Iowa St / Army

[BangTheBook]

This is how the early money is shaping up:

Iowa St vs Army (ESPN2) Iowa St 84.89%
Army 15.11%
1509 Bets

[BangTheBook]

Army and Iowa State meet "under the lights" at Michie Stadium Friday night in the first Friday night game in the fabled venue's 82-year history. In addition, the contest will be televised live to a national audience on ESPN2, marking the Black Knights' debut appearance on "The Deuce."

In the midst of a four-game homestand, the Black Knights conclude a 2005 Big 12 "doubleheader" that began last Saturday when Baylor escaped West Point with a 20-10 victory, dropping the Black Knights to 0-2 and handing Army its ninth straight home-opening defeat. As Bobby Ross' club goes in search of its initial victory this fall, it faces an Iowa State team that vaulted into the national rankings following a 23-3 drubbing of intrastate rival Iowa two weeks ago. The Cyclones are listed 22nd in this week's Associated Press poll and are among the "others receiving votes" in the USA Today rankings.

Tonight's contest will mark the second time in three games that a nationally ranked opponent will line up across from the Black Knights after Army opened the 2005 campaign at Boston College. The Eagles, who dispatched the Black Knights 44-7 on Sept. 10, were ranked 19th in one poll and 18th in another prior to that matchup. Dan McCarney's ISU squad returns 16 positional starters from last year's 7-5 team that defeated Miami (Ohio) 17-13 in the Independence Bowl. The Cyclones have earned four postseason bowl berths in the past five seasons. Iowa State and Army have met just once previously, with Army securing a 9-7 win here at Michie Stadium in 1964.

Scouting Iowa State
A program that won just 27 games during the 1990s has flourished since head coach Dan McCarney reversed the Cyclones' fortunes with the onset of the 2000 campaign. Hired at Iowa State in 1995 after serving a five-year stint as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin under Barry Alvarez, McCarney inherited a program that had enjoyed only two winning seasons in the previous 14 years. McCarney led the Cyclones to just 13 victories in his opening five years in Ames, but the Cyclones turned things around with a spectacular 9-3 finish in 2000. McCarney's troops have amassed 34 wins in the past five-plus years and have appeared in four bowl games in that span. McCarney, in his 11 season, is the program's all-time victories leader with 47. Last fall, the Cyclones forged a 7-5 record, capping the campaign with a 17-13 victory over Miami (Ohio) in the Independence Bowl and earning McCarney Big 12 Coach of the Year honors. Iowa State returned 31 letterwinners, including 16 positional starters, from that 2004 squad. After opening the year with a sluggish 32-21 win over Illinois State, the Cyclones trounced No. 8 Iowa 23-3 two weeks ago. Quarterback Bret Meyer directs the ISU attack with precision. He has completed 67.7 percent of his passes through two games, compiling 468 yards. Running back Stevie Hicks is averaging 104.0 rushing yards over the first two games. Hicks is the Cyclones' primary running threat, having accounted for 79.7 percent of ISU's ground yards thus far. A trio of Iowa State receivers--Todd Blythe, Austin Flynn and Jon Davis--enter tonight's game with 10 catches apiece. Defensively, the Cyclones are yielding just 329.0 yards per game, with foes managing only 198.0 passing yards per contest.


The Cyclones' Last Time Out
LaMarcus Hicks returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown and Iowa State capitalized on turnovers for all its points to stun No. 8 Iowa 23-3 on Sept. 10. Iowa State rebounded strongly on defense one week after struggling in a 32-21 victory over Division I-AA Illinois State. In the win over instra-state rival Iowa, the Cyclones recovered three fumbles, intercepted two passes and posted three sacks. The Hawkeyes got 140 yards rushing on 18 carries from Albert Young but had little else going. Their lone score was a 44-yard field goal by Kyle Schlicher in the third quarter. Iowa State managed just a modest 323 total yards offensively, but the Cyclones' defense picked up the slack. Trailing 16-3, Iowa drove to a first down at the Iowa State 30 midway through the fourth quarter. Three plays later, though, Scott Chandler fumbled after catching a pass. Hicks recovered at the Iowa 20. ISU drove 80 yards in nine plays for the clinching touchdown. Hicks' TD return staked ISU to a 16-0 lead late in the second quarter. Austin Flynn had a 12-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter and Tony Yelk added a 29-yard field goal with 4:12 to go until intermission.

A Return to Independence
Following a brief seven-year association with Conference USA (1998-2004), Army heralded its return to independent status two weeks ago at Boston College. A look at the Black Knights' 2005 schedule demonstrates the scheduling diversity afforded an independent, as Army will battle teams from seven different conferences this autumn (Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big East, Mid-American, Mountain West, Atlantic 10 and Sun Belt). The Black Knights are among just four Division I-A independents, joining Notre Dame, Navy and Temple, although the Owls are headed for full-fledged membership in the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) in 2007 after playing abbreviated "affiliate" schedules in 2005 and 2006. The Owls had been members of the Big East. In 1998, the Army ended 108 history-filled years of Division I-A independence when it joined Conference USA.

All-Time Record
Army is now conducting its 116th intercollegiate grid season. The Black Knights boast an impressive all-time record of 624-417-51 (.595), having entered the 2005 campaign ranked tied for 28th on the nation's all-time victories list (23rd among Division I-A programs).

Friday Night Fracas on "The Deuce"
Tonight's tussle with Iowa State will be broadcast live on ESPN2. Kickoff will be 8:06 p.m. and will mark Army's initial appearance on ESPN2. The game will be the first-ever Friday night tilt at venerable Michie Stadium and will be just the second weeknight game at the fabled venue, following Army's wild 59-52 double-overtime Thursday-night win over Louisville in October 1999.

Knight Owls
Tonight's game marks only the fourth night game (6 p.m. kickoff or later) in Michie Stadium's 82 years as the home of Army Football. The Black Knights are a perfect 3-0 in their home night games, having defeated Air Force 24-12 on Nov. 3, 1984; Boston College 45-14 on Oct. 12, 1985; and Louisville 59-52 in double overtime on Oct. 7, 1999. The Louisville contest, Army's first-ever Thursday night game, was televised nationally by Fox Sports Net. Following are brief recaps of those three previous night matchups: 1984: a national ESPN television audience watched Army down Air Force 24-12. Eight seconds into the game, Army led 2-0. That lead swelled to 5-0 four minutes later when kicker Craig Stopa nailed the first of his Michie Stadium-record five field goals. After Air Force rallied for a 12-5 halftime lead, Army stormed back to score 19 unanswered points in the second half behind Scott Spellmon's 41-yard touchdown run and four more Stopa boots. The win, which capped the squad's first undefeated home season since 1966, would help vault the Black Knights to the program's first-ever postseason bowl berth, where they would down Michigan State 10-6 in the 1984 Cherry Bowl. 1985: a 45-14 drubbing of Boston College vaulted the 1985 Black Knights to 5-0, their best start since 1950. Army's wishbone attack was clicking on all cylinders that night as the hosts scored two touchdowns in each of the final three quarters to pull away. A trio of Black Knights--fullback Doug Black (158), quarterback Tory Crawford (131) and halfback Clarence Jones (103)--each rushed for more than 100 yards as Army outgained the Eagles on the ground 503 yards to 48. The Eagles committed five turnovers, including three interceptions and two fumbles. The Black Knights would appear in their second consecutive bowl game in 1985, downing Illinois 31-29 in the Peach Bowl. 1999: despite fullback Michael Wallace's record-setting rushing performance, Army still needed double overtime to down Louisville 59-52 in one of the wildest contests ever staged in venerable Michie Stadium. Wallace, who finished with an Academy-record 269 rushing yards and four touchdowns, helped Army surge to a staggering 45-17 halftime lead by amassing 225 ground yards and all four of his scores in the opening 30 minutes. Louisville, behind quarterback Chris Redman, rallied to forge a 45-45 tie with 1:15 to play. Army's "do or die" conversion of a 4th-and-6 play from the Louisville 9, in which quarterback Joe Gerena found halfback Brandon Rooney out of the backfield for a touchdown, sent the game to its second overtime. Gerena's 7-yard TD scamper in the second OT turned out to be the game winner after defensive back Brent Dial dislodged Redman's fourth down pass to Lavell Boyd on the Cardinals' ensuing possession.

Army Against the Big 12
Following last Saturday's 20-10 home loss to Baylor, the Black Knights own a 10-15 all-time record versus the dozen teams that presently comprise the Big 12 Conference (0-3 vs. Baylor, 1-1 vs. Colorado, 1-0 vs. Iowa State, 1-0 vs. Kansas, 2-0 vs. Kansas State, 1-3 vs. Missouri, 2-3 vs. Nebraska, 1-2 vs. Oklahoma, 0-1 vs. Oklahoma State, 0-1 vs. Texas and 1-1 vs. Texas A&M). Last week's tilt with the Bears marked the first time Army had faced any of those teams since the Big 12 formed prior to the 1996 campaign. Previously, all of the teams in the Big 12 were members of the Big 8 or Southwest Conference when they battled the Black Knights.

Ross Against the Big 12
During his collegiate coaching tenure, Bobby Ross has coached against just two teams presently affiliated with the Big 12. In 1990, Ross' Georgia Tech squad trounced Nebraska 45-21 in the Florida Citrus Bowl, helping the Yellow Jackets earn a share of the national championship. Last week, Baylor edged Army 20-10 here in Michie Stadium.

Challenging Early Slate
Iowa State, listed 22nd in this week's Associated Press poll, is the second nationally ranked opponent Army will face in its first three games of 2005. Boston College, the Black Knights' season-opening foe two weeks ago, was ranked 22nd in the nation entering that contest. This fall, Army will play four teams that secured bowl victories last season (Boston College, Connecticut, Iowa State and Navy). However, three of those squads appear within the first four games of the year. Boston College, who defeated Army 44-7 on Sept. 10, downed North Carolina 37-24 in last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl. Iowa State edged Miami (Ohio) 17-14 in the Independence Bowl while Connecticut downed Toledo 39-10 in the Motor City Bowl and Navy bested New Mexico State 34-19 in the Emerald Nut Bowl.

Facing a Nationally Ranked Opponent
Army's last victory versus a ranked foe came on Nov. 4, 1972, when the Black Knights dispatched 15th-ranked Air Force 17-14 at Michie Stadium. There have been some close calls during the interim. In 1995, Army's potential game-tying drive stalled on the 1-yard line as time expired in a 21-13 loss at No. 22 Washington. Later that same season, Army's two-point conversion try came within inches of the goal line in the final minute, allowing Notre Dame to escape Giants Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.) with a 28-27 win. Other close calls in subsequent years include: a 20-17 loss at Notre Dame in 1998 and a 49-35 defeat versus TCU in 1998. Sandwiched between those 1998 defeats by the Irish and Horned Frogs was a 35-7 loss to Air Force as the Black Knights endured a three-game stretch against ranked opponents that season.

Approaching the Century Mark
Army head coach Bobby Ross enters tonight's game needing just four victories to reach 100 collegiate head coaching wins. In 16 seasons on campus, spanning four different programs, Ross has carved a 96-87-2 (.524) record. Including nearly nine full seasons in the National Football League, in which he built a 77-68 (.531) ledger, Ross owns 173 career head coaching wins at both levels combined.

"New Look" Defense Shows Promise
Despite a 20-10 loss to Baylor last Saturday, Army's revamped 4-3 defensive scheme, replete with a host of talented but largely unproven young players, appears to be making strides. Army limited the Bears to just 351 total yards, the lowest aggregate by a Black Knight foe since UAB managed just 337 yards in a 24-9 win here at Michie Stadium on Nov. 1, 2003 (a span of 17 games). A year ago, the Black Knights allowed opponents to average 490.1 yards per outing, ranking last in the nation in total defense.

Takeaways by the "D"
Army's defense created three Baylor turnovers a week ago, intercepting two Bear passes and recovering one fumble. It was the Black Knights' highest takeaway total since they forced five turnovers in a 48-29 win over Cincinnati here at Michie Stadium last Oct. 9. In 11 games a year ago, Army had only 18 takeaways (11 fumbles and seven interceptions).

First Picks
Defensive backs Rob Davis and Caleb Campbell each notched their first career pickoffs last week. Davis, a senior who made his first start at safety against Baylor since opening with the lead cast during the first four games of 2003, was involved in two turnovers as he forced a third-quarter fumble on the Army 2-yard line that was recovered in the end zone by Dhyan Tarver. Davis' third-quarter pick at midfield, and subsequent 18-yard return, set the Black Knights up at the Bears' 32-yard line but Army would be unable to capitalize. Davis finished with six tackles versus the Bears. Campbell chipped in with four hits.

Inviting Target
Tight end Jared Ulekowski snared a career-high six passes for 59 yards last Saturday against Baylor. Including his pair of receptions at Boston College in the opener, Ulekowski now stands second among Black Knights with eight catches on the season (one behind leader Jeremy Trimble). In his last seven outings, Ulekowski has 25 receptions for 259 yards (10.4 yards per catch). His six catches a week ago marked the highest total by a Black Knight tight end since Clint Dodson pulled down six passes against Buffalo on Nov. 10, 2001 (a span of 40 games).

Riley's Roller Coaster Ride
Senior kicker Joe Riley, who before this season had not attempted a field goal since his plebe campaign of 2002, won the starter's spot late in preseason when he edged Austin Miller and Justin Koenig. Riley, who missed a 37-yard try in the opener at Boston College, put Army's first points on the board last Saturday against Baylor with a career-best 49-yard conversion. It was the longest field goal by an Army kicker in more than 10 years (since Kurt Heiss kicked a 52-yard game-winning field goal against Navy in the 1994 finale). However, Riley misfired on his final three attempts against Baylor, missing from 56, 47 and 37 yards. His 56-yard attempt came on the final play of the first half. Riley's struggles convinced head coach Bobby Ross to utilize Koenig for the Black Knights' point after try following their touchdown in the contest's final minute.

Backfield Workhorse
Senior running back Carlton Jones has been a workhorse in the Black Knights' backfield through the campaign's opening two contests. Jones has 151 of Army's 152 net rushing yards to date (99.3 percent) and has seen his number called 51 times among the Black Knights' 75 rushing attempts. Quarterback Zac Dahman is the only other Army player in double figures in carrries (14). Jones ran 27 times for 71 yards at Boston College while amassing 80 yards on 24 totes last weekend. In 2004, Jones compiled 1,269 ground yards and totaled an Academy-record 17 rushing touchdowns. However, Jones has yet to reach paydirt this fall. Jones had not gone successive games without a rushing touchdown since a four-game dry spell (versus Cincinnati, UAB, Air Force and Houston) late in the 2003 campaign (a span of 15 games).

Jones a Doak Walker Award Candidate
Senior running back Carlton Jones was cited in early September as a candidate for the 2005 Doak Walker Award, sponsored by the SMU Athletic Forum and presented to the nation's top running back. The SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on Nov. 17, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will vote to determine the finalists on Nov. 18. The committee will cast a second vote on Nov. 28 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2005 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN along with other NCFAA member awards on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 8. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at The Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, on Monday, Feb. 27, 2006. Former Texas running back Cedric Benson, first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears, won the 2004 Doak Walker Award. The award, in its 16th year, is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.

Romping Through the Record Books
Senior running back Carlton Jones moved past Lynn Moore into fifth place on Army's career all-purpose yardage list against Baylor, finishing with 80 rushing markers. Jones now has 3,260 career all-purpose yards, which places him 132 yards shy of tying Omari Thompson for fourth spot. Jones continues to list fourth on the Academy's career rushing ladder. With 151 ground yards this season, Jones needs 38 yards tonight to slip past Gerald Walker (2,700) into third spot on the career rushing chart. Mike Mayweather (4,299) and Glenn Davis (2,957) occupy the top two places on the all-time rushing list. Jones ran for 1,269 yards last year to become the ninth Army back to enjoy a 1,000-yard campaign. He is one of only eight Army players ever to amass more than 2,000 ground yards in his career. Jones also stands fourth on the career rushing touchdowns ladder (27). He has led the Black Knights in rushing during each of his three campaigns and is looking to become the first Army running back since Mayweather to top the squad in rushing over four successive seasons. Since 1940, only Mayweather and Davis have forged four straight campaigns as the Black Knights' top rusher.

Double Threat
In addition to his prolific abilities as a runner, senior running back Carlton Jones is a dangerous threat as a receiver out of the backfield. Jones caught five passes against Boston College on Sept. 10 and moved up three spots on Army's career receiving ladder. However, last week Jones did not register a catch, snapping a streak of 14 straight games in which he had notched a catch. Already the Academy's career receptions leader among running backs with 73 catches, Jones needs four receptions tonight to jump past Jim Ward into seventh place on the all-time list. Jones' five catches opposite the Eagles tied his career high, established in the 2004 opener against Louisville.

Tolson Gives Punt Team the Boot
Sophomore punter Owen Tolson, who beat out senior Tom Dyrenforth for the starting role during the offseason, is averaging an impressive 41.6 yards per punt over the opening two games of his career. After a sluggish first half against Boston College in the opener (three punts, 33.3 yard average), Tolson has found his rhythm. He unleashed punts of 55 and 46 yards in the second half versus the Eagles before averaging a solid 43.0 yards on five punts last Saturday against Baylor. His 55-yard punt was the longest by a Black Knight since Alex Bradford unleashed a 61-yard punt at Air Force on Nov. 8, 2003 (a span of 15 games).

In a Class by Himself
Zac Dahman's 13-yard touchdown strike to Corey Anderson last week, his final hookup of the day, was the 500th pass completion of the senior quarterback's career. He is the only signal caller in Army history to reach 500 career completions. Already Army's career leader in virtually every passing category, including attempts (954), completions (500) and 200-yard passing games (12), Dahman enters tonight's tilt with 5,422 career passing yards, needing just 81 markers to supplant Leamon Hall (5,502 yards) as the Academy's career yardage leader. In 2004, Dahman became only the second Black Knight quarterback to eclipse 5,000 career passing yards. His 27 career passing touchdowns rank second all-time at the Academy and trail Hall's career mark by 11. Dahman has started 25 times in his career, which leaves him four starts shy of equaling the Army record of 29 career QB starts held jointly by Hall and Ronnie McAda.

Campbell A Big Hitter in Army Secondary
Sophomore Caleb Campbell, who has settled in nicely at strong safety in Army's revamped 4-3 defensive scheme, established a new career high by recording a game-high 13 tackles two weeks ago at BC's Alumni Stadium. The 6-2, 223-pounder lists second among Black Knights with 17 stops after making four tackles and notching his first career interception opposite Baylor. In 2004, Campbell emerged as a "star in the making" durinig his rookie campaign, starting the final six games at Army's "whip" position. He compiled 54 tackles in 2004 to rank fifth on the team in hits, but 48 of those stops came during the season's final seven outings. He also forced two fumbles, notched four tackles for loss and shared in one quarterback sack. At season's end, the Perryton, Texas, product was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team.

Tarver on Pair of "Watch Lists"
Senior cornerback Dhyan Tarver was named to the preseason "watch list" for a pair of Defensive Player of the Year awards, earning consideration for both the Ronnie Lott Award and the Bronko Nagurski Award. Presented by the Football Writers Association of America, the Nagurski Trophy, a staple of the FWAA's postseason awards roster since it's inception in 1993, is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and will be presented at a formal banquet on Monday, Dec. 5. The list of 50 candidates will be sliced to five finalists who will be invited to attend the banquet. In addition, the FWAA will be selecting a Bronko Nagurski "Defensive Player of the Week" throughout the regular season. Each national player of the week during the fall will be added to the trophy's "watch list." Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson won the 2004 Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Presented for the first time last fall, the inaugural Lott Trophy was given to Georgia defensive end David Pollack. That award is sponsored by the IMPACT Foundation of the Pacific Club, Newport Beach, Calif. Tarver is one of 42 players (42 represents Lott's jersey number) on that award's 2005 "watch list." This year's Lott Trophy will be presented Dec. 11 at the Pacific Club. A veteran of Army's secondary and the team's top returning tackler from a season ago, Tarver started 19 of the team's past 20 games at safety prior to 2005. However, he occupies one of Army's two cornerback slots this fall, returning to the position he played as a freshman before switching to safety. Tarver, who opened 2005 with five hits at Boston College and added eight hits and a fumble recovery last Saturday, compiled 83 tackles last autumn, reaching double figures in hits four times from his post at free safety, to list second among Black Knights in that category. The San Antonio, Texas, product amassed an eye-popping 97 tackles in 2003, ranking fourth on the squad in hits. For his career, Tarver boasts 199 tackles while having appeared in 36 of the team's 38 contests in that time.

Picking Up Where He Left Off
Late in his rookie campaign of 2004, WR Jeremy Trimble established himself as one of the team's most prized receivers. A "big play" threat who averaged 17.5 yards per catch on his 20 receptions, Trimble snared a dozen aerials (for 173 yards) over the final three contests last year, including four receptions against Navy in his first career start. He enters action this evening as the team's leading receiver, having snared nine receptions in two games. His 14.2 yards-per-catch average is tops among Black Knights with at least two receptions. Trimble equaled his career best at Boston College by catching five passes (for 54 yards), including a touchdown to cap the Black Knights' opening drive and provide the team's lone score of the contest. He accounted for Army's two longest plays from scrimmage opposite Baylor, recording catches of 35 and 23 yards.

Murphy Reaches 50 Receptions, Keeps Moving On
Senior Jacob Murphy caught five passes for a team-high 66 yards in the 2005 opener at Boston College, pushing his career receptions total to 50. The El Paso, Texas, native followed that effort with two catches for 14 yards opposite Baylor. Murphy needs just 18 more receptions to crack Army's career Top 10 list. Like Jeremy Trimble, Murphy was finding his groove late in 2004 before an injury versus UAB in the home finale curtailed his season. Prior to that UAB game, Murphy had exploded for 17 catches (for 212 yards) in successive outings versus East Carolina, Air Force and Tulane. Murphy finished 2004 tied with Carlton Jones for second on the team at 26 receptions and his 13.7 yards-per-catch average was third highest among regulars. For his career, Murphy is averaging 14.7 yards per reception.

Expanded Role
As a wide receiver last season, Scott Wesley impressed head coach Bobby Ross with his hard-nosed running style, earning himself the team's primary kickoff returner's role. He rewarded Ross' faith by setting Army's single-season kickoff return record with 1,248 yards while falling just one return shy of equaling William White's single-season runback record of 55. Following a spring switch to running back, Wesley, now a senior, has expanded his special teams repertoire to include punt returns and is expected to see action in the backfield as well. Last Saturday opposite Baylor, Wesley saw his most extensive backfield duty, carrying five times for 12 yards. He amassed 140 all-purpose yards versus the Bears, which came on the heels of a 129-yard effort at Boston College in the opener. Wesley presently ranks 28th in the nation in punt returns (12.8 yards per return). Through just two games, Wesley has already had a significant impact on Army's punt return team. He has amassed 66 yards on five runbacks, a drastic improvement from 2004 when the Black Knights totaled 88 yards on 18 returns (4.9 average). Shrode Headlines Impressive Young Corps of LBs
Junior middle linebacker Cason Shrode led Army with nine hits against Baylor, just one week after amassing a career-high 11 stops in the season opener opposite Boston College. Shrode tops the Black Knights with 20 hits in the first two contests. Meanwhile, "sam" linebacker Charlie Rockwood, a sophomore who made his first career start at BC, lists fourth on the squad with a dozen tackles. Joined by junior Barrett Scruggs (seven hits in two games), Army's trio of young linebackers boasts a promising future. The threesome entered the 2005 campaign with a combined two career starts and just 45 career tackles (Shrode 21, Scruggs 20 and Rockwood 4). They have been extremely active, compiling 39 combined stops in two games, including joining forces for 22 hits against the Eagles.

[BangTheBook]

First Taste of Competition
All told, 16 Black Knights have made their first career appearances in 2005. Those players seeing their initial varsity action at Boston College included OG Miles Murray, OT Ray Zelenak, DB Jordan Murray, LB Lee Crain, DB Darren Newson, LB Pat Parziale, P Owen Tolson, LS Nicolas Lopez, LB Julius Myers, LB Brian Chmura, RB Ricky Lay, DB John Laird and FB Tim Frye. Meanwhile, WR Josh Dobbie, FB Jacob Miraldi and DT Chris Vesce made their collegiate debuts against Baylor.

First Turn with the Lead Cast
Seven Army players made their first career starts in the season opener at Boston College, including OT Jonathan Connon, DT Tony Fusco, OG Miles Murray, LB Charlie Rockwood, FB Mike Viti, OG Matt Weisner and OT Ray Zelenak.

Baby-Faced Front Five
Army's offensive line features four players who enjoyed their first career starting assignments in the season opener at Boston College. Senior captain Pete Bier, the lone returning member of the lead cast, smoothly adapted from right guard to center in the offseason. He was joined along the front wall at BC by junior Jonathan Connon (right tackle) and sophomore Ray Zelenak (left tackle), along with juniors Miles Murray (right guard) and Matt Weisner (left guard). Other than Bier, only Connon had seen varsity game action on the offensive line (a very limited appearance against Connecticut last season) prior to 2005.

Young Guns Looking to Make Mark
Optimism abounds around the Army football program as head coach Bobby Ross has infused the program with an impressive crop of young players while developing a host of talented, yet unproven, veterans. Army's two-deep of 44 position players includes 1 freshman (FB Tim Frye), 15 sophomores, 15 juniors and 13 seniors. The 22 starting positional slots feature seven sophomores, seven juniors and eight seniors.

Impressive Opening March
Army jumped out of the gates clicking on all cylinders during the season opener at Boston College as the Black Knights marched 80 yards in 13 plays on their opening possession of the 2005 campaign. The drive, which consumed 7:09 of clock time, concluded with a 6-yard touchdown toss from quarterback Zac Dahman to Jeremy Trimble. In 2004, Army scored on its first drive three times (TCU, East Carolina, Air Force) in the season's 11 contests. However, those three instances came within a span of five games. Army's prolific drive against the Eagles was the longest, in terms of time of possession, since the Black Knights consumed 7:42 on a 17-play, 61-yard march that yielded a 22-yard Anthony Zurisko field goal against Air Force on Nov. 8, 2003 (a span of 15 games). The Black Knights' 13-play drive was their longest since a 15-play possession that stalled on the UAB 20-yard line last Nov. 20. The last time Army drove further than 80 yards on one possession also came in last season's UAB tilt, when Bobby Ross' troops covered 88 yards on 10 plays (in 1:21) to post a 2-yard touchdown pass from Zac Dahman to Aaron Alexander in the waning seconds of the contest.

Utilizing the Same Targets
Senior QB Zac Dahman completed 17 passes at Boston College, yet he connected with just four different receivers on the day. Jacob Murphy, Jeremy Trimble and Carlton Jones each notched five receptions, marking the first time that a trio of Army players each caught at least five aerials in a contest since Nov. 1, 2003 (a span of 16 games) when UAB defeated Army 24-9. That day, Seth Gulsby snared nine passes while Lamar Mason and Aaron Alexander hauled in seven and six aerials, respectively. Dahman's fourth receiver versus the Eagles was tight end Jared Ulekowski, who caught two passes for 22 yards. The last time Army had four or fewer players catch passes in a game came against East Carolina a year ago when Alexander, Murphy, Ulekowski and Jones combined for all 17 completions.

Keeping it in the Family
Army's 2005 grid roster features five pairs of brothers, including two sets of identical twins. Twins Sean and Chris Grevious are entering their junior seasons as members of the Army secondary, and both are listed as a primary backup at cornerback. Twins Frank and Jon Scappaticci are vying for roster spots as plebes, with Frank working out at linebacker and Joe battling for a spot at wide receiver. Junior tight end Tim Dunn, who lettered last year while appearing in nine games, returns as a backup to starter Jared Ulekowski while younger brother Kevin, a sophomore, is attempting to work his way up the depth chart at quarterback. Meanwhile, David and Alex Clamon each figure to shoulder prominent roles on Army's defensive unit, with junior Alex slotted in along the defensive front at both tackle and end. David, a senior linebacker, is a significant special teams contributor. Sophomore quarterback Patrick McDonald is joined on the squad this season by younger brother Charlie, a plebe linebacker.

"Local" Products
The Black Knights also feature a trio of players who grew up within the shadow the Military Academy. They are junior offensive guard Matt Weisner (East Fishkill, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes H.S.), junior wide receiver Mike Castelli (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel H.S.) and freshman wide receiver Joe LeForte (Tuxedo, N.Y./James I. O'Neill H.S.).

Strong Bloodlines
The names of two members of Army's sophomore class should be familiar to National Football League followers. While WR Jeremy Trimble's father, Steven, played defensive back for the Denver Broncos, Denver Gold (USFL) and Chicago Bears from 1981-1987, LB Marcus Millen's father, Matt, played linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins from 1980-91and now serves as President and CEO of the Detroit Lions. Bruce Brown's father, Bruce, played football at the University of Miami and signed as a free agent with the New York Jets in 1971.

Position Changes
During the offseason, Bobby Ross juggled some of his personnel in hopes of improving the team for 2005. The primary changes surrounded Ross' move to a new 4-3 defensive alignment and the dissolution of the "whip" position. Among the players who have changed surroundings include: senior Pete Bier (OG to C), sophomore Caleb Campbell (W to SS), senior Dan Evans (DT to OG), senior Taylor Justice (LB to DB), junior Ricky Lay (WR to RB), junior Luke Pell (W to LB), sophomore Charlie Rockwood (W to LB), senior Scott Wesley (WR to RB), senior Chuck Wilke (W to LB) and junior Grant Carriker (DT to OG).

Making an Immediate Impact
Four freshmen made the trip to Chestnut Hill, Mass., for Army's 2005 season opener. In uniform were DB Darren Newson, LB Pat Parziale, FB Tim Frye and WR Kenny Rackers. Newson, who serves as Army's "nickel" defensive back and also sees significant special teams duty, has drawn the most game time of Army's plebes through two contests. Newson did not register a tackle in the opener but posted two hits, including one tackle for loss, versus Baylor. Parziale is a special teams regular while Frye is listed as the primary backup to starter Mike Viti at fullback. Frye recorded his first career carry, for 5 yards, versus Baylor. While Frye holds the highest depth chart position at second-team fullback, classmates Newson, Mike Lemming (OT), Brandon Cox (OT), David Spanich (DT), Jonathan Douglas (KOR) and Andrew Reinhart (P) are all listed on the third team.

Purple Heart
Army freshman defensive back Heritier Diakabana, 21, is an Army veteran who served in Iraq. The walk-on earned a Purple Heart after he and members of his platoon were injured by a rocket-propelled grenade during a security mission in Baghdad in May 2004. Upon recovering from his injuries, Diakabana, who had applied for admission to West Point prior to being deployed to Iraq in January 2004, returned home and ultimately enrolled at the U.S. Military Academy Prep School for the 2004-05 academic year. Diakabana, who was born in Kinshasha, Zaire, fled to the United States with his mother, Eulalie, and five siblings in 1994 after their country became embroiled in a civil war. His father, Diakabana Joseph N'gwanya, had come to the U.S. in 1987 to earn his master's degree in accounting. The family settled in Pawtucket, R.I. Diakabana, who is fluent in English and French (his native language), attended Principia Union School in St. Louis, Mo. After enlisting in the Army, Diakabana began Basic Training in June 2002 and reported to Fort Hood, Texas, in January 2003.

Husker on the Hudson
Freshman kicker Jared Nielson arrives at West Point following two years at the University of Nebraska. A walk-on to the Huskers' football program, Nielson red-shirted as a freshman in 2003 before serving as the backup kicker for much of the 2004 campaign. He did not appear in a contest, and did not travel with the Cornhuskers to away games last fall. He is unable to compete this year due to NCAA transfer rules, and has two years of eligibility remaining.

New Addition to the Staff
Bobby Ross' 2004 Army coaching staff returned intact for 2005, with the exception of one spot. Recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach Tucker Waugh departed West Point this winter to join Walt Harris' staff at Stanford. Waugh was replaced by Dan Baranik (Shippensburg '84), who spent the past four seasons as head football coach of the U.S. Military Academy Prep School in Fort Monmouth, N.J. Baranik inherits Waugh's recruiting duties and will replace Waugh as coach of the wide receivers as well. Team Captains
Head coach Bobby Ross announced a quartet of seniors as team captains this offseason following a vote by the players. Center Pete Bier and running back Carlton Jones will provide the Black Knights' primary offensive leadership while defensive backs Ray Stith and Dhyan Tarver will serve in that capacity on the other side of the ball. Tarver has appeared in 36 games, earning 21 starts, while Stith boasts 17 starting assignments among his 32 game showings. Jones has played in 38 games with 28 starts and Bier has opened with the lead cast in 23 of his 26 career appearances.

[Isotopes]

You took the words right out of my mouth