Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/747744
40 NOV. 14, 2016 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI THE STREAK It was 1958 when Notre Dame lost most recently to the Army Black Knights in football, a 14‑2 setback. That was the final season Army had under coaching legend Earl "Red" Blaik, who led the Cadets to an 8‑0‑1 record and a No. 3 finish in the As‑ sociated Press poll, with Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins leading the charge. Since then, from 1965‑2010, the Fighting Irish and Army met 14 times in football, with Notre Dame winning each contest. The Irish out‑ scored Army 494‑79 in those meet‑ ings, an average score of 35.3‑5.6. Although there is a long way to go yet before breaking the NCAA‑ record 43‑game winning streak Notre Dame had in consecutive years against Navy from 1964‑2006, the current 14‑game run is the longest ac‑ tive Irish dominance against a team that is still competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision. In second place is a 10‑game win‑ ning streak versus Illinois from 1938‑68, eight apiece against Washing‑ ton (1948‑2009) and Tulane (1944‑71), and six versus Indiana (1951‑91). Whereas Army's streak of futility isn't a surprise against Notre Dame, a far more unnerving current 14‑game losing streak at West Point is the one to archrival Navy since 2002. It serves as a constant reminder of the football disparity between the two military brethren. Since 2003, Navy qualified for a bowl bid 12 of the 13 years (and likely 13th in 14 seasons this December) while averaging 8.5 wins per campaign. Conversely, in the 19 seasons from 1997‑2015, Army was 56‑167 for a .251 winning percentage, and its lone finish above .500 was a 7‑6 campaign in 2010, when it lost to Notre Dame 27‑3 in the Shamrock Series that was held in Yankee Stadium. Under third‑year head coach Jeff Monken, the more seasoned 2016 Ca‑ dets — 15 starters returned from last year (six on offense and nine on de‑ fense) — are in line with their 5‑3 start to at least break even, especially with a game against Morgan State Nov. 19. Army has come tantalizingly close to ending its losing streak to Navy the past several years, falling by scores of 27‑21 (2011), 17‑13 (2012), 17‑10 (2014) and 21‑17 (2015). That might also be a case of having greater familiarity with defending the triple option because of its own use of the scheme. Against Notre Dame, it's facing a different style and more highly recruited athletes. The losing streak against Navy likely would end sooner than the one versus Notre Dame. Monken has used two quarter‑ backs in junior starter Ahmad Brad‑ shaw and sophomore Chris Carter, whose passing last year against Navy (9 of 15 for 208 yards with a touch‑ down and an interception) nearly re‑ sulted in pulling off the upset. The top receiver "literally" is one of the most famous names in college football: senior 6‑4, 215‑pound Edgar Allan Poe. His 16 receptions last sea‑ son averaged 26.6 yards and included six touchdowns, but this year sopho‑ more brother Christian Poe matched his nine catches through eight games. Leading the defense is senior play‑ making linebacker Andrew King, who paced the Black Knights in tackles (92), tackles for loss (16.5) and sacks (4.5) in 2015. During the 5‑3 start this fall, King was the leader again with 60 GAME PREVIEW: ARMY Top STorylineS Senior wide receiver Edgar Allan Poe provides the Black Knights with a poetic figure, literally, but he also has great range with his 6-4 frame. Poe averaged 26.6 yards per catch last season while scoring six touchdowns, and he and brother Christian pace the team in catches with nine apiece through eight games this year. PHOTO COURTESY ARMY WEST POINT ATHLETICS