The Black Knights put together one of the nation’s top-ranked stop units in their first season running head coach Rich Ellerson’s Double-Eagle Flex system. Army yielded only 304.67 yards per game last season to rank 16th among national leaders and allowed just 21.92 points per game to list 35th nationally. Similar defensive production is expected this season with eight starters and several key reserves returning to the fold.
“We were able to experiment with a few things personnel-wise this spring,” Ellerson explains. “It’s much easier to do that now because the vast majority of guys are doing the things they have experience with. During the spring, we were able to overwhelmingly focus on the things that are the foundation of our defense that aren’t going to move. The system can adapt to whatever the personnel can present. There are a few wrinkles that we can take advantage of in certain personnel sets. Everybody will be that much more comfortable with the fundamental basic things that are associated with the defense. We are much more comfortable on where to put our eyes and feet. The reactions are coming much more natural.
“We have some very productive and experienced players at several key positions like rush end, nose tackle, free safety and ‘mike’ linebacker — all those positions that run right down the middle of the field. All of those guys shouldn’t be strangers to the (radio and television) announcers, and they’re not.”
Seniors Stephen Anderson, Josh McNary, Mike Gann and Donovan Travis, and junior Andrew Rodriguez are among the group of proven players upon which Ellerson and his staff will be able to call this season.
All five players have made significant impacts on Army’s stop unit in the past and posted highly productive campaigns last fall. McNary heads the list, ranking among national leaders in both quarterback sacks and tackles for loss a year ago. The explosive rush end landed on a host of preseason All-America lists this summer and wreaks havoc on opposing quarterbacks from the edge. He is complemented nicely by the other four stalwarts to form a talented nucleus capable of excelling in Ellerson’s “Desert Swarm” defensive scheme.
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Defensively, when you take [defensive tackle] Victor Ugenyi out of the picture, the dynamic at that position is going to change,” notes Ellerson. “It’s inevitably going to be played by a smaller, more athletic guy that will allow us to take advantage of some other parts of our defense. At the same time, it puts more pressure on the play of our nose tackle, Mike Gann, who I was really pleased with this spring. His development is a positive. That’s structurally something that we are evolving into. We think long term that could pay great dividends for us, because we can attract an awful lot of guys that look like [defensive end] Josh McNary. The more of those guys we can find, get on the field, and keep involved — we think that is a nightmare for our opponents, and it’s what’s unique about our system. That work is encouraging, but that work is ongoing.”
Defensive Line
Army returns two of its key play-makers along the defensive front in tackle Mike Gann and record-setting rush end Josh McNary. Gann ranked ninth on the team last season with 34 tackles, including seven for loss, while starting all 12 games. McNary, while undersized at only 225 pounds, exploited his speed and quickness for 22.5 tackles for loss and an Academy-record 12.5 quarterback sacks last season. McNary enters his final campaign as the Black Knights’ all-time leader with 18.0 sacks to his credit and ranks second in tackles for loss (36.5).
In addition to the dominant presence of both McNary and Gann, Army returns several other productive members of last year’s defensive front wall. Senior Marcus Hilton was a part-time starter last season and returns as the starting end opposite McNary. The sophomore sibling tandem of Jarret Mackey and A.J. Mackey are expected to log important downs at end and tackle, respectively, while sophomore Christopher Swain provides yet another game-tested option at tackle. Senior Carson Homme is expected to serve as Hilton’s primary reserve, while doubling as Army’s primary long-snapper on special teams.
Ellerson and his defensive staff injected a small change to Army’s defense this spring, introducing the “whip bandit” position, a hybrid defensive line/linebacker position. Sophomore Nate Combs emerged as the likely starter at that position following an outstanding performance this spring. Combs displayed great physicality and a knack for finding the ball carrier, traits that fit well in Army’s revamped defensive system. Sophomore Justin Schaff and junior Chad Littlejohn are expected to challenge Combs for the lead role at that spot.
“Nate Combs is a guy that has added himself to the ‘whip bandit’ category. He is a guy we have moved around a bunch, and we feel like he has the chance to be a lot of things. Whatever he is, he is going to be first at. He’s another impact player you may be talking about after games, because he’s going to show up on the stat sheet — a defensive front seven type of guy. I was also very impressed this spring with Chris Swain and A.J. Mackey,” Ellerson offers. “We were anxious about losing someone as physical as Victor Ugenyi, and contemplating the loss of Mike Gann in a year, we started thinking about the youth we had at the interior line position. We were really pleased with the spring that Chris and A.J. had. They both took a step up and they’re both closer to the ideal that we’re looking for there.
“The other guy that really stepped up was Jarett Mackey as a rush end and defensive end. Carson Homme was a backup a year ago and got himself into the picture. He’s really developed as a pass-rusher. Chad Littlejohn and Justin Schaaf are two young guys that have got in there at ‘whip bandit’. They’ve earned their spurs and I trust them.”
Linebacker
The Black Knights’ entire linebacking corps returns intact this fall, including last season’s leading tackler Andrew Rodriguez at the “whip” linebacker spot. Senior Stephen Anderson also returns in the middle after suffering a season-ending knee injury during Army’s late-season date with Air Force. Rodriguez finished his first year as a starter with 85 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Despite missing the final three games last fall, Anderson closed second on the team with 83 total stops, including nine tackles for loss. Junior Steven Erzinger also returns to the Army lineup after starting all 12 games in his debut at the “rover” position last fall. The high-energy defender finished tied for third on the squad with 71 tackles and was an active member of the Black Knights’ defensive cast.
While Anderson’s rehabilitation forced him to miss spring drills, the void served as the catalyst behind one of the most high profile position changes of Army’s spring. In an effort to create depth at middle linebacker, last year’s starting fullback, Kingsley Ehie, was shifted to the position. Regarded as one of the team’s top all-around athletes, Ehie adapted well to his new surroundings and closed the spring firmly entrenched near the top of the depth chart.
“I was excited looking at the spring game after the fact, watching Kingsley play ‘mike’ linebacker,” Ellerson states. “We had our fingers crossed there, and we hoped that would be a positive, and it really was. Overall, I thought it was a giant step forward for him down the stretch in spring football. There was a big difference in how he left on spring break, and how he was when he came back.
“That’s exciting news, because he is as good an athlete as we have, maybe the best athlete on our football team. With Kingsley in the picture, the athletic quotient and the margin for error there at that position just went up. That is less of a concern for me than it would have been with only Stephen returning at that position. I thought Kingsley really finished spring ball strong. We are a better football team with him in that mix. He also brings the range and athleticism that the position demands. Expect to see him all over the field.”
Junior Chad Littlejohn and senior Sean Westphal are listed as the backups at “whip” and “rover,” respectively. Both players have shouldered extensive special teams roles in the past and will be counted on for additional contributions on the defensive side of the ball this fall.
Defensive Backs
Three starters return to Army’s defensive secondary, a veteran unit that boasted the third-ranked pass defense in the nation last season. The Black Knights stingy stop unit permitted only 152.83 yards per game through the air last fall in its first season operating out of head coach Rich Ellerson’s “Double-Eagle Flex” set.
Headlining the list of returnees along the back line is senior free safety Donovan Travis, who ranked tied for third among team leaders with 71 tackles and snagged a club-best four interceptions a year ago.
In addition to Travis, senior Donnie Dixon returns as the starter at strong safety. Dixon started 11 games last season, totaling 29 tackles. Senior Jordan Trimble will also see plenty of playing time at that spot. Trimble played in 11 games last season, racking up 29 stops and one interception.
“The safeties are definitely a strength of this defense,” Ellerson firmly states. “I think we have three starters to hold down those two jobs in Jordan Trimble, Donnie Dixon and Donovan Travis. They provide us with depth and flexibility in terms of packaging. That remains one of the strengths of this defense.”
Junior Antuan Aaron stands as the third returning member of the Black Knights’ secondary. Aaron started all 12 games at field cornerback last season and registered 52 tackles while defending six passes.
Another familiar face is slated to man the starting job at boundary cornerback. Richard King, who sat out last season while recovering from the effects of a concussion, returned to the squad this spring. The talented senior quickly made his presence felt, vaulting to the top of the depth chart in short order. King saw action in 11 games during the 2008 campaign, recording 18 tackles.
Sophomores Josh Jackson and Ty Shrader, and senior L.B. Brown enter preseason camp listed as the primary secondary reserves. All three possess game experience and the ability to handle multiple positions in Army’s defensive system.
“Antuan Aaron is a returning starter and had a solid spring,” Ellerson explains. “Richard King came back after sitting out last fall and it was like riding a bike for him. He was better than I realistically could have hoped. Josh Jackson continued to impress. When he is right, he is as good, or better, than anyone else we have. L.B. is also as good as it gets when he’s healthy. We consider him part of the starting rotation. The only thing holding him back is his relative health.”
The third and final portion of the 2010 season outlook will focus on the Army special teams.
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