Looking Ahead to 2010

By all accounts 2010 should be the year that Army earns a winning season. There's a lot riding on the team's success, with a postseason bowl game (and the extra practices that come along with the bid), definite stability at the top coaching spot and at long last some positive momentum for Army all at stake on a winning record in 2010.

The schedule is right to make it happen, the coach is in place and Army has the personnel to achieve just that. Speaking of personnel, Sal Interdonato takes a look ahead at Army's projected offense and projected defense.

In step with rounding out the 2009 season I promised to link Phil Steele's All-Independent list.

Army's lone 1st team offensive honoree is G Seth Reed, with 2d team honors awarded to Damion Hunter, OT Jason Johnson, Patrick Mealey, C Zach Peterson with Ali Villanueva gaining honors as the 2nd team Tight End.

The Defensive first team gave Victor Ugenyi, and Josh McNary and Stephen Anderson their rightful accolades and were joined on the first team by CB Mario Hill and S Donovan Travis. Mike Gann and Donovan Travis were afforded second team defensive honors.

Kicker Alex Carlton was named to the first team for special teams. Punter Jonathan Bulls and KR Damion Hunter were named to the second team.

I've posted the link to Soren Sorensen's 2009 chi-square rankings in the left sidebar under the year 2009. The chi-square itself is minimally effective as a rating tool, but having links to each team's historical schedule and results is a valuable tool, and for that I am endebted to Dr. Sorensen.

In the offseason I hope to delve back into years past to review college football of old and will hopefully shed some light on how college football came to be the game it is today.

In the short term, my tablet PC is having its lamp replaced, so I'm again working from the Mac (which I hate) - so hopefully that issue gets fixed pretty soon. Anyway, I hope to keep this site going through the next few months, but while I'm not posting here I can be found at the U of Oregon's Knight library hopefully studying up on future posts for The Unbalanced Line.

Grading the Coach

Bleacher Report grades D-1A's first year coaches.

Rich Ellerson lead Army to 5-7 his first year as head coach, which is two wins better than Stan Brock's 2008 Black Knight squad. Ellerson's biggest win in 09 was a 17-13 OT win at home against Vanderbilt but also struggled at home to get wins against Ball State and North Texas.

I really think this was probably the best hire Army could find, Ellerson did a very good job while at Cal Poly and if he can get this Army team bowl eligible within the next two seasons the guy deserves Coach of the Year awards.

(emphasis added)

That's a pretty brazen statement considering Army's schedule next year is possibly even lighter than 2009's.

But you know something Coach? Don't let anything hold you back. Army runs the table and Ellerson will deserve the COTY.

Hey, if Navy is going to push Ricky Dobbs for the Heisman then I am certainly within my rights to promote Ellerson for the Coach of the Year.

I've got to get the bumper stickers to the print shop, but check back through the 2010 season as this site turns into Rich Ellerson central.

Winding Down

Welcome to 2010. The 2009 season is still hanging on with a GMAC bowl, two BCS games plus the national championship game waiting to be played.

With the noted exception of the Georgia Tech/Iowa Orange Bowl all of the eastern teams are done for the season. It was an enjoyable season with a number of historically significant events and I hope to review the 2009 season in due time.

Army news will be understandably slow for the next few months, but check here for condensed coverage as I plan on continuing "day to day" coverage of Army football. ESPN's Ivan Maisel touches briefly on the recent bowl success of the service academies. Another article examines the postseason play of the other academies All I can say about those is: Army, you're next.

2. It’s always difficult to figure out which teams will be ready for a bowl. Some lose their timing; others, their motivation. Some see their game as a reward. Others, after a season-ending loss, see it as a disappointment. But none of those issues ever apply to service academies. Navy and Air Force played with discipline and crispness Thursday. They were routs, and no one should be a bit surprised.

Justin Rodriguez of the Times Herald-Record reviews the Hudson Valley's sports stories of 2009... Army's season makes an appearance as a footnote.

10. OK, so Army's football team still has some work to do.

The Black Knights haven't had a winning season since they won 10 games in 1996. But under first-year coach Rich Ellerson Army won five games — its most since the magical year of '96. The Black Knights came within one win of a berth in the EagleBank Bowl.

The biggest win was an overtime victory over Vanderbilt of the Southeastern Conference.

Army did lose to blood rival Navy for the eighth straight year — 17-3 on Dec. 12 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Black Knights, routinely blown out by Navy during the streak, kept this game close.

The Black Knights led 3-0 at halftime.

Army news is slow now, but I will find Cool Content® to post in the off season.