Army West Point Black Knights football

Army West Point Black Knights football
2015 Army West Point Black Knights football team
First season 1890
Athletic director Boo Coorigan
Head coach Jeff Monken
2nd year, 4–8 (.333)
Home stadium Michie Stadium
Stadium capacity 40,000[1]
Stadium surface FieldTurf[2]
Location West Point, NY
Conference Independent
All-time record 652–484–51 (.571)
Postseason bowl record 3–2 (.600)
Claimed national titles 3 (1944, 1945, 1946)[3]
Heisman winners 3
Consensus All-Americans 37
Current uniform
Colors

Black and Gold

          
Fight song On Brave Old Army West Point Team
Mascot Army Mule; Black Knight
Marching band United States Military Academy Band
Rivals Air Force Falcons
Navy Midshipmen
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Website GoArmySports.com

The Army West Point Black Knights football team is the program that represents the United States Military Academy, which is located in West Point, New York. Army West Point belongs to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and is a three time national champion, winning the title in 1944, 1945, and 1946.

With the exception of seven seasons, where the team was a member of Conference USA, Army West Point has competed as an independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with any conference. Currently, Army West Point is one of three schools in FBS play that does not belong to a conference; the others are the University of Notre Dame and Brigham Young University. (All three of these schools belong to conferences for their other sports; Army West Point is primarily members of the Patriot League, BYU is a member of the West Coast Conference, and Notre Dame belongs to the Atlantic Coast Conference.)

Three players from Army West Point have won the Heisman Trophy: Doc Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946), and Pete Dawkins (1958).[4]

History

Army football began in 1890, when Navy challenged the cadets to a game of the relatively new sport. Navy defeated Army at West Point that year, but Army avenged the loss in Annapolis the following year.[5] The academies still clash every December in what is traditionally the last regular-season Division I college-football game. The 2012 football season marked Army's eleventh consecutive loss to Navy. From 1944 to 1950, the Cadets had 57 wins, 3 losses and 4 ties. During this time span, Army won three national championships.[6]

Army's football team reached its pinnacle of success during the Second World War under coach Earl Blaik when Army won three consecutive national championships in 1944, 1945 and 1946, and produced three Heisman trophy winners: Doc Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946) and Pete Dawkins (1958).[7] Past NFL coaches Vince Lombardi[8] and Bill Parcells[9] were Army assistant coaches early in their careers.

The football team plays its home games at Michie Stadium, where the playing field is named after Earl Blaik. Cadets' attendance is mandatory at football games and the Corps stands for the duration of the game. At all home games, one of the four regiments marches onto the field in formation before the team takes the field and leads the crowd in traditional Army cheers.[10]

Army West Point was known as the Cadets until 1999.

Between the 1998 and 2004 seasons, Army's football program was a member of Conference USA, but has since reverted to its former independent status.[11] West Point competes with Navy and Air Force for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Rivalries

Army-Navy Game

The annual contest between the Black Knights of Army and the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy at Annapolis (Navy) is among the most storied rivalries in all of college sports.

Others

In much of the early 20th century, Army and Notre Dame were considered football powerhouses, and met 21 times between 1925 and 1946.[12] Many media members considered the 1946 contest to be the "Game of the Century".[13] Army and Notre Dame met for the 50th time on November 20, 2010.[12]

Army and Air Force also maintain a rivalry, and the two in addition to Navy, compete for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Rutgers

This rivalry stems from 1891 with Army and Rutgers being two of the only three programs (a third is Navy) to come out of the original, informal "Ivy League" that are still members of the top tier of NCAA college football (currently Division I-FBS). ("See" Before There Was An Ivy League "and" Ivy League#History of the athletic league.) Army is Rutgers' second oldest active rivalry. Rutgers has won the last seven in a row and 11 of the last 13. The all-time series favors Rutgers, 19-18. In the 2012 game , Rutgers won 28–7.

Logos and uniforms

Army's uniforms worn from 2004 to 2007 and in 2009
Army's uniforms worn in 2008
Army uniform for the 2010
Air Force game

National championships

Year Coach Selector Record
1944 Earl Blaik Associated Press 9–0
1945 Earl Blaik Associated Press 9–0
1946 Earl Blaik Helms Athletic Foundation 9–0–1

Bowl games

Season Bowl Date Opponent Result
1984 Cherry Bowl December 22, 1984 Michigan State W 10–6
1985 Peach Bowl December 31, 1985 Illinois W 31–29
1988 Sun Bowl December 24, 1988 Alabama L 28–29
1996 Independence Bowl December 31, 1996 Auburn L 29–32
2010 Armed Forces Bowl December 30, 2010 SMU W 16–14

College Football Hall of Fame

Other notable players

President of the United States and General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower and General of the Army Omar Bradley were on the 1912 Army football team. Eisenhower was injured and his football career was over by 1913, when the two future generals were juniors. Bradley, a star of the Army baseball team for four years, was on the field in 1913 when Notre Dame upset Army in an historic college football game in which the forward pass was used for the first time. Bradley played end opposite the legendary Knute Rockne, the Notre Dame end who later coached the Irish to national championships before dying in a plane crash near Bazaar, Kansas, on Easter Friday in 1931.

Seasons

Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
1890 Dennis Michie 0–1
1891 Dr. Harry Williams 4–1–1
1892 Dennis Michie 3–1–1
1893 Laurie Bliss 4–5
1894 Harmon Graves 3–2
1895 Harmon Graves 5–2
1896 George Dyer 3–2–1
1897 Herman Koehler 6–1–1
1898 Herman Koehler 3–2–1
1899 Herman Koehler 4–5
1900 Herman Koehler 7–3–1
1901 Leon Kromer 5–1–2
1902 Dennis Nolan 6–1–1
1903 Edward King 6–2–1
1904 Robert Boyers 7–2
1905 Robert Boyers 4–4–1
1906 Henry Smither
Ernest Graves		 3–5–1
1907 Henry Smither 6–2–1
1908 Harry Nelly 6–1–2
1909 Harry Nelly 3–2
1910 Harry Nelly 6–2
1911 Joseph Beacham 6–1–1
1912 Ernest Graves 5–3
1913 Charles Daly 8–1
1914 Charles Daly 9–0
1915 Charles Daly 5–3–1
1916 Charles Daly 9–0
1917 Geoffrey Keyes 7–1
1918 Hugh Mitchell 1–0
1919 Charles Daly 6–3
1920 Charles Daly 7–2
1921 Charles Daly 6–4
1922 Charles Daly 8–0–2
1923 John McEwan 6–2–1
1924 John McEwan 5–1–2
1925 John McEwan 7–2
1926 Biff Jones 7–1–1
1927 Biff Jones 9–1
1928 Biff Jones 8–2
1929 Biff Jones 6–4–1
1930 Ralph Sasse 9–1–1
1931 Ralph Sasse 8–2–1
1932 Ralph Sasse 8–2
1933 Gar Davidson 9–1
1934 Gar Davidson 7–3
1935 Gar Davidson 6–2–1
1936 Gar Davidson 6–3
1937 Gar Davidson 7–2
1938 William Wood 8–2
1939 William Wood 3–4–2
1940 William Wood 1–7–1
1941 Earl Blaik 5–3–1
1942 Earl Blaik 6–3
1943 Earl Blaik 7–2–1
1944 Earl Blaik 9–0
1945 Earl Blaik 9–0
1946 Earl Blaik 9–0–1
1947 Earl Blaik 5–2–2
1948 Earl Blaik 8–0–1
1949 Earl Blaik 9–0
1950 Earl Blaik 8–1
1951 Earl Blaik 2–7
1952 Earl Blaik 4–4–1
1953 Earl Blaik 7–1–1
1954 Earl Blaik 7–2
1955 Earl Blaik 6–3
1956 Earl Blaik 5–3–1
1957 Earl Blaik 7–2
1958 Earl Blaik 8–0–1
1959 Dale Hall 4–4–1
1960 Dale Hall 6–3–1
1961 Dale Hall 6–4
1962 Paul Dietzel 6–4
1963 Paul Dietzel 7–3
1964 Paul Dietzel 4–6
1965 Paul Dietzel 4–5–1
1966 Tom Cahill 8–2
1967 Tom Cahill 8–2
1968 Tom Cahill 7–3
1969 Tom Cahill 4–5–1
1970 Tom Cahill 1–9–1
1971 Tom Cahill 6–4
1972 Tom Cahill 6–4
1973 Tom Cahill 0–10
1974 Homer Smith 3–8
1975 Homer Smith 2–9
1976 Homer Smith 5–6
1977 Homer Smith 7–4
1978 Homer Smith 4–6–1
1979 Lou Saban 2–8–1
1980 Ed Cavanaugh 3–7–1
1981 Ed Cavanugh 3–7–1
1982 Ed Cavanaugh 4–7
1983 Jim Young 2–9
1984 Jim Young 8–3–1
1985 Jim Young 9–3
1986 Jim Young 6–5
1987 Jim Young 5–6
1988 Jim Young 9–3
1989 Jim Young 6–5
1990 Jim Young 6–5
1991 Bob Sutton 4–7
1992 Bob Sutton 5–6
1993 Bob Sutton 6–5
1994 Bob Sutton 4–7
1995 Bob Sutton 5–5–1
1996 Bob Sutton 10–2
1997 Bob Sutton 4–7
1998 Bob Sutton 3–8
1999 Bob Sutton 3–8
2000 Todd Berry 1–10
2001 Todd Berry 3–8
2002 Todd Berry 1–11
2003 Todd Berry
John Mumford		 0–13
2004 Bobby Ross 2–9
2005 Bobby Ross 4–7
2006 Bobby Ross 3–9
2007 Stan Brock 3–9
2008 Stan Brock 3–9
2009 Rich Ellerson 5–7
2010 Rich Ellerson 7–6
2011 Rich Ellerson 3–9
2012 Rich Ellerson 2–10
2013 Rich Ellerson 3–9
2014 Jeff Monken 4-7
Total: 652–484–51
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
†Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl, or College Football Playoff (CFP) game.
#Rankings from final Coaches Poll.

[14]

Coaches

Coach Years #Years Games Won Lost Tied Pct.
Dennis M. Michie 1890–1892 2 6 3 2 1 .583
Dr. Harry Williams 1889 1 6 4 1 1 .750
Laurence T. Bliss 1893 1 9 4 5 0 .444
Harmon S. Graves 1894–1895 2 12 8 4 0 .667
George P. Dyer 1896 1 6 3 2 1 .583
Herman J. Koehler 1897–1900 4 34 20 11 3 .632
Leon B. Kromer 1901 1 8 5 1 2 .750
Dennis E. Nolan 1902 1 8 6 1 1 .812
Edward L. King 1903 1 9 6 2 1 .722
Robert E. Boyers 1904–1905 2 18 11 6 1 .639
Henry C. Smither 1906–1907 2 10 7 2 1 .750
Ernest Graves, Sr. 1906–1912 2 16 7 8 1 .469
Harry Nelly 1908–1910 3 22 15 5 2 .727
Joseph Beacham 1911 1 8 6 1 1 .812
Charles Dudley Daly 1913–1922 8 74 58 13 3 .804
Geoffrey Keyes 1917 1 8 7 1 0 .875
Hugh Mitchell (American football) 1918 1 1 1 0 0 1.000
John McEwan 1923–1925 3 26 18 5 3 .750
Biff Jones (Lawrence M. "Biff" Jones) 1926–1929 4 40 30 8 2 .775
Ralph Sasse 1930–1932 3 32 25 5 2 .812
Garrison H. Davidson ("Gar") 1933–1937 5 47 35 11 1 .755
William H. Wood 1938–1940 3 28 12 13 3 .482
Earl Blaik ("Red") 1941–1958 18 164 121 33 10 .768
Dale Hall 1959–1961 3 29 16 11 2 .586
Paul Dietzel 1962–1965 4 40 21 18 1 .537
Tom Cahill (American football) 1966–1973 8 81 40 39 2 .506
Homer Smith (American football) 1974–1978 5 55 21 33 1 .391
Lou Saban 1979 1 11 2 8 1 .227
Ed Cavanaugh 1980–1982 3 33 10 21 2 .333
Jim Young (American football coach) 1983–1990 8 91 51 39 1 .566
Bob Sutton 1991–1999 9 100 44 55 1 .445
Todd Berry 2000–2003 4 41 5 36 0 .122
John Mumford 2003 1 6 0 6 0 .000
Bobby Ross 2004–2006 3 34 9 25 0 .265
Stan Brock 2006–2008 2 24 6 18 0 .250
Rich Ellerson 2009-2013 5 61 20 41 0 .327
Jeff Monken 2014-Present 1 12 4 8 0 .333
Total (36 coaches) 125 1188 652 484 51 .549

Award winners

Doc Blanchard – 1945
Glenn Davis – 1946
Pete Dawkins – 1958
Earl Blaik – 1946
Tom Cahill – 1966
Tom Cahill – 1966
Bob Sutton – 1996
Glenn Davis – 1944
Doc Blanchard – 1945
Pete Dawkins – 1958
Joe Steffy – 1947
Andrew Rodriguez – 2011
Andrew Rodriguez – 2011

See also

Future schedules

2015

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 5 Fordham Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
September 12 at Connecticut Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT    
September 19 Wake Forest Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
September 26 at Eastern Michigan Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI    
October 3 at Penn State Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA    
October 10 Duke Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 17 Bucknell Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 24 at Rice Rice Stadium • Houston, TX    
November 7 at Air Force Falcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CO    
November 14 Tulane Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
November 21 vs Rutgers Yankee Stadium • New York, NY    
December 12 Navy Lincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PA    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2016

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 3 at Temple Lincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PA    
September 10 Rice Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
September 17 at UTEP Sun Bowl stadium • El Paso, TX    
October 15 Lafayette Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 22 North Texas Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
November 5 Air Force Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
November 12 Notre Dame Alamodome • San Antonio, TX NBC    
December 10 at Navy M&T Bank Stadium • Baltimore, MD    
TBD at Buffalo UB Stadium • Amherst, NY    
TBD at Duke Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2017

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 9 at Buffalo University at Buffalo Stadium • Amherst, NY    
September 23 at Rice Rice Stadium • Houston, TX    
October 7 UTEP Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 14 Eastern Michigan Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 21 Temple Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
November 18 at North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX    
December 9 Navy Lincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PA    
TBD Duke Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
TBD UTEP Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
TBD at Air Force Falcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CO    
TBD at Ball State Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2018

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 8 North Texas Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
September 15 Hawaii Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
September 22 at Oklahoma Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK    
September 29 at Buffalo UB Stadium • Amherst, NY    
October 6 Lafayette Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 20 Miami (OH) Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 27 at Eastern Michigan Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI    
December 8 Navy TBD • TBD    
Air Force Michie Stadium • New York, NY    
at Duke Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC    
at San Jose State Spartan Stadium • San Jose, CA    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2019

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 7 at Northwestern Ryan Field • Evanston, IL    
September 14 at North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX    
September 28 at Temple Lincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PA    
November 9 UMass Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
November 30 at Hawaii Aloha Stadium • Halawa, HI    
at Air Force Falcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CO    
Navy TBD • TBD    
San Jose State Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
Western Kentucky TBD • TBD    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2020

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 26 Oklahoma Michie Stadium • New York, NY    
October 3 at Miami (OH) Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH    
October 10 North Texas Michie Stadium • New York, NY    
October 17 Eastern Michigan Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 24 Buffalo Michie Stadium • New York, NY    
November 21 at UMass TBA • TBA    
Air Force Michie Stadium • New York, NY    
Navy TBD • TBD    
at San Jose State Spartan Stadium • San Jose, CA    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2021

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
September 25 Miami (OH) Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
October 9 at North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX    
November 20 UMass Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
at Air Force Falcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CO    
Navy TBD • TBD    
San Jose State Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
Western Kentucky TBD • TBD    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2022

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
November 12 at UMass TBD • TBD    
November 26 Air Force Michie Stadium • West Point, NY    
Navy TBD • TBD    
TBA at Navy TBA • TBA    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

2023

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result
at Air Force Falcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CO    
Navy TBD • TBD    
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game.

References

  1. ↑ www.goarmysports.com
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Heisman Winners". The Heisman Trophy. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Ambrose (1966), pp. 305–306.
  6. ↑ When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.135, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  7. ↑ "Trophy Winners". The Heisman Trophy. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
  8. ↑ "Biography". Official Website of Vince Lombardi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
  9. ↑ Biggane, Brian (15 November 2008). "Bill Parcells is Dolphins' Godfather". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  10. ↑ Palka (2008), p. 197.
  11. ↑ "Army Football to Leave Conference USA After 2004 Season". The Official Website of Conference USA. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Notre Dame-Army Rivalry Renews in 2010 As First Football Game at Yankee Stadium, University of Notre Dame, retrieved August 26, 2010.
  13. ↑ Boston College Even with Irish in Yardage, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 13, 1946.
  14. ↑ 2013 Army football media guide. Retrieved 2013-Oct-15.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Army Black Knights football.