Shelbee’s Sunday Morning Quarterback #16: Record Setting Day for Army

Welcome to the sixteenth episode of Shelbee’s Sunday Morning Quarterback! Turning it over now to my husband, the Sunday Morning Quarterback with a recap of yesterday’s Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl where Army faced off against Houston.

Record Setting Day for Army

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

#22 Army Black Knights 70 – Houston Cougars 14

In a game that Army was supposed to be the underdog, they were anything but during this record setting day at the Armed Forces Bowl. Coming into the game at 10-2, Army was looking for its first ever 11 win season since the Service Academy started playing football in 1890. The senior class for Army started their freshman season as a ten loss team and since then have won 29 games, three straight bowl games, three straight games over Navy and back to back Commander-in-Chief’s trophies. It seemed only fitting that they walk off the field as the first team in school history to win 11 games in one season. Watching the game with my neighbor who is also in the military, I’ve never seen the Black Knights look so dominant running their triple option offense racking up over 500 yards rushing for the day. Army was so effective that they scored on all of their possessions minus one when they fumbled the ball but would return a Cougars fumble for a touchdown to make up for it.

Houston would receive the opening kickoff and get one first down before punting the ball to Army. Army would then chew 8 minutes off the clock in a standard 14 play 80 yard drive that ended when quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. would take it in from a yard out. Army 7-0. Following another Houston punt, Army would once again march 80 yards but would only take two plays this time as Hopkins Jr. would break a 77 yard run, cutting back across the field and dodging defenders along the way. Army 14-0.  After the kickoff, James Nachtigal would force a Clayton Tune fumble that would be recovered by Army’s Cameron Jones and returned 23 yards for another touchdown. Army 21-0. Nachtigal would have 16 tackles, 11 for loss, 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in an overpowering defensive performance for the Black Knights.

The Cougars would finally get on the board their next drive with Tune engineering a 9 play 77 yard drive ending in a 3 yard touchdown pass to Romello Brooker, cutting the Army lead to 21-7. The Black Knights’ next possession would take 3 plays and less than 2 minutes to score again with the big play being a 54 yard pass from Hopkins Jr. to Kjetil Kline to the 1 yard line were Hopkins again would take it in for a 28-7 lead. The Cougars would go 3 and out on their next possession after a Nachtigal forced fumble but Akyah Miranda would return the punt to the Houston 8 yard line, setting up 1st and goal for the Black Knights. Three plays later and Hopkins Jr. would find the end zone again and a 35-7 lead. Following another punt by Houston, Hopkins Jr. would drive the Black Knight offense 69 yards with Artice Hobbs IV hitting paydirt from 11 yards out and a 42-7 halftime lead.

Houston attempted an onside kick to start the half but Army recovered the ball inside Cougar territory and would only need 5 plays to go 47 yards before finding the end zone again. Hopkins Jr. would bowl over from the 1 yard line for his Armed Forces Bowl record 5th rushing touchdown and a 49-7 lead. Houston would be forced to punt again and the only Black Knight drive that didn’t end in a touchdown as Cam Thomas fumbled at the Cougar 18 yard line. The Cougars would do nothing with it though and would fall short on a 4th down attempt giving the ball back to the potent Army offense at the Houston 35 yard line. Six plays later, Connor Slomka would run it in from 3 yards out to give the Black Knights a 56-7 lead. Clayton Tune would fumble the ball on the next Houston possession and it was recovered by Army’s Julian McDuffie at the Army 46 yard line.

Cam Thomas in for the injured Hopkins Jr. would march the Black Knights 54 yards down the field in 8 plays before he would find an open Jordan Asberry for a 15 yard touchdown pass and a 63-7 lead. The Cougars answered on their next drive as Tune would lead them 74 yards in 13 plays before taking it in himself from 6 yards out and a 63-14 score. The Black Knights weren’t finished scoring though as another Cam Thomas-led drive would punctuate the score and the season for the Army Cadets. Moving them 75 yards in 7 plays including the final 20 on the ground himself to close out the scoring at 70-14.

Congratulations to the Black Knights on their historic Bowl game win and 2018 season.  Go Army Beat Navy!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas while I anticipate Penn State playing against Kentucky in the 73rd Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2019. Stay tuned for details of that game! Until then…

We Are…

Keeping it on the edge,

Jeff (and Shelbee)

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