Air Force, Navy want to prove something

Originally Published: September 30, 2004

Air Force and Navy enter Thursday night's game with chips on their shoulders.

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By Kirk Herbstreit
Special to ESPN.com
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Being and outsider, I've always wondered just how serious other service academy games are compared to the storied tradition of Army-Navy and I've been blown away this week at the incredible intensity of Air Force-Navy.

Air Force has always felt a little slighted when it comes to the national attention the Army-Navy game receives, and the rivalry has gotten even more heated since the Midshipmen ended the Falcons' six-year run as the holders of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy with a 28-25 victory last season.

Air Force may not get the recognition it deserves for dominating the competition among the service academies, but Navy also has a bone to pick because the Middies are out to prove that last year was not a fluke and that they are not intimidated by going to Colorado Springs. They come in having compiled a 4-0 record for the first time since 1979.

Be sure to tune in and keep the channel locked in because this game is going to be over in about three hours. Navy and Air Force rank seven and eighth nationally, respectively, in rushing offense and this will be a showcase for triple option football.

When Navy has the ball...
The Navy offense features nine senior starters and is led by first-year starting quarterback Aaron Polanco, who can direct the option attack and is a better passer than most would think. Receivers Amir Jenkins and Jason Tomlinson can stretch the field, so look for coach Paul Johnson to get them into one-on-one matchups he can exploit from time to time.

Navy's best offensive player is 5-foot-11, 240-pound fullback Kyle Eckel, nicknamed "The Diesel" because of his lower body strength. The Middies like to establish the fullback in order to get the defense keying on him and open up things for the quarterback reading the pitch, a philosophy that got Eckel 176 yards on 33 carries in last year's Air Force game.

They will also try to get the ball as often as possible into the hands of running back Eric Roberts, the only player in Navy history with 1,000 career yards both rushing and receiving.

The Air Force defense has been gutted by the run this season, ranking 88th nationally in run defense at 201.3 yards per game, and the Falcons are going to have to make a strong commitment to stopping Navy's option. Air Force is incredibly young on that side of the ball and defensive coordinator Richard Bell has streamlined his system in order to free up the thinking of his players and turn them loose to run to the ball.

Defending the option means playing assignment football and Air Force will come at Polanco in a lot of different ways to pressure him as he makes his option reads.

When Air Force has the ball...
Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney earlier this season became the first freshman QB ever to start a season opener for the Falcons, and like Polanco he can add another dimension to the offense with his throwing ability. Carney already has three 100-yard passing games this season, which is impressive for a triple-option quarterback.

Carney may only be 5-9, 195, but he has a very good understanding of the reads and assignments on the option and is very good at getting the ball to an interchangeable group of backs that includes Anthony Butler and Darnell Stephens.

The Navy defense is the part of the team that has improved the most and is a big reason the Midshipmen are unbeaten right now. They are a veteran group with seven senior starters and much faster as a whole than in recent years after moving guys around to get more quickness at certain positions.

Keep and eye on linebackers David Mahoney and Bobby McClarin, who will have to be effective against Carney when he has the ball on the option. Safety Jeremy McGown will have the most difficult job on defense, though, because his assignment is to fill the lane when Carney comes down the line on the option. The hard part will be staying disciplined enough to remember that Carney has some throwing ability and can pull up and throw the ball over and behind the defense.

Kirk Herbstreit is an analyst for ESPN's College GameDay and a regular contributor to ESPN.com during the college football season.