing in an empty stadium. 

With college football in 2020 still hanging in the balance, OU’s season has already taken a significant hit.

OU is currently scheduled to travel to West Point, NY, in week four to face Army. Should that game happen, the teams will be playing in an empty stadium.

On Tuesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned fans from attending any sporting events in New York.

Of course, this ruling will only come into effect if the game is actually played. With the Big Ten and Pac-12 recently switching to a conference-only format for the 2020 season, that is no guarantee.

Here’s a look into what a Big-12 only schedule could look like for OU.

This game is particularly challenging because there are no airports in West Point. OU was likely planning to fly into JFK or LaGuardia before traveling to West Point via ground.

New York has received 5,072 new cases in the last seven days. That mark is only slightly higher than Oklahoma’s count of 4,688.

Cuomo also announced on Tuesday that travelers from 31 different states, including Oklahoma, must quarantine for 14 days before entering New York.

Oklahoma’s matchup with Army is the second half a home-and-home which began with a game in Norman in 2018.

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Oklahoma’s game against Army could be in jeopardy

The Sooners’ road game against Army could be in danger of being rescheduled due to COVID-19, per The Oklahoman.

After Missouri State said they need the game against Oklahoma to help their athletic department survive last week, yet another nonconference matchup is in jeopardy.

The Sooners’ road game against Army could be in danger of being rescheduled due to COVID-19, per The Oklahoman.  Surviving a change of venue when the Black Knights floated out possible renovations to Michie Stadium, which would force the game to MetLife or Yankee Stadium an hour or so south in New York City; Oklahoma and Army once again find their matchup on shaky ground.

“If we can’t play it, we will (reschedule),” Joe Castiglione told Barry Tramel of The Oklahoman. “That’s one of the more difficult games to get on our schedule in the first place. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t fully aware of the possibilities.”

Playing the game without fans is on the table, as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told the state’s pro teams that the Empire State is ready for them to resume. However, playing the game without fans is something Castiglione would much rather avoid and would rather reschedule the once in a lifetime experience for both players and fans.

As of right now, Oklahoma is set to open the season at home against Missouri State on September 5 and host Tennessee the following week before a week three BYE and playing the Black Knights on the road on September 26.

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Former Giants OC Mike Sullivan returning to Army as recruiting director

Former New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan will be returning to Army, his alma mater, as their recruiting director.

Mike Sullivan, the former Army star who won two Super Bowl rings as part of Tom Coughlin’s coaching staff with the New York Giants, is returning to his alma mater to become the recruiting director.

“His wealth of knowledge of the Academy and his wealth of experience in the NFL make him a premier addition to our team,” said Army head coach Jeff Monken in a press release. “He will be a great source of knowledge for our staff and players and will help us continue to raise the bar in our recruiting efforts and development of our players.”

“I’m thrilled to come back to my alma mater,” said Sullivan. “The Academy has always been a very special place to me, and I’m both excited and grateful to rejoin Army football.”

Sullivan was a defensive back at West Point from 1987-89 and went into coaching when his commission as an infantry officer ended in 1993.

After nearly a decade in the college coaching ranks, including Army, Sullivan joined Coughlin in Jacksonville in 2002, following him to New York in 2004, where he coached as an assistant until 2012 when he took the offensive coordinator job in Tampa Bay.

Sullivan returned to the Giants in 2013 as the QB coach and then became Ben McAdoo’s OC in 2016. His lat job in the NFL was the QB coach in Denver in 2018.

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Broncos spoke with DB Elijah Riley at East-West Shrine Bowl

The Broncos spoke with Army defensive back Elijah Riley at the East-West Shrine Bowl last week.

The Broncos spoke with Army defensive back Elijah Riley after an East-West Shrine Bowl practice on Jan. 13, according to Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com. Riley is projected to be a late-round pick in this year’s NFL draft.

Riley (6-0, 205 pounds) spent time at both cornerback and safety during his four seasons with the Black Knights. He totaled 201 tackles — including 17.5 tackles for losses — 6.5 sacks and seven interceptions in college. Riley also broke up 21 passes, returned a fumble for a touchdown and forced three fumbles for Army’s defense.

Denver cornerback Chris Harris set to become an unrestricted free agent in March and the Broncos will undoubtedly add several cornerbacks to the roster this offseason. Even if Harris is re-signed, Denver will need more depth.

Riley could be a key special teams player and versatile rotational defensive back on defense. The Broncos are projected to have final selections in the final three rounds of the draft.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Denver select a player like Riley to add competition at cornerback this summer.

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Army-Navy weekend: Wisconsin has never played Army, but soon will

The Wisconsin Badgers have never played Army in football. Surprised?

Big Ten football fans were eagerly watching this past September, as the Army Black Knights made the Michigan Wolverines sweat. Michigan needed overtime to fend off coach Jeff Monken’s Army team one year after Army nearly went into Oklahoma and upset the Sooners, also losing in overtime.

Many people will tell you that Power Five conference programs, especially the good ones such as the Wisconsin Badgers, should not schedule Army. The offense is too tricky. The preparation is both difficult and unlike other opponents a Big Ten team will see all season long. Why get roped into this possible trap? It’s a fair question. However, the service academies are part of college football’s history, tradition and charm. Being able to play an academy provides one of the more satisfying experiences for a college football team and fan base. You’re not playing against a team; you’re sharing the field with young men who will soon serve the United States in a special way.

Would you be surprised to find out that, on this Army-Navy Game weekend, the Wisconsin Badgers have never played Army? The Black Knights and Badgers haven’t yet tested each other on the gridiron, leaving a blank spot both programs ought to fill.

The very happy news is that in the near future, Wisconsin versus Army will in fact happen. You can look it up. On October 16, 2021, the Badgers and West Point will compete on the gridiron. That day will be very special for Badger fans everywhere, addressing an incomplete piece of the story of UW football. Wisconsin has played Navy and Air Force. Finally, at long last, the Badgers will be able to say that they will have played all three service academies.

Wisconsin would love to make its first College Football Playoff. The Badgers would love to get their first win in the Big Ten Championship Game as a member of the Big Ten West Division. So many firsts still await Wisconsin football, but at least we know that a first game against Army — the kind of item a college football fan wants to check off a personal bucket list — is just around the corner.

WATCH: Navy revamps defense with help from Bill Belichick

How Bill Belichick helped revamp Navy’s defense.

Navy’s No. 21 ranking heading into its regular-season finale is thanks in part to a revamped defense – which none other than Bill Belichick helped make happen, according to a detailed story from USA Today.

The team hosts Army (5-7) Saturday and the Midshipmen are in the Top 25 heading into the rivalry game for the first time since 2015.

A more aggressive, deceptive and creative scheme has Navy allowing 84 fewer yards per game and 9.4 fewer points per game than the team allowed opponents ahead of facing Army (9-2, 7-1 AAC) last season.

The change all began when head coach Ken Niumatalolo gave the Patriots head coach a call last winter.

Belichick is a Navy supporter who the college coach developed a comfortable relationship with.

Niumatalolo told USA Today that he felt like an artist talking to Picasso, furiously taking down notes on information as Belichick gave it over the phone, never feeling as if it’d be appropriate to ask the legend to slow down or repeat anything.

A new defensive coordinator and 11 games later .. it seems like the talk proved effective.

Niumatalolo told USA Today, “Never in my wildest dreams would I think we’d have gotten to where we’re at.”

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