RU's last four opponents (ouch)

[goru7]

Army's style and lack of repeat league opponents defo helped but they were running option all the years they were losing.

Monken's big change was taking his Georgia Southern and Hawaii experience and recruiting the whole nation and especially the southern states. Ellerson had two players from Florida and a half dozen more from GA, Carolinas et al. By his third year Monken had almost 30 players from southern states. No more reliance on WRs from Newburgh and Croton.

Monken also worked the USMA brass over with Bo Corrigan. Since Ellerson coached at Hawaii with Paul Johnson he was not intimidated by West Point. Earlier coaches felt they had to defer to military brass and not make waves but Monken was like "You want to to coach and win or not? Players dont need to do USMA PT training while summer football camp." So the rules got changed - including the weight requirements that even Navy routinely waved with medical exemptions. Navy would have 6 300+lb players on roster and Army's biggest guy would be 270. As I wrote above, Moken was a driver of the whole Army football train. A lot of little changes made for big changes.

Monken is also really smart. Ask him what happened on any play and he wont say "I have to see the video." He'll say a play didn't work because a tackle used his hands wrong when blocking the edge. I don't know how he did it but he always had answers.

I know Army has an edge not playing big teams in a league every year. But at the same time the players they get are mostly low/no stars who still need some academic promise (more guys do get in trouble with less strict demands). Monken gets the players to have an OG attitude. They come to play and dont care who against. The days of losing to Stony Brook and Yale dont happen anymore. Of course since the NCAA basically banned the option they have to work around that at a time when many people dont want to join military (which was never even true when wars were on).

You are pointing to a success story among the academies discussing Army and also as Air Force seems to be having a break out year as well this year. Monkey is and has shown he is a great coach.

However , doubt he would beat Ohio State , Michigan or Penn State if he had to play them every year without fail. The BIG 10 East has been close to the best division in college football the last 5 years especially at the very top. We just didn’t have the talent, the depth , the skill or frankly the coaching to compete for most of the last 10 years . Our 2014 team was dynamic and had a ton of skill and talent and coaching with Friedgen . Not so much since.

This is the first year I see depth like we have never had in the last 8 years at RB , offensive line , defensive line and linebackers. We also have the best safety we have had since Girault and McCourtey in Flip Dixon . He is a tremendous difference maker , as just last week , he made 2 huge breakups to prevent Wisconsin TD’s. The rest of the secondary is playing well although a little disappointed in Max Melton. That is why there is a chance to break through this year. Gavin is growing up in front of our eyes. He had his worst game of the year against Wisconsin , his most inaccurate game but before that I loved his progress compared to last year. Especially against Michigan where he played real well but unfortunately our defense with at least 6 breakdowns had its worst game of the year. Despite it all , 2 horrendous terrible play calls , changed the course of both the Michigan and Wisconsin games . Neither play should have been called.

Now that Kirk has seen that Gavin can get the plays called and almost eliminate false starts and delay of games , can hit the 1 option routes , can step up in the pocket to avoid the rush and slide left and right to avoid a sack with only 2 on the year, his legs are a weapon that defensive coordinators have to account for , and now our offensive line against Michigan and Wisconsin has held up pretty well in pass protection , it is time to open up the whole field and use the middle of the field to make things easier for Gavin and less predictable. It is time for misdirection and Motion and stacking wide receivers to get the guys downfield for chunk plays. Schiano will look a lot better if Kirk can get Gavin there this year. Big challenge

 

[yesrutgers01]

You are pointing to a success story among the academies discussing Army and also as Air Force seems to be having a break out year as well this year. Monkey is and has shown he is a great coach.

However , doubt he would beat Ohio State , Michigan or Penn State if he had to play them every year without fail. The BIG 10 East has been close to the best division in college football the last 5 years especially at the very top. We just didn’t have the talent, the depth , the skill or frankly the coaching to compete for most of the last 10 years . Our 2014 team was dynamic and had a ton of skill and talent and coaching with Friedgen . Not so much since.

This is the first year I see depth like we have never had in the last 8 years at RB , offensive line , defensive line and linebackers. We also have the best safety we have had since Girault and McCourtey in Flip Dixon . He is a tremendous difference maker , as just last week , he made 2 huge breakups to prevent Wisconsin TD’s. The rest of the secondary is playing well although a little disappointed in Max Melton. That is why there is a chance to break through this year. Gavin is growing up in front of our eyes. He had his worst game of the year against Wisconsin , his most inaccurate game but before that I loved his progress compared to last year. Especially against Michigan where he played real well but unfortunately our defense with at least 6 breakdowns had its worst game of the year. Despite it all , 2 horrendous terrible play calls , changed the course of both the Michigan and Wisconsin games . Neither play should have been called.

Now that Kirk has seen that Gavin can get the plays called and almost eliminate false starts and delay of games , can hit the 1 option routes , can step up in the pocket to avoid the rush and slide left and right to avoid a sack with only 2 on the year, his legs are a weapon that defensive coordinators have to account for , and now our offensive line against Michigan and Wisconsin has held up pretty well in pass protection , it is time to open up the whole field and use the middle of the field to make things easier for Gavin and less predictable. It is time for misdirection and Motion and stacking wide receivers to get the guys downfield for chunk plays. Schiano will look a lot better if Kirk can get Gavin there this year. Big challenge

Great post

Also- in regard to Army...And they were always my Wife's favorite away game. She loved to flirt with the young officers as they always just acted with such grace with everyone.
Army has improved tremendously and now it has become a regular thing that they are winning the Army Navy games. But anyone that thinks they could hold up in the B1G or similar conference(heck- even the B1G West) - is crazy. Since 2019 they are 1-8 against P5 teams. And that is with playing a fairly soft schedule for most their other games.
I don't say this to disrespect them but to bring some of our posters back to reality. We play in the toughest division in College football. And in most years- we have been dealt the toughest of the West teams too.

 

[ashokan]

You are pointing to a success story among the academies discussing Army and also as Air Force seems to be having a break out year as well this year. Monkey is and has shown he is a great coach.

However , doubt he would beat Ohio State , Michigan or Penn State if he had to play them every year without fail. The BIG 10 East has been close to the best division in college football the last 5 years especially at the very top. We just didn’t have the talent, the depth , the skill or frankly the coaching to compete for most of the last 10 years . Our 2014 team was dynamic and had a ton of skill and talent and coaching with Friedgen . Not so much since.

This is the first year I see depth like we have never had in the last 8 years at RB , offensive line , defensive line and linebackers. We also have the best safety we have had since Girault and McCourtey in Flip Dixon . He is a tremendous difference maker , as just last week , he made 2 huge breakups to prevent Wisconsin TD’s. The rest of the secondary is playing well although a little disappointed in Max Melton. That is why there is a chance to break through this year. Gavin is growing up in front of our eyes. He had his worst game of the year against Wisconsin , his most inaccurate game but before that I loved his progress compared to last year. Especially against Michigan where he played real well but unfortunately our defense with at least 6 breakdowns had its worst game of the year. Despite it all , 2 horrendous terrible play calls , changed the course of both the Michigan and Wisconsin games . Neither play should have been called.

Now that Kirk has seen that Gavin can get the plays called and almost eliminate false starts and delay of games , can hit the 1 option routes , can step up in the pocket to avoid the rush and slide left and right to avoid a sack with only 2 on the year, his legs are a weapon that defensive coordinators have to account for , and now our offensive line against Michigan and Wisconsin has held up pretty well in pass protection , it is time to open up the whole field and use the middle of the field to make things easier for Gavin and less predictable. It is time for misdirection and Motion and stacking wide receivers to get the guys downfield for chunk plays. Schiano will look a lot better if Kirk can get Gavin there this year. Big challenge

Army played Ohio St in 2017 and lost 38-7 (Greg was DC at the time - he was always an option killer)
The same year RU lost to Ohio 57-0 (RU was 4-1 at the time).
The same year RU also lost to Eastern Michigan 20-17 in OT (EMU was a good team)
Army beat Eastern Michigan that year 28-27.

Its True Army wouldn't thrive in B1G East, but RU, IL, IN and a few others cant get any lift either
But the rest of majority of P5 is mediocre
Most teams have a couple studs
Army had a guy Make #2 in nation for sacks in 2021 (15) and he made Vike's roster
Saftey Elijah Riley made Steelers roster this year
Army's 11-2 team was really good and thats the year they lost to #5 Oklahoma 28-21 OT.

The thing that hurts RU and Army the same way is injuries.
A couple guys go down and season tanks (Cruickshank, Paul James et al)
Right now I think RU beats Army with the blocking rule changes but it wouldn't be a blowout imo
But I dont see RU and Army as that different overall
The difference is Monken knows both sides of the ball and he makes 2 stars play like 4 stars
It would be interesting to see Greg run Army for 4 years and Monken run RU for 4 years