

Operation Black September: The 1977 Army Football Team

By Mike Belter

Published by Mike Belter

Copyright 2018 Mike Belter

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### Prologue – Go Army!!! Beat Navy!!!

Go Army!!! Beat Navy!!!

By the time I finished my first two months at West Point, those words echoed around the Cadet Barracks area constantly, as we would double-time into the Cadet Mess Hall past the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. I looked forward to attending my first Army Football game. It was in September 1973 against the University of Tennessee. The Volunteers were favored by 17 points and ranked #10 in the nation; but the Cadets on the football field put on a display of offensive firepower and never gave up. Our senior quarterback, Kingsley Fink, set an Army record that day for passing yards. I was hooked on Army Football!!!

The 1973 football season for Army was the worst one ever. We had lost nine games in a row; and we faced a Navy team that had won only three games but was favored by two touchdowns. Beat Navy! Go Army! Beat the Middies!! We plebes yelled from morning to night before the game. We went into the bowels of Washington Hall, we put our money down to bet a Cadet bathrobe for a Midshipmen one. We screamed, we yelled, we went hoarse. Army lost in the worst defeat ever to Navy, 0-51.

We got a new head football coach, Homer Smith, a genius who used the wishbone attack at UCLA extremely effectively. We ran the option attack. We yelled and screamed at Michie each Saturday. I traveled to South Bend and Durham to see away games with Notre Dame and Duke. We yelled for the tall plebe quarterback with the rifle arm and his swift receivers to lead passing attacks and touchdowns late in several games. We only won three games in 1974, but things would get better. Slowly, ever so slowly, we would soon find out.

Army scored 98 points in winning the first two games in 1975, but they were the only victories that year, though I got to visit Stanford and the Air Force Academy. 1976 was much better, winning five, with several games that we should have won. We lost to Navy, again, a losing streak for four straight years.

My senior year, the world was a lot better. Our football team won five of six games at home in Michie Stadium; our team lost to the eventual national champion and last year's national champion, but never gave up; the squad braved the rarified air of Colorado Springs and routed the Air Force; and we all survived the bitter cold by beating the Navy! After losing four bathrobes in four seasons, I bet and won five Midshipmen bathrobes, four given as gifts for Christmas. I still have the remaining one. And the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy was back in the Cadet Mess Hall, just like when I arrived as a New Cadet.

I have continued to follow Army Football and its other sports teams through the years. I attended Army's first bowl game in 1984; and four others since; missing only two bowl games. I attended my fifth Army bowl game in December 2017, watching the Black Knights win the game on a two-point conversion with 18 seconds left for their tenth victory of the 2017 season.

Four years ago, I spent about 18 months researching and writing a book about Army's first national championship team. Not the one in 1944, but thirty years before in 1914. I did that for the 83 men who were coaches and players on that team who are no longer with us. The NCAA in its college football record book recognizes Army as the 1914 national champion, but the undefeated, untied 1914 Army Football team is not yet recognized in Michie Stadium beside the 1944, 1945, and 1946 national championship teams. Someday, they will.

So, there I was in 2016, within twenty yards of where Army West Point, on fourth down and goal in overtime, a pitch to the halfback who then crossed the goal line and won the Heart of Dallas Bowl Game. On the drive home from Texas and Oklahoma, I thought about how it made me feel. I woke up on New Year's Day 2017 with an inspiration to document the best Army Football team of the 1970's. Do it now rather than leave it for someone in 2077 to write a book when we are long gone. Do it in honor of my classmates on the team and the other men who were coaches, players, and key support staff. My idea was accepted by the two Co-Captains, and thus this book began. I received lots of support from my classmates and everyone I wrote or spoke to.

It is amazing how history tends to repeat itself. In researching the 1914 Army Football team, I found no concise player roster of who was on the team. For that team, I had to use multiple sources to identify the 67 players from that team. Even so, I excluded several individuals who played on what was then called the Cullum Hall football team; what today would be a junior varsity squad, because there was no evidence that they were ever on the varsity team or played during the 1914 season.

I should not have that problem with the 1977 team. For the most part, there was no issue. Almost every roster I found consistently listed about the same fifty individuals. However, I found 35 rosters created from spring practice to the Navy game; plus about two depth charts for each game; plus Army records containing game line-ups of starters and who else played, and a table of how many minutes played for each game during the season. I also found information on who played on the combined junior varsity / plebe squad that year. Plus I looked through the annual _Howitzer_ yearbooks to see what each graduate indicated in their short Cadet biography what they participated in. I ended up with a listing of 166 Cadets involved with Army Football during the 1977 season.

Using the information of who played, I split the 166 Cadets into three listings – those 72 individuals that played in one or more varsity games as the members of the 1977 Army Football team; the 74 individuals who did not play in a varsity game, whom I listed under the junior varsity / plebe squad; and the remaining 20 Cadets who played during spring practice before being cut.

I also surveyed those I placed on the junior varsity / plebe squad if I had their email addresses, and not a one claimed they had played in a varsity game. A few did identify that they had dressed for one or more varsity games, many confirming the game day rosters that I had. There is a chance I might have made an error on an individual or two. These mistakes are mine and unintentional.

In researching records at West Point in June 2017, I found the original play-by-play and a corrected copy for each game during the 1977 season. I used the corrected copy, but sometimes there was an error or two not corrected, like differences between what the play gained and the yards to gain on the next play.

Sometimes there were other errors on the play-by-play. For example, at the start of the second quarter of the Navy game, the play-by-play says that [Greg] King rushed up the middle for six yards. Watching the video tape of the game, one can clearly see #40 [Jim Merriken] rush the ball. So there are likely to be a few other errors in this book, so I will apologize to anyone I have accidently offended.

What you have in your hands or reading from a screen is what I think happened during the 1977 season, and related events before and afterward. I think it tells the story of a really special group of men who came together and achieved a wonderful thing and won a lot of games that other Army teams in other seasons had not accomplished. I am really proud of what they did. You should be too.

Go Army!!! Beat Navy!!!

Mike Belter, December 27, 2017

Chapter 1  
Operation Black September – September 3-4, 1977

It was a clear, dark, and moonless Saturday night in the Hudson highlands as most of the 9,000 souls who lived at West Point were about to settle into their beds, after a hot, end-of-summer day, with a high of 91 degrees. For the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point, it was Labor Day weekend, a three-day break before they would begin classes on Tuesday.

For most of the seniors and probably half of the juniors and a quarter of the sophomores, they had left after the parade on Friday or morning duties on Saturday for New York City, the Jersey shores, friends' homes, or other parts known and unknown, to get away from the gray landscape that dominates their Cadet life. For the plebes, the Cadet name for freshmen, they had just began their third month of a 47 month grind; but at least they were no longer New Cadets and they hoped that academics would give them relief from the fourth class system.

A group of about a hundred young men had spent their last two or three weeks out at Camp Buckner in preseason football drills. For them, they had spent their day in a final drill, packed their belongings, and convoyed back to West Point to move into their Cadet Barracks' room and get ready for the new semester.

About two dozen members of the squad, mostly the starters, had been told by one the two Co-Captains to quietly meet on the 50-yard line at Michie Stadium before midnight and to travel there in groups of two or three in order to not attract the attention of anyone. Some of the selected that evening got their room in order, some may have went to the hop (dance) that night, some may have went to Grant or Ike Hall for an evening snack, and at least one of the group took a nap.

So the two dozen players left the barracks or Ike Hall or wherever in twos and threes, some looking like they were going out for a jog around post; others walking up the steep steps to the Cadet Chapel. Not attracting anyone's attention. "We risked our butts to get in there. If we got caught, there's no telling what they'd have done to us," said one player at the end of the season.

The first men to arrive at the stadium found the stadium gates locked. Others began to arrive, and a small group had gathered, and some were worried about attracting attention should a military police vehicle or a noisy Army Officer were to drive by. Some were thinking about leaving, perhaps their Co-Captains had been merely testing them or joking around.

Mike Castelli, the placekicker, arrived and unlocked the gate, "as a kicker, I sometimes wanted to practice kicking through the goal posts at various times outside of scheduled practices. So the equipment manager, Dickie Hall, had given me a key to the stadium." Forty years later, Castelli remarked, "If we did not have a way to get in, this whole thing might not happened."

But the Co-Captains were already inside Michie Stadium, and had completed the first step of their plans for this evening on the visiting team's locker room entry door. Leamon Hall and Chuck D'Amico waited quietly for everyone to gather at the painted Corps of Cadets logo in the center of the field. One of their number had truly fell asleep, and they waited patiently for him to arrive.

***

Flash back to the 1976 Army Football season (5-6). In those six losses, there were times in each game where the Cadets, had they not been intercepted, had they not fumbled the football, had they made that first down, had they stopped and tackled that rusher or receiver the way they had practiced and trained for, had they moved instead of hesitating, or had they done a number of other things, and the outcome could have been an Army victory rather than a defeat.

Well maybe not a win against the eventual national champion Pittsburgh squad. But there were times in the games against Penn State and Boston College. And North Carolina and Navy. And Tulane too. Yes, especially the Tulane game, for at least one player.

During the Tulane game at the Louisiana Superdome, Army busted out in the first quarter to a 10-0 lead and probably should have scored two or three times more in the first half. Players were coming off the field thinking and saying that the Cadets would have an easy time in winning this game. They started to lose focus. Tulane closed the gap to 10-6 at halftime, and went on to beat Army, 23-10, scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter.

The bad taste of this and other games in other seasons got Co-Captain Leamon Hall and others thinking that Army Football players really did not know how to win. The seniors had only tasted victory in ten games over the last three or four seasons. The players had heard this from the officers and other graduates – "play respectable and look good," losing to the top football teams. But the Cadets were losing to teams that Army should be competitive with, while also losing to teams that the Cadets should beat handily.

Hall explored his ideas in some academic papers later that year. He talked to his teammates about winning again. He found that several of his classmates were equally frustrated. "Several of us in senior positions on the 1976 team felt the same as Leamon and it was a major topic of discussion through and into the off season," said Co-Captain Chuck D'Amico, "HOW DO WE TURN THIS AROUND? Mindset, attitude, dedication... all needed an adjustment. So tired of being on the wrong side after the final whistle blew."

"As Co-Captains, Leamon and I took the lead," continued D'Amico, "Our Mission was quite simple, keep everyone's mind and eye on the ball... One Prize. Create, build and grow an off-season comradery that we had not experienced in prior years. We both had different approaches. Mine was to get EVERYONE, as much as possible (which was a lot), into the weight room together... to team up, absorb ethic from one another, push each other, work towards a common mission, understand what made each other tick and to bond."

During the preseason football camp at Buckner, the two Co-Captains would meet in the late evenings on the dock of Lake Popolopen. "We discussed the day on each of our respective sides of the ball," said D'Amico, "What was good... what was lacking... and most importantly... Why? We both agreed that spirit and effort was there, but the 'team-man-ship' wasn't developing fast enough. We needed an event. Something to carry into the season and last through-out. Some of the things we threw out to each other were pretty funny and we laughed. Ultimately, the concept of 'Blood Ball' emerged. Probably Leamon's idea as he has always been a more 'out of the box' thinker than I am. After all... He was a quarterback."

Hall said, after the season was over, that he came up with the idea, "I discussed it with Chuck [Blood Ball] and he loved it. The idea behind it was to get something to help unify our team as a person. It was just spontaneous. It was something that would help draw us together as one unit. It would give us a common bond." D'Amico added, "That togetherness may have been lacking in recent seasons. It's tough to come together as a team, especially at the academy. The only time we really get to see each other is at practice."

***

Sometime during the last week of preseason camp, they somehow and for some reason persuaded Lieutenant Colonel (Dr.) Protzman, the team physician, to draw a vial of blood from each of the Co-Captains. At the end of the season when told about all of this, Protzman said "I could have gone to jail for what I did if I had known what they were going to use it for." Likewise, the Co-Captains obtained from Dick Hall, the equipment manager, a football with a white panel on the side.

***

Leamon and Chuck spoke to the gathering in hushed tones. They talked about why they were standing in the middle of Michie around midnight. About the goals they each wanted to accomplish during the season as a team and for each other. Others spoke about their frustrations of previous seasons and the need to work together. They spoke of the need for commitment from each player. Team and individual goals were agreed upon and set. Then the Co-Captains carefully explained what they proposed to have each person present do to affirm their commitment to the effort.

D'Amico pulled out the football out of a bag and Hall pulled out a razor blade. Each cut their respective right thumb, spoke from the heart in vows for team and each other, pressed their thumbs together, and then placed their bloody thumbprint on the football's white panel. One of them held it up and declared it officially as the Blood Ball. The Co-Captains had pledged to their teammates that they would fight to their last breath to win each and every game, to play each play like it was their last one ever.

Two by two, typically an offensive and defensive player; took the razor and sliced their own thumb; each made the vow; and signed the petition with a thumbprint on the Blood Ball. The players together made an oath to give their best throughout the season to win each game and were accountable to their Blood Brother and the team. The players would vow to make the 1977 season a successful season.

The Co-Captains led a discussion of the actions that they would follow during the season. Before each game, each Blood Brother would put a band aid on their right thumb before they ran out onto the field. They would pair up, touching the scars on their thumbs together. "I would see a teammate before a game looking for his Blood Brother along the sideline before the start of a game, trying to be discrete," said Hall.

They would induct one or two more players the Friday evening before each game, sometimes more, depending upon what they did in the last game or the week of practice. There were 50 or 60 bloody thumbprints on the Blood Ball at the end of the season.

Forty years later, Hall recalled the Friday night before the game at Boston College, "Gene McIntyre had not yet been inducted for some reason. But somehow, he sensed something was amiss. Maybe his roommate or best friend on the team, or someone did something or said something that caught his eye. He came up to me about this, that something was up and he was not part of it, and I felt he might take his concerns to the coaches or someone else. So we decided to induct Gene that evening. It was the right decision based upon how he played from then on."

D'Amico was responsible for securing the Blood Ball throughout the season, normally keeping it in his locker. He would carry it out onto the field each game, wrapped in a black plastic bag, and hand it to Dickie Hall for storage during the game. Dickie knew it was a ball by its shape, but never asked about its significance.

The Co-Captains explained that everyone involved had to maintain a cone of secrecy. The coaches do not know about this, and will not know about it until after the last game of the season. No one except a Blood Brother would have knowledge about this activity until after the season was over, not a coach, a trainer, and any other player, roommate, or Cadet who was not a Blood Brother. Not anyone.

The secrecy continues today. Forty years later, I asked Mike Castelli 'who was your Blood Brother?' – He wrote, "You better ask D'Amico and Hall if we can talk about this." When Chuck and I approached Mike at a recent Army Football game, Mike still would not tell me.

"No one knew but the players," said Homer Smith, who didn't learn of the pact until the season was over, "They'd been tested and whipped a few times in the past, but they vowed they were not going to come apart. It was ingenious of the captains."

Being Cadets and being part of the United States Army, someone asked what their group would call this operation, so as to keep it a secret from others. Yes, the Co-Captains agreed, a code word had to be found, as we should not use the word 'blood' as that might give their secret away.

A number of names were proposed, some getting some laughs. Someone pointed out how dark it was tonight, and proposed Black September. A few other names were discussed, but Black September appeared to be a perfect code word for the operation. Anyone overhearing it would not be able to conclude anything about its meaning.

***

**SIDENOTE:** The Cadets present in September 1977 at Michie Stadium did not know the significance of the name 'Black September' on the world stage. Leamon Hall told me that someone told him about that connection about three or six months after the season was over. Remember, the Cadets present were in junior or senior high school when the Black September terrorist group attacked, kidnapped, and killed the eleven Israeli athletes and officials and the West German policeman at the 1972 Olympic Games. They did not connect that act of terrorism with the name of the terrorist organization. In fact, the terrorist group itself stole it from the name used to refer to a 1970 conflict in Jordan.

***

The Co-Captains then explained that they had sketched the ARMY A on the visiting team's locker room entry door prior to their teammates' arrival tonight. They led the group over to the entrance of the locker room, and took out the two vials of blood and emptied the contents into a plastic bag. One by one, each Blood Brother dipped their finger into the blood-filled bag and painted a portion of the Army A on the Blood Door.

When asked what Black September meant to them, forty years later, here are a few responses from players on the 1977 team:

"Eternal brotherhood," by Bill Duelge.

"Teammates for life," by Chuck Schott.

"Black September was about commitment and accountability, that's how we should live our life!" by Phil Macklin.

"Commitment!!! Especially to your word," by Mike Castelli.

"It meant that there was no giving less than maximum effort. It didn't matter if you were actually on the field or not. You had to support as hard as you could," by Gene McIntyre.

There is no list of who the Blood Brothers were or who was paired with who. Perhaps I could contact Abby on NCIS or one of her peers to run the fingerprints on the Blood Ball through the system. I won't. The players know.

A Blood Ball and a Blood Door led to Blood Brothers, and they became Blood Loyal, and they beat Navy and Air Force and five other opponents during the 1977 season, achieving a Blood Victory in each game. The players did the Corps, USMA, the Army, the fans, and each other proud in fighting to the end in the other four games and in all 44 quarters of the season. Operation Black September was a success.

Chapter 2  
Beat Navy – The 1890-1972 Army Football Seasons

It's all about Beating the Navy

"Beat Navy!!!" Walk around the West Point grounds any weekend with Cadets present, and you will hear this phrase repeated over and over again. It is proudly displayed on the roof of Cullum Hall, on the scoreboard of Michie Stadium, and on the front porches of many grand quarters on post. There is a Beat Navy pedestrian tunnel under Washington Road between the Cadet Barracks and Eisenhower Hall. Every New Cadet each summer in Beast Barracks learns to shout this seriously and with vigor.

The history of Army Football, as well as every Army varsity sport and many other competitive endeavors (such as Rhode Scholarships, fund raising, and even the annual Army-Navy blood drive), revolves around one core objective and driver of every Army team and individual effort, is to "Beat Navy!!!"

Understanding this helps explain why a head coach who has his second straight winning season is let go after with one year on his contract, because his Army Football team had lost three straight times to Navy. It also explains why many a grad would tolerate losing every game in a season except the last one. It helps to understand that the feeling is mutual and opposite on the Navy side, and that for most of the rivalry, even teams with no wins play their hearts out to beat the other academy. So with a focus on Beat Navy, let us quickly review the long and winding road of Army Football history.

The Early Games

The United States Military Academy (USMA) was late among most Eastern colleges and universities in forming a football team and competing with other institutions. Some Cadets attempted to organize football teams during the late 1880s, but there was so little time available between classes, drills, parades, and studying, and ultimately no interest by the Academic Board on the need for organized athletics. Nevertheless, the Classes of 1891 and 1892 organized two teams that competed against each other on Thanksgiving Day 1889 and battled to a scoreless tie.

Several Cadets realized that there was only one college that would cause the authorities to allow intercollegiate play, the United States Naval Academy. Navy had played football with other schools since 1879. Several Cadets claimed that they wrote friends at Annapolis to encourage them, according to Alexander Weyand in the _Assembly_ alumni magazine in October 1955, including Palmer Pierce '91, Henry Whitney '92, and a young junior named Dennis Michie '92 with connections. Michie realized that there was an unspoken rivalry with the Naval Academy in each's ability to develop officers for the Army and Navy to serve the nation.

The Cadet Manager of the Navy football team, Midshipman William McGrann, obtained permission to send a challenge to West Point. Many of his friends thought it was rather clever of him to propose a scheme that would allow him and several Midshipmen to get away from Annapolis for a few days. But the authorities arranged for the team to arrive at West Point on the day of the game, though they did allow them to stay for the Saturday hops before catching an overnight train back to Maryland.

Michie was born at West Point and spent his childhood there, as his classmate John Palmer described in the _Assembly_ in January 1943, and knew all the professors and their families. Upon receipt of the challenge from Annapolis, Michie began to lobby his father, Lieutenant Peter Michie, Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, and the senior member of the Academic Board (there was no Dean at the time), to persuade the Academic Board and the USMA Superintendent, Colonel John Wilson, to accept the challenge. "Old Pete" was finally persuaded by his son, and then was able to win a majority of the Board and Wilson's and Commandant Hamilton Hawkins' approvals to play the game.

Michie had only about six weeks to prepare for a game, and received little institutional support. Only two others (Leonard Prince '92 and Butler Ames '94) had ever played organized football, but almost two dozen Cadets (out of about 271 in the Corps at the time) were able to practice on Saturday only if rain cancelled drills. Michie also had them wake up thirty minutes before reveille for a jog around The Plain. The Corps each contributed 52 cents out of their meager pay to offset half the travel costs of the Naval Cadets. Navy had a veteran team and came to West Point with an 8-2-2 winning record over the 1889-1890 seasons.

The game on November 29, 1890 found the Cadets with only the raw talent of individual strength and prowess, and the experienced Midshipmen dominated play from the beginning. Still, Navy could only generate five touchdowns and two conversions, scoring 12 points in each half, and winning 24-0 with a crowd of about one thousand as witnesses. Major newspapers in New York City relayed the results throughout the nation and this ignited much excitement among the American public.

Reaction was quick and swift among West Point graduates, demanding that the Military Academy play a rematch next year. Army Officers, subjected to unmerciful kidding by Naval Officers in New York City after the Cadet loss, quickly organized their own football team to play the Naval Officers, a game that Army won 4-0 on December 6th. A rubber game was played on December 20th, with Army winning 12-0. Infuriated by this turn of events, the Naval Officers suggested staging an indoor game at Madison Square Garden, but the Army Officers declined. Seven West Pointers played on this team, and six eventually became General Officers.

The graduates organized what would become the Army Athletic Association (AAA) in early 1891, and dues came from the regiments throughout the Army. A recent Yale graduate and football star, Harry L. Williams, who was teaching at a school in Newburgh, was contracted to come to West Point twice a week to provide coaching. Five games were scheduled at West Point to provide preparation work prior to game against Navy. The Cadets on the 1891 team gained experience and won three, tied the Princeton Reserves, and lost only to Rutgers. It was reported that some of the biggest cheerleaders during these games were the Professors from the Academic Board.

Seventeen Cadets was authorized to travel to Annapolis, accompanied by Dr. Williams who was able to come after the Cadet Manager, William Anderson, gave up his train ticket and stayed at West Point. The Army Football team upset the favored Navy team (5-1-0) by a score of 32-16 before about three thousand fans, satisfying the burning desire for revenge.

There was no radio to provide a play by play to the members of the Corps of Cadets in 1891, who could not attend the game at Annapolis. A substitute, Johnnie Woodward, was assigned to send a telegram after each score. Army scored its first touchdown (Elmer Clark '93) and Woodward sent the 6-0 score by telegram. Navy tied it, and another telegram showed the 6-6 score. Michie then kicked a field goal, and Johnnie sent the 10-6 halftime score to West Point.

But then no telegrams were further received, as Johnnie became so excited, he forgot to send any more reports until after supper. The Corps marched to the Mess Hall for supper, clueless of what the result of the game was, and someone found a late afternoon New York newspaper reporting that Navy had won the game. As the Corps marched back to barracks, disappointed, and stood for the Saturday night inspection, the Cadet Quartermaster, Jim Jervey '92, ran up to First Captain Charles Summerall with a telegram, who calmly announced "final score, Army 32, Navy 16, dismiss your companies." As you can imagine, not every Cadet was that excited by Army Football, even this future Army Chief of Staff.

The Army Football team returned to West Point on Sunday afternoon, with the Corps greeting the team at the rail station and escorting them up the hill to Old Pete's quarters for a brief celebration. After supper, the Corps followed the USMA Band north of the barracks and were authorized to light a bonfire and dance around it. Prior to Tattoo, a Cadet took command of the band and marched the band and Corps to the Supe's house and then along Professor's row, stopping at each for speeches and songs. Some were vacant, no doubt the resident Army Officer celebrating the Army victory at the Club. The Cadets returned to barracks just before Taps, most going to bed, some hiding lights to study for Monday classes, and others still celebrating late into that night.

Perhaps the members of the USMA Academic Board felt that this grand experiment on football was over. Certainly USMA leadership would have a love and hate relationship and varying levels of support to Army Football through its history. But with overwhelming support from USMA graduates and Cadets, the now graduated Second Lieutenant Dennis Michie coached the 1892 team to a 3-0-1 record and held Navy scoreless in the first half on The Plain at West Point before 5,000 fans. Navy recovered in the second half and its two stars scored touchdowns, leading to a 12-4 win.

The AAA recognized the need for good coaching and hired another Yale football man, Laurie Bliss, as coach; plus scheduled eight games at West Point for the 1893 season to prepare for Navy. The Cadets went 4-4-0, including losses to Yale and Princeton. The game at Annapolis with 8,000 present was again scoreless in the first half. It was decided by a missed conversion after touchdown, and Navy won 6-4.

The Cadets and Midshipmen left the field after shaking hands and started conversations with their new friends, but fights and shouting in the stands and in the coming days occurred between fans of each team. It was reported that a retired Admiral and retired General had such a heated argument at New York City's Army-Navy Club that each proposed a duel to resolve their differences.

This prompted the Secretary of War to bring to President Cleveland's Cabinet Meeting the issue of whether or not the Army-Navy game would continue. Yes, the nation's business would come to a standstill to address an issue at a service academy. It took two meetings of the Cabinet to decide that each service secretary would issue directives that each team could not travel from its grounds, thus preventing the continuance of the rivalry.

During the 1894-1898 football seasons, efforts were made each season to repeal the travel ban by many, but each Superintendent and service secretary stood fast. Army played other teams, including Brown in 1894 and Harvard in 1895 (both losses). But no Navy game at the end of the season happened, to the disappointment of graduates and Cadets.

The Rivalry Resumes in Philadelphia

The new McKinley administration took office in March 1899, and a commission was formed to address the Army-Navy issue. An agreement was made with all parties to resume the game, and the University of Pennsylvania offered to host it at Franklin Field. The Corps of Cadets was allowed to travel by train to Philadelphia for the game, and marched on the field before 27,000 fans. Navy was heavily favored, but coaching from former coaches Harry Williams and Harmon Graves installed new plays before the game. Army handily won 17-5. And so the decade of the 1890s ended with Navy ahead three wins to two losses.

After an 11-7 loss on the final play in 1900 to Navy, a three-time All-American and captain of Harvard's 1900 football team received a Congressional nomination to West Point, and that allowed Charlie Daly to extend his football playing career. Daly, a plebe, scored all the points in leading the Cadets to an 11-5 victory in 1901 in front of President Teddy Roosevelt in attendance. Daly quarterbacked Army again to another 22-8 victory in 1902, scoring a touchdown and field goal. Afterwards, Navy protested Daly's eligibility, so Cadet Daly became an assistant Cadet Coach instead, and Army beat Navy 40-5 and 11-0 in 1903 and 1904.

The service academies decided to change the venue in 1905 after playing six straight years in Philadelphia. The Brigade of Midshipmen arrived at Princeton just in time for the delayed kickoff, the President's train arrived a bit later, and the two teams settled for the first tie, 6-6, called because of darkness.

The games returned to Philadelphia. Navy then kept the Cadets scoreless in two straight victories, before Army's 6-4 upset in 1908. Due to Cadet Eugene Byrne's dying from injuries suffered in the 1909 Harvard game, West Point cancelled the remaining four games, include the one with Navy in Philadelphia. In the 1900s decade, Army won five games to Navy's three, plus the one tie, and the series record had Army slightly ahead, 7-6-1.

Navy won the next three games, all by field goals with Army being held scoreless. In response to these losses to Navy, Charlie Daly was offered the head football job with President Wilson approving his re-commissioning during his first days in office in March 1913. Daly returned for his second of three tours at West Point. Daly was a strict planner and mapped out each season on how to use every game to prepare his players for beating Navy.

While the 1913 season is most remembered for the first meeting with Notre Dame (a 13-35 loss), Daly's focus was always on beating Navy. And the future Hall of Fame coach did it four straight years (1913-1916), handily beating the Midshipmen each game before crowds of over 40,000 in three Polo Ground matches. Both the 1914 and 1916 Army Football teams were the first undefeated and untied seasons, and are recognized as national champions by the NCAA. No games were played with Navy during World War I, though a former Daly player, Hugh Mitchell, was head coach of the 1918 team that beat its lone opponent.

Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur became the USMA Superintendent in 1919, and Charlie Daly returned for his final tour with Army Football to a West Point with no upperclassmen and a lack of football talent due to the accelerated class graduations during the war. Navy won 6-0 in 1919, ending this decade with a 4-4-0 record with Army still leading the series 11-10-1.

The Roaring Twenties

During his tour as Superintendent, MacArthur proposed a 50,000 seat stadium along the Hudson River, believed to be near Target Hill Field. A more modest stadium with 16,000 permanent seats was built on a patch of meadow land adjacent to Lusk Reservoir in the shadow of historic Fort Putnam, just in time for the 1924 season. The previous 34 seasons had been played on The Plain, supplemented with temporary stands beginning in the early 1900s, and called Cullum Field from about 1909 onward. Several facelifts and additions increased the seating capacity to 41,684 in 1969. The average attendance reached a peak during the 1972 season – 41,123 fans a game.

It took three more seasons and two more Navy losses before Charlie Daly was able to recover from the war, beating the Midshipmen, 17-14, in a 1922 thriller in front of 55,000 at Franklin Field. The next three head football coaches, all of whom were former players and then assistant coaches under Daly, never lost another game to Navy.

First John McEwan, started with a 0-0 tie in 1923 against a 5-1-3 Navy team; that also tied Washington 14-14 in the Rose Bowl. McEwan led Army in 12-0 and 10-3 poundings of the Midshipmen in 1924 and 1925. Then Biff Jones took over in 1926 and played the national champion Midshipmen to a 21-21 tie at Soldier Field in Chicago in front of 110,000, the most to ever see an Army-Navy game. Jones would lead Army to a 14-9 win in 1927. Eligibility differences prevented the teams playing in 1928 and 1929. The 1920s decade ended with Army having a 4-2-2 record and leading the series 15-12-3.

More Winning Seasons in the Thirties

The final Daly assistant, Ralph Sasse, took over in 1930 and led Army to three straight victories over Navy. McEwan, Jones, and Sasse served as Army head football coaches as part of their military assignments to West Point. After their tours at West Point, they were head coaches at Oregon, Holy Cross, Louisiana State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Mississippi State. Other Daly assistants and players were head coaches at Hawaii, Florida, and Tennessee, including Hall of Famer Robert Neyland, who won four national championships for the Volunteers.

Future USMA Superintendent Gar Davidson took over the head coaching reigns in 1933, and won three out of the next five Navy games. William Wood became head coach in 1938, beating Navy 14-7 that year. That was when Army finally agreed to follow NCAA eligibility rules, not playing plebes (freshmen) and limiting players to three seasons. Before that, USMA's position was simple, if the Academic Board said a Cadet could play football, he could, even if he had played three years and graduated from another institution.

During the next two seasons, the Army Football team won only four games, and failed to score in two Midshipmen victories. Army won the decade of the 1930s with a 7-3-0 record and a series lead of 22-15-3, but was down and out compared to Navy prior to World War II.

The Golden Decade

Two losing seasons and two losses to Navy in 1939 and 1940 created the need for change. Earl "Red" Blaik was brought in personally by new USMA Superintendent Robert Eichelberger to return Army Football to its winning ways, both against other teams and towards beating Navy.

Blaik, a former Daly player and assistant coach under Jones, Sasse, and Davidson before becoming Dartmouth head football coach for seven years, was a detailed planner with emphasis on preparing his players to peak for the Navy game. He also utilized the USMA admission process to thoroughly recruit athletics across the nation.

It took three losses to Navy before Blaik achieved victory over the Midshipmen. In 1941, Army led 6-0 at halftime, but the Midshipmen scored two touchdowns in the third quarter. The Mids pounded the Army teams in 1942 and 1943, held at Annapolis and West Point before about 15,000 fans each due to wartime restrictions. Army did finish the 1943 with a #11 national ranking.

In front of 70,000 fans in Baltimore in 1944, after raising almost $60 million in War Bonds, Army nipped Navy's comeback by scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter for a 23-7 victory and a national championship. Felix "Doc" Blanchard won the Heisman Trophy.

Number one-ranked Army roared out to a 20-0 lead over number two-ranked Navy in 1945 for another national championship. The Rose Bowl committee lobbied heavily for Army in both seasons to play its Pacific champion, but Blaik viewed bowl games negatively and the USMA leadership did not want the Cadets to lose class time.

Army survived a much closer game in 1946, with the Middies (1-8-0) on the three-yard line when time ran out for a 21-18 win, leading to another national championship. Glenn Davis won the Heisman Trophy and Red Blaik won Coach of the Year.

National sports writers expected Army's football fortunes to decline after World War II. Blaik's 1947 team went 5-2-2 with a season ending #11 national ranking, with losses to Columbia (20-21) and #1 Notre Dame, ties against #6 Illinois and #3 Penn, and a 21-0 victory over the Middies. Joe Steffy won the Outland Trophy, awarded to college football's most outstanding lineman.

Blaik's next three teams went 8-0-1, 9-0-0, and 8-1-0, with only Navy causing the blemishes.

In 1948, Army handily beat #12 Cornell 27-6 at Ithaca and edged #17 Penn 26-20 at Franklin Field. The #3 Army team entered Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium favored by three touchdowns against winless Navy, but a massive dose of food poisoning ripped through the Cadets starting on Thursday before the game. The Mids scored a touchdown in the first quarter. The Cadets recovered with two scores in the second. Navy tied it, 14-14, in the third period, but Army regained the lead on the first play of the fourth. A 50-yard drive ended in a Midshipmen score and the game-ending tie, 21-21. Army was ranked #6 in the final poll.

The 1949 team won all nine games, upset #1 Michigan at Ann Arbor, and pounded Navy 38-0 in the 50th battle of the series, and finished the season ranked #4. It remains the last Army Football team to go undefeated and untied.

The 1950 Army team started the season ranked #2, and spent five weeks ranked #1 during the season before finishing second. Meanwhile, the frustration at Annapolis of not having beaten Army since 1943, led the USNA administration to appoint Eddie Erdelatz as head football coach, the first non-Naval Academy graduate to guide the Mids. Navy entered the game having won only two games and was a 21 point underdog, but scored two touchdowns in the second quarter. The Middie defense stopped Army inside the 20-yard line seven times in the second half for a 2-14 upset over the Cadets.

The 1951 Honor Scandal resulted in ninety Cadets being dismissed, including three All-Americans and 34 other football players. Blaik considered resigning because he felt the system was in error in losing so many fine men, but Douglas MacArthur counselled him to stay. The 1951 team finished the season with a 2-7 record and a 7-42 pounding by Navy. Army improved to 4-4-1 in 1952, upsetting Penn 14-13 before losing to Navy 7-0.

The 1953 team upset #7 Duke 14-13 at the Polo Grounds and #17 Penn 21-14, and then #18 Army ended its three game losing streak by beating the Midshipmen 20-7. Army was ranked #14 and #16 in the season ending polls. Red Blaik was named Coach of the Year.

After being upset by South Carolina, 20-34, in its opening game in 1954, Army then won seven straight games to a #5 national ranking and the nation's top offensive team. Navy entered the game with a #6 ranking and the top defensive team. The lead changed hands several times, until a Navy touchdown pass in the third quarter led to the final score of 20-27 for an Army defeat. Navy then beat Mississippi in the Sugar Bowl and a #5 ranking, compared to Army ranked #7.

The Army Football team went 6-3 in 1955 before facing the Midshipmen, led by All-American end Don Holleder moving to quarterback. Navy was 6-1-1, ranked #10, and favored by a touchdown entering Municipal Stadium; and a victory would put the Middies into the Cotton Bowl. Army dominated with 283 yards rushing, four forced fumbles, and stopped Navy three times in Cadet territory, winning, 14-6. Army was ranked #20 and #15 in the national polls at the end of the season.

Army was ranked in the lower half of the Top Twenty rankings during five weeks of the 1956 season, with its only losses to #10 Michigan, #13 Syracuse, and #16 Pitt, for a 5-3-0 record before Navy. Navy was ranked #13 and 6-1-1 record, including a 33-7 blow-out of Notre Dame, the Midshipmen's first defeat of the Fighting Irish since 1944. This led to a scoreless first half in Philadelphia and an eventual 7-7 tie due to five lost fumbles by the Cadets.

The 1957 team was ranked in the Top Ten almost every week, beating #20 Penn State, losing 21-23 to #11 Notre Dame, and a pounding of #13 Pitt, 29-13; and entered the game at Municipal Stadium with a #9 ranking. Navy was ranked #7, with a 7-1-1 record, a 20-6 victory over Notre Dame, and favored by six points. The Mids jitterbug defense stopped Army's powerful offense, leading to a 14-0 victory and an eventual Cotton Bowl win. Army was ranked #18 and #13 in the season ending national polls.

In 1958, Blaik installed the lonely end formation, with Bill Carpenter never returning to the huddle. The Cadets beat #18 South Carolina, #3 Notre Dame, and #13 Rice; and tied #18 Pitt, and came into the Philadelphia game with a 7-0-1 record and ranked second in the nation. Navy was 6-2-0 and unranked, but introduced a double-wing-T offense that produced an opening touchdown run by Joe Bellino, the Mids only score of the game. Anderson scored a touchdown in the second quarter to put the Cadets ahead, 7-6. Two fourth quarter scores led to the 22-6 victory. The Cadets ended the season ranked #3 in the two national polls. Pete Dawkins won the Heisman Trophy.

Red Blaik decided to retire in January 1959, and recommended that Army hire Dale Hall, one of his assistant coaches and a former player during the national championship seasons. Blaik served longer as head coach and won more games than any other Army head football coach. During his 18 seasons (121-33-10), he was 8-8-2 against Navy.

Three Coaches

Hall inherited several of the star players from the 1958 team, but following a legend would prove to be nearly impossible. Army went 4-3-1, with close losses to ranked Illinois, Penn State, and Oklahoma and a 13-13 to #15 Air Force. The Midshipmen opened with three touchdowns. Army closed to 12-21 at the half, but then Navy scored three more touchdowns. Navy won, 43-12, ending the season with a record of 4-4-1. Army still led the series 30-25-5.

Army was 6-2-1 during the 1960 season, including beating #9 Syracuse and a tie to #10 Pitt, before facing #7 Navy (8-1). Navy built a lead before the Cadets rallied with two scores, 12-17. Army recovered a fumble on Navy's 17-yard line with five minutes to go, but a bungled pitchout on the six probably cost the Cadets the winning touchdown. Navy lost by a touchdown to Missouri in the Orange Bowl and finished with a #4 ranking.

In 1961, Army went 6-3 before meeting the Middies (6-3). The Cadets were leading, 7-3, late in the third quarter, when Navy moved 51 yards on two plays to score a touchdown and then a field goal in the final period, winning 13-7.

Dale Hall would lose to Navy all three of his seasons. With one year left on his contract, USMA Superintendent William Westmoreland fired Hall and hired Paul Dietzel, who had led LSU to the 1958 national championship. He became the first non-graduate head football coach at West Point since Joseph Beacham led the 1911 team.

Dietzel told the administration and the press he expected to need a couple seasons to recruit players for his team, but he was an innovator and emphasized defense. He organized his team into three separate teams to keep his players fresh, which proved effective in achieving a 6-3-0 record, including a 9-6 win at #3 Penn State. But the 1962 team could do little against the Roger Staubach-led Midshipmen, losing 34-14.

The 1963 team had a 7-2 record, with a 10-7 win over #8 Penn State and a 14-10 victory over Air Force at Soldier Field in Chicago. Meanwhile, Navy was having a great year with eight wins, only one loss, and a #2 ranking. This was the game initially cancelled due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, but the family asked both teams to play one week later.

Newspaper articles reported that Navy, with a victory over the Cadets, would go to the Cotton Bowl, with Pitt being chosen if Army won. A few weeks later, Paul Dietzel told fellow coaches that had Army beat Navy, the Department of the Army had already approved the Cadets going to the Cotton Bowl, provided that the players voted to go.

The Mids were 18 point favorites, led by Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach. After a 7-7 halftime lead, Navy went ahead 21-7 early in the fourth quarter. Rollie Stichweh quickly led the Cadets to a touchdown and two point conversion to close to 21-15, and then he recovered the onside kick with six minutes remaining.

Stichweh again drove Army down the field to the Navy two yard line with 20 seconds left in the game. The referee stopped the clock twice due to crowd noise, but the clock ran out before he could get the snap off. Army finished with a 7-3-0 record, and Navy lost to national champion Texas in the Cotton Bowl. The Cadets received votes in the national rankings (for a time during the 1960s, the _Associated Press_ poll only ranked the top ten teams).

Army had a tough 1964 season, with a 3-6-0 record going to JFK Stadium. Staubach's final year at Navy was equally disappointing, for a 3-5-1 record. Army tackled the Middie quarterback for a safety in the opening possession, and Army took an early 8-0 lead before Navy tied the game before halftime. Barry Nickerson kicked a 20-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and the Cadets stopped the Middies offense to win for the first time after five straight losses.

Army went into Philadelphia in 1965 with a 4-5-0 record. Dietzel's team scored five minutes into the game against 4-4-1 Navy, but Navy tied it just before the half. A defensive struggle continued into the second half, and both teams settled for a tie, 7-7.

With new USMA Superintendent Donald Bennett arriving in January 1966 and not willing to support him, Dietzel elected to leave West Point for South Carolina a week before spring practice was to begin. The Army Athletic Board failed to agree on another big name coach, and promoted the plebe football coach, Tom Cahill, to be the next head football coach on a one-year contract.

Cahill, who had arrived in 1959 as the plebe coach, viewed himself as interim until West Point could find a suitable head football coach. With Dietzel's recruits but his coaching, Cahill led the Cadets to three straight winning seasons (8-2, 8-2, and 7-3-1).

In 1966, Army faced a 4-5 Navy team. The teams battled to a 7-7 halftime tie and a scoreless third period. Quarterback Steve Lindell fired two touchdown passes in the fourth to beat the Mids, with Cahill earning Coach of the Year honors. The West Point leadership extended his contract.

The 1967 season was similar. With a 7-1-0 record before its game at Pitt, the Sugar Bowl selection committee had indicated an interest in the West Point team. Unfortunately, the Secretary of the Army, Stanley Resor, and the Army Chief of Staff, General Harold K. Johnson, ruled that the Cadets could not accept a bowl bid, saying "it was concluded that accepting an invitation to play in a post-season bowl game would tend to emphasize football to an extent not consistent with the basic mission of the Academy, which is to produce career Army officers."

Newspaper articles pointed out that Navy and Air Force had regularly attended bowl games since the 1950s. The next morning, 324 heavy metal sugar bowls were missing from the Cadet Mess Hall tables, with a red and blue lettered sign saying "No Sugar Bowl for the Army team, no sugar bowls for the Corps."

A disappointed Army went to Pittsburgh a two touchdown favorite, but fell behind 7-12 at halftime. Two fourth quarter touchdowns in the final stanza allowed the Cadets to win their first game ever at Pitt Stadium. The favored Cadets would next face the 4-4-1 Midshipmen in Philly.

Navy roared to a 17-0 halftime lead, then tackled the Army punter in the end zone for a safety early in the final period. Jim O'Toole substituted for Lindell, and led Army to two straight scores to close to 14-19 with eight minutes left in the game. Another Army drive was stopped at the Navy 22-yard line when the Mids recovered a fumble, and enabled the Mids to win the game. Army did receive votes in the Top Ten rankings. It was the last time that Army would be ranked in the national polls until the 1984 season.

Army entered Philadelphia with a record of 6-3, facing the Midshipmen (2-7). Charlie Jarvis atoned from last year's fumble by scoring two touchdowns for a 14-7 halftime lead. Navy tied the score on a 36-yard interception of Steve Lindell. Jim O'Toole came in to the game, and promptly set up Jarvis' winning score with a 64-yard pass to Joe Albano, winning 21-14.

By the 1969 season, the Army Football Team became hindered by several events and activities. Graduates from the 1964 football team assigned to West Point as assistant coaches or recruiters found mothers closing their doors because of the fear that their sons would have to fight in Vietnam. As professional football became more popular and more games televised, young men throughout the nation saw college football as a means to going pro and making lots of money. The service commitment after graduation was expanded from four years to five, making even those who wanted to come to West Point with the potential to play professional football less likely to choose it.

Because college football moved from restricted substitution and men playing both ways to unlimited substitution and more specialization, this required more players on a typical football team. Even Red Blaik faced this problem in 1958, when he laid out to the West Point administration that he needed more nominations than the 28 slots he got, because attrition and other factors would leave him with only about seven players who could compete in college football. Army had always been vulnerable to injuries, first due to restrictions on weight that Blaik was able to partially waive beginning in 1941, and the lack of depth on most Cadet Football teams since World War II.

Finally, the support from the USMA leadership and the faculty and staff of Army Football would go up and down, as Superintendents, Commandants, and other officers would arrive, stay for a few years, then rotate to another assignment. Gene McIntyre, who's Class of 1979 was shuffled and everyone changed Cadet Companies after yearling (sophomore) year, recalled that his new tactical officer made it a point to tell the three football players in the company that he did not like football.

Even within the Corps of Cadets, some would consider the members of the football team as getting over for missing drills, inspections, and parades. The newspaper article about a potential Sugar Bowl bid back in 1967 mentioned that some Cadets were worried that they would lose Christmas Leave time because they had to attend a bowl game.

Blaik said in 1978 "now football is not a petted sport at West Point. In fact – it is often misunderstood. Yes – misunderstood by some graduates." Clearly anyone who was a Cadet who visited one of the football factories would immediately see how USMA certainly did not soften up anything regarding football playing Cadets.

Army declined to join the Ivy League schools when they de-emphasized football in the mid-1950s by eliminating spring football and not offering athletic scholarships. The success of Army Football teams in the late 1940's and the recovery after the 1951 Honor Scandal ended up producing schedules in the late 1960s and much of the 1970s against opponents who were likely to be ranked, with little drop-off in their depth chart. Still, Army teams continued to challenge these difficulties and win games.

Army limped into the 1969 with Navy with a 3-5-1 record, including a 6-13 loss to a #19 ranked Air Force. They faced a 1-8 Navy at JFK Stadium, who only threatened once in the first quarter, being stopped four straight times from the Army one-yard line. Cahill introduced a new power-I formation that led to 438 yards rushing and a 27-0 victory, with tailback Lynn Moore setting Army-Navy game rushing records of 40 carries for 206 yards.

The Cadets in 1970 faced four straight games on the road – and it turned out that the first three opponents finished #1, #2, and #4 in the final polls. By the time the favored Cadets rolled into Charlottesville to meet Virginia, there were few healthy players left, and the Cavaliers won 20-21. Army had a 1-8-1 record before meeting the Midshipmen.

Navy (1-9-0) had only won their opener and Army was a one touchdown favorite. After a scoreless first half, Dick Atha threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Joe Albano in the third quarter, but the Mids responded with a forty-yard run and a two point conversion. Atha was intercepted four times by the same Midshipman, the last time from the Navy 12-yard line. Navy kicked a field goal in the final period for a 7-11 victory. Army finished 1970 with the worst record in West Point history, facing six ranked opponents.

In 1971, Army only faced three ranked opponents, and entered Philadelphia with a 5-4 record. The highlight of the season occurred in the second game. Army traveled to Atlanta to play #19 Georgia Tech, with the Cadets being an underdog by almost four touchdowns. West Point upset the Yellow Jackets, 16-13. A win against the 3-7 Navy would give Army a winning season.

Army went out to a 16-0 lead with two touchdowns and a field goal in the first quarter. Navy closed the score with two touchdowns in the second and took a 16-21 lead in the third quarter. In the fourth period, Kingsley Fink tossed a touchdown pass to Ed Francis and a two point conversion to John Simar to take a 24-21 lead. Navy drove to the Army 7-yard line in the final minutes, but elected to go for the win on fourth down. The pass went off the receiver's fingertips, and Army gave up a safety to end the game, 24-23.

Army opened the 1972 season at home against #8 Nebraska in a nationally televised game, a 7-77 slaughter that was the worst defeat in Cadet Football history. The Cadets recovered by upsetting Texas A&M at College Station, 24-14. In the Cadet's first game of the inaugural Commander-in-Chief's Trophy championship, Army beat the Falcons 17-14 at Michie Stadium. A 5-4-0 Army came to Philadelphia to face the 9 point favored Navy (4-6), with Navy previously beating Air Force 21-17.

The Midshipmen opened the game with a 0-12 lead in the first quarter and that is where the game stood at halftime. In the third period, Army intercepted, and on the next play, Bob Hines rushed 43 yards for a touchdown. Five minutes later, Tim Pfister blocked a Middie field goal attempt, cornerback Scott Beaty scooped up the ball at the Navy 16-yard line, and the two defenders headed for an 84-yard touchdown return and a 13-12 lead.

Navy drove down the field, but a fourth down attempt from the Army five was stopped for a one yard loss. Early in the fourth quarter, Army covered 52 yards in four plays with running back Bruce Simpson going the last 21 yards. The teams each converted field goals in the fourth quarter, for a 23-15 final score.

It was the second win in a row over Navy and the Cadets won the inaugural Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. USMA Superintendent Lieutenant General Knowlton would officially receive the trophy at Annapolis on May 3, 1973 and bring it back to West Point. Tom Cahill beat Navy five out of seven times before the 1973 season. At the start of the 1973 Army Football season, Army led Navy with 36 victories, 31 defeats, and six ties in the series rivalry.

The Spirit of Army-Navy

Much prose has been written on Army-Navy games over the years and the desire of each side to beat their counterparts. Perhaps it was said best in the _1915 Howitzer_ and repeated in the December 1974 edition of the _Assembly_ about the last game of the 1914 football season, Army's first undefeated campaign and its first national championship:

"Just to beat the Navy – the purpose of our whole season, the aim of our coaches, and the fervent hope of the Corps.... In the stands pandemonium reigned. Songs and yells from both sides, the Navy buglers playing Reveille, and the Army buglers playing Taps – the note on one side was triumph – on the other desperation."

"And then came the part of the game which made every Army rooter's hair tingle under his hat – the part which we will tell to our children and grandchildren in years to come. It was not a spectacular run, nor even a beautifully executed pass, it was simply a slashing, line plugging advance of eighty yards... a fumble spoiled the touchdown... and then the final whistle, 20-0 the scoreboard read."

"Out of the stands we poured, circled the field, and with the Army bugles sounding the stirring Charge, we rushed the colors. Only a person that has witnessed an Army-Navy game can appreciate the unutterable confusion, the incessant noise, the riotous happiness that reigned on Franklin Field."

"And watching this in their stands, stood the Middies. We've seen them great in victory but on that day they were still greater in defeat. Resigned to the inevitable, they took their medicine like true men, returning cheer for cheer and giving an example of devotion, loyalty and spirt that will never be forgotten."

"We saluted with a last cheer and our hearts swelled with pride and admiration as we realized that when duty called us to some greater struggle than this, these were the men with whom we would be fighting shoulder to shoulder and that we could say with them – the Army and Navy forever, three cheers for the Red, White, and Blue."

Chapter 3  
A Challenging Year Remembered – The 1973 Football Season

Preseason

USMA Superintendent William A. Knowlton proudly opened his letter in the March 1973 _Assembly_ , "as we now know, with the football victory that came in the second half against Navy, our team wound up another 6-4 season. Tom Cahill is now 5-2 on Navy games." He then proceeded to tell about the exploits of other fall sports teams, before returning to football in the next two paragraphs.

Almost predictive, Knowlton mentioned two issues regarding Army Football success, experience, and opponents. Army was losing 29 lettermen due to graduation or eligibility. The Cadets would face during the 1973 season, opponents scheduled over a decade ago. He admitted he was working on cutting down on advance scheduling, as "things change too fast for that sort of time lag." He mentioned his desire to schedule Ivy League teams for the first time since the 1956 (Army would play Harvard in 1980).

Knowlton concluded his thoughts on football by saying, "Once we get through next year, schedules slowly become more realistic for the way college football emphasis has developed in America as a feeder belt to the professional version of the sport."

Spring practice in 1973 gave many younger players opportunities to move up the depth chart. There were only 16 returning lettermen on the team. Nine defensive starters graduated. Five plebes, who were ineligible during the 1972 season by the NCAA's ban on freshmen players, were able to earn starting assignments as sophomores by the first game of the season. Bruce Tarbox, an assistant at Princeton, had joined Cahill's staff for this season, with Tarbox coaching the offensive line.

On July 2, 1973, the first group of four players that would eventually join the 1977 football team marched to Trophy Point for the swearing-in with the other 1,372 members of the Class of 1977. The New Cadets doubled time to their tables in the Cadet Mess Hall during their first summer at West Point, fondly called Beast Barracks, going past the huge Commander-in-Chief's Trophy each time. They had only five months to appreciate the Trophy being there at West Point, and then, except for about 114 men turned back to future classes, be gone forever during their Cadet days.

Two linemen, Tony Dailey of Baltimore and Jim Hodge from Norton, Ohio, would spend the season on the plebe team and not see any varsity action. Quarterback and running back Greg McGlasker from Mobile, Alabama, and linebacker Stan Ford of Dayton were two of five freshmen who had playing time in 1973. Cahill opened preseason practice at Camp Buckner on August 27th. The New Cadets joined the football team a few days later from Beast Barracks.

Head coach Tom Cahill remarked prior to the opening game, "It's no secret we'll be short on game experience when we open the '73 season, but I can think of no better way for a player to gain experience than by playing. And that is precisely what we have in mind for several of the younger players who have made strong impressions during pre-season work. We have had to move some people around to strengthen our depth. This takes some time. But the pieces are beginning to fall into place, so much so that I firmly believe we have the potential to get the job done and be a good football team."

The offense was led by two-year lettermen Kinglsey Fink at quarterback. Fink was threatening every career passing record and was rated among the best passers in the East. Fink had some quality receivers in Co-Captain Jim Ward, Barry Armstrong, and Joe Miller. There were several juniors and sophomores on the depth chart at fullback and tailback, but plebe Markus Hardy had been impressive during pre-season drills.

All-American candidate Ted Davis, at guard, anchored a line averaging 225 pounds. Kicker Jim Barclay was considered a solid scoring threat inside the mid-field stripe. Guard Ken Schoonover had looked good in spring practice, but was injured in an automobile accident and would not play football again.

Only two lettermen returned for the defensive unit. There were no returning starters in the secondary. Co-Captain and starting linebacker Skip Whitman tore his medial ligament in his right knee seven days before the season began, and would miss the opener and play fulltime in only four games during the 1973 campaign. Tackle Ernie Chachere was hampered by back spasms for the first four games. Defensive tackle Dan Ferrari broke his ankle during summer training and was limited in his playing time.

This young and inexperienced team faced one of the most demanding schedules ever. The Cadets played four opponents in their first five games that had played in bowl games after the 1972 regular season, beginning with Tennessee, then Georgia Tech, Penn State, and Notre Dame. _The Army Sportsletter_ proclaimed "1973 – A Year of Challenge for Cadets" on the third page of the September 20th edition, two days before opening day.

Tennessee

Army opened its 84th football season with an 18-37 loss to #10 Tennessee at Michie Stadium, but the game was closer that the score indicated. Fink passed for 326 yards, setting the Army single game record, and his 23 completions were one short of the record. Barry Armstrong's 164 yards receiving were two short of the Army record. Several other records were broken or tied. Barkley opened the scoring by making a 25-yard field goal after Army recovered a Volunteer fumble on the second play. Tennessee tied the score four minutes later. After the kickoff, Fink was intercepted and that turnover led to another Volunteer field goal. Armstrong went 67 yards on the kickoff to the Tennessee thirty-yard line, but after the Cadet drive stalled, Barclay's 43-yard field goal attempt to tie the game was blocked.

Fink's passing brought Army to life in the second quarter. After a ten play drive, Barclay's 43-yard attempt was short. Tennessee then had a 52-yard pass completion to set up its first touchdown run. Army drove down the field to the Volunteer 38-yard line. A Fink to Miller pass was caught at the twenty, but then Tennessee forced and recovered a fumble, ending the drive. Army was down 3-13 after twice being turned away deep in Tennessee's territory.

Army received the second half kickoff, but its drive stalled again. Barclay converted a 38-yard field goal. A quarterback run of 48 yards put Tennessee up 6-20 in the third quarter. The Volunteers scored a field goal on the first play of the final period. Fink drove the Cadets 76 yards on seven plays, with Bob Simons scoring from the one. A two point conversion pass failed, making the score 12-23. This ignited a quick response by Tennessee, going 55 yards in six plays for a touchdown and a 12-30 lead.

The teams next traded interceptions. Fink moved the Cadets 89 yards in nine plays, with Armstrong catching a 25-yard scoring strike. The pass conversion failed again. The Volunteer substitute quarterback threw a 43-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left in the game, ending a 29 point fourth quarter.

_The New York Times_ opened its story of the game, "An out-classed Army team played bravely against 10th ranked Tennessee Saturday." _United Press International_ 's Bob Stewart declared Tennessee defeated "an erratic but game Army." The _Associated Press_ story called the Cadets "a stubborn Army team."

"I was pleased with the overall performance of the team," said head coach Tom Cahill after the game, "I felt we did well offensively." Fink was at the top of the NCAA statistics in passing, while Armstrong, Miller, and Ward were the top three receivers, the first time in NCAA history that a single team had three men leading a statistical category. Fink and Armstrong also were named to the weekly All-East team. Plebe Stan Ford played for a few minutes at linebacker during the game.

On Friday, September 28th, the Plebe football team met the USMA Preparatory School at Shea Stadium. Prep's Steve Pennington picked off Plebe Greg McGlasker's pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown, with Prepster Bob Maszarose kicking the extra point, with 3:13 left in the first half. Late in the third quarter, a Prep School 63-yard drive was stopped on the Plebe nine yard line, and Maszarose kicked a 26-yard field goal. Moments later, Prepster Joe Navarro recovered a Plebe fumble, and Prepster Leamon Hall made a clutch 21-yard pass to Nick Gagel on a third and ten play for a first down on the Plebe six yard line. Prepster Jim Nagy then scored two plays later to make it 17-0 for the Prep School. The Plebes threaten the Prepster's goal three times, but were unable to score.

California

California came to Michie Stadium as three point underdogs, having lost 66-0 to Alabama and 27-7 to Illinois. The Bears had lost all three prior games to the Cadets, and it was considered a breather on the schedule and many Army fans predicted a rout. California scored on a 27-yard pass in the first quarter, followed by a bad center snap on the point after, to make it 0-6.

Late in the second quarter, Joe Miller recovered a fumbled punt return on the California 31-yard line. On third down, Fink connected with Ward on a 30-yard touchdown pass with 2:20 left in the first half to tie the game. These were the only points scored by the Cadets that afternoon. Barclay never got the chance to kick the conversion as the center snap was off the mark. After the kickoff, California scored again on a forty yard strike with 1:18 to go. Army moved to the California 13-yard line in four plays, but Fink's pass was intercepted in the end zone.

Army received the second half kickoff, but after two plays, the Cadets were penalized five yards on a third and one. Fink only made three yards when he could not find an open receiver, and the team was forced to punt. California scored two touchdowns in the third quarter; then put 24 points on the board in the final period, rolling up 622 yards in total offense. Fink completed only eight of 25 passes for 121 yards, but numerous passes were dropped by his receivers. Stan Ford played five minutes at linebacker, and fellow plebe Marcus Hardy rushed for 31 yards on eight carries.

"I told the squad they played poorly," said Cahill, "but I feel I learned a lesson the hard way. After losing to Tennessee, I kept hearing about how well we did, even though we lost. It almost seemed as if we were satisfied with a loss because we looked so good in defeat. But you know there is no such thing as a moral victory. You either win or you lose. You just can't be satisfied with playing well and losing." He also felt the first possession in the second half was the turning point to the game, "we were down only 13-6, but we got messed up on that first series and never did get together after that."

On Friday, October 5th, the Plebe football team met the Colgate Freshmen. Army received the opening kickoff, but Colgate recovered a fumble on the third play at the Cadet forty-yard line. The Red Raiders picked up three first downs and scored on a touchdown pass. The Cadets marched 80 yards in the second quarter by the rushing of Tony Serge, Tony Pyne, and Steve Getz, with Getz scoring from one yard out. Dan Peterson kicked the extra point to tie the game. Then Bo Jack Lloyd intercepted a Colgate pass on the fifty yard line, and Greg McGlasker passed to Pyne for a touchdown. A recovered fumble in the third quarter led to Pyne scoring another touchdown.

Colgate recovered an Army fumble late in the third quarter, and then marched 75 yards with five first downs, scoring from the one on the first play of the fourth quarter. A two point conversion closed the score 21-15. Skip Dietz rushed 55 yards to the Colgate three, but Dietz was intercepted two plays later, and Colgate scored on the 90-yard return, knotting the score at 21-21. With two minutes left in the game, Dietz scampered for nine yards to pay dirt and Peterson converted his fourth extra point to make it 28-21. Colgate moved from its 38-yard line and completed a touchdown pass with five seconds left on the clock from the Army 14-yard line. The two point conversion attempt was batted down by Joe Clancy, preserving the Plebe team's victory.

Georgia Tech

Cahill looked forward to the game on the road against Georgia Tech. "We've been here before. Two years in a row we have had a win away from home after a disappointing defeat the week before. We have had the character to come back and win. Now in 1973 we are at the same point. It is strictly up to the kids themselves. They have to make up their own minds that they can play football. I think they can, but they have to believe in themselves." The Cadets traveled down to Atlanta to face the 1-3 Yellow Jackets, who beat Clemson 29-21 after opening losses to both South Carolina and Southern California.

The Cadets were 18 point underdogs in front of 50,111 on Grant Field's artificial turf in Atlanta. Army took the opening possession from its own twenty and drove to the Yellow Jackets 27-yard line due to the inside running of Willie Thigpen and sweeps of Dan Spangler. On a first and ten, Kingsley Fink fumbled the snap and Georgia Tech recovered the fumble. The Cadets forced a punt, and Army started another drive from its 25-yard line. They moved down to the Tech sixteen at the end of the first quarter, controlling the ball over 13 minutes.

A pass completion on third down was short, and Jim Barclay converted a 26-yarder. The Army defense was much more impressive than in the prior two games, stopping the Yellow Jackets three times in the second period. First, Chuck Baker intercepted a pass at the Army 45. Tech then drove to the Army 7, but a fumble by their tailback was recovered by Jim Cisek. Co-Captain Skip Whitman picked off another pass late in the quarter, keeping the score 3-0 at halftime.

Tech drove 80 yards on the opening possession and took at 3-7 lead. Late in the third period, a personal foul on an Army punt return put the ball on the Tech 34. Fink first hit Barry Armstrong in a crowd for 14 yards, then Jim Ward for a 19-yard strike in the end zone, followed by a Barclay extra point to have Army resume the lead at 10-7. Georgia Tech marched 75 yards in 12 plays to resume the lead with ten minutes left in the fourth quarter. Army moved down the field, but a Fink pass was intercepted. Tech's drive was stopped by the Cadets, and a 46-yard field goal was missed.

Army could not move the ball and had to punt. The defense held, and Army got the ball with 1:29 left to play at the Army 16. Fink hit Ward on two completions of 13 and 9 yards, and Thigpen picked up the first down to the Army 40. With 58 seconds remaining, Armstrong faked going deep, but Ward did go down the field and was wide open on the Tech 15, but Fink overthrew him. Fink's next throw deep was intercepted, and the Yellow Jackets held on ball for the remaining 30 seconds for a 10-14 victory. Plebe Stan Ford played a few minutes at linebacker.

After the game, Tom Cahill said, "I've said this before, but Army Football teams are always dangerous when their pride has been hurt. And their pride was hurt against California. Our squad gave us its best effort of the season. It's a shame we didn't win. We made some mental mistakes, but I could not ask any more of them after that performance."

Cahill explained that the defense did what it was supposed to do, forcing the Tech quarterback to run rather than pass and stopping their tailback. "We were 20 point underdogs and we came back after falling behind, 7-3. We darn near came back again in the final minute. It simply was a fine effort."

Also on the same Saturday as the Georgia Tech game, the Army Lightweight Football team hosted the Rutgers squad. Army beat the Scarlet Knights, 20-0.

The Plebe team encountered the Columbia Freshmen at West Point on Friday. Skip Dietz opened the game with pinpoint passes to Barry McKeon, and Tony Serge sprinted seven yards for the touchdown. Dan Peterson missed his first extra point of the season. The Lions drove 63 and 87 yards for scores in the second period to take a 6-12 lead. A Don Hurdle interception at the Columbia 40-yard line with less than a minute to go in the half led to Dietz throwing two passes, the last a six-yard pass to Jody Fink for a touchdown to make the score 13-12 at halftime.

The Plebe defense held the Lions to eight plays in the third period. Dietz and Tony Pyne alternated rushes, and Pyne scored from the one, with Peterson hitting his second extra point to make it 20-12. Columbia scored again late in the fourth quarter, but the two point conversion pass was batted down, icing the game for the Plebes, 20-18. On the same day, the Army junior varsity lost to Nassau Community College.

On Saturday morning, the Army Lightweight Football team traveled to Philadelphia to meet the University of Pennsylvania. Army dominated its opponent, beating the Quakers 32-0.

Penn State

Army faced an undefeated and #7 ranked Penn State (4-0-0) at Beaver Stadium next. The Cadets were a four touchdown underdog. Penn State tailback John Cappelletti had run over 100 yards at Air Force to lead head coach Joe Paterno's team to victory, 19-9. Cappelletti had 1,117 yards last season. The Nittany Lions had limited teams to just 23 points. This will be the 21st meeting, with the Cadets holding a 10-8-2 series record, but Penn State had won the last four encounters. Army's last won, 11-0, in 1966.

Penn State scored three times in a span of five minutes late in the first quarter to make it 0-19 going into the second period. The Nittany Lions drove 59 yards down the field in four plays to make it 0-26. The Cadets then put together a concerted ball control drive lasting seven minutes and 15 plays, going from its twenty to the State 25, where the drive stalled. Jim Barclay converted a 46-yard field goal, his longest ever, and one yard short of the Army record to make it 3-26 at halftime. The Cadets were overpowered by numbers, with their opponent's second string players probably all starting on most teams.

Penn State scored twice in the third quarter on 60 and 64 runs and two more touchdowns in the fourth period, to end the game at 3-54, their 16th consecutive victory at Beaver Stadium in front of the third largest home crowd ever. The Nittany Lions rushed for 441 yards, with Cappelletti getting 152 on 17 carries. Plebe Stan Ford played 14 minutes at linebacker.

The Villanova Junior Varsity team was hosted by the Plebes at Shea Stadium on October 19th. The Wildcats took the opening kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown using their wishbone offense. Late in the second quarter, Villanova drove 70 yards in 11 plays for a 0-14 lead at halftime. The Cadets took the kickoff 74 yards to the Wildcat four-yard line. On the next play, the Plebes turned the ball over on a fumble. Army lost another touchdown due to fumbling. Villanova scored two touchdowns in the second half, aided by the Plebes fumbling seven times and losing five of them, for a final score of 0-28. The Army junior varsity traveled to Montclair State that evening and suffered their second loss of the season.

Notre Dame

For the 41st time, the Cadets faced #8 Notre Dame (4-0-0) at Michie in front of 42,503 fans. It was, the first time the Fighting Irish had played at West Point since 1922. Army was a five touchdown underdog. Army had six starters out due to injury, and Cahill started a new backfield, switched defensive players to offense, and had a number of players starting on defense for the first time this season. Against the eventual national champion team, this proved fatal.

Defensive end Bob Johnson picked off a screen pass on the Irish 22-yard line and returned it eleven yards. Army moved to the five where the offense was stopped, and Jim Barclay made a 22-yard field goal. Army led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.

However this seemed to fire up Notre Dame in the second period, starting with a 66-yard drive in nine plays for a touchdown. Two minutes later, the Fighting Irish recovered a Kingsley Fink fumble on the Army 34-yard line. Notre Dame immediately scored on a touchdown pass down the right sideline. After forcing Army to punt after the kickoff, Notre Dame marched 59 yards in ten plays for another score. With the Irish back-up quarterback in the game, Notre Dame marched 74 yards in ten plays in the final minute of the first half, making the score 3-28.

The Fighting Irish scored three times in the third period and twice in the final period; for a final score of 3-62. Three more players suffered injuries in the game. Notre Dame rushed for 485 yards, the most ever given up by an Army team. Plebes Stan Ford and linebacker and Greg McGlasker at tailback (five carries) played as substitutes. Plebe Marcus Hardy had six rushes, three receptions, and one kickoff return.

The Plebe team traveled on Friday, October 26th, to New Haven to face the Yale Freshmen team. The Plebes lost to bring their record to 2-3-0 for the season, with games with West Chester State and Cornell Freshmen remaining.

The Army Lightweight Football team hosted Columbia University at West Point on Friday afternoon. For the first time this season, the Cadets gave up two touchdowns and had a tough fight. Army was able to beat the Lions, 21-14 to remain undefeated (3-0).

Holy Cross

Army's next game was with Holy Cross (4-2-0), on Homecoming Day at Michie Stadium. The Crusaders had never beaten the Cadets in seven previous games, the best result being a 14-14 tie in 1915. Army had beaten Holy Cross in 1972, 15-13, on a Barclay field goal with 38 seconds left in the game. Off to one of its best starts in recent years, Holy Cross boasted an explosive offense on both the ground and through the air. Its defense had already picked off 13 passes in six games. Holy Cross was a four point favorite.

The Crusaders drove down to the Army 17-yard line in the opening period before being stopped, and completed a 34-yard field goal for a 0-3 lead. Late in the first quarter, Holy Cross recovered a Cadet fumble on the Army 31, and it took them six plays to score a touchdown early in the second period. Steve McAnally blocked the extra point to make the score 0-9. Army's defensive backs hit a receiver who fumbled the ball into the Cadet Robby Richard's hands. Army drove 51 yards in 10 plays when Kingsley Fink hit Joe Miller for a 15-yard touchdown pass, followed by a Barclay extra point conversion to make the halftime score, 7-9.

After a poor Holy Cross punt in the third period, the Cadets took over at the Crusader 33-yard line. The Cadets made a first down but were stopped at the Holy Cross 17. Jim Barclay made the 34-yard field goal to give the Cadets a 10-9 lead.

With nine minutes left in the game, Holy Cross recovered a fumble on the Army 39 after the Cadet running back had rushed for 13 yards and was straining for additional yardage. Holy Cross made a third and seven pass for twenty yards, then rushed for another first down to the Army four-yard line. Three plays later, the Crusader quarterback plunged over the one-yard line scoring the winning touchdown, then completed a two point pass conversion to make the score 10-17.

Army took the kickoff and drove down to the Holy Cross 37 with two minutes to play. On third and six, Fink stumbled while dropping back and lost ten yards. Fink completed a fourth down pass to Jim Ward for 13 yards, but it was three yards short and Holy Cross took over on downs for the victory. It was the Crusaders first win ever over the Cadets. The Army offense lost three fumbles and had two passes intercepted in the game. Plebe McGlasker played ten minutes at tailback, rushing for 33 yards on 10 carries, being intercepted on a halfback option pass, and fielded one kickoff return. Plebe Stan Ford also played linebacker as a substitute for a few minutes.

In the December 1973 edition of the _Assembly_ , USMA Superintendent Lieutenant General William A. Knowlton wrote four paragraphs on the Army Football team:

"You will recall that in the March 1973 issue of this magazine, I mentioned the problem with this year's football season: 29 seaters to fill, and one of the toughest schedules ever faced by an Army team. The season has developed in an even more disappointing fashion that we had expected. The factors leading to our problems were schedule toughness, inexperience, size, and speed. A commercial publication called The Kickoff recently ran a tabulated rating of schedules from the toughest to the easiest across the United States. Army was 9, and the first independent. By comparison, Notre Dame was 40, California 48, and Penn State 62. (Air Force was 60.)"

"When I arrived in the spring of 1970, it was apparent that the 1970 and 1973 schedules were more than we should ask cadets to face. In 1970 we played four away games in a row, three of them against bowl teams. I remember the comment of a player after one of those games when I asked about the 70-pound per man differential in weight. "Sir," he said, "in the first half it made no difference, but in the second half it was 700." If you look at some individual games played this year, you will find this same factor. We led Notre Dame at the end of the first quarter, but lack of depth made the weight more than we handle."

"We had 16 returning lettermen. Although nationally-ranked Tennessee beat us in the opening game, our offense set some national records. The Georgia Tech game was with a team about like ours, and the game was close. The graduates who attended were most complimentary. But the California, Penn State, and Notre Dame games were physical, tough, and resulted in hospitalization and injuries which knocked out over half of the few returning lettermen. By the Holy Cross game, we were forced to bring up from the "B" squad and "C" squad cadets whose names were not even in the program. Twenty-five cadets have been or are out with injuries – 21 were starters when they were injured. This column is being written just after the Holy Cross game, and we still hope that the talent which played so well against Tennessee can reassemble and give the team some victories. Two Plebes, Hardy and McGlasker, have been outstanding in the back field – although they really should have been broken in to varsity football at a slower rate."

"It is sometimes asked why we do not have a flashier offense. One answer is that we have not had much speed in the last few years. This has limited the plays which can be run. We do have some faster talent coming up. That, plus the experience which has been gained this year by some young players, forecasts well for the next few years. In the meantime, at this writing, we have good results in other sports. Our championship Lightweight football team is again undefeated; the soccer team is undefeated. The cross country team is 7-3. But as I said last March, we need your support for this most difficult football year; we are grateful to you for it."

On Friday, November 2nd, the Plebe team met the West Chester State Freshmen squad at West Point. West Chester made a field goal in the first period. Plebe Pete Walsh recovered a Rams fumble at the West Chester 22. Dan Peterson booted a 36-yard field goal to tie the score 3-3 at halftime. West Chester scored on a 59-yard run on the second play in the second half. Later in the third period, the Rams scored again after 68-yard drive over nine plays to make it 3-17. A final West Chester State touchdown in the final period closed out the scoring, 3-24, for the fourth loss out of six games for the Plebe squad. On the same day, the Army junior varsity lost at Princeton.

On Saturday morning, the Army Lightweight Football team traveled to Princeton. It was a defensive game, but the Cadets prevailed over the Tigers, 7-3.

Air Force

An injury-ridden Army was a 15 point underdog when it traveled to Colorado Springs to face Air Force (3-3-0). The Falcons had seven starters return on a balanced offensive squad. The Air Force defensive front at 211 pounds was lighter than Army had met all year. Tom Cahill said "Emotion always plays a key role when the service academies meet on the same field, and our past results with the Air Force is testimony enough to what I allude." In the seven games of the series, each side had won three times. A victory by the Cadets would enable the victor of the Army-Navy game to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, as Navy had beaten Air Force 42-6 back in mid-October.

With over 41,000 fans in below freezing temperatures at Falcon Stadium, Air Force made a 48-yard field goal in the first period and rushed for a touchdown and a 0-10 lead in the second quarter. Kingsley Fink, in the top twenty passers in the nation, opened with five straight incompletions. He then proceeded to complete eight straight passes. With four minutes left in the half, Jim Barclay converted a 27-yard field goal. After forcing a punt by the Falcons, Army took over on its 44-yard line, and Kingsley Fink hit three consecutive passes to move the Cadets to the Air Force one-yard line. Fink plunged over the goal line and Barclay kicked the extra point to tie the score, 10-10 at halftime.

Army received the second half kickoff, and Fink converted two passes in a row. Unfortunately, the last receiver was hit by three Falcon defensive backs and lost the ball. Air Force moved 50 yards in eight plays for the go-ahead touchdown. Later in the third period, Fink was intercepted and Air Force returned the ball to the Army one. Two plays later, the Falcons scored to make it 10-24.

On the next series, Plebe Marcus Hardy swept around right end and rushed 78 yards for a touchdown. Army was called for holding on the play, nullifying what would have been the longest play of the season for the Cadets. On the next play, Fink was intercepted and the Falcon returned it 16-yards for another touchdown. Air Force added a field goal in the final minutes of the third quarter. After another Falcon field goal, Fink was again intercepted and the Air Force player returned it 32-yards for a touchdown, closing the scoring at 10-43. Air Force turned three interceptions and a fumble recovery into 27 points. Plebe Greg McGlasker played seven minutes at halfback, spelling Plebe Marcus Hardy who started. McGlasker rushed twice for 13 yards. Plebe Stan Ford did not play in the game.

"What happened this afternoon was very difficult for me to explain, and very hard to believe," said Tom Cahill after the game. "I thought our practice sessions this week were the best we have had all season, yet we certainly didn't play to our ability out there today. I thought when we overcame the 10 point deficit in the second quarter, we were on our way. But then came a fumble," he continued, "at midfield, what was to be the first of many crucial mistakes. We simply were too generous, too big-hearted. It seemed that when we made a mistake in the second half, and turned the ball over, we were burned. No football team can afford to make as many mistakes as we made this afternoon, and not pay the price."

On Friday, November 9th, the Plebe football team met the Cornell Freshmen at West Point. Army scored first on a touchdown pass from Skip Dietz to Dave Dorminey early in the second quarter, with Dan Peterson kicking the extra point. After an interception by Lance Betros, the Plebes marched down to the Cornell 13 before being stopped. The holder could not control the snap on the field goal attempt. Cornell then marched 75 yards to a touchdown but missed the extra point. The first half ended with the Plebes leading, 7-6.

In the third period, Cornell blocked a Gene Palka punt and recovered it on the Army 25-yard line. Cornell used strong running to score the winning touchdown. The Plebes drove deep into Cornell territory in the fourth quarter with a fourth and goal on the Big Red seven-yard line. Cornell stuffed the attempt for a 7-12 victory. The Plebes ended the season with a 2-5-0 record.

At the same time as the Plebe game, the Army junior varsity was meeting the Hudson Valley Community College. Hudson scored on a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game. On their next possession, the Vikings drove down the field and converted a 23-yard field goal. Army's John Chapman threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Bob Woodcock with 1:30 to play in the half, with Bob Smith converting the extra point, to make the score 7-10. Hudson scored on a drive down the field in the third quarter after intercepting a Cadet pass. Chapman moved Army down the field through three straight completions, allowing John Hodges to plunge over the goal line from the two-yard line. Hudson intercepted a Cadet pass near their goal line to win the game, 13-17. The Army junior varsity squad finished the season with a 0-4-0 record.

Also on Friday at Shea Stadium in front of 3,150 fans, the Army Lightweight Football team beat the Navy team for the fourth time in a row, 27-24. Skip Grimm scored from the Navy 7-yard line with five minutes to go to overcome a 20-24 Midshipmen lead. The Cadet defense then stopped Navy from scoring. Army holds a 10-7 edge over Navy in the series that began in 1957. The Cadets had a 5-0-0 record. Army would face Cornell next week for the championship of the Eastern Intercollegiate Lightweight Football League.

Miami, Florida

Army looked forward to its home game against Miami, Florida (4-3) on November 10th. The Hurricanes were 17 point favorites and had a strong running game centered on Woody Thompson with 607 yards on 143 carries. Miami had a tough defense that season and had beaten the Cadets in both of its prior games. In 1972, Army made three costly mistakes, an interception, a blocked punt, and a lost fumble, that turned into three touchdowns for a 7-28 loss.

Before a crowd of 41,047, Miami put two quick touchdowns on the board in the first period. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Cadet offense lost 13 yards in three play, pinning them down on the Army 5-yard line. Dave Hohnstine punted 31 yards and the Hurricanes first possession began on the Army 36. It took them nine plays to score their first touchdown and extra point. With five minutes to go, Kingsley Fink was intercepted on the Miami 41-yard line. The Hurricanes scored six plays later on a 45-yard run, but missed the extra point.

Army was missing the services of its three top receivers to injuries or illness, Jim Ward, Barry Armstrong, and Joe Miller. With ten minutes left in the half, Scott Gillogly intercepted a pass at the Army 35-yard line. Dan Spangler rushed 21 yards, and Willie Thigpen caught a pass for 21 yards to the Hurricanes 30-yard line. With a fourth and three, Army elected to go, but Fink's pitch to Spangler went awry and Miami recovered the fumble. Later in the period, Miami drove deep but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal, making the score 0-16 at halftime.

Miami added a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter. In the fourth period, Steve McAnally picked off a Hurricanes pass on the Army 41-yard line. With substitute Pat Witheril at quarterback, the Cadets drove 59 yards in ten plays to score. Witheril hit Bob Simons for a ten-yard scoring pass. Jim Barclay kicked the extra point to close the scoring at 7-19. Plebes Stan Ford (linebacker) and Gregg McGlasker (tailback) played briefly in the game.

Pittsburgh

Army welcomed Pitt (5-3-1) to its final game at Michie Stadium. The Panthers were the "comeback team of the year" under first year head coach Johnny Rogers. In 1972, Pitt had won only one game. Pitt led the series record at 9-6-2. A key player was freshman Tony Dorsett, who had rushed 1,348 yards, third in the nation. Dorsett had rushed 200 yards in a game three times so far in the season. The Panthers were installed as a 17 point favorite.

Only 33,264 fans showed up that Saturday at Michie. Pitt recovered a fumble at the Army 22 in the first quarter. Four plays later, Dorsett scored on a six-yard rush. Late in the first period, the Panthers took over at the Pitt 38 after a short Army punt. The Cadets stopped the drive on their twelve, forcing the Panthers to make a 31-yard field goal. Early in the second period, Skip Whitman hit Dorsett hard, forcing a fumble recovered by Scott Gillogly, for the best field position during the game. Army was forced to punt four plays later. Pitt later scored on a 42-yard scoring strike to make the halftime score, 0-17.

Pitt scored the first two times it got the ball in the third quarter. The Panthers scored on a 28-yard field goal after a 68-yard drive ended at the Army nine-yard line. The Cadets failed to make a first down after the kickoff and punted. Pitt then had another 68-yard drive in ten plays, with Dorsett plunging over the goal line from the one.

Early in the fourth quarter, Plebe Greg McGlasker relieved Kingsley Fink at quarterback and the Cadets began to move from the Army 20 to the Pitt 25. On fourth and eight, McGlasker tried to hit Robin Van Deusen at the Pitt 14, but he was intercepted and the Panthers player returned it 86-yards for their final touchdown. In the final minutes, McGlasker led the Cadets again to the Pitt 33 on his passing and running. McGlasker was 2-5-1 for 37 yards and rushed 36 yards on six carries. Plebe Stan Ford also played briefly. Plebe Marcus Hardy rushed for 40 yards. Tony Dorsett made an "ordinary" 161 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns. The ninth defeat was the longest victory famine in Army Football history.

The Army Lightweight Football team met Cornell at Ithaca on Saturday afternoon, November 17th. Cornell scored first in the second period on a touchdown pass to open the scoring at 0-7. Plebe quarterback Warren Chellman threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Skip Grimm with 2:25 remaining in the half, with John Adams adding the extra point to tie the game. Adams intercepted a Big Red pass on the Cornell 30-yard line and took it into the end zone. The extra point was good, but Army was penalized for having only ten men on the field. At halftime, Army led 13-7.

It was a scoreless third quarter. Cornell drove deep late in the fourth period, but the Cadets stopped them on the Army seven-yard line. West Point took over with 5:27 to go in the game, and Tom Weber got them out of the hole with a 40-yard run. A personal foul on the play added fifteen yards. With about one minute left, Weber plunged over the goal line and Adams added the point after to make the final score 20-7. Army won its 11th overall and fourth in a row Eastern Intercollegiate Lightweight Football League Championship, and their 14th straight victory since Cornell upset them 13-28 in 1971. Head Coach Eric Tipton, who came to USMA to start Lightweight football in 1957 at the request of Red Blaik, increased his record to 88-12-1. It was perhaps Tipton's most outstanding effort, as he had lost his starting all-league quarterback, Gene Richardson, in the opening game of the season, and still went undefeated.

After nine games, the Cadets varsity football team had only averaged 212 yards offensively a game (75 rushing, 137 passing) while giving up 456 yards a game. It had lost 14 fumbles and been intercepted 19 times. The Cadets had recovered 17 fumbles and intercepted 11 passes. Army had only scored 67 points against 331 by opponents. Willie Thigpen was the leading rusher at 254 yards, followed by Hardy, Spangler, and McGlasker at 166, 164, and 80 yards. Only Bob Simons and Kingsley Fink had scored rushing touchdowns. Fink was 94-211-15, 1,073 yards, and four touchdown passes. Jim Barclay led the team with 25 points followed by Jim Ward and Simons at 12 each. Punter Dan Hohnstine had punted 80 times, more than any runner's rushing attempts. The 67 points scored in the season was Army's lowest since the 57 scored in 1940.

Navy

Army got two weeks to prepare for the Navy (3-7-0) game in JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. Navy was a two touchdown favorite, led by first year head coach George Welsh. The Midshipmen had defeated VMI (37-8), Syracuse (23-14), and Air Force (42-6). The Middies lost to four other common opponents, including Penn State (0-39), Pitt (17-22), Notre Dame (7-44), and Georgia Tech (22-26). Michigan, Boston College, and Tulane had also defeated Navy this season. Three tailbacks had rushed for 796, 430, and 295 yards and their senior quarterback had completed 97 of 197 attempts for 1,201 yards and eight touchdown passes. Three receivers had caught 30, 24, and 21 receptions for 463, 312, and 313 yards. The Mids had a speedy sophomore averaging 25 yards per kickoff return.

Never before had Army entered the classic winless, and only once had Navy (in 1948, though in future seasons the Middies would enter the game winless – 1991, 2000, and 2001). It was said that some Army fans hoped that the popular notion was true – "You could lose every game, but if you beat Navy, your season is a success." When the Army Football team came out on the field, the player leading them stumbled and fell. After losing two cliffhangers in succession, the Midshipmen were out to even the score.

Taking the opening kickoff in front of 91,926 fans, Navy marched 72 yards in 12 plays to score on a 15-yard run with five minutes gone in the game. The extra point attempt was wide to make it 0-6. The teams played evenly until early in the second period.

A short Army punt gave the Middies the ball on the Army 48-yard line. It took seven plays for Navy to score another touchdown from the seven. The two point pass conversion failed to make it 0-12. Another short Army punt gave Navy the ball on the Cadet 39-yard line. The Mids hit a receiver for on the first play open for a touchdown. With the extra point kick, the score was upped to 0-19.

Two plays after Army received the kickoff, Kingsley Fink was intercepted on the Army 37. Six plays later, the Midshipmen rushed six yards across the goal line. Navy converted a two point conversion run to lead 0-27. A minute later, the Middies intercepted another Fink pass on the Army 28 and returned it to the Cadet 14-yard line. It took four plays before the Mids rushed five yards to pay dirt.

After another Cadet short possession, the Midshipmen took over at their 46 with 19 seconds left in the half. Three plays later, Navy converted a 44-yard field goal with five seconds left on the clock, to add a little salt to the wound after suffering two heartbreaking defeats in 1971 and 1972. Navy had broken open the game with 31 points in the second quarter over a 9:37 span, leading at halftime 0-37.

In the third quarter, a short punt and excellent return put the Middies at the Army 34-yard line. The Navy tailback made a 32 yard jaunt, stopped at the two yard line. Two plays later, the Mids scored another touchdown, but the extra point was wide, making the score 0-43. Late in the third period, Navy drove sixty yards in ten plays to notch its final touchdown, and then ran in the two point extra point to make the score 0-51, the most ever scored in a service academy game. Army's 38-0 victory in 1949 was the previous widest margin while Navy's best was 7-42 in 1951 and 12-43 in 1959. Welsh used all 59 Navy players who dressed in the game, and told his second string quarterback not to pass in the final period. "[Did Navy] even the score? Ugh, it was overkill," said the _Assembly_ in its report of the game.

Late in the fourth quarter, Army drove from its thirty and made a first down on the Navy 26-yard line. A one yard gain by McGlasker was followed by three straight incompletions by Fink. Navy took over and ran the clock out. Dan Spangler, plagued by injuries most of the season, rushed for 96 yards in 21 carries, the best effort of the season for an Army runner. Army crossed midfield only three times, with one of those drives ending with a Cadet fumble at the Middies 42-yard line. Army was intercepted four times in the game with one lost fumble. Navy had no turnovers. Plebes Hardy and McGlasker rushed for 13 and 14 yards, while Plebe Stan Ford was in at linebacker for a few plays. Navy received the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for their victories over Air Force and Army.

At first, Tom Cahill refused to allow reporters to talk to his players in the locker room after the game. Cahill, whose five year contract expired at the end of the 1973 season, finally relented, but most of the players had left. Cahill later said, "This team moved in fits and spurts, and couldn't achieve any consistency. It's the toughest defeat of my career to stomach. I accept responsibility for the game and the whole season. You can sit and talk about injuries and the schedule, but that's not going to help. We just got bombed by Navy. And I assume responsibility."

Cahill was asked if he expected to be back at West Point. "Do you want to stay as coach?" a newsman asked. "Do you want to stay in the newspaper business? Cahill replied, "The decision is not mine. But I won't be bitter no matter what the decision. They don't take kindly to a loss to Navy, especially by this score." In another account, Cahill said, "West Point has been very good to me. I believe in West Point and what they're trying to do. West Point educated my son and gave me the opportunity to be head coach at a late age in life." Tom Cahill suffered his third loss to Navy, against five victories.

The USMA Director of Athletics, Colonel William J. Schuder, said on Saturday after the game that "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say he'd will be back." Schuder had given Cahill a personal vote of confidence last week before the game and told reporters that the AAA would submit a favorable recommendation to the USMA Superintendent, Lieutenant General William A. Knowlton.

_Sports Illustrated_ predicted that the loss to Navy raised questions about the future of the entire structure of academy football. "We're going to take a realistic look as some of the teams we play," said Schuder, "We are not going to play lots of bowl teams." "We faced a Mission Impossible schedule," said Cahill, "I think it's important that we maintain a nationally flavored schedule but against teams whom we can be competitive." Cahill then cited as examples Tulane, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Stanford, and Northwestern – all of whom writer Larry Keith stated would have probably defeated the Cadets this year also. Still, Keith said Army's record was not the worse in the nation. Texas El-Paso went 0-11 and ended with a 0-63 blowout to Brigham Young, while Florida State plunged to 0-11 after a 0-49 loss to Florida.

Post-Season

Plebe tailbacks Markus Hardy and Greg McGlasker rushed for 179 and 94 yards during the season. McGlasker also had 37 yards on two pass completions, plus two interceptions on six attempts. Hardy caught five passes for 18 yards while McGlasker had one catch for four yards. Hardy returned 15 kickoffs for 293 yards, his longest being 42 yards. McGlasker returned one kickoff 17 yards. Hardy played at total of 137 minutes, McGlasker had 41 minutes, and Stan Ford played 42 minutes at linebacker. Other Plebes playing in 1973 included Ray Beverley at defensive tackle (13 minutes) and Bill Woodcock at split end (1 minute of the Navy game). Hardy received a letter for the 1973 season.

Thirteen days after the Navy game, on Thursday, December 13th, USMA released a press statement that it had decided not to renew the football coaching contract of Tom Cahill, Army's head coach for the last eight seasons. The decision was made by Knowlton, based upon the recommendation of the Athletic Board. "I consider Tom a close friend and a fine person. He has been a great help to the Academy during some very difficult years, and has had some significant successes. In view of the won-lost record of the past season, we felt that if we were going to make a coaching change, the contract expiration seemed to be the time to do it. With new coaching leadership, we feel we can be competitive again," said General Knowlton. Efforts were to begin to find a coaching successor.

There were immediate newspaper articles that USMA had recommended keeping Cahill as head coach, but the Pentagon axed that decision. Cahill's immediate reaction to his firing was "I'm inclined to think this happened in Washington." He pointed to the Army Chief of Staff, General Creighton Abrams, as making the final call. "I hold the unique distinction of being fired by a man I never met," believing that the AAA and Knowlton had made favorable recommendations to the Pentagon.

USMA Director of Athletics Schuder denied this, indicating that all parties had a change of heart following the Navy debacle. "All major decisions are made here [USMA]," Schuder said, "It's absolutely not true that the decision came from Washington." But he did admit that Abrams was informed of the USMA decision.

"The Navy game caused us to take another searching look at the situation. I think we looked at the size of the score and the performance of the team and measured it against the season. After we got back and looked at the whole season again, we realized we needed to make a change. We needed to do something to really attempt to turn things around." An Army spokesman in the Pentagon confirmed that the Secretary of the Army, Howard Callaway, and Abrams were informed of the decision after the fact.

Cahill was offered a position as Assistant Director of Athletics for Operations and Planning, a position he would serve until late 1974 before becoming Athletic Director of Union College in Schenectady. Cahill's record as Army's 26th head football coach was 40-39-2 in eight seasons, with five victories over Navy.

As the USMA Dean, Brigadier General John R. Jannarone finished his last day on December 28th before his retirement ceremony, the former Corps Squad athlete reflected on his eight years to _Assembly_ writers. Jannarone, who served as the Chairman of the Athletic Board, made the following remarks regarding Army Football in the March 1974 edition, "I felt truly privileged to be able to take a hand in shaping athletics at the Academy. We're going to have to be more realistic in our scheduling. I'm confident that we can continue to play a respectable – and a national – schedule; but I think, for example, that we should be playing some of the Ivy League teams. We ought to concentrate on competition with schools whose overall standards are commensurate with our own. Certainly, we must never compromise our academic standards to accommodate athletics."

USMA Superintendent William A. Knowlton, in the March 1974 edition of _Assembly_ , wrote "This year's football season has now become history. It did not meet our hopes and expectations, and the record caused a deep reassessment at West Point. Despite the various successes achieved by Coach Tom Cahill in the past, we decided that the end of his 5-year contract this January made a change desirable. While the total record of teams under Tom's tutelage was about evenly divided between wins and losses, the 5-year record of this contract was 17 wins, 32 losses and 2 ties. It was our feeling that something dynamic needed to be done; we did not feel confident that enough would be done without a change. Therefore, Tom's contract was not renewed, but he will remain with AAA in an administrative capacity, at least for the present."

Tennessee finished the season with 8-4-0 record, losing 19-28 to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl and finishing #19. Pittsburgh finished the season at 6-5-1, but lost 7-28 to Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl. California finished at 4-7-0, while Georgia Tech was 5-6-0, and the other Army opponents' records were Holy Cross (5-6-0), Air Force (6-4-0), Miami, Florida (5-6-0), and Navy (4-7-0). Penn State went undefeated at 12-0-0 and was ranked #5, beating Louisiana State in the Orange Bowl, 16-9. Notre Dame (11-0-0) finished the season as the national champion, beating Alabama 24-23 in the Sugar Bowl.

Post-Script

The _Assembly_ in December 1973 said "No one could have predicted that the 1973 year of great challenge would so abruptly evolve into the year of great disappointment because of bad breaks and a near epidemic of injuries."

In its "1973 In Review," the _1974 Army Football Guide_ opened with "the 1973 season was a lot of things for the Army Football team, but good was not one of them." It continued, "What happened in 1973 was totally unexpected!... It was a nightmare that got bigger and bigger as the season got longer and longer.... Prior to the start of pre-season work, optimism was running high in the Army camp despite the loss of nine defensive starters from the 6-4 edition of the previous fall [1972 season]. The numbers were much better on offense, where only four vacancies remained to be filled.... The scoring potential certainly was there.... The Army offense managed just seven touchdowns the entire year, while the defensive unit was surrendering a school record 382 points.... No fewer than 37 players missed time during the season, all because of injury. Most had starting roles, too, at the time of the injury.... A total of 25 sophomores were pressed into varsity duty for the initial time, while five plebes likewise saw front-line action on the varsity field."

"1973 was not without bright moments. Kingsley Fink shattered Army passing records on game, season, and career levels... an injury-riddled defensive line time and time again came up with the big play... and young running backs such as Markus Hardy had the opportunity to display their wares." The guide finished its review by stating, "The 1973 season is one that many people would like to forget as soon as possible. It's also a season that should be remembered long enough."

Chapter 4  
New Coach, New Hopes – Homer A. Smith

Cahill's Tenure Ends

The story of the 1974 Army Football season begins as the 1973 season ended, with the unbelievable defeat by Navy (0-51). It was the first such season without a win since the one game season of 1890 and a similar result, a 0-24 loss to Navy. It appears from press comments, that the USMA Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Colonel William J. Schuder, expected a much better showing by the Cadets, though not necessarily a miracle. I suspect that Schuder had thoughts of a previous winless Navy team (1948) that tied an undefeated Army team. Schuder likely surprised reporters after the game by stating "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say he [head coach Tom Cahill] will be back."

I happened to be a plebe in 1973, and it was a terrible time to be a plebe at West Point during that season. After the 31 point second quarter where Navy could do no wrong, and our team could not do anything right, most of my classmates just wanted the game to be over as quickly as possible, though we did get to yell our hearts out a bit when we drove deep into the enemy's territory in the final minutes, seeing our classmate Greg McGlasker try to break for more than a yard, and then watching Kingsley Fink throw three straight incompletions from the Navy 25-yard line that was so typical of the 1973 team.

We watched in great pain as the football Midshipmen ran out the clock; while we listened to the Midshipmen in the stands just get louder. I do not have much memory of what happened afterward, like many in my class, we found our way to the Benjamin Franklin Hotel where we could drown our spirits before getting on the buses for the long drive back to West Point. Many upperclassmen would take out their frustrations on us plebes.

Back to Colonel Schuder, who likely thought much like most Cadets of what to do that evening, though he likely had to deal with a lot more graduates chewing on his ears with lots of advice of what to do about Army Football. We now know that while the Army Athletic Board going into the1973 Navy game was somewhat in favor of retaining Tom Cahill, in the next ten to thirteen days, they changed their minds, and with the agreement of the USMA Superintendent, Lieutenant General William A. Knowlton, decided to not renew Cahill's contract. So now after Thursday's decision on December 13th, Schuder had to find a head football coach.

Newspapers reported on the next Sunday that Schuder's phone had been ringing steadily since Thursday's announcement. He told them "We're looking for a man who has made a good reputation as a head coach or a principal assistant. I feel there are many people around who'd like a chance at this challenge. And we'll make sure that anyone we bring in for an interview understands the restrictions under which we operate." The search would take almost six weeks to select the next head coach.

Knowlton wrote in the March 1974 edition of _Assembly_ about the efforts to find a new football coach, "The search for a new coach was instituted, and a large number of extremely competent individuals applied and were interviewed. The final selection was made more difficult by the high ability of the last few contenders."

New Coach

On Wednesday, January 30, 1974, USMA announced and introduced the 27th Army Head Football Coach, Homer Austin Smith, 42, to the press and fans. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1931. He graduated cum laude in Economics from Princeton University in 1954. While in college, Smith lettered three years each in football and track, and in 1974, still held single game rushing and season punting records at his alma mater. He was a starter at fullback for three seasons for the Tigers, team captain during his freshman and senior seasons, selected for All-East and All-Ivy League squads in 1952 and 1952, and was recipient of Princeton's outstanding athletic award.

In addition to being an outstanding athletic, Smith was also class president during his last three years in college and chaired the Honor Committee. Following graduation, he served for two years as an Army Officer in the Field Artillery branch. He then entered graduate school at Stanford University, graduating with a Master's Degree in Business Administration in 1958.

While at Stanford, Smith got his first coaching job as freshman coach and director of recruiting. He stayed at Stanford through the 1960 season, then became the offensive backfield coach at the Air Force Academy for four years (1961-1964), during which the Falcons played in the Gator Bowl. In 1965, he became the head coach at Davidson College for five seasons, upgrading the football program by playing major colleges. During the 1969 season, the team won the Southern Conference championship and competed against Toledo in the Tangerine Bowl. Smith was recognized as a regional major college Coach of the Year. Smith then became head coach at the University of the Pacific during the 1970 and 1971 seasons.

Smith then joined Pepper Rodgers' staff at UCLA as offensive coordinator for the 1972 season. Using the Wishbone-T offense for the first time, the Bruins had an 8-3-0 record and shattered the Pacific 8 Conference's season rushing record. During the 1973 season, UCLA (9-2-0) led the nation in rushing, second in scoring, and third in total offense, setting the conference's record for total offense. After that season, Rodgers accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, and brought Smith along as his offensive coordinator. He was only in Atlanta for a few weeks before accepting the job at West Point. Smith's head coaching record upon being hired at Army was 32-39-0, including a bowl loss.

Speaking to reporters at the press conference, Coach Smith said, "I'm thrilled to be here; I make no qualifications about that. We're going to nail down the fine things Coach Cahill and his staff have done here and seek to improve upon them, as we hope to continually improve upon everything we do. We're going to maximize the skills of each football player and we'll set goals for improving each week."

During the press conference, Army announced that it would change its recruiting pitch about the USMA post-graduate five-year military commitment to "a five-year opportunity." Smith remarked, "I hope I'm not naïve about it, but I can't wait to try my sales pitch. I really believe in what we're selling. We're not here to sell our football program, but to sell the U.S. Military Academy. That primarily is the difference in recruiting here than at other schools. We'll recruit with a positive approach. Five year commitment is a phrase. Five years is a length of time – a chance not only to serve your country but a chance to get settled, to get a direction you otherwise might not have upon graduation."

"I realize the service academies have no chance at a player who has his heart set on pro ball," Smith continued, "If a boy we're recruiting insists he wants to play pro ball, we'll move on. But the chances of ever making the pros are very slim for most players. We may have to pass over a few young men with nothing else on their mind. But there are many good things about going into the military to serve your country which can help a lot of young men get a good perspective on life. West Point makes young men better; it stretches them; it makes them better leaders with better minds and bodies."

When asked again about recruiting players who eye a pro career, Smith said, "However, we will recruit all others. We hope to expand our recruiting, reaching [geographical] areas we haven't reached before. I do expect some players to come to West Point talented enough to be drafted by professional football. Some great football players, however, were not great. They were made. And that's what I'd like to do at West Point."

USMA Superintendent William A. Knowlton, in the March 1974 edition of _Assembly_ , wrote, after citing highlights of Homer Smith's career "I am confident he will turn Army Football around and give us a quality football program. I hope you will join me in full support for him, as you did in the past for Tom Cahill."

John Kilgo wrote a few days later in his column, "Army did a smart thing by signing Homer Smith as their new football coach. I worked with Smith for two years and the man is an offensive football genius. You can look for the Cadets to throw the ball up to 40 times a game. It's doubtful that Smith will use the wishbone at Army. It was used at UCLA where Smith was offensive coordinator, but that was more the idea of head coach Pepper Rodgers than it was Smith's."

Kilgo continued, "Smith likes to spread his offense, attack the perimeter areas, and play what he calls "pitch and catch." His philosophy is that the eight-yard pass is as safe as a handoff in the backfield. The biggest problem Smith will have at Army will be recruiting. A lot of young men don't look forward to five years in the Army after graduation, that's what they get at West Point. Nevertheless, look for Army Football to come back to strong heights. Smith won a Southern Conference championship at Davidson, a school that didn't even want to win at football."

Floyd King's assessment in early February was a little darker. He wrote in his column, "The prestige of Army Football never has been lower. But the Cadets still are undefeated in 1974.... At the heart of the problems which led to Army's first all-losing season and the eventual dismissal of head coach Tom Cahill was the five-year commitment to serve the country after graduation from West Point. It was a recruiter's nightmare."

King quoted Homer Smith saying, "In January a coach thinks he can do anything. In August he wonders. We'll use a three-back T offense with a wishbone shape. It will be a big part of what we do at West Point. Option football will be a primary approach."

Regarding the five-year commitment, Smith said "We look upon it not as a five-year commitment, but a five-year opportunity. We've sort of wrung our hands to a degree in the past. We want to turn that approach around. I'm not dealing with euphemisms. I'm convinced that it is a great opportunity for a young man, a guaranteed job with good pay and one which provides an experience that can't be matched. I've talked with Tom [Cahill] and he said if it wasn't for the five-year commitment, Army would win the national championship every year. There are haves and have nots in college football, maybe 10 or 12 haves. We're not there yet. Our first objective is to be competitive with the schools who are not in those ideal positions."

King ended his article with "And if that does not happen soon, of course, Smith said he was prepared to go the way of Cahill." Smith said, "It's always the head coach's fault, and that's all right. I love the challenge. I'm thrilled to be here."

Coach Smith did not take much time to make his first appointments to his coaching staff. On February 8th, he named Bruce Tarbox and John Wade as both offensive line coaches. Tarbox had served on Tom Cahill's 1973 staff and was the only holdover. Wade came to West Point as an offensive line coach at Davidson College. Wade played college ball at South Carolina State and was Army's first black civilian coach at any sport in USMA's history.

John Stiegman was named by Smith as defensive coordinator on February 21st. Stiegman was head coach and athletic director at Iowa Wesleyan last season and former head coach at Rutgers and Penn, with a 37-53-0 record. He was 22-15 at Rutgers for four seasons, including an 8-1 record in 1958. At Penn, Stiegman was 12-33 in five seasons. His Iowa Wesleyan team was 3-5 during the 1973 season. Stiegman was a tackle at Williams College during 1941-1942 and served as the defensive coordinator at Princeton before going to Rutgers.

Four days later, USMA added Lafayette College as its opening game for the 1974 schedule. The addition of the Leopards added eleven games to the Cadet campaign, the second time Army had played that many games, with the 1970 season being the other one. The teams had not met since the 1948 season and Army had a 3-1 series edge.

By the March edition of _The Army Sportsletter_ , Homer Smith had completed naming his six assistants. Besides Tarbox, Wade, and Stiegman, Smith named Frank Gansz (offensive coordinator), Troy Winslow (defensive backfield), and Dick Bowman (defensive line). Gansz came to USMA after serving one year as recruiting coordinator and assistant athletic director at Oklahoma State, and previously served three seasons each at Navy and Air Force. Gansz graduated in 1961 from USNA where he lettered three times in football as a center and linebacker and twice in lacrosse and baseball.

Winslow played quarterback on Southern California's 1967 Rose Bowl team and was head coach at Long Beach Poly High School. Bowman was head coach at Wabash College and previously served as Bud Wilkinson's assistant at Oklahoma and head coach at Knox College.

In the June edition of _The Army Sportsletter_ , offensive receivers coach Mike Mikolayunas was listed as the seventh assistant. Mikolayunas had played for Smith at Davidson and had been head coach at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Baltimore last season. By the publication of the _1974 Army Football Guide_ , Pat Mente had joined the Smith's staff to work with the offensive backs. Captain Mente was an Armor officer, USMA Class of 1968, and a two-year letterman as a defensive lineman, and had been the offensive line coach for the junior varsity during the 1973 season.

Spring Football

Spring football practice began on April 13th, with the annual intra-squad game held on Saturday afternoon, May 18th, at Michie Stadium. At the opening practice, Coach Smith announced that Army would be using the Oklahoma defensive scheme and the offense would be using the West Point Package, a variation of the famous Wishbone. 130 Cadets showed up for the first practice, with 27 being lettermen.

Before practices began, Homer Smith told reporters "The first thing I want to do is erase the memory of the 0-10 season. The second is to prepare for 1974. Spring practice will be very important. Whatever experimenting we do will be kept to a minimum and will be accomplished early. I want to place our personnel in positions as soon as possible, so they may have the benefit of working at those spots for most of the spring season. With a new system to learn, time must be our ally, not an enemy."

Before an Armed Forces Day crowd of 6,000 curious fans, spring practice climaxed with the Black-Gold intra-squad game at Michie. In the game, plebe Greg McGlasker rushed for 96 yards on 21 carries, scoring on a 15-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Scott Gillogly, a converted defensive safety, rushed for 87 yards on 28 carries, while completing eight of 14 passes for 86 yards for the Gold team. The Black team won, 29-12.

Off-Season

On Monday, July 8th, 1,435 New Cadets of the Class of 1978 arrived at West Point to begin their two-months of Cadet Basic Training, or Beast Barracks. Fifteen future members of the 1977 Army Football team arrived that day. Future kickers were Mike Castelli, from Carmel, NY, and Mike Hargis, of Troy, OH. The defensive linemen included Mark Berry (Carlisle, PA), Chuck D'Amico (Washington Township, NJ), Tiki Traylor (Lockland, NJ), and Doug Turrell (Mount Holly, NJ).

Offensive guards arriving were Curt Downs from Sarasota, FL, and Jim Hollingsworth of Toledo, OH. Future receivers included George Dunaway (Titusville, FL) and Keith Wilson (Baltimore, MD). Tailbacks Joe Cerv (Wahoo, NE), Greg King (Fort Meade, MD), and Gus Steenborg (Texarkana, TX) marched on The Plain to swear in. Finally, future linebacker Steve Miller from Greencastle, PA, and quarterback Leamon Hall of Apopka, FL began their West Point careers.

"I played at the USMA Prep School and had an opportunity to make myself known to the coaching staff," recalled Mike Castelli, "Homer brought me in as a kicker and gave me a shot. I guess you can consider me a semi-walk-on."

"I was recruited both by Coach Bruce Tarbox and Bud Neswiacheny, Chuck D'Amico remembered, "Neswiacheny was a 1968 grad and Army Football team captain. He knew all about Cadet Life. BUT Tarbox was a new coach and not familiar with the way the Academy worked. His main pitching point to me was that since I lived 35 miles south of West Point, I would be able to come home every Sunday for dinner. He failed to tell me that it would be three years into my Cadet Life until I could do this."

On July 19th, Lieutenant General Sidney B. Berry became the 50th USMA Superintendent, replacing William A. Knowlton. Knowlton would become Chief of Staff for the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, serve in several NATO positions, and receive his fourth star before retiring in 1980. Berry arrived at West Point after serving as commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division. In August, Brigadier General Frederick A. Smith, Jr. became the Dean of the Academic Board, taking over for Brigadier General John R. Jannarone, who retired at the end of 1973.

As the season approached, newspaper sports sections were filled with previews and observations about college teams, including Army. A retired Air Force officer, Walter J. Brown, wrote a Southeastern Conference favoring sports writer, predicting that "Army will once again win national prominence. The Cadets will play in a bowl game. A vision came to [me] the other night, attesting to that fact. My wife things that I am nuts. What do you think? Am I nuts?" Truthfully, we know now he was correct, just a decade ahead of himself.

The sports writer responded, "We do not think you are nuts. We think you are an extra-loyal alumnus and follower and fan of Army and in letting the wish become father to the thought, you envision something that does not presently exist – an Army Football team of national prominence.... Personally, we think Army should revert to an Ivy League type of athletic program and quit scheduling the likes of Notre Dame, Tennessee, Penn State, Southern Call, or even Vanderbilt. The Cadets have one thing going for them against the Commodores – the game will be played at West Point and it will be played the week after Vanderbilt meets Ole Miss. The psychological angles will be riding with the Cadets. On Brave Old Army Team."

Another article focused on the new offense and defense. "Smith helped perfect the Wishbone-T while at UCLA, and has installed much of that system at West Point." Coach Smith was quoted as saying "We'll run a lot from Wishbone formations, with our thinking built around option football. We'll also use a 5-2 defense, which too, will be different than the 4-4 alignment of recent years."

Another newspaper report said, "[Smith] may be able to get his Cadets off to a good start because the team opens with Lafayette. But Army may have to find solace in winning in attitude rather than on the field because it runs into a tough schedule including such formidable foes as Tulane, California, Penn State, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and North Carolina before closing as usual with Navy. Nevertheless, Smith remains upbeat in his outlook." "When I first came to West Point, I expected to find less athletic ability and more disciplined execution," Smith recalled. "Instead I have found more athletic ability and less discipline in execution... once we get this [discipline execution] I think we can be a good football team."

Coach Smith told another reporter regarding a controlled scrimmage during the preseason, "Sure, we made some mistakes, but mistakes are part of football. Keeping them to a minimum very often spells the difference between victory and defeat. The offense showed me a lot and I thought the defense had its truly fine moments, too. The whole team has worked hard to become good and I believe before this season is over, we'll be just that – a good football team. We've come a long way since April. Our aspirations for the coming season are extremely high."

The _1974 Army Football Guide_ reported "that Coach Smith is building his foundation on option football, not the Wishbone-T, but football very close to it." "The offense won't be the same as it was at UCLA," asserted Smith, "although we plan to run out of the Wishbone formations a lot of the time. Option football, quite basically, puts the ball in the end zone, and that's exactly what we will be attempting to do this fall." With Smith as offensive coordinator, UCLA led the nation in rushing offense at 400 yards per game and 56 touchdowns, finished second in scoring (42.7 points) and third in total offense (470 yards per game).

The annual guide highlighted several future 1977 football team members for the 1974 season. Tony Dailey played tight end on the plebe team last season, and had several impressive performances in spring practice scrimmages. Stan Ford appeared in nine varsity games in 1973 at linebacker, but was moved to defensive end during spring drills. Jim Hodge played on the plebe team last year, first at tight end and then moved to defensive end. Hodge concluded spring drills at the starting right guard on offense. Greg McGlasker played in six varsity games in 1973 at tailback and quarterback. He wound up deadlocked with Scott Gillogly at quarterback at the end of spring practices. McGlasker had some academic problems during his first year and he was turned back to repeat plebe year.

Overall, Army had 22 returning lettermen and had lost twenty as of July's roster. The Cadets had eight offensive and four defensive starters not returning for the 1974 season. Before August preseason camp, Army lost two starters, offensive guard Bernie Wrezinski and defensive back Steve McAnally to season-ending injuries. Fullback Brad Dodrill broke his foot while on summer leave. Halfback Dan Spangler was recovering from an off-season knee surgery. Both lettered last season and were expected to start the opening game, but would be sidelined for the opening parts of the season. Two more potential starters had resigned from USMA, and another man had decided not to play football this fall.

"The lack of depth had haunted Tom Cahill last season, and may very well haunt Homer Smith; as the 25 lettermen at spring practice became 22 at the start of preseason, and were at 17 available for the first game. The opportunity for plebes to step right in definitely exists," according to the guide, "two years ago, three plebes saw varsity duty. Last year, the number increased to five. This year the early indication is that Homer Smith may invite as many as two dozen in preseason work, with the hope that a fair percentage of those will continue on during the fall in a varsity role." The guide was correct, as a total of 21 plebes would receive playing time, with eight averaging more than five minutes per game.

The guide also identified eight men who would play an important role in the development of future varsity players. Tad Schroeder was the head plebe coach. Schroeder had been the head football coach at the Coast Guard Academy over the last six seasons and previously served on Coach Dietzel's staff from 1962-1966. Five others served on the Schroeder's staff with the plebe team – Tom Haller (USMA '70), Bud Neswiacheny (USMA '68), Byron Price (USMA '70), Gary Steele (USMA '70), and Steve Yarnell (USMA '69) – all active duty Captains, West Point graduates, and former Army Football players.

Tom Cunningham (USMA '64) and Ron Boehme (Toledo '60) were on the junior varsity staff for Coach Smith. Major Cunningham was an USMA instructor who assisted with the football program last season and lettered in football and wrestling at West Point. Major Boehme served in the Physical Education department, lettered in both football and baseball, and played semi-pro ball.

In addition, there were other important members of the Army Athletic department that supported the football squad. Ed Pillings was in his 18th year as head athletic trainer. Lieutenant Colonel Bud Moentmann served as the officer representative for the football team. Lieutenant Colonel Tom Travis was team physician. Bob Kinney was the publicity director.

During preseason, Homer Smith received the bad news that team Captain, senior starting defensive end, and potential All-American Bob Johnson, would be lost for the season. Johnson had a lesion removed from his upper right arm in the spring, and it turned out to be cancerous, according to Doctor Travis.

Johnson had been named as Army Football's first black Captain after the 1973 season. He was in uniform for every 1974 football game and represent his team at the pre-game coin toss, while attending every practice, but was limited to calisthenics. Johnson would successfully pass a medical board, allowing him to graduate and be commissioned as an Infantry officer. He would later return to West Point as a Tactical Officer and retire as a Colonel.

Chapter 5  
Building with a New Look – The 1974 Football Season

Preseason

"Army will open its 85th year of intercollegiate football on September 14th here at Michie Stadium, wrote USMA Superintendent, Lieutenant General Sidney B. Berry, in the September 1974 edition of the _Assembly_ , continuing, "Coach Smith has already developed a new look in Army's style of play. We expect that it will add excitement to this year's formidable schedule.... We promise you an Army Team with spirit, stamina, and a will to win."

_Sports Illustrated_ also echoed hope for the Cadets in its preseason review of college football. "Navy should attain much the same level of mediocrity as last season (4-7), but Army will improve. Hopefully."

One other 1977 player, Greg McGlasker, was involved in a decision by Homer Smith about who would start at quarterback in the Wishbone attack. McGlasker had been involved in a competition with junior Scott Gillogly since spring practice. By the opening game, Gillogly appeared to have a slight edge due to his passing ability. Smith encouraged the competition, but there is a common saying in football by longtime Rice coach Jess Neeley "if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have any" might have been applied here.

"The competition between the two of us makes me anticipate practice every day more and more," said McGlasker, "I just feel that I am never going to have a bad day at practice because I realize what is at stake. Scott and I are real good friends and we help each other and talk about our offense a great deal. But when I'm out there on the field, I am there to win a job." "Sure, the competition will do a lot for the both of us and for the team," said Gillogly, "We both learn from our mistakes and we're not afraid to help each other. It keeps us both hustling all the time, and in the long run, it is going to build a stronger offensive system."

"I think the Wishbone is the most dynamic and powerful offense in college today," continued Gillogly, "The defense must react to so many things in the Wishbone that if it is executed properly you cannot stop it. I'm not a natural drop back passer. When I came here, Army was a passing team with Kingsley Fink, and I just didn't fit into that mold. I was always a running quarterback in high school, but at the same time I am confident I can move the team and complete passes."

"I just think it's great because as the quarterback, I get a chance to run more with the ball instead of just handing off to someone else, said McGlasker, a smile crossing his face, "The Wishbone also gets people outside and I think it's going to be good for us."

Mike Castelli recalled the 1974 season, "Caslen, Conniff, Baker, and Begley. The seniors took us under their wing and really looked out for us as plebes. There was a lot of fight in that team."

_The Army Sportsletter_ opened its first football article of the season with the sentence "Total commitment on every play of every quarter of every game," calling it a battle cry of the 1974 Army Football team. "I have been extremely impressed with the spirit of our squad," said Coach Homer Smith, "There is a definite feeling of determination to turn things around. You can readily see this in their eagerness to learn. I believe this is what I admire about the Cadets more than anything else, and the other members of my coaching staff have commented about this as well. I believe in the Wishbone or option football because it is more effective the closer you get to the goal line. On the other hand, an attack which features a drop back passer is less effective the closer you get to the goal line."

Lafayette

Army opened against Lafayette College on Saturday at 2 pm. The Leopards were led by fourth-year head coach Neil Putnam (14-15-1), who finished last season with a 6-3-1 record. Lafayette had 25 lettermen returning in 1974. The Leopards returned their entire defensive line and most of its secondary.

The Cadets started 13 lettermen, seven on offense and six on defense, with the offensive line averaging 233 pounds. It was the fifth meeting between the two teams, with the last game in 1948 an Army 54-7 victory. Stan Ford was the only 1977 player who started the first game in 1974 at right defensive end, but eight 1977 players played, and at least three others dressed for the game.

After the 11 am parade on The Plain, the Cadets opened their football season in Michie Stadium at West Point in front of the smallest crowd, 26,972, in five years. After Army received the kickoff, fullback Willie Thigpen bolted 16-yards up the middle on the first play of the game. The Cadets had a 38-yard drive in the first quarter stopped on the Lafayette 45 when a Scott Gillogly pitch went awry and the Leopards recovered the fumble. It was scoreless until midway through the second period when Army completed a 57-yard drive in 11 plays, all on the ground; as Gillogly pitched to halfback Bob Simons, who then ran five yards for the touchdown. Mike Castelli converted the extra point kick for a 7-0 lead.

After the kickoff, defensive end Chuck Baker sacked the Lafayette quarterback on second down. On third down, defensive tackle Rick Conniff sacked the quarterback back to the Lafayette eight-yard line. Bob Simons returned the punt ten yards to the Lafayette 39. Five plays later, Gillogly went the final three yards around left end for the score, with Castelli again making the extra point for a halftime lead of 14-0.

Halfway through the third quarter, the Cadets drove from their twenty to the Lafayette eight-yard line. A Gillogly pitch was fumbled and recovered by Marcus Hardy at the fourteen. Castelli then attempted a field goal, but it was wide to the right. Early in the fourth period, an Army fumbled handoff on the Lafayette 8 ended that possession.

Lafayette then drove for 92-yards over seven minutes, mostly through passing, to score with 2:08 left to play. The Leopards recovered the onside kick and moved to the Cadet 35. Chuck Baker then sacked the Lafayette quarterback for an eleven-yard loss. Two passes moved the ball to the Army 30-yard line. A fourth down pass attempt into the end zone was over the head of the receiver, sealing the Army victory, 14-7. It was the 74th opening day win ever for the Cadets, and broke a three-game losing streak while opening against national powers Stanford, Nebraska, and Tennessee. It also ended the Cadet's overall ten game losing streak.

After the game, head coach Homer Smith said, "I was upset but not displeased because we did things that didn't look like they should. I was upset that it took us so long to adjust and our offense didn't slash as much as it must if it is to be effective." Smith elected to go with Scott Gillogly at quarterback for the entire game. "There's a lot of pressure on a young man to come from a defensive backfield, learn an offense, and quarterback the whole game like he did. A lot of pressure. But he came through really well," said Smith, "Greg [McGlasker] could have played, but we didn't want to take an unnecessary chance."

Although the Cadets scored only two touchdowns, they dominated the Leopards until the final period. Army rushed for 298 yards on 66 carries, fumbled five times and lost two. Gillogly completed one of four passes for nine yards, and rushed for 111 net yards. The Cadet defense allowed 248 yards passing and 32 yards rushing, with one interception. Plebe halfback Greg King, in his first game ever, rushed once for six yards as a substitute.

1977 team members playing in the Lafayette game were Tony Dailey (tight end), Jim Hodge (offensive guard), King, Castelli, Doug Turrell (defensive end), Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Chuck D'Amico (defensive tackle), and Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle). Dressing for the game were Curt Downs, Leamon Hall, and Greg McGlasker.

On Sunday, Smith said "After watching the game film, we're not as bad as we thought we were offensively. I'm really upset now about only one thing. I'm worried about our effort running the ball. The film shows a noticeable lack of running effort and that has to improve. It doesn't have anything to do with ability. We just want more effort. We have now reached a milestone by having played the game. We now have an experience, both as coaches and players, to build on. We would have thrown more, but we had a 14-0 lead and we were doing well by staying with the running game. Then, too, there is a certain amount of risk when you pass and I felt we could beat Lafayette by just staying with what was working."

The Army coach told _The Army Sportsletter_ that some of the mistakes on offense may have been caused by the lack of scrimmaging during the final weeks of preseason. "I took a gamble by not giving our players more scrimmage experience during the last two weeks. But I didn't want to risk injury, particularly at quarterback. That was a chance I chose to take."

The game against Lafayette turned out to be costly to the Cadets. Reserve defensive tackle Mark Smith suffered a fracture in his left hand and would be sidelined for four weeks. Starting halfback and punt & kick returner Bob Simons missed the Tulane game and would be used sparingly the remainder of the season. Starting offensive guard Brett Moritz pulled a hamstring and was lost for three games. Doug Turrell was moved to defensive tackle in response to Mark Smith's injury.

Tulane

Army met Tulane at Michie on September 21st. The Green Wave was led by Coach Bennie Ellender (71-36-4), in his 12th year at the helm. Tulane had a 9-3-0 record in 1973 with a Bluebonnet Bowl loss to Houston. The Green Wave team came to Michie ranked nationally in some preseason polls. Tulane opened its season against Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette) in a close 17-16 victory, coming from behind twice to win in the last minute. Homer Smith said before the game, "We'll be in a different world against Tulane. We must be ready. Tulane is a bigger than we are, and considerably more experienced." It was the third game in the series with Army, with the Cadets holding a 1-0-1 edge. Tulane was a 21 point favorite.

In front of 30,279 fans at West Point, Tulane scored on a one-yard run with about five minutes left in the first quarter. The Green Wave converted a 26-yard field goal with two minutes gone in the second period. Both drives were on the ground with no pass attempts. Defensive end Chuck Baker blocked a Tulane punt and Army recovered it on their opponent's 18-yard line. Scott Gillogly scored from the one-yard line five plays later, and Mike Castelli converted the extra point to close the score at 7-10.

Tulane responded by marching 70 yards in eight plays with a 25-yard deflected touchdown pass with 4:47 left in the half. Army started on its 31-yard line and moved to the Tulane 43 on passing and rushing, but failed on a fourth and one attempt. Tulane took over, and their back-up quarterback picked the Cadet secondary apart, completing a 13-yard pass and then hitting on a 45-yard scoring strike. With just 1:22 to play in the half, it was a backbreaker as Tulane took a 7-24 lead into the break.

Stan Ford recovered a fumbled pitchout at the Green Wave 21-yard line on the first play of the second half. The Cadets gained nine yards on three plays. On fourth down, a fullback dive was stopped and Tulane took over. It looked like it would go scoreless in the third period, as Army was on its twenty with less than a minute left.

Gillogly faked a handoff to fullback Thigpen, and then hit split end Howie Williams on the Tulane 35, more than ten yards behind the Green Wave secondary. Williams then went the distance for the touchdown, with Castelli making the extra point, closing the score to 14-24. The fans were drenched in a heavy downpour in the final stanza. Tulane was not troubled by the rain, responding with a 74-yard drive over six plays, ending with a 43-yard touchdown pass from the substitute quarterback with 7:02 to go in the game. Army was not able to respond, and lost 14-31.

The Green Wave alternated option running and passing backfields in the game, gaining 294 yards rushing on 64 carries plus 143 yards passing consisting of three long touchdown passes. Army was able to generate only 133 yards rushing in 49 attempts, but did complete eight passes on 17 attempts, plus one interception and one lost fumble. The Army defense also recovered one fumble. Tulane was considerably bigger than the Cadets and more experienced, and its depth was decisive.

Of the members of the 1977 team, Jim Hodge started at offensive guard and Stan Ford at defensive end. Tony Dailey, Greg McGlasker, Greg King, Mike Castelli, Keith Wilson, Tiki Traylor, and Doug Turrell played against Tulane. McGlasker had negative one yard on two attempts and attempted one pass. McGlasker was injured during the game and replaced by starting quarterback Gillogly.

"Tulane simply looks like a good college football team," said Coach Smith after the game, "They are big where they should be big at the tackles and fast where they should be fast. They have simply done an excellent coaching job at Tulane. Foley [Tulane's starting quarterback] can break a game open just on the option. And we really didn't find a way to stop it. I was hoping they would finally go to the pass because I thought we might be able to neutralize that with some interceptions and a pass rush. But we didn't. "

"I believe we gained from the experience," said the Army coach, "A game such as this works to some benefit because our players now believe that they belong on the same field with athletes of Tulane's caliber. Offensively, I feel we were much better in our execution. We only mishandled the ball one time, whereas we mishandled it ten times against Lafayette. Scott [Gillogly] hung right in there against Tulane. He hung in there when we were having a real problem with our offensive line. I felt Scott did a good job for us." Smith also complemented the play of defensive end Stan Ford.

California

West Point next faced California (1-1-0) at Berkeley on September 28th. Led by third-year head coach Mike White (8-16-0), California had just beaten San Jose State 17-16. The Golden Bears had 39 lettermen returning with 16 of them starters. Army would be meeting California for the fifth time, winning the first three games before bowing at West Point, 6-51, last year. California was 4-7-0 in 1973 with a quick scoring offense but a weak defense. California was a 21 point favorite.

Homer Smith said, "I'm very familiar with the football program at California, and with many of their athletics whom I tried to recruit while at UCLA. I know we'll be in for a difficult time Saturday. While California won't be as big physically as was Tulane, they will be a lot quicker, perhaps the quickest of any team we face this year. Their speed is simply tremendous. California played an exceptionally fine game with Florida [a 17-21 loss], and then had difficulty with San Jose State. But that 17-16 score is no true indication of California's talent and ability. A game such as that with a neighboring school is similar to blood warfare. We'll work hard this week and, hopefully by Saturday, will be prepared for what I know will be a very demanding game."

The varsity team left West Point around 8 am on Friday to fly from Stewart Airport to San Francisco. Later that day at Shea Stadium, the Plebe football team opened their season against the Colgate Freshmen. On their second possession, quarterback Jeff Foley, starting from his 22-yard line, drove the team down the field. Fullback Randy Harkins scored on a one-yard plunge and Mark Berry added the extra point.

The Plebes fumbled twice in the second quarter, one with costly results. The Colgate team scored on a 47-yard drive in eight plays. Ward Silvola blocked the extra point kick, and the half ended with the Plebes leading, 7-6. Army fell apart in the final stanza, being intercepted twice and losing a fumble. Colgate recovered the fumble on the Plebe 11-yard line, and the Red Raiders scored on a nine-yard pass, winning the game, 7-12.

Underdog Army, in front of 22,970 mostly hostile fans in Memorial Stadium, started the first possession of the game from its own 12-yard line. Alternating option running by Gillogly, halfback Brad Dodrill and fullback Willie Thigpen, the 88-yard drive ended as Scott Gillogly faked a handoff and went three yards untouched into the end zone. Mike Castelli made the extra point. On the Cadet's third possession beginning on their twenty, Army ran with an occasional pass to move to the California one-yard line after twelve plays. Gillogly plunged over the goal line and Castelli kicked the extra point to make it 14-0 in the second period.

Four plays after the kickoff, defensive back and plebe Carl Goode intercepted a pass on the Cadet 31 and returned it 19 yards. Army marched down to the California ten and first down and goal. Called for offensive pass interference, the Cadets failed to gain any yardage from the California 20 on third down. Mike Castelli's 37-yard field goal attempt was short. The Cadets led at halftime, 14-0, as California also missed three field goal attempts.

California took the opening kickoff and scored on a 66-yard, ten play drive. The Cadets punted due to a broken play on first down. California started on its 47-yard line, and scored on a one-yard plunge eleven plays later. Army still led, 14-12, at the end of the third quarter.

A Golden Bears drive starting from the California 17 led to a score with just under four minutes gone in the fourth, 14-20. The Cadets responded with a drive down the field to the California six. On fourth and three, Gillogly was stopped for a three-yard loss before he could pitch the ball to his tailback. California took over on its nine, and promptly fumbled the ball on the next play. Army defensive tackle Rick Conniff tried to cover the ball, but it squirmed loose and California recovered it.

Army forced a punt seven plays later, and took over on their own 41 with 1:30 left to play. Gillogly attempted to hit Williams down the sideline, but the pass was short. Coach Smith sent in Gregg McGlasker as Gillogly appeared leg tired. McGlasker rolled to his right and passed, but he was intercepted and California returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. Gillogly was intercepted on the next possession and California was on the Army five-yard line when time ran out, ending the game at 14-27.

Defensive end Stan Ford was the only 1977 player who started against California. Tony Dailey (tight end), Jim Hodge (offensive guard), McGlasker, Greg King (fullback), Castelli, Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle), and Doug Turrell (middle guard) substituted into the game. King rushed twice for twelve yards and caught one pass for three yards.

Army generated 241 yards rushing on 62 carries with no fumbles lost. Cadet quarterbacks completed eight of 15 attempts for 71 yards and three interceptions. California rushed for 223 yards and passed for 193, and had one turnover.

"I feel sorry for you, very sorry," said Homer Smith as he gathered his team together minutes after the game in the silent locker room, "But this is not going to make it feel any better. I realize the effort you put into it and how it hurts so after you have come so close to winning. But we must go on from here. We must get better." The Cadets did many things very well against California, but just like the Tulane game, superior depth proved to be decisive, wearing down the Army team in the second half.

"We are gaining from each new experience," said Smith, "We were a better football team against California than we were against Tulane, and I feel we will be much better two weeks from now. California was a very good football team. They have a great many weapons to throw at you and we found it difficult to hang on to them all.... They had a lot of weapons which made it difficult for us. One of our problems was that our players got tired against California. What we are going to do is try to give more of our players' game experience so we can rest our starters without a loss in efficiency. But we are still building, and this is part of the building process. I felt our offensive line play improved immediately in one week."

On Friday afternoon at Temple, the junior varsity won its first game since 1971, a seven game losing streak. The sub-varsity Owls had taken a 7-17 halftime lead on a 29-yard touchdown pass, a one yard run, and a 36-yard field goal. The Cadets scored on a Leamon Hall to Pat Kenny ten yard touchdown pass. In the third period, Hall fired a 27-yard strike to Tom Kuchar. In the fourth quarter, Hall fired 69-yard and 13-yard touchdown passes to Kenny to complete a 26-23 victory.

At West Point's Shea Stadium, the Army Lightweight Football team opened its season against Cornell in seeking its fifth straight Eastern Lightweight Football League championship. After recovering a Big Red fumble in the first period, Army scored five plays later to open the game at 7-0. An interception return placed the ball on the Cornell 2-yard line and it only took one play to score. Cornell responded with a 50-yard touchdown pass. John Adams intercepted his second pass of the game and returned it 36-yards for a touchdown with two minutes remaining in the half for a 21-7 Cadet lead.

Cornell marched 68 yards on their second possession in the third quarter to make it 21-14. Early in the fourth period, Cornell recovered a Cadet fumble, then took twelve plays to score a touchdown, but missed the extra point, 21-20. An interception by George Mitroka and his 32-yard return for a touchdown closed the scoring at 28-20. The victory was the 15th straight by the Cadets.

Also on Friday at Shea Stadium, the Plebe team met the USMA Preparatory School. The Prepsters scored in the second quarter on a five-yard run by Devon Maness and then came back in the final stanza with a ten-yard score by quarterback Kip Losey. Both Prep scores were the result of Cadet mistakes; a lost fumble and a blocked punt. The Plebe team threaten twice, but were unable to cross the goal line. The 0-14 defeat was the second straight loss for the Plebe team this season.

Penn State

Penn State was Army's next opponent on October 5th at Michie. Led by Coach Joe Paterno (77-14-1) in his ninth year, the Nittany Lions returned 32 lettermen but only nine starters from its 12-0 edition in 1973. After opening to a 24-20 victory against Stanford, Penn State was upset 7-6 by Navy, but recovered by dominating Iowa 27-0 last weekend. This was the 22nd meeting in the series, with Army leading 10-9-2. Penn State was ranked #12 in the nation and were 28 point favorites.

Army kicked off to the Nittany Lions in front of 41,221 fans. On the second play of the game, Penn State's quarterback fumbled a handoff, and Army defensive tackle Sal Colatarci recovered it on the Penn State 21-yard line. Four plays later, Brad Dodrill went five yards off left tackle for the touchdown. Mike Castelli converted the extra point to make it 7-0.

After the kickoff, Penn State went 23 yards on two runs to their own 41. Defensive tackle Rick Conniff hit the Nittany Lion halfback and separated the ball from him, with defensive end Chuck Baker recovering it on the Penn State 38. Army took 13 plays to cross the goal line, as Scott Gillogly plunged over it from the one on a fourth down play. With Castelli's conversion, Army led the stunned opponent 14-0 at the end of the first period. Penn State then drove 75 yards in 15 plays to make it 14-8 early in the second quarter. The Nittany Lions drove 63 yards in nine plays to take a 14-15 lead with 55 seconds left in the half on an 18-yard touchdown pass.

The Cadets could not generate any passing attack, with Gillogly twice overthrowing open receivers downfield. In the fourth quarter, Penn State drove 64 yards in 15 plays to the Army 19 on short runs, but then let a Nittany Lion go over right tackle for the touchdown, leaving the Cadets trailing 14-21 with about six minutes left in the game. Back-up quarterback Greg McGlasker completed the only pass of the game for 14-yards to John Hodges, but West Point could not move past its own 38 late in the game.

Army rushed for 169 yards on 57 attempts, losing only one of three fumbles. The Cadets had one completion on seven attempts for 14 yards and no interceptions. Penn State rushed for 247 yards and passed for 61, with three lost fumbles. Fullback Greg King rushed for 10 yards on six carries, while McGlasker lost eleven yards on six attempts. McGlasker was one for two in passing for 14 yards.

Defensive end Stan Ford started against Penn State. Other 1977 players included Tony Dailey (tight end), Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Curt Downs (offensive guard, his first game appearance), McGlasker, King, Castelli, Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle), and Doug Turrell (middle guard).

"It's exhausting, an emotional drain, to come close to victory and not attain it. We had a chance against California, and we had a chance again today," said coach Homer Smith, "We needed about five passes completed in the second half, not only for the yardage, but also to keep their defenders honest, especially in the secondary. We have lost three straight, but in all, we felt the exhilaration of being close to victory. We simply must continue our rate of improvement. We have to play much better than we have, especially with our passing game. I have promised our players that if they continue to improve, and level off, they will ensure success for themselves."

Duke

The Cadets traveled to Durham, NC, to meet Duke on October 12th. Led by fifth-year head coach Mike McGee (19-28-1), the Blue Devils had won three of four this season, their last being a 16-14 come from behind victory over Purdue. Duke had 42 lettermen and 16 starters returning from a team that went 2-8-1 in 1973. Duke opened to a 21-35 loss to North Carolina State, but had won three straight against South Carolina, Virginia, and Purdue. The Blue Devils relied on a ground attack and did not pass much. Duke was installed as a twenty point favorite over Army.

The varsity left for Stewart Airport on Friday morning for the flight to Raleigh. Meanwhile, the Plebe team bussed down to New York City to meet the Columbia Freshmen on Baker Field. Army jumped out to a 3-0 in the first period on a 35-yard field goal by Mark Berry. Jeff Foley fired a 21-yard touchdown pass to Dan Ferrell for a 10-0 second quarter lead. In the third period, Columbia hit a field goal. Army drove down the field late in the game, but fumbled on the Lions two-yard line with two minutes left. A Lions halfback broke through the Army defense, and was headed for a touchdown until Dwight Story caught him after 75 yards. Story then intercepted a pass on the next play to seal the first Plebe victory of the season, 10-3.

Meanwhile, the Army Lightweight Football team traveled to Rutgers on Saturday morning. Dorian Anderson scored on a three-yard touchdown run in the opening eight minutes of the game. John Adams returned a punt 59-yards for a touchdown to allow Army to take a 12-0 lead. After the Scarlet Knights scored and closed to 12-7, Sandy Sanders intercepted a Rutgers pass that led to a John Adams 30-yard field goal just before halftime, 15-7. Bruce Weyrick intercepted another Scarlet Knights pass and that led to a third quarter Skip Grim touchdown. The Cadets beat Rutgers, 22-7.

A homecoming crowd of 28,500 at Wade Stadium saw Army punt after taking the opening kickoff, followed by Duke marching 51 yards in ten plays for a 0-6 lead. The Cadets punted after three plays, giving Duke the ball on the Blue Devil 49-yard line. The Cadet defense halted the drive on the Army four, and Duke converted a 21-yard field goal for a 0-9 lead. Then plebe Marcus Hardy took the kickoff at the goal line, went straight up the middle, veered right at the Army 40, and returned it 100-yards for a touchdown, with Mike Castelli converting the extra point.

Duke responded to the kickoff return by going 81 yards, but the Blue Devil fullback was hit near the goal line and defensive end Stan Ford recovered it in the end zone. It was 7-9 at the end of the first quarter, with the Cadet offense only running seven plays and having no first downs, though Army was still in the game.

After Army was forced to punt again, Duke drove down the field, but the Cadet defense held, forcing a 24-yard field goal that made the score 7-12 with six minutes left in the half. Army was forced to punt again, pinning Duke at its ten-yard line. A clipping penalty forced Duke to punt to Bob Simons at midfield, but he fumbled the ball and the Blue Devils recovered it with 2:29 left in the half. Duke's quarterback threw a strike down the sideline on the first play for a 53-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-19 at halftime.

Duke went 76 yards in eight plays on the opening possession of the third period to make it 7-27. The Cadets finally got the offense going, using counter and option plays, moving 75 yards in 14 plays with Scott Gillogly plunging over from the one-yard line. Mike Castelli converted the extra point with five minutes left in the third period. On the next Duke series, Chuck Baker recovered a fumble on the Duke 25 with 14 minutes left in the game. It was fourth and one on the 17-yard line, but Hardy was stopped short. Duke added another touchdown with 1:45 left to win the game, 14-33. This was the fifth straight game that the Cadets scored only two touchdowns in the game.

1977 players' defensive end Stan Ford and defensive tackle Jim Hollingsworth started the Duke game. Also playing were Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Doug Turrell (defensive tackle), Castelli, Greg King (halfback), Greg McGlasker (quarterback), Jim Hodge (offensive guard), and Tony Dailey (tight end).

Army rushed for 147 yards on 45 attempts, and passed for three completions on seven passes for 31 yards with no interceptions, losing two of five fumbles. Duke rushed for 299 yards and passed for 178 yards, with three fumbles lost. King rushed for 36 yards on six carries while McGlasker was sacked once for three yards.

On Friday, the Junior Varsity football team routed the Montclair State junior varsity squad, 41-6, for their second straight win of the season. Kevin Christensen scored early in the second period on a four-yard run with Mike Marquez converting the first of five extra points. Dan Kinsey scored on a 36-yard interception return to make the score 14-0 at halftime. Geoff Clark and Duncan Cameron each scored on runs in the third quarter. In the final stanza, after a short punt, Army's John Chapman threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Tom Kuchar. With five minutes to go in the game, Keith Sims raced 59-yards for the final score.

At Shea Stadium on Friday, the Plebe football team lost to the Massachusetts junior varsity team, 21-28. The Minutemen dominated the first period, but could not score, aided by Ward Sivola's interception on the Army three. In the second quarter, Massachusetts scored three touchdowns. Plebe Mark Berry missed a 32-yard field goal attempt before halftime. Massachusetts made it 0-28 five minutes into the third quarter.

The Plebes responded as quarterback Herb Bleck hit Don Briggs for a 50-yard touchdown pass, with Berry hitting the extra point. After recovering a fumble on the Massachusetts 39-yard line, Bleck threw a 30-yard touchdown strike to Dan Ferrell with 58 seconds left in the third period, with Berry's conversion made the score 14-28. With three minutes left in the game, Bleck made a 31-yard pass to Ferrell to the Massachusetts four. Halfback Mike Beasley went over for the score, with Berry converting the extra point. An onside kick failed, and the Minutemen kept possession to close out their win.

The Army Lightweight Football team won its 17th victory in a row by blasting Penn, 38-0, on Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium. Carl Horn recovered a Quaker fumble in the first period and Dorian Anderson scored on a Dorian Anderson one-yard touchdown run. Horn recovered another fumble in the second period and Skip Grim scored on a five-yard run. Fred Gabel recovered a fumble that led to a Bill Malone one-yard plunge over the goal line for a 19-0 lead. In the second half, Todd Clemens threw two touchdown passes, one to Grimm and another to Chris Grates. Marion Key scored a touchdown in the final period to close the scoring.

Notre Dame

Army traveled to South Bend to face #7 Notre Dame. The defending 1973 national champions returned 30 lettermen and 16 starters on a team led by Coach Ara Parseghian (164-57-6). The Fighting Irish had won four out of five games and were favored by 36 points over Army. It was the 42nd time the two teams had met, with the Irish holding a 29-8-4 advantage in the series. Notre Dame had won five straight times over the Cadets, with the last Army victory being in 1958.

In the falling snow in front of 59,075 fans in South Bend, Notre Dame drove down the field in the first quarter, but the drive was stopped on a lost fumble at the goal line. Greg McGlasker started his first game at quarterback, but the slippery field and the Fighting Irish defense stopped the Cadets offense cold in the first half, as Army failed to gain a first down. Notre Dame scored on a six-yard run with 18 seconds left in the first quarter. After a short Army punt, Notre Dame moved 44-yards in six plays to make it 0-14. The Irish scored with 55 seconds left in the first half to make it 0-20.

With the snow abating early in the third period, Gary May recovered a fumble on the Notre Dame 38. Scott Gillogly came in for McGlasker at quarterback. On the second play, Gillogly raced 18-yards for the first Army first down of the afternoon. Two runs netted a loss of eight yards, and two pass attempts turned the ball back over to Notre Dame. The Irish scored three times in the third period, and one final touchdown in the final quarter to win, 0-48. The Irish rushed for 525 yards and had 36 first downs in the game. Army was held to six first downs and 130 yards in total offense.

"We've worked very hard to have a chance to possibly beat Notre Dame, said Homer Smith after the game, "When you work that hard and come up short, it is even more bitterly disappointing. Notre Dame is an exceptionally good football team. It is quite obvious to you, that it is physically difficult for us to keep up with them. We salute their coaching staff and their athletes.... The only way to compare their defensive line is to watch the New York Jets play on Sunday. Notre Dame is by far the best team we have played, and I believe they have the best personnel physically in the country."

1977 players who started against Notre Dame were Tony Dailey (tight end), McGlasker, and Stan Ford (defensive end). Others who played were Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle), and Doug Turrell (defensive tackle). McGlasker completed one of eight passes for eight yards and loss 13 yards on eleven carries.

On a muddy and slippery Daly Field on Friday, the Junior Varsity squad blanked Syracuse University's junior varsity team, 14-0. The Cadets fumbled seven times and lost six of them. Army stopped the Orangemen twice in the first and second periods on downs at their own one-yard line. Late in the second period, Bojack Lloyd recovered a Syracuse fumble on the Army five. The Cadets then drove 95 yards in eight plays, as John Chapman flipped a four-yard touchdown pass to Pat Kenny. Chapman had 69-yard run when he decided not to pitch to his left halfback. In the third period, Lloyd recovered another Orangemen fumble on the Syracuse 31. It took five plays before fullback Geoff Clark scored on a one-yard plunge. It was the third straight win for the Army Junior Varsity.

On Friday at Shea Stadium, the Plebes dropped their fourth outing in five games, 14-28, to Yale's freshmen. The Elis took the opening kickoff 77 yards on a touchdown pass. With two minutes left in the first period, the Cadets tied the score on a Mike Bleasley one-yard plunge, thanks to an Herb Bleck to Dan Ferrell 49-yard pass. Yale took the lead on a touchdown reception in the second quarter, 7-13. In the third quarter, Yale recovered a Cadet fumble at the Army eight-yard line and scored on another pass. Five minutes into the fourth period, Yale recovered another fumble on the Cadet 16 and scored again on a pass. After the kickoff, Army drove 33-yards in three plays to midfield. Bleck hit Beasley for a 50-yard touchdown strike, with Mark Berry converting his second extra point attempt, to make the final score 14-28.

Holy Cross

Army met Holy Cross on October 26th at Michie Stadium. The Crusaders returned 38 lettermen and ten starters and were led by 4th year head coach Ed Doherty (16-19-1). Holy Cross was 5-6-0 in the 1973 season, and came to West Point with a 2-3-0 record. The Crusaders were ranked 18th nationally in rushing defense, and they limited the defending Ivy League champions Dartmouth to just six yards rushing and 53 yards in total offense. This was the ninth game in the series with Army (6-1-1), with Holy Cross winning last season 10-17.

In front of 39,893 Homecoming fans at Michie, Army marched from its 31 to a first down at the Holy Cross 12-yard line in 14 plays. After three plays moved it to the five, Mike Castelli converted a 22-yard field goal. The Cadets defense forced a Crusader punt, and Army's next drive began at its 41-yard line. On the 13th play, Army had a first down on the Holy Cross ten. The Crusaders held, and Castelli's attempt was wide. Late in the second period, Scott Gillogly fumbled a punt on the Army 37. Holy Cross scored on its 11th play from the one-yard line with 39 seconds left in the half to make the score 3-7 at the break.

With two minutes left in the third quarter, Gillogly substituted for starter Greg McGlasker with Army on its own nine-yard line. Over 14 plays, the Cadets marched 89 yards to the Holy Cross two. Fullback Brad Dodrill plunged over the goal line and Castelli converted the extra point to take the lead, 10-7, at four minutes into the final stanza. Holy Cross responded with a drive to the Army 17 before being forced to convert a 34-yard field goal to tie the score. Army started on its 25 and moved to the Crusader 48, where starting halfback Greg King fumbled after being hit. On the next play, Holy Cross fumbled the ball into Steve Mellich's hands.

There was 2:58 left in the game when Gillogly came out on the field to lead the Cadets from the Army 45. Runs by Markus Hardy and Dodrill moved the Cadets to the Holy Cross 37 with a third down and three. Gillogly rolled to his right looking for a receiver. Seeing no one open, he reversed his field and scrambled 15 yards out of bounds at the Crusader 22. Gillogly ran 13 yards to the nine on the next play. Two plays later, Mike Castelli hit a winning 24-yard field goal with 18 seconds left to play for the second win of the season for the Cadets.

Army ran the ball a record 88 carries for 361 yards rushing in the game, with 27 yards passing. Holy Cross rushed for 149 yards and passed for 102 yards, with one fumble lost. Army lost three out of six fumbles.

Players from the 1977 team starting were King, McGlasker, Tony Dailey (tight end), and Stan Ford (defensive end). Also playing were Castelli, Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), and Doug Turrell (defensive tackle). McGlasker completed two of five passes for 18 yards, while carrying 23 times for 65 yards. King rushed for 77 yards on 22 attempts. Dailey completed one reception for nine yards. Castelli was named as the ECAC kicking specialist of the week.

"Certainly, I'm pleased with our win and after seven games, I have seen improvement," said Coach Smith, "But we will again be in a different world against Vanderbilt. But it is a world in which our football team is going to have to learn to win. We are getting better, but now is the time to win in this new world. Certainly it is frustrating to see us to control the ball like we did and only come up with three points. But we came back and I was glad to see Scott [Gillogly] do well. He moved the team very well and we put some points on the board when we had to. And, I was pleased with Castelli's coolness under fire. Our kicking game is not strong, but Castelli was very cool when we sent him in and he split the uprights cleanly, just the way you like to see it."

"I can see improvement because our plebes really aren't just plebes in terms of their football experience," said Smith, "They are learning the hard way, yet they are much further ahead than they would be if they were sitting on the bench. This is going to help us during the remainder of the season, and it is going to help us next year, and the year after."

On Friday at Shea Stadium, the Plebe football team (2-4-0) routed the West Chester State freshmen, 41-6, converting four fumble recoveries into touchdowns. Halfback Jody Maxwell scored three touchdowns of 4, 9, and 10 yards rushing in the first, second, and fourth quarters. Linebacker Art Christiani recovered the first fumble midway in the first period. Five plays later, Herb Bleck threw a nine-yard scoring pass to Randy Harkins. Four minutes later, defensive end Mark Berry recovered a fumble, with Maxwell scoring his first touchdown.

West Chester fumbled the kickoff, and Mike Hanna recovered it. Four plays later, Maxwell rushed across the goal line and Berry kicked his third extra point to make it 21-0. Before halftime, Jeff Foley threw 32-yards to Don Briggs for another touchdown, with the extra point blocked, for a 27-0 halftime lead. West Chester scored on a 47-yard touchdown pass midway in the third period. In the final period, Joe Morales recovered a fumble with Maxwell scoring. Berry blocked a punt, with Mike Hanna recovering the ball in the end zone for the final touchdown.

On the road at Columbia, the Army Lightweight Football team routed the Lions, 61-0, for their 18th straight victory and 4th of the season. Dorian Anderson scored three touchdowns. Other Cadets scoring included Marty Briggs-Hall (twice), Jeff Myers, John Mode, Skip Grimm, and Warren Chellman.

Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt (4-2-0) traveled to West Point to face the Cadets on November 2nd. Second-year head coach Steve Sloan (9-8-0) led 38 lettermen and 18 starters. The Commodores had just whipped Mississippi 24-14 for the first win in 23 years the previous weekend. Vanderbilt was averaging 400 yards a game total offense. Vanderbilt was favored by 17 points against Army.

"Vanderbilt is an exceptionally good football team with more experience and more weapons at its disposal than Army," said Homer Smith, "But these are the games we are going to learn to win and we should start now. We have come close. We should have beaten California, and if we could play that game over today we would win it. We were close against Penn State as well, but close is not good enough. We must win."

In front of 30,109 fans at Michie, Vanderbilt jumped to a 0-10 lead on a 42-yard field goal and a one-yard plunge in the first quarter. Middle Guard Rick Conniff recovered a Commodore fumble on the Vanderbilt 48 early in the second quarter. The Cadets turned over the ball on downs on the 39. Vanderbilt drove 61 yards for another touchdown to make it 0-17.

Markus Hardy then returned the kickoff 94-yards for a touchdown, but the extra point kick failed. The Commodores marched 86 yards in 12 plays to score. The Cadets responded by moving from their own 25 to the Vanderbilt 14. Mike Castelli's 39-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right. At halftime, it was 6-24. The Army defense had difficulty defending against Vanderbilt's sweeps, option runs, and passing.

Vanderbilt recovered a Cadet fumble in the opening minute of the third period on the Army 9, and scored two plays later. On the Commodores next possession, they moved 80 yards in 12 plays for another touchdown. Coach Homer Smith inserted freshman quarterback Leamon Hall at this point. Hall moved Army on a 74-yard drive in nine plays, including completing four out of five passes. From the Vanderbilt one, starting quarterback Gregg McGlasker came back in the game and handed off to fullback Dan Spangler for the score. McGlasker then rushed in on the two point conversion, making the final score, 14-38.

Hall completed nine of 19 passes for 100 yards, with one interception and several others dropped by receivers. Working from a spread formation, it was Hall's first varsity action of the season. Army rushed for 111 yards and passed for 150, with one interception and one lost fumble. Vanderbilt rushed for 413 yards and passed for 113 yards, with two lost fumbles.

Starting 1977 players against the Commodores were Tony Dailey (tight end), McGlasker, and Stan Ford (defensive end). Others who played were Hall, Castelli, Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Doug Turrell (middle guard), and Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle). McGlasker rushed for two yards on two carries, while Hall had seven yards on two attempts. McGlasker completed one pass on two attempts for six yards. Dailey caught one pass for twelve yards.

"I really couldn't believe what was happening on the field," said a disappointed Homer Smith, "We prepared very hard for this game because it meant a great deal to us, but nothing seemed to go right. I am going to find out what the answer is so it won't happen again. Leamon [Hall] has come a long way. He can definitely throw the ball, but we have had to bring him along slowly. Against Vanderbilt, the only thing he had in his bag of tricks was the pass and he did very well. We will add a little more to it this week and I expect he will see more action. However, he will not be starting."

_The Army Sportsletter_ concluded its report on the game by saying, "For Army Football followers, Hall's performance was one of the few bright spots in the game. Passing has been a big problem for the Cadets and it definitely has cut down the effectiveness of the Wishbone, simply because opponents realize Army's limitations. Hall may solve this problem, but he may be a year away from helping."

Army's Plebe team faced the Cornell freshmen on Friday. After a scoreless first quarter, Jody Maxwell scored from the two after defensive tackle Steve Miller recovered a fumble on the Cornell 25. Cornell tied the score minutes later. Herb Bleck fired a 63-yard scoring pass to Dan Ferrell for the halftime lead, 13-7.

Cadet fumbles led to two Cornell scores in the second half, and the Big Red led 13-23. Midway in the fourth quarter, Bleck hit three of four passes for 65 yards, with Mike Beasley diving over from the two to close the score to 19-23. With four minutes to go, the Cadets took over on the Army 43. A 20-yard pass to Don Briggs put the ball on the Cornell 38, but the Big Red defense stopped the Cadets to win the game. The Plebe squad ended the season with a 2-5 record.

Meanwhile at Shea Stadium, the Army Lightweight Football team ripped Princeton, 53-6. Coupled with Navy's victory over Penn, this set up a showdown for the championship next weekend in Annapolis. Dorian Anderson scored three touchdowns while Marion Key scored twice. Skip Grimm, Duane Castro, and Sandy Morford also scored as Army totaled eight touchdowns.

Air Force

Army next faced Air Force (2-6-0) on November 9th at Michie Stadium. The Falcons were led by Ben Martin (88-77-7), in his 17th year at the helm. Air Force returned 35 lettermen and 14 starters. The Falcons dropped a 10-12 loss to Brigham Young despite the first varsity appearance of sophomore quarterback Rob Shaw, who completed 16 of 28 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown. Air Force also had a strong kicker. The Falcons led the series with a 4-3-1 record and were favored by four points.

The _Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph_ predicted on Saturday, "A football season will be salvaged today. Neither team has had many highlights in disappointing 2-6 won-loss seasons. But records won't count in the eyes of the military in this game which may decide the service academy championship. The Falcons of Coach Ben Martin hold a 19-16 victory over inter-service rival Navy. A victory... would give Air Force undisputed [and first] possession of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy."

With the second largest home crowd of 42,521 of the season looking on at Michie Stadium, Army jumped out in front on a 84-yard, 11 play drive capped by Scott Gillogly plunging over the goal line from the one-yard line, with Mike Castelli kicking the extra point. Castelli suffered an ankle displacement after being hit on the play. Five minutes into the second period, the Falcons tied the score, as Air Force drove 79 yards on 15 plays. After an Army punt, Air Force started on its eleven, and marched to the Army 24. Safety Al Staerkel intercepted a Falcon pass on the Army four to end the drive. It was 7-7 at halftime.

Air Force dominated play in the third quarter, scoring on field goals of 40 and 42 yards, making it 7-13. Army began an 80-yard scoring drive late in the third period. Marcus Hardy swept around right end for a 42-yard run to make it first and goal. Willie Thigpen scored from the Falcon four on the second play of the fourth quarter. Plebe Mike Marquez, a reserve dressing for his first varsity game, converted the extra point to make it 14-13.

Air Force managed to drive down the field, achieving a first and goal just outside the Army one-yard line, after a questionable pass interference call on Army. The Cadet defense stopped the Falcons cold on three plays, forcing a successful 20-yard field goal attempt that put Air Force on top with 6:43 to play, 14-16. With four minutes to play, Army was stopped on the Air Force 49. Another Falcon drive was halted on the Army 31, and the 48-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right. There was now 1:20 left in the game, and Army was on its twenty-yard line.

Freshman Leamon Hall stepped in at quarterback. He hit Jeff Jancek for a 14-yard pass reception and first down. Hall lofted a 28-yarder to Jancek on the sideline, and now Army was on the Falcon 38. After Hall scrambled for four yards, he hit Jancek on a 15-yard sideline pass to the Air Force 19. On first down, Hall found his receivers covered, and threw the ball high and out of bounds over his tight end, Howie Williams, but the official penalized Army for intentionally grounding the ball and loss of down. A second down pass was too long. On third down, Hall's pass to Jancek was batted away, but the Falcon defender was called for pass interference. It was now Army first down on the Falcon 16. With 21 seconds left, Homer Smith sent in Marquez for a kick. Air Force called a time out to try to ice the kicker. The 33-yard field goal split the uprights for the Army victory, 17-16.

"Wasn't that a great win," said Coach Smith at the press conference after the game, "I was really thrilled to see the players so thrilled. They work so hard and to see them come back and win a game like that is really something. The Army-Air Force and Army-Navy games are separated from the other games we play because it means so much to these kids. This is the healthiest kind of rivalry because it pervades all of the armed services. It's the kind of game my father used to tell me that you sell the store to go after this one."

"We had Leamon Hall practicing our stop-the-clock offense this week, and didn't we need it today?" Smith said, "We have something different going on here as we are trying to bring along two entirely different offenses. Leamon and his corps of receivers practice on one field while our running offense is on another field. We needed both to beat Air Force. That goal line defense was a super effort. Heck, the goal line stand made the difference. But there were a lot of things that made the difference. I would say the officiating was interesting. That pass interference call [that allowed the Air Force field goal] simply was not pass interference and I believe the films will bear that out."

1977 players Tony Dailey (tight end) and Stan Ford (defensive end) started the Air Force game. Other substitutes were Castelli, Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Hall, Keith Wilson (defensive end), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), and Doug Turrell (middle guard). Hall had one rushing attempt for four yards, and completed five of 11 passes for 99 yards. Overall, Army rushed for 236 yards and passed for 99, with no turnovers. Air Force rushed for 249 yards and passed for 74, with one pass intercepted.

The Junior Varsity traveled to Providence, RI, to face Brown University on Friday afternoon. Army's Kevin Christensen scored on a four-yard run in the first quarter, while Gene Palka kicked the extra point. The Bruins kicked a field goal later in the period, and then recovered a Cadet fumble on the Army nine-yard line, leading to a second quarter score, making it 7-9 at halftime.

John Chapman threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Neil Ferry to take the lead early in the third quarter. The Cadets threatened twice, but were stopped inside the Brown ten. The Bruins scored early in the fourth period, and turned away a Cadet drive at their own 15 to win the game, 13-15. The Junior Varsity squad ended the season with a 3-1-0 record.

On Saturday at Navy, the Army Lightweight Football team won their fifth straight and 12th overall Eastern College Lightweight Conference title and their 20th straight victory, 28-12. The Cadets dominated the first half, scoring three times and holding the Midshipmen to five first downs, making it 21-0 at halftime. Dorian Anderson scored twice while John Mode plunged over the goal line from the three. Defensive ends Bob Burris and John Adams recovered fumbles in the second quarter leading to touchdowns. Skip Grimm recovered another Navy fumble in the third quarter and Grimm scored six plays later. With four minutes left in the third period, Navy scored. The Midshipmen scored with less than two minutes left in the game.

North Carolina

Army faced North Carolina (5-4-0) in Chapel Hill on November 16th. Coach Bill Dooley (47-39-0), in his eighth year, led the Tar Heels who returned 28 lettermen and nine starters. Prior to the game, North Carolina accepted a bid to the Sun Bowl. The Tar Heels were favored by twenty points in the second game of this series, the first since an Army victory in 1944.

North Carolina received the opening kickoff in front of 38,900 fans in Kenan Stadium and scored after a 74-yard drive. The Cadets responded by going 83 yards, with Markus Hardy going the final 23 yards for the touchdown, and Mike Marquez made the extra point kick. The Tar Heels went ahead 7-14 on a one yard plunge after a 41-yard pass reception.

Army responded in the second quarter with two scoring drives of 77 and 54 yards. First, Brad Dodrill went in from the seven-yard line, with Marquez converting. Next, Hardy scored from the three, but the kick failed. But North Carolina threw two touchdown passes in the final two minutes of the first half to lead, 20-28. However, Army lost fullback Willie Thigpen to a dislocated elbow.

The Tar Heels scored twice in the third period, upping the score 20-42. Early in the fourth quarter, the Cadets drove 74 yards with Scott Gillogly going over the goal line from the four on the 13th play. Then linebacker Jeff Bruckner intercepted a pass on the Tar Heel 23. On the fifth play, Gillogly scored again. Marquez converted both extra points to make it 35-42.

North Carolina went 80 yards in 12 plays to make it 35-49 with six minutes left to play. On the eighth play of a 58 yard drive, Leamon Hall fired a slightly underthrown 33-yard pass to John Hodges, who fell over the goal line for the touchdown, with Marquez kicking the extra point, to close it to 42-49. Safety Gary Smithey recovered the onside kick, but officials ruled a Cadet touched it too early. The Tar Heels went 48 yards for the last touchdown and the final score, 42-56.

"I thought that the difference today was that we didn't get the easy things done on our pass coverage," said Smith, "and gave them three easy touchdowns. Otherwise, we may have been here sitting here as winners. I simply hurt all over. In the second half, I thought the game was there to be won. We could have won it. We tried everything we know on defense to try to stop North Carolina but we were not successful. And it is very distressing. It would have been too good to be true if we recovered that onside kick. There was some confusion on the play. We claimed we recovered the ball after it touched North Carolina, but the officials ruled otherwise."

1977 players Stan Ford (defensive end) and Tony Dailey (tight end) started against North Carolina. Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Hall, Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Keith Wilson (defensive end), Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle) and Doug Turrell (defensive tackle) were substitutes. Hall lost five yards rushing on one attempt, and completed four out of 14 passes for 62 yards and two interceptions. Overall, Army rushed for 293 yards and passed for 103, with the two turnovers. North Carolina rushed for 364 yards and passed for 214, with one interception.

Navy

Army had two weeks off before facing Navy (3-7-0) in Philadelphia. George Welsh (7-14-0) was in his second season at the helm, returning 32 lettermen and eight starters from the 1973 team. Navy's defense has given up 28 points a game, while its offense was led by senior Cleveland Cooper, who held many of the school's career rushing marks. Navy prepared for Army's wishbone attack with its final game against Pepper Rodger's Georgia Tech, losing 22-0.

The game was televised by ABC-TV, though the network only decided to broadcast the game around the third week of the season. President Gerald Ford attended the game, the first President to do so since John Kennedy did in 1962.

"I know at the beginning of the season I said we were going to play them one at a time, but it has come down to California and Navy, Penn State and Navy, Holy Cross and Navy, North Carolina and Navy – really it has been two games at a time, with Navy always in the back of our minds," Coach Homer Smith said, "This is my first Army-Navy game and I never realized before how emotional people can get over it. I am getting caught up in it emotionally myself. I've been involved in some big games before, but the involvement of the students in this game was more than I anticipated. It's an explosive thing. It's good old-fashioned Beat Navy. There will definitely be a rebound factor. George Welsh says his team didn't consciously run up the score last year, but what happened is in the record book. Navy is a nine point favorite, but we've been an underdog so many times by 20 or 25 points that when we're only eight point underdogs, we think we're favored."

The 75th game in the series kicked off at 1:20 pm in front of 83,247 fans in JFK Stadium on November 30th. The Middies pinned down the Cadets at their own six with exceptional coverage on the opening kickoff, forcing a fourth down from the Army 20 after six plays. After a short punt, the Cadets held Navy to only six yards. The Middies then converted a 45-yard field goal, the longest one ever in the series. Army and Navy next exchanged punts. However, defensive back Gary Smithey dropped the punt and Navy recovered it on the Army 13. Four plays later, Navy scored from the one, making it 0-10 at the end of the first period.

Early in the second quarter, Army moved from its twenty to the Navy 23 in 11 plays, but the Cadets failed to convert on fourth down. The Middies then moved 65 yards in just seven plays for another touchdown and a 0-17 halftime lead. Army started another drive in the third quarter from its 23. Scott Gillogly passed 36-yards to tight end Tony Dailey, and a face mask penalty put the ball on the Navy 15-yard line with a first down. The Cadets were stopped by inches on fourth down on the Navy 6.

After Navy picked off a Leamon Hall pass, the Middies drove to the Cadet two-yard line but were stopped three tries on the goal line. Army took over on their one-yard line, and Scott Gillogly was tackled in the end zone for a safety in the third period. In the closing minutes of the game, the Cadets drove from their own 27 to the Navy 17 before time ran out. Navy won, 0-19. Because Air Force beat Navy, Army beat Air Force, and Navy beat Army, the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition ended in a tie, and Navy retained the trophy due to its win in 1973.

1977 players Tony Dailey (tight end) and Tiki Traylor (defensive end) started against Navy. Also playing were Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Hall, Greg McGlasker (quarterback), Keith Wilson (defensive end), Stan Ford (defensive end), Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle), and Doug Turrell (defensive tackle). Hall lost three yards on three attempts rushing, while completing two out of seven passes for 16 yards and two interceptions. McGlasker completed one pass for 28 yards. Dailey caught three passes for 65 yards. Overall, Army rushed for 184 yards and passed for 120, with three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Navy rushed 290 yards and passed for 23, with no turnovers.

Post-Season

Several 1977 players ended the 1974 season on the three-deep depth chart. On the first string were Stan Ford (defensive end) and Tony Dailey (tight end). Second string listed Keith Wilson (defensive end), Jim Hollingsworth (defensive tackle), Tiki Traylor (defensive end), Jim Hodge (offensive guard), Leamon Hall (quarterback), and Greg King (halfback). On the third string were Greg McGlasker (quarterback) and Doug Turrell (defensive tackle). Mike Castelli was first-string kicker for most of the season until his injury in the Air Force game.

Lettering were Castelli, Dailey, Ford, Hall, Hollingsworth, McGlasker, and Traylor. Ford started ten games, while Dailey started six. Others who started games during the 1974 season were McGlasker (3), King (1), Hodge (1), Hollingsworth (1), and Traylor (1). The 1977 players participated in a total of 103 games, with Dailey, Ford, Hodge, Traylor, Turrell, and Wilson appearing in all games during the season. Also appearing in only one game was Curt Downs (offensive guard at Penn State). 1977 Players on the Plebe squad were Mark Berry, Steve Miller, Joe Cerv, Chuck D'Amico, Curt Downs, Mike Hargis, and Gus Steenborg. Future 1977 player George Dunaway did not play football, instead running indoor and outdoor track.

The following 1977 players figured statistically during the 1974 season: Tackles Made – Ford (50), Traylor (49), Hollingsworth (15), Turrell (10), Wilson (6), and Castelli (1); Tackles Behind the Line of Scrimmage – Ford (7) and Traylor (6); Fumbles Recovered – Ford (2); Points Scored – Castelli (18) and McGlasker (2); Point after Touchdown Made – Castelli (12); Point after Touchdown Attempted – Castelli (13); Field Goals Made – Castelli (2); Field Goals Attempted – Castelli (7); Two Point Conversions Made – McGlasker (1); Receptions – Dailey (11) and King (2); and Yards Receiving – Dailey (86) and King (7).

In Passing, Hall completed 20 out of 51 attempts for 277 yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions; while McGlasker completed 6 out of 20 attempts for 74 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. In Rushing, King rushed for 141 yards on 37 carries; McGlasker rushed for 39 yards on 45 carries; and Hall rushed for 3 yards on 7 carries.

Overall, the 1974 Army Football team gained 188 first downs, averaged 276 yards in total offense, 201 yards rushing per game, 74 yards passing per game, completed 56 out of 146 passes, had 9 intercepted, lost 14 out of 33 fumbles, averaged 36 yards punting, averaged 6.2 yards returning punts, averaged 19.3 yards returning kickoffs, and scored 156 points. Defensively, Army allowed 268 first downs, 410 yards in total offense per game, 282 yards rushing per game, allowed 100 completions out of 184 passes for 128 yards per game, intercepted 5 passes, recovered 14 out of 32 opponent fumbles, and allowed 306 total points.

Of Army opponents for the 1974 season, two were ranked at the end of the season. Notre Dame (10-2-0) finished #4 and Penn State (10-2-0) finished at #7. Winning records were achieved by California (7-3-1), Duke (6-5-0), Vanderbilt (7-3-2), and North Carolina (7-5-0). Other team's records were Lafayette (3-7-0), Tulane (5-6-0), Holy Cross (5-5-1), Air Force (2-9-0), and Navy (4-7-0). Vanderbilt tied Texas Tech, 6-6, in the Peach Bowl. North Carolina lost to #17 Mississippi State, 24-26, in the Sun Bowl. Penn State beat then #12 Baylor, 41-20, in the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame beat then #1 Alabama, 13-11, in the Orange Bowl.

Post-Scrip

The _1975 Army Football Guide_ summarized the 1974 season as "Army finished with a 3-8 record, with victories over Lafayette, Holy Cross, and Air Force. The Cadets also gave California and Penn State all the football they wanted. Under normal circumstance, a 3-8 season can hardly be considered a successful one. But, coming on the heels of a frustrating 0-10 record, there is just cause for positive thinking. A challenging rebuilding job lay ahead for Smith. First, he had to assemble, with but one exception, an entirely new coaching staff. Then he had to familiarize staff and players alike with the wishbone offense with which he had met much success at UCLA. It would take time, and he knew it."

Chapter 6  
A Tale of Two Seasons – The 1975 Football Season

Off-Season

For the 1975 football season at Army, Homer Smith continued with most of his prior season's coaching staff, with some changes in responsibilities – Dick Bowman (first assistant & defensive line), John Stiegman (was defensive coordinator, now offensive coordinator), Bruce Tarbox (was offensive line, now defensive coordinator), John Wade (offensive line), Pat Mente (halfbacks), Bud Neswiacheny (fullbacks), Mike Mikolayunas (defensive secondary), Tad Schroeder (head plebe coach), Tom Haller (plebe defensive backfield), and Gary Steele (plebe offensive line).

"I played on the last Army all-plebe team coached by Tad Schroeder," said Chuck Schott, "Along with Gene McIntyre, Corky Messner, Steve Smith, and others."

Added to the varsity staff were Bill Hickey, Steve Moore, and Frank Gibson. Hickey (Notre Dame '58) would coach the defensive line, a similar position he spent five seasons at Notre Dame and three at Colorado State. Moore (California Santa Barbara '72) was assigned to work with receivers and had coached last season at Mesa Verde High School in California. Gibson (USMA '61) who worked with the defense, was an active duty Major who had been an assistant coach under Paul Dietzel for two seasons at West Point. Added to the Plebe coaching staff were K.C. Scull (USMA '69) and Joe Albano (USMA '71) who worked with the offensive line and receivers, respectively.

Gone from the prior season's staff were Frank Gansz, the former offensive coordinator, and Troy Winslow, defensive backfield coach. Gansz left for a position at Oklahoma State University. Winslow went to become head coach of Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Also leaving were Bryon Price, Steve Yarnell, Tom Cunningham, and Ron Boehme, active duty officers whose tour at USMA probably had ended.

Homer Smith and his staff continued their efforts to recruit the best athletes available. "Navy has proven that great athletes can be recruited," says Smith, "Navy's done the best job that's been done in recent years at assembling great athletics at an academy. If they did it we can all do it, it'll just take a lot of hard work."

Holy Cross was added as the 11th game, becoming the opener for the 1975 season. This caused a change in the sites for the Stanford games in 1975 and 1976, with Army traveling to California in 1975 while Stanford would play at West Point in 1976. The 1975 schedule had six home games, four away, and the Navy game in Philadelphia. In addition, the Cadets added home games against Lafayette College and the University of Massachusetts to the 1976 and 1977 football schedules.

Spring Practice

In April, Brigadier General Walter F. Ulmer, Jr., succeeded Major General Philip R. Feir as the 56th Commandant of the Corps of Cadets. Ulmer (USMA '52) came to West Point as the deputy commander of the Armored Center at Fort Knox, and had served two tours in Vietnam. Feir (USMA '49) would move to the Pentagon to be on the Army Staff, then become the commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division and deputy commanding general of V Corps before retiring in 1981.

On Monday, April 7th, Coach Smith opened spring football practices for the next five weeks. He welcomed 105 candidates, including 26 returning lettermen including 13 starters. The Cadets had ten lettermen returning for the defense, and Homer Smith said, "We are not big enough or fast enough to play just average football so we must ask our defenders to play above and beyond the normal as often as they can. It's a big task, but one we feel we must have to do well."

The annual Black and Gold intra-squad game was played on Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 10th at Michie Stadium. Smith planned to keep his first units together playing against the second units. "I have been guardedly overjoyed. I'm not naïve about the competition we face next fall, but I'm pleased with the progress we've made." He mentioned that sophomore Tony Dailey has "developed into one of the best blockers we have on offense." Smith also said that Hall's Bomb Squad would be integrated with the regular offense this year.

The Gold team, led by quarterback Scott Gillogly, built up a 21-0 halftime lead, and led by 41-15 early in the fourth quarter. Gillogly threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Tony Pyne in the second quarter, then hooked up with Greg McGlasker for a 61-yard strike early in the third period. Gillogly gained 51 yards rushing and completed eight of 14 passes for 167 yards. Pyne rushed for 76 yards and scored three touchdowns.

The Black team took a little longer to get started. Leamon Hall completed 17 of 33 passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns. Scoring passes of five, 37, one, and seven went to Howie Williams (two TDs), Gary Smithey, and one unknown player. The game ended with a Gold victory, 41-33. "I would say I was most pleased with the exchanging of the ball," said Coach Smith, "A year ago we could not do this very well and it has taken time, but we are getting there. I thought we demonstrated an improvement in throwing the ball and our entire kicking game has improved. We still don't have a punter who can boom the ball 50 yards, but I am confident we will get that."

Off-Season

At the graduation of the USMA Class of 1975, President Gerald Ford described a story at the expense of Army Football coach Homer Smith. Ford, the first president since Kennedy in 1962 to speak at a West Point graduation, recalled that Smith and football captain Robert Johnson were at the White House recently for an American Cancer Society ceremony [where Johnson received the Courage Award]. Smith, sitting next to a woman he described later as "the nice looking girl," asked her name. "Raquel," she replied. "What's your last name?" Smith asked. "Welch," she said.

Ford then told the Cadets, "Now if you are wondering how anyone could describe Raquel Welch as just a nice looking girl, I think you have to understand the very special philosophy of a football coach. To a coach, real beauty is anyone who is six-foot, five, weighting 260 pounds, and has no front teeth. Homer, I hope you find a lot of them this fall," as the crowd laughed heartily.

On the afternoon of July 7, 1975, 1,435 members of the USMA Class of 1979 swore their oaths as New Cadets, entering Beast Barracks. 22 men of this class became juniors on the 1977 Army Football team. Offensive players were Bob Avey (quarterback from Sierra Vista, AZ), Clennie (Brundidge) Patterson (tight end from Oviedo, FL), Greg Johnson (flanker from Spring, TX), Chuck Johnston (center from Columbia, MD), Mark Logue (tight end from Havertown, PA), John Lytwynec (flanker from Catonsville, MD), Gene McIntyre (guard and tackle from Lawton, OK), Jim Merriken (halfback from Red Hook, NY), Joe Oliver (tackle from Oxon Hill, MD), JT Thomas (tight end from Los Angeles, CA), Ward Whyte (tight end and punter from Williamsburg, VA), and Corky Messner (kicker from Altoona, PA).

Defensive players included Ed Clemons (backfield from Toledo, OH), Duane Fuller (tackle from Springfield, VA), Bob Groller (tackle from New York, NY), Tom Hayden (end from Richmond, VA), Joe LeGasse (backfield from Niagara Falls, NY), Phil Macklin (backfield from Hampton, VA), Mitch Mankosa (tackle from Weirton, WV), Chuck Schott (end from Rochester, NY), Steve Smith (backfield from Brasher Falls, NY), and Kirk Thomas (linebacker from Guymon, OK). On August 28th, the Class of 1979 was accepted into the U.S. Corps of Cadets at a parade ceremony. While some players spent a year at the USMA Prep School, Kirk Thomas came to West Point by way of the Air Force Prep School.

Gene McIntyre recalled being recruited, "Gary Steele met me at my high school. I was so impressed with him I cancelled my other visits. I told my mother that I wanted to grow up and be like him." McIntyre also recalled he had to regain his weight after Beast Barracks. "I wasn't recruited," said Joe LeGasse, "Actually, once at school, I was told I couldn't try out for the team." "It was my first plane ride," recalled Chuck Schott, "I was headed to Cornell before Army called."

The Army Athletic Association had lost money in the fiscal year that ended on June 30th. The primary reasons were decreased revenues from football and spiraling costs of operations. AAA's budget for the next twelve months would sharply cut back on expenses.

The _1975 Army Football Guide_ expected "the '75 Army edition to be much stronger than it was a year ago and somewhat faster. Depth again will be suspect, especially on both the offensive and defensive lines, yet a definite air of optimism was evident as the Cadets concluded spring drills. A lot of work had been accomplished. The experience factor, built around the return of 27 lettermen, including six starters on offense and six on defense, is not the only area of change. Army's offensive thinking this year will not be focused on the Wishbone, but will feature variations of the T and the Slot, a move to maximize the talents of quarterbacks Scott Gillogly and Leamon Hall."

Besides sophomore Hall being highlighted, the following 1977 players were pointed out in the guide– sophomore Greg King (at halfback, gained 33 yards in four carries and returned two kickoffs for 37 yards in the spring game); sophomore Greg McGlasker (moved from quarterback to split end and caught a 61-yard touchdown bomb in spring game); junior Tony Dailey (moved from tight end to offensive guard); junior Jim Hodge (challenging as starter at offensive guard); sophomore Jim Hollingsworth (starter at defensive tackle); sophomore Keith Wilson (potential starter at defensive end, though his knee rehabilitation could be a determining factor); junior Stan Ford (starter at defensive end); turned back plebe Tiki Traylor (defensive line); and sophomore Mike Castelli (placekicker). The guide also anticipated the following newcomers to the varsity – Curt Downs (leading starter at offensive guard); Mitch Mankosa (offensive tackle); and Jim Merriken (halfback).

The guide's preseason three-deep depth chart included the following 1977 players: First String – McGlasker (split end), Dailey (offensive guard), King (halfback), Wilson (defensive end), Hollingsworth (defensive tackle), and Ford (defensive end); Second String – Hodge (offensive guard), Downs (offensive guard), and Hall (quarterback); Third String – Doug Turrell (offensive guard), Hodge (center), Mark Berry (defensive end), and Traylor (defensive tackle).

The _1975 Army Football Guide_ concluded with these words from Homer Smith, "I believe the greatest value in football is for a young man to go through the teamwork experience. Unlike other sports where the players all do the same thing, football finds 11 players doing different things together in order to achieve success. And, these players must work together. That is why the teamwork experience in football is similar to the teamwork needed in business, government, and even in the Army. Once a young man experiences this phenomenon, he is never the same."

The Superintendent, Lieutenant General Sidney B. Berry, predicted in the September edition of the _Assembly_ , "I foresee an excellent academic year ahead, expect our athletic teams to improve their performance over that of last year, and predict a winning season for the Army Football team."

_Sports Illustrated_ was not as supportive in their college football preview issue in early September. The magazine wrote "evaluating the Army, Navy and Air Force football teams. They finished 1-1 against each other last season while losing 21 of 27 games versus everyone else. Until schedule makers begin considering reality, or recruiters get very lucky, .500 for any academy would be a surprise. Its defense bulwarked, Navy appears best of the lot."

Preseason practice opened in late August with 125 candidates, including 27 lettermen and 27 plebes. There were 19 members of the 1977 team on the opening roster for the 1975 Army Football team. These included three juniors – Tony Dailey (offensive tackle), Stan Ford (defensive end), and Jim Hodge (offensive guard); nine sophomores – Mike Castelli (kicker), Chuck D'Amico (defensive tackle), Curt Downs (offensive guard), Leamon Hall (quarterback), Jim Hollingsworth (offensive tackle), Greg King (halfback), Greg McGlasker (split end), Doug Turrell (offensive guard), and Keith Wilson (defensive end); and seven plebes – Tom Hayden (linebacker), Chuck Johnston (defensive tackle), Phil Macklin (defensive back), Mitch Mankosa (defensive tackle), Clennie Patterson (tight end), Kirk Thomas (linebacker), and Tiki Traylor (defensive end).

Holy Cross

The Cadets faced Holy Cross on September 13th at Michie to open the season for both teams. Army beat Holy Cross in the final seconds 13-10 last season, a team that went 5-5-1, and the Cadets held a 7-1-1 series record. The Crusaders returned with 39 lettermen and 18 starters, led by Coach Ed Doherty (66-73-3) in his 14th year as a head coach, his fifth year at Holy Cross.

Prior to the Holy Cross game, several potential starters were injured or sick, including Jeff Jancek (tight end), Brad Dodrill (fullback), John Gallagher (offensive tackle), and Chuck D'Amico. Jancek was the only one of the four to play in the first game. D'Amico would miss the first six games with a severe ankle injury. Halfback Markus Hardy, who was second in rushing last year, decided to forego football in favor of academics this fall.

In front of a 28,219 fans, Army kicked off its 1975 season against the Crusaders of the College of the Holy Cross on Saturday. On the first play of the game, safety and Co-Captain Al Staerkel cut down the Holy Cross fullback for a loss on a sweep. Starting quarterback Scott Gillogly led the offense in moving the ball into scoring position twice in the first quarter but they were stopped at the goal line.

Reserve quarterback Leamon Hall came into the game early in the second quarter to spark the Cadets offense by completing four of four passes for 37 yards and driving the Cadets 55-yards in ten plays before fullback Dan Spangler scored untouched on a nine-yard run. A bad Crusader snap went over the punter's head near the end of the first half, and Army recovered it on the Holy Cross 22. Gillogly rushed three times for ten yards before Hall completed a twelve-yard touchdown pass to Jancek for a 14-0 halftime lead.

Holy Cross completed a 27-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter, but Army responded by scoring three touchdowns in three minutes. Gillogly scored on a six-yard run after a drive of 67-yards in 11 plays. Defensive tackle Mark Smith sacked the quarterback, forcing a fumble that he recovered on the Holy Cross 17. Five plays later, Tony Pyne plunged over the goal line on a three-yarder. Then on the Crusaders' next possession, cornerback Gary May returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown.

After a Cadet drive stalled on the Crusader one in the fourth quarter, Holy Cross stepped behind the end line for a safety. After receiving the free kick, Army marched 46-yards before Hall completed a two-yard touchdown pass to halfback Greg King. Mike Castelli converted the extra point to make the final score, 44-7. It was the most productive offensive display in 65 games, as Army rushed for 269 yards, passed for 142, and made 26 first downs, while holding Holy Cross to a total offense of 117 yards and nine first downs. Army had one pass intercepted and lost one of eight fumbles. Holy Cross had three passes intercepted and lost two fumbles.

Six 1977 team members started the game included McGlasker (split end), Hodge (offensive guard), Dailey (offensive tackle), King, Wilson (defensive end), and Ford (defensive end). Others playing included Traylor (defensive end), Mankosa (defensive tackle), Kirk Thomas (linebacker), Macklin (defensive back), Hollingsworth (offensive tackle), Downs (offensive guard), Turrell (offensive guard), Ward Whyte (center), Hall, Castelli, and Mike Hargis (punter).

McGlasker caught three passes for 31 yards while King caught two for four yards and a touchdown. King rushed for 44 yards on seven carries while Hall had zero yards on two attempts. Hargis punted once for 34 yards, while King returned a punt for twenty yards. Hall completed ten of twelve passes for 107 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hall was selected for weekly ECAC honors.

"I am so elated about the game," said Coach Smith, "We had planned to use our quarterbacks like a gunfighter uses two guns, and we did just that. I was most pleased with the unity of our defenders. To fight on defense you have got to be unified. You laugh at the same jokes and you know the defensive calls. They do that.... I think they will just get better and better, stronger and quicker and better through the season."

On Friday afternoon, the Army junior varsity met its counterparts from Syracuse on Daly Field. The Orangemen built up a 12-0 lead in the second quarter on a one-yard run and an 88-yard interception return. Plebe quarterback Brian Womble fired a 30-yard touchdown pass to Bill Woodcock on the final play of the first half to make it 7-12. Syracuse stopped an Army drive late in the fourth quarter on its one-yard line. The Orangemen elected to take a safety to keep Army away from its end zone, cutting the margin to 9-12. Army took over at the fifty with 36 seconds remaining. On the fourth down and very last play of the game, plebe Hank Drought fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to Woodcock to win the game, 16-12.

Lehigh

Army next played Lehigh on September 20th at home. This would be the eighth meeting between the two teams in a series that began in 1893 with Lehigh's only victory. The Engineers returned 18 lettermen and 13 starters from a squad that went 7-3 last season. Head Coach Fred Dunlap (41-59-2) was in his 11th season at Lehigh. Lehigh (1-0) won its opener, 27-18, against Millersville.

"Lehigh is better than Holy Cross," said Homer Smith, "We knew that in May. Ask the Lafayette coaches which team was better in May – Army or Lehigh – and they said Lehigh. They said that because of Lehigh's interior line strength. They say that their linemen are better, but we have lifted weights and I hope we are stronger. So we will get tested next week, really tested."

Army hosted Lehigh on Saturday afternoon in front of 27,872 fans, and both defenses appeared to have taken the day off. Army drove the opening possession 69-yards, aided by fullback Tony Pyne's 51-yard run. Then Gillogly scored on a six-yard run to open it at 6-0. The Engineers marched to the Army 14 before kicking a 41-yard field goal. Hall's pitch to Greg King went awry and Lehigh recovered it on the Army 15. On the first play, the Engineers scored on a touchdown run to take the lead 6-9. Starting on the Army 18, halfback Brad Dodrill ran 74-yards and then Pyne scored from the three to put Army ahead 12-9 at the end of the first period.

In the second period, Leamon Hall led the Cadets on a 75-yard drive by completing a five-yard touchdown pass to Greg McGlasker. Hall completed a two point pass conversion to Howie Williams to up the score to 20-9. Don Briggs then caught a 50-yard pass from a double-pumping Hall for a touchdown. A 43-yard march ended with Pyne scoring again from the three. A Lehigh 74-yard touchdown pass made it 33-16 at halftime.

Scott Gillogly completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Tom Kuchar, with Mike Castelli kicking the extra point, while the Engineers scored on an 86-yard pass to make it 40-24 at the end of the third quarter. King ran in for a twisting eight-yard score in the opening minutes of the final period and Gillogly rushed in from the Lehigh 16 for the final Cadet scores in the final period, with Mike Castelli converting both extra points. Lehigh made one final touchdown pass to close the scoring at 54-32.

Army scored on eight of its twelve possessions, rushing for 444 yards, passing for 200, never punting, with two fumbles lost and 32 first downs. Lehigh had 417 total yards, including 301 passing, and lost two fumbles. There were no passes intercepted during the game. It was the most points scored by the Cadets since 1968. Army was the second highest scoring team in the nation and Hall was leading in completion percentage.

Players from the 1977 team who started against Lehigh were McGlasker, Dailey, King, Wilson, and Ford. Also playing were Patterson, Hollingsworth, Hodge, Downs, Turrell, Whyte, Hall, Castelli, Traylor, Mankosa, Kirk Thomas, and Macklin. King rushed for 71 yards on ten carries and one touchdown, while Hall lost seven yards on two rushing attempts. McGlasker caught three passes for 21 yards and one touchdown. King returned two kickoffs for 21 yards, while Macklin and McGlasker each returned a punt. Hall completed 14 out of 19 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rutgers junior varsity were scheduled to play the Cadet junior varsity at West Point on Friday afternoon, September 26th. The game was cancelled. The Plebe football team played the USMA Prep School on Friday afternoon for its first game of the season. Quarterback Mark Knezeak tossed three touchdown passes, connecting with Chuck Hipp, Dave Staley, and McKay Marsden. A Cadet substitute quarterback tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Steve Baker, and Corky Messner booted field goals of 22 and 30 yards, to lead the Plebes in winning, 33-0.

Villanova

Villanova (1-2) traveled to West Point to meet the Cadets on September 27th. Led by first year Coach Dick Bedesem, the Wildcats returned 26 lettermen and 15 starters to a team that went 3-8 last season. The strength of the team appeared to be its defense against the run. Villanova won its first game of the season against Toledo, 14-10, the previous weekend. Army held a 17-2 series record over the Wildcats with the last game being a 54-0 victory in 1960. Three Cadet starters recovering from injuries (linebacker Geoff Clark, offensive tackle John Gallagher, and tight end Jeff Jancek) did not play against the Wildcats, and center Jerry Araneo would do only long snapping.

Army in front of 30,940 fans at Michie Stadium faced the Wildcats, which turned out to have a stubborn and tenacious defense. On the opening play from scrimmage, Villanova lost the ball on their own 33. The Cadets marched down to the goal line on eleven plays, but were stopped six inches short on fourth down. Army was then halted on the Villanova 25 on their next possession. It was 0-0 at halftime. Midway through the third quarter, Leamon Hall was intercepted and this led to Villanova scoring a touchdown and converting the extra point. Later in the same period, the Cadets moved to the Villanova 38 but were then stopped.

Midway through the final stanza, the Wildcats picked off a Hall pass at midfield and returned it to the Army seven. The Cadet defense held, forcing Villanova to convert a 26-yard field goal. Army took the kickoff from its own twelve to the Army 40 before being forced to punt. The Wildcats ran the clock out to upset Army, 0-10. It was a stunning defeat as Villanova completely turned off Army's high-caliber offense. Army rushed for 115 yards, passed for 83, with two turnovers. Villanova had 49 yards passing and 166 rushing, with three lost fumbles.

1977 players starting in the Villanova game were Dailey (offensive tackle), Hodge (center), King (halfback), Ford (defensive end), Mankosa (defensive guard), and Kirk Thomas (linebacker). Also playing were Macklin, JT Thomas, Wilson, Traylor, Castelli, Hall, Whyte, Downs, Hollingsworth, and Patterson. Phil Macklin returned three punts for eleven yards. King rushed for 17 yards on six carries, while Hall lost eight yards. Leamon Hall completed three out of 14 passes for forty yards with two interceptions.

"What we had planned didn't work," said Homer Smith after the game, "However we prepared was wrong. I couldn't believe the things that were happening. The game was there for us to win. It was hanging there to be plucked, but we couldn't do anything. We couldn't hit a spread man on a deep pass. We couldn't execute an option play. We didn't practice well on offense last week. All I believe in is repetition, completion and hard work. That's all I believe." Smith also said he was going to one quarterback against Stanford, and stop alternating Hall and Scott Gillogly. Smith also complimented the coaching at Villanova with an exceptional defensive effort.

The Southern Connecticut State freshmen traveled to West Point to play the Plebe football team on Friday afternoon, October 3rd. Army raced to a 14-6 halftime lead on two touchdown passes by Mark Knezeak. He threw a 21-yarder to fullback Greg Bozek in the first period. With just 11 seconds to go in the half, Knezeak hit Mark Logue for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Southern Connecticut closed the margin to 14-12 in the third quarter, and in the final period completed a touchdown pass to go ahead 14-20. Steve Smith hit Logue for a 27-yard touchdown pass, and Corky Messner converted the extra point for a 21-20 lead with over five minutes to play to win the game.

The Army Lightweight football team opened its season hosting the Navy on Friday afternoon in defense of its national championship title and twenty game winning streak. After a scoreless first period, Army's Marion Key and Skip Grimm scored on touchdown runs to open a 14-0 lead. After a Middies touchdown, Grimm scored on an eight-yard run and Fred Seeger converted a 34-yard field goal for a halftime lead of 24-7. Navy scored twice to close to 24-19 in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Grimm romped around right end 13-yards for the final Cadet touchdown. Navy scored again, but the Cadets stopped them from the one foot line as time ran out for their 21st consecutive win, 31-26.

On Saturday, the Army junior varsity traveled to Fort Belvoir, VA, to play the USMA Prep School. The junior varsity squad won, 27-0.

Stanford

Army traveled to the West Coast to meet the Cardinals of Stanford University (0-2-1) on the first weekend of October. Stanford went 5-4-2 last season; were led by fourth-year Jack Christiansen (18-15-3), and returned 37 lettermen and ten starters for its 1975 edition. Stanford held a 4-3-0 series record over the Cadets that initially began as a post-season game in 1928 when Army did not play Navy. Stanford had been ranked #20 in the preseason poll. The Cardinals were 17 point favorites over the Cadets.

"Stanford is one of the best passing teams in the game," said Smith, "They have an experienced passer. They already tied the great Michigan team. They also have big defensive linemen. Frankly, we cannot match them pound-for-pound, but we will have to make some adjustment. There is no question it will be a difficult test for us."

In front of 38,500 mostly hostile fans and a few hundred Cadets and graduates in Stanford Stadium, Army proceeded to lose four fumbles and had four passes intercepted, leading to the Cardinals scoring five times. Stanford scored a field goal and two touchdowns in the first quarter and three touchdown passes in the second for a 0-39 halftime lead.

Defensive end and sophomore Pat Kenny recovered a Stanford fumble on the Army 28 in the third quarter, and the Cadets drove 64-yards in six plays to the Cardinals ten. Brad Dodrill scored on a ten-yard run, while Scott Gillogly ran a two point conversion in to make it 8-39.

The Cardinals then scored three touchdowns on a pass, 85-yard interception return, and a run to make it 8-60 at the end of the third. Another Stanford rushing touchdown was followed by a Leamon Hall to Dodrill 39-yard touchdown pass to close the score at 14-67. Army rushed for 164 yards, passed for 202, and made 23 first downs. The Cardinals had 315 yards rushing, 268 passing, 26 first downs, two lost fumbles, and one pass intercepted.

Besides the rout, the game had traumatic repercussions. Gillogly sustained a broken collar bone and would be lost until the Navy game, while defensive end Tiki Traylor missed playing time until the final two games. Also injured in the game were linebackers Greg Dyson and Kirk Thomas.

"It just seemed like the first quarter would never end for us," said Coach Smith, "Everything happened to us and it was all bad. Stanford is a big, talented football team. We knew this before we came out here. They were also hungry, but I cannot believe the score is indicative of the talents of the two teams. I believe in my heart that our kids will bounce back. They have a lot of class, and regardless of how difficult our schedule is the rest of the way, they will bounce back. I have to believe that."

Starting for Army were 1977 players Ford (defensive end), Kirk Thomas (linebacker), Dailey (tight end), Hollingsworth (offensive guard), Hodge (center), Hall (quarterback), and King (halfback). Substitutes were Wilson, Traylor, Mankosa, Macklin, Dailey (at offensive tackle), and Downs. King returned one kickoff for ten yards, caught two passes for 18 yards, and lost two yards on five rushes. Hall lost two yards on seven attempts, while completing 13 out of 27 passes for 155 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions.

On October 10th, the Army junior varsity played the Albany State junior varsity at West Point. Late in the first quarter, Bob Ellis fired a 17-yard touchdown pass to Tom Kuchar to cap a 39-yard drive in four plays. Joe Oliver recovered a fumble to start the possession. Joe Cerv scored on a 17-yard run in the second quarter. Late in the half, the Cadets drove 60 yards with Joel Anderson scoring from the one to make it 21-0 at the half.

Albany State cut the margin to 21-8 in the third period, but the Cadets marched 64-yards in five plays with Cerv scoring from the one. A highlight of that drive was a 33-yard pass from Brian Womble to John Lytwynec. Army's final two touchdowns were set up by fumble recoveries by Herman Bulls and Kevin O'Rourke. These led to Blake Moritz running in from the 22-yard line and Bruce Hoopingarner scoring on a 20-yard run, to close the Cadet's third straight victory at 41-8.

At the same time, the Plebe football team was playing against the Columbia freshmen at home. Army scored in the first half on a Steve Smith to Mark Logue four-yard touchdown pass capping a 72-yard march in 13 plays. But three interceptions and two lost fumbles allowed the Lions to score twice for a 7-14 halftime lead. Early in the third quarter, Army drove 43-yards before being stopped on the Columbia five. Corky Messner booted a 27-yard field goal to cut the score to 10-14.

Moments later, Chip Tenuta recovered a Lions fumble, and Army marched 63-yards in nine plays, with Smith going over from the three-yard line. Columbia threatened twice in the fourth period, but an interception by Ed Clemons and another fumble recovery by Tenuta ended those threats for the Plebe's third victory, 17-14.

"Chip Tenuta was as good a football player and warrior as I've seen," recalled Chuck Schott, "Pittsburgh had an independent page in their game plan for how to handle him. He left after his second year. He ended up with 1st Special Forces and Delta, we fought in the Middle East and other places."

Friday evening, the Army Lightweight football team played at Cornell. After a scoreless first half, the Big Red completed a 52-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Skip Grimm scored early in the fourth period, with Fred Seeger kicking the extra point to tie the game at 7-7. Cornell converted a 28-yard field goal in the final moments of the game for the first Cadet loss since one to Cornell in 1971.

Duke

On October 11th, the Cadets hosted Duke (1-3) at Michie Stadium. The Blue Devils were led by fifth year Coach Mike McGee (23-35-1). Duke returned 35 lettermen and eleven starters to a squad that went 6-5 in 1974. Army had lost to Duke 14-33 last season, but still led the series with a 7-3-0 record. The Blue Devils would be favored by 19 points in the game.

In the rain before 36,577 fans, Army played the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday. Late in the opening period, starting quarterback Leamon Hall was intercepted and Duke returned it for a 68-yard touchdown. A Cadet drive early in the second was stopped on fourth down, and the Blue Devils marched 82-yards for another touchdown. Army responded with its own 80-yard drive after the kickoff, with Hall throwing a seven-yard touchdown pass to Tony Pyne and Mike Castelli converting the extra point for a halftime score of 7-14.

Army received the second half kickoff, and then drove 67-yards to the Duke 8, where Castelli kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 10-14. The Cadets halted the Blue Devils on their next possession on the Army 21, and Duke's field goal attempt was short. The Cadets lost a fumble on the Army 35 late in the third quarter, and four plays later Duke converted the turnover into a touchdown early in the fourth period for a 10-21 lead.

Hall moved the Cadets to the Duke ten, but on a third and six, he was sacked for a loss of nine yards. Hall's fourth down pass was intercepted on the Duke two-yard line. The Cadets forced a punt and took over on the Duke 42. After a nine yard gain by Brad Dodrill, Pyne rushed 32-yards towards to goal line, but lost the ball when hit on the Duke one-yard line at 4:32 left in the game. Army got the ball back with 1:18 on the Army 20, and Hall completed four of seven passes to the Duke six before time ran out, losing 10-21.

Duke had 308 yards rushing, 53 passing, one lost fumble, and three interceptions. Army rushed for 138 yards and passed for 222, with two fumbles lost and three interceptions. Hall completed 16 for 24 passes for 222 yards with one touchdown pass. Greg King gained 26 yards on five carries while Hall gained ten. Clennie Patterson caught two passes for 26 yards and King a pass for twenty. Phil Macklin returned one punt for six yards while King returned two kickoffs for 23.

1977 players starting were Stan Ford (defensive end), Mitch Mankosa (defensive tackle), Tony Daily (offensive tackle), Jim Hollingsworth (offensive guard), Jim Hodge (center), Hall, and King (halfback). Playing were Macklin, Doug Turrell, Keith Wilson, Chuck Johnston, Mike Castelli, Patterson, and Curt Downs. A knee injury to Downs would cause him to miss the rest of the season. A knee injury to Ford would cause him to miss the next three games.

"It was a very frustrating loss for our team," said Homer Smith, "Our players are very, very disappointed and they were very emotional after the game was over, perhaps because they were frustrated in wanting to beat Duke so badly after last week.. The Stanford game was embarrassing to them and they worked quietly and hard this week because they felt they had an opportunity to beat Duke. We are simply going to have to continue our rate of improvement and not worry about what the odds say in the good newspapers... I believe we will. We have a lot of young people who are learning, but they will get better and we will continue to improve as a unit."

The Army junior varsity on Friday afternoon hosted the Montclair State JV team. After a scoreless first quarter, Doug Turrell recovered a fumble on the Montclair 18. Two plays later, Blake Moritz scampered eleven yards for the touchdown after taking the pitch from quarterback John Lytwynec. Moments later, Mark Berry recovered a fumble on the Montclair 11 to set up a touchdown by Lytwynec. Mike Castelli added the extra point to make it 14-0. A short punt gave the Cadets possession on the State 25, and two plays later Joel Anderson scored. In the third quarter, Turrell blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. Lytwynec scored again in the fourth period to close out the victory, 34-0 and the junior varsity's fourth straight win.

Rutgers University traveled to West Point to play the Army Lightweight football team in a Friday afternoon game. After a scoreless first period, the Cadets got their offense going, moving to the Rutgers 30 before being stopped. Army downed the punt on the Rutgers three-yard line, and forced a three and out. On the first play, Skip Grimm rushed off-tackle 37 yards for a touchdown with Fred Seeger kicking the extra point, for a halftime lead, 7-0. Army held Rutgers to only 49 total yards in the second half. In the fourth period, Seeger converted a 26-yard field goal for the final score, 10-0.

Pittsburgh

The #17 ranked Pittsburgh Panthers (4-1) would be the fifth home game for Army on October 18th. Head Coach Johnny Majors (44-37-1), in his third year at Pitt, led a squad that returned 36 lettermen, 12 starters, and All-American running back Tony Dorsett. Pittsburgh finished at 7-4 in 1974. Pitt was favored by 34 points. This was the 19th game in the series that started in 1931, with the Panthers holding a 10-6-2 record.

"We know Pittsburgh and Penn State are two of the toughest teams in the country," said Coach Smith, "A win over Pitt would be one of the biggest in Army history." In press reports leading to the game, Smith revealed that Leamon Hall had sprained his right shoulder in the Duke game. "Right now, he can't throw five feet." Smith also raised warm memories of great sportsmanship during World War II, "Two service teams were playing and one of them was beating the other badly that at halftime, Frankie Sinkwich offered to play for the other team. I thought maybe Tony Dorsett might consider doing the same thing."

Pittsburgh scored two touchdowns in the first quarter before Army marched 70-yards in 14 plays when Leamon Hall completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Don Briggs in the second period. The Panthers then scored three rushing touchdowns to lead at halftime, 7-35. The third quarter offered up only 10 points for Pitt, plus another Panther touchdown run early in the fourth. After the Cadets drove 61-yards in 11 plays, Greg King scored on a three-yard run.

Pat Kenny recovered a fumble on the Pitt 15 (credited to Kirk Thomas in press reports). On the third play, Hall crossed the goal line on a seven-yard run to make the final score, 20-52. A wet Homecoming crowd of 41,195 at Michie saw Tony Dorsett bust out for 268 yards rushing and four touchdown runs of 14, 66, 21, and 35 yards, with 217 yards on 13 carries coming in the first half. His teammate Elliott Walker ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Pitt's offensive line outweighed Army by thirty pounds a man and played with wide splits that caused Army's defense problems. Pitt rushed for 530 yards and passed for 80, plus lost four fumbles. Army rushed for 173 yards and passed for 99, with only two turnovers.

1977 players starting against Pitt were Hollingsworth, Hall, King, Wilson, and Mankosa. Also playing were Kirk Thomas, Tom Hayden, Turrell, Johnston, Duane Fuller, Patterson, Hodge, and Dailey. Hall completed nine of 21 passes for 99 yards, one touchdown pass, and one interception, and rushed for a net 44 yards, running the option well. King rushed for twenty yards, caught a 13-yard pass and returned a kickoff 17 yards.

On Sunday, the Plebes beat St. Thomas More School, 17-6. Mark Knezeak tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to McKay Marsden and an 11-yarder to Greg Bozek. Corky Messner kicked a field goal. It was the Plebe team's fourth straight victory.

The Plebe football team got their only chance to leave the academy grounds when they traveled to Hamilton, NY, to meet the freshmen (or junior varsity in some reports) of Colgate University on Friday afternoon. Army opened the scoring in the first period when Corky Messner booted a 28-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Mark Knezeak hit McKay Marsden for a 12-yard touchdown pass, with Messner's extra point, making the halftime score 10-0. The Red Raiders drove 78 yards for a touchdown to make it 10-7 in the third quarter. Colgate recovered a Plebe fumble in the final quarter on the Cadet 28-yard line, and converted a touchdown for the victory, 10-14. The Plebe's season record was now 4-1. The junior varsity game at Syracuse was cancelled.

The Army Lightweight football game was also traveling, this time to Philadelphia to play the winless University of Pennsylvania on Friday night, blasting the Quakers, 58-21. Skip Grimm and Marion Key each scored two touchdowns in the game. Bruce Weyrick, Willie Whitlock, and Bill Butler each recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass. George Mitroka returned a blocked punt for a 25-yard touchdown. Tod Miller passed 18 yards to Lloyd Austin for a touchdown. Warren Chellman and Jeff Myers each scored a touchdown. Fred Seeger converted seven of eight extra points, plus booted a 44-yard field goal.

Penn State

Army went to Happy Valley to meet the #9 ranked Pennsylvania State University (6-1) on October 25th. Led by tenth-year Coach Joe Paterno (91-16-1), the Nittany Lions went 10-2 last season, including a Cotton Bowl win over Baylor and beating the Cadets, 14-21. Penn State returned 28 lettermen and eleven starters. It would be the 23rd meeting between the two teams, with the series tied at 10-10-2. The Cadets would be a 24 point underdog in the game. Army was missing injured tight end Jeff Jancek and running backs Brad Dodrill and Dan Spangler, plus quarterback Scott Gillogly.

Army received the opening kickoff before 59,381 mostly unfriendly, fans at Beaver Stadium. After Army punted on its opening possession, Penn State drove down the field in seven plays, but defensive end Keith Wilson recovered their fumble on the Army three. After another Cadet punt, the Nittany Lions moved down to the Army 9 before being stopped, forcing a 26-yard field goal. Al Staerkel recovered a fumble on the Penn State 48 early in the second period, but the Cadets could not take advantage of the turnover and punted to the Penn State one-yard line. The Nittany Lions drove the ball 98 yards in 14 plays. Their running back plunged over the line, and fumbled into the end zone, but Penn State recovered it for the touchdown with 54 seconds left in the half, making it 10-0.

Keith Wilson recovered another Penn State fumble on their 35-yard line in the opening possession of the third quarter. Two runs gained nine yards, but the Cadets were unable to convert a fourth down. Penn State first drove 74 yards in eight plays and then 46 yards in six plays to up the score to 0-24. The Nittany Lions picked off a Leamon Hall pass on the Penn State 45 and returned it to the Army 24 in the fourth period. It took Penn State four plays to score its final touchdown, 0-31.

Army's moved into Penn State territory only four times. In the final minutes of the game, the Cadets drove from the Army 24 to the Penn State 12, their deepest penetration of the game, when the Cadets lost the ball on downs. The home team rolled up 305 yards rushing and 144 passing, but lost five out of seven fumbles, three inside the Army ten-yard line. Army rushed for 127 yards and passed for 79, with only one turnover.

"Well, Penn State is the best team we've played," said Homer Smith, "They are better than we are. It's difficult for us to play them. We thought when we went into the game that we could play as well as we have played – better than we have played. But Penn State's weight and experience took its toll [Army's defensive line averaged 213 pounds]. Penn State is really good. Their line play is as fine as anyone's. I'm just sorry we didn't get the win that we so desperately want."

Starters from the 1977 team were Hollingsworth, Hall, King, and Kirk Thomas. Playing against Penn State were Wilson, Chuck D'Amico, Mankosa, Macklin, Patterson, Dailey, Whyte, and Hodge. Hall completed only seven of 27 passes for 79 yards plus five yards rushing. Greg King rushed for 31 yards on seven carries plus returned two kickoffs for 33 yards. Phil Macklin returned one punt for nine yards.

"Got my first break by making the travel squad to Penn State," recalled Chuck D'Amico, "I was so far down the depth chart, that I was relegated to holding clipboards for the defensive coordinator, Coach Tarbox. Sometime during the second half, starting defensive lineman, Mark Smith '76, ran to the sidelines gripping his hand. I saw this and yelled 'Smitty's Hurt!' I took off onto the field and into the defensive huddle. All the guys looked at me and unison said, 'D'Amico? What the hell are doing here?' I said, 'let's go, just call the formation.' We broke the defensive huddle, I looked at the sideline and witnessed Coach Tarbox being held back by other assistants, popping a few veins and cursing me out. That play, I tackled the Penn State running back for a three yard loss. Tarbox let me stay in and the rest is history."

The Plebe football team hosted the West Chester State University freshmen (0-5) on Friday afternoon at Shea Stadium. In the first quarter, West Chester picked off an Army pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown. State marched 62-yards in seven plays in the second period to score their second and final touchdown on a pass. The Plebes had two drives inside West Chester's ten yard line in the second half, but were stopped. This was the Plebe team's second straight loss in a row, 0-14.

Air Force

Army continued its travels with a trip to Colorado Springs on November 1st to open its bid for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. This was the tenth game in the series that was then tied 4-4-1. The Falcons (0-6-1) were led by Coach Ben Martin (94-99-9) in his 18th year at the academy. Air Force returned 38 lettermen and 16 starters on a squad that had a 2-9 record in 1974, including a 17-16 loss in the final seconds to Army. Air Force had lost to Navy, 0-17, so a Falcon win would at best set up a potential tie for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition. The Falcons were favored by seven points in the game. Air Force had tied UCLA 19-19 earlier in the season. The Falcons had also led Notre Dame, 30-10, at the end of the third quarter before the Fighting Irish stormed back to win, 31-30.

Air Force won the toss and elected to kick it. The Cadets marched down the field to the Air Force twelve-yard line in 14 plays before Steve Barrett kicked a 29-yard field goal to give Army a 3-0 lead in front of 37,183 inhospitable spectators at Falcon Stadium. The Falcons responded by driving down the field until being halted and missing a 40-yard field goal attempt with three minutes left in the first quarter.

After an Army punt, Air Force moved from their own 34 to the Army 10, where their kicker, Dave Lawson, made a 27-yarder in the second quarter to tie the score. The Falcons then intercepted a Leamon Hall pass on the Army 45 and returned it to the Army 11, converting the touchdown on the second play to make it, 3-10. On the next Army possession, Hall appeared to make the first down when his pitch to the trailing back was tipped and recovered by Air Force. The Falcons then drove to the Army 31 in nine plays where Lawson converted a 48-yard field goal. Another Air Force drive of 42 yards ended with another 39-yard field goal to make the halftime lead, 3-16.

On Army's first possession in the second half, fullback Tony Pyne went ten yards and then lost the ball when hit trying to gain more, with the Falcons recovering it on the Army 47-yard line. The Air Force drive ended on an eight-yard touchdown pass to up the score to 3-23. The Falcons added a touchdown early in the fourth period. Air Force picked off another Hall pass before Lawson made a 40-yard field goal in the final stanza for his 15th point in the game and the final score at 3-33. Air Force rushed for 176 yards and passed for 132, with no turnovers. Army rushed for 172 yards and passed for 60 yards, with four turnovers.

1977 team starters included Hollingsworth, Hall, King, Wilson, and Kirk Thomas. Also playing were JT Thomas, Turrell, D'Amico, Whyte, Hodge, Dailey, and Patterson. Greg King rushed for 34 yards on six carries, caught two passes for 21 yards, and returned one kickoff for 24 yards. Hall completed five of 21 passes for 34 yards and two interceptions, plus rushing for 22 yards. After this game, senior Scott Gillogly was named a 1975 scholar-athlete by The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame for his excellence in the classroom and on the playing field. Gillogly was among eleven players selected.

"They gave us problems on offense because they change defenses all the time," said Coach Smith, "We tried to check off, but we couldn't hear the quarterback because it was so noisy. And, so we found ourselves running into defenses we didn't want to run into. That's where we had our problems. Then we tried to throw, but we simply couldn't get it done. We've tried so many times and we have a terrible time throwing because we don't have any speed... I don't know how you believe in turning points and ever come back from a deficit. I don't know how you do it psychologically. I've been down a whole lot more than this [at] halftime and came back and won handily. I don't believe in turning points."

The Army junior varsity squad played its fifth and final game of the season at West Point against Central Connecticut State on Friday afternoon at Howze Field. Army got a quick 6-0 lead on a seven-yard touchdown run by quarterback John Lytwynec. After Central Connecticut made a field goal, Jeff Washington rushed 11 yards for a touchdown and converted a two point run to make it 14-3 at halftime.

Washington made a second touchdown run in the third period from the State nine-yard line. Lytwynec threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Bill Woodcock and plebe Mark Hazuka ran a touchdown in from the three-yard line. Mike Castelli converted four extra points and a 30-yard field goal. With Army ahead by 38-16 in the final period, Washington passed for a 14-yard touchdown to Bill Woodcock to close out the scoring, 45-16, and a 5-0 season record for the junior varsity.

Also playing its seventh and final game of its season, the Plebe football team hosted the freshmen from Cornell University that Friday afternoon at Daly Field. The Big Red jumped out to a 0-10 lead in the first quarter, with a 64-yard touchdown run on the first play of the game and a 28-yard field goal. That was the score at halftime.

Bill Lough pulled the football out of the Cornell running back's hands on the first play of the third quarter at their 22-yard line. The Cadets scored three plays later when Dave Staley ran seven yards for the touchdown. Corky Messner converted the extra point to make it 7-10. Defensive end Chuck Schott picked off a Big Red pass and returned it the Cornell 37. Army drove to the Big Red six, where Messner converted a 28-yard field goal to tie the game before the final period. Cornell scored a one-yard touchdown with four minutes to play after a 92-yard, 21-play drive consumed eleven minutes of the final quarter. The Plebes were unable to respond, losing, 10-17.

The Army Lightweight football team faced Columbia University on Friday afternoon for its fifth game of the season and final home game. Army routed the Lions, 40-0, to raise the Cadets' record to 4-1 before its final game at Princeton.

Boston College

Boston College (4-4) traveled to West Point for the final Cadet home game of the season on November 8th. BC was led by Coach Joe Yukica (58-38-0), who was in his eighth year. The Eagles returned 34 lettermen and twelve starters from a team that went 8-3 last season. In a series that began in 1917 when Army was not able to play Navy due to wartime restrictions, this will be the eleventh game where Army held a 9-1 record. The Eagles were favored by 17 points.

Boston College scored on a nine-yard run in the first period. Plebe Devon Maness took the kickoff and ran it 87 yards to the Eagles 13-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Army lost the football on a broken play. BC led, 0-7, at the end of the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Army had the football. However, after a wayward pitch was recovered by the Eagles, BC scored on a 45-yard field goal to make it, 0-10. After a short Army punt and a pass interference penalty, the Eagles scored on a one-yard touchdown run with eleven seconds left in the half, 0-17.

BC scored on two touchdown runs in the third period for a 0-31 final score. The last Eagles touchdown was the result of a questionable fumble call when Leamon Hall was hit while attempting to throw a pass. Army had 103 yards rushing and 26 yards passing, one interception, and three lost fumbles. BC had 327 yards rushing, 45 passing, and two turnovers.

"To beat Boston College, we had to get on the scoreboard at least three times," said Homer Smith, "And we didn't get on the scoreboard at all. We hardly got off the mark. We could have won a game like this even though they are big and fast and strong and all that. But we just didn't do it. It seems like we really got ourselves ready, the way the players bounced back, but it just didn't work out that way."

1977 team players starting against Boston College were Patterson, Hollingsworth, Hall, King, Ford, and Kirk Thomas. Substitutes included Macklin, Hayden, Turrell, Fuller, JT Thomas, Johnston, Whyte, Hodge, and Dailey. Phil Macklin returned two punts for 21 yards. Greg King rushed for 58 yards on twelve carries. Ward Whyte punted three times for a 42.0 average. Leamon Hall completed three out of twelve passes for 26 yards with one interception and lost seven yards rushing.

On Friday evening, the Army Lightweight football team played at Princeton for its final game of the season. After the opening kickoff, the Tigers drove 75-yards in 15 plays for a touchdown. Army immediately responded, with Warren Chellman throwing a 34-yard touchdown pass to Terry Collins, while Fred Seeger converted the extra point to tie the game. In the second period, Princeton intercepted a pass at the Army 43. Six plays later, the Tigers scored a touchdown, making the halftime score, 7-14.

In the third period, Sandy Morford scored a 56-yard end around, but Seeger slipped while attempting to kick the extra point, making the score, 13-14. Princeton blocked a Cadet punt on the Army ten-yard line, and the Tigers recovered the ball in the end zone for the 13-21 victory. This gave Princeton and Cornell a tie for the Eastern Intercollegiate Lightweight Football League championship, ending Army's five year streak and this was the first time since 1957 that either Army or Navy had not won the league title. Army ended the season with a record of 4-2, tied with Navy for third place.

Vanderbilt

The Cadets traveled to Nashville to meet Vanderbilt (5-4) on November 15th. Coach Fred Pancoast (27-21-4), in his first year with the Commodores, returned 41 lettermen and 16 starters to a squad that went 7-3-2, including a Peach Bowl tie with Texas Tech. This was the fourth game in the series, with Vanderbilt holding a 2-1 edge. Army lost to the Commodores 14-38 last season and were 17 point underdogs. By this time in the season, 34 of the top 50 Cadets playing were either sophomores or plebes, with only six seniors starting.

Smith indicated that the Cadets would be looking past Vanderbilt to prepare for Navy, "My staff and I will have to do an extensive re-evaluation of what we are trying to do. I know one thing, if we had a fresh start, especially on offense, we can fit some people in better than we have them fitted in now. So we have three weeks to get ready for Navy and will we look past the Vanderbilt game? In a sense we will. In terms of planning our offense we will look past that because we will do things we wouldn't do if the Vanderbilt game were the last game of the season."

Host Vanderbilt scored a field goal and two touchdowns in the first quarter, thanks to poor Army punting before its 20,315 fans on Dudley Field's artificial turf. Army dominated play during the rest of the game, with the Cadet defense shutting down Vanderbilt's offense completely. Defensive tackle Chuck D'Amico recovered a quarterback fumble at the Commodore 30-yard line. Nine plays later, Greg King scored on a one-yard plunge in the second quarter. The Cadets threatened again, but the 33-yard field goal attempt with 17 seconds left in the half was wide, making it 6-17.

After a scoreless third period, Army drove sixty yards on passing and rushing before Leamon Hall scrambled 22-yards for a touchdown. Hall completed a two point conversion pass to Clennie Patterson to close the score to 14-17. Al Staerkel intercepted a pass and the Cadets moved to the Vanderbilt 30 before Hall was intercepted on fourth down.

Army got the ball back with two minutes to play, but turned the ball over on downs. The Commodores then completed a touchdown pass to up the final score to 14-23. The Cadets rushed for 158 yards and passed for 78, with three interceptions and one lost fumble. Vanderbilt rushed for 54 yards and passed for 91, also with four turnovers.

1977 team starters were Dailey, Patterson, Hollingsworth, Hall, King, Ford, Johnston, and Kirk Thomas. Also playing were Macklin, Turrell, D'Amico, Fuller, Traylor, Whyte, and Hodge. Greg King rushed for a season high of 118 yards on 32 carries with one touchdown. Kirk Thomas intercepted one pass. Phil Macklin returned two punts for 15 yards. Ward Whyte punted five times for a 41.4 yard average. Doug Turrell had five or more unassisted tackles. Clennie Patterson caught three passes for 28 yards and a two point conversion. Leamon Hall rushed for 27 yards with one touchdown and completed six out of 16 passes for 78 yards with two interceptions.

Navy

Army (2-8) met Navy (6-4) for the 76th time on November 29th in Philadelphia. George Welsh (8-14-0), in his third year with the Middies, returned 30 lettermen and 14 starters for a team that went 4-7 last season, including a 0-19 victory over Army. Still, the Cadets held a 36-33-6 lead in the series. Navy were a twenty point favorite in the game.

Navy had been ranked #20 in the September 22nd poll, but then lost that weekend to Washington, 13-14. The Middies also lost 13-14 to Georgia Tech in their last game, and probably lost a bid to the Liberty Bowl in the process. Still, it was the Middies first winning season since 1967. Navy had beaten Air Force 17-0 and with the Falcons beating Army earlier in the season; a win, tie, or loss would enable the Midshipmen to keep the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

At the Philadelphia Army-Navy press conference, Coach Homer Smith said, "We're certainly an underdog. But we can play well enough defensively to win. We have to find ourselves offensively. If we can find the right attack plan, and execute it, we can beat Navy."

The NCAA had put in a new rule at the beginning of the season to save travel costs that limited the football traveling squads to 48 players. Colonel Jack Schuder, Army athletic director, said he usually sent a squad of 52 on the road prior to the NCAA's rule, "We really have not saved that much money cutting down to 48."

Navy's Coach George Welsh said, "It just doesn't make sense. The players who are not permitted to suit up will be in Philadelphia anyway. They will be sitting up in the stands wishing they were on the sidelines. There's nothing more important than playing in an Army-Navy game." Alabama and Auburn played the same weekend at Legion Field in Birmingham, and received permission from the NCAA to each suit 60 players for a home game. The service academies request to do the same was rejected.

Two weeks prior to the Navy game, the Cadets had injured quarterback Scott Gillogly back throwing passes, aching for revenge against Navy. "It's the greatest recovery this side of a revival tent. Looking ahead, I find the future for Army Football very encouraging," said Coach Smith, "We are extremely young, but this is not a week we should be talking about youth. The story is in the Al Staerkels and the Scott Gilloglys who have worked so hard and won so few games. And this game is for them."

The game was played in bright and fair weather in front of 81,576 in John F. Kennedy Stadium, the smallest crowd in 37 years. Early in the first period, Chuck D'Amico picked off a Middie pass. Army could not make a first down. A called fake punt from the bench ended up being an incomplete pass. Navy took over on its own 40. The Middies marched to the Army ten and converted a 27-yard field goal to open the scoring at 0-3. Army moved from its 30 to the Navy 16, but was penalized for being offside and the third down pass was incomplete. Steve Barrett's 38-yard field goal attempt was wide. It was a rather evenly played first quarter.

In the second period, the Cadets forced a Midshipmen punt. Phil Macklin caught the punt on the Army 21, but fumbled it when hit, resulting in Navy getting the ball on the Army 17. Four plays later, the Middies scored on a two-yard touchdown run and extra point. The Cadets were forced to punt on their next possession, and Navy blocked the punt and returned it 42-yards for a touchdown. Before halftime, Navy drove 87 yards down to the Army 13 before converting a 31-yard field goal to make the score 0-20 at halftime.

A 28-yard field goal in the third period and a short touchdown run in the opening minutes of the final stanza made the score 0-30. Jeff Washington returned the kickoff 32-yards to the Army 42. The Cadets then went 57-yards in nine plays before Leamon Hall scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak with 8:30 remaining. It was the first Army points in three years, with both Cadet and Middie cannons firing to celebrate the event. A two point conversion pass failed.

With the 6-30 win, Navy won a second outright Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in the last three years. Navy rushed for 302 yards and passed for 20, with one interception and one lost fumble. Army rushed for 109 yards and passed for 83, with two passes intercepted and one lost fumble.

The _1976 Howitzer_ said "The Army-Navy football game was its traditional tough battle between the two services. Navy won the battle by a score of 30-6 but lost the war by allowing Army to penetrate its end zone for the first time in three years as Leamon Hall punched it over. Army leads the series by two games."

Starting against Navy were the following 1977 players – Stan Ford (defensive end), Chuck D'Amico (defensive tackle), Kirk Thomas (linebacker), Tony Dailey (tight end), Jim Hollingsworth (offensive guard), Leamon Hall (quarterback), and Greg King (halfback). Ward Whyte (center and punter), Duane Fuller (defensive tackle), Tiki Traylor (defensive tackle), Doug Turrell (middle guard), Phil Macklin (defensive back), Clennie Patterson (end), and Jim Hodge (offensive tackle) also played against the Midshipmen.

King gained 78 yards on 25 carries and returned one kickoff for 16 yards. D'Amico intercepted one pass. Phil Macklin returned one punt for 14 yards. Hall completed seven of 25 passes for 83 yards and two interceptions, and rushed for eight yards and one touchdown.

Post-Season

"Gillogly, McClure, Araneo, Dyson, Spangler, and Dodrill," recalled Mike Castelli, "Tough guys but pretty banged up. A lot of fight in that team!"

Thirteen members of the 1977 team lettered during the 1975 season – Patterson (Brundidge), Dailey, D'Amico, Ford, Hall, Hodge, Hollingsworth, King, Macklin, Mankosa, Kirk Thomas, Turrell, and Wilson. Ten others played in one or more of the eleven varsity games (Castelli, Downs, Fuller, Hargis, Hayden, Johnston, McGlasker, JT Thomas, Traylor, and Whyte). Together, they started in 66 games and played in 157. Greg King started all 11 games, while Hollingsworth, Hall, Hodge, and Dailey played in all games this season.

On defense, here were the 1975 statistics: Total Tackles – Kirk Thomas (71), Wilson (42), Ford (38), Turrell (26), Mankosa (15), D'Amico (12), Johnston (10), Traylor (8), Fuller (7), Whyte (3), and Macklin (1); Passes Deflected – Wilson (2) and Kirk Thomas (1); Interceptions – Kirk Thomas (1) and D'Amico (1); Fumbles Caused – Wilson (2) and Fuller (1); Fumbles Recovered – Kirk Thomas (2), Wilson (2), Mankosa (1), and D'Amico (1); Tackles Behind the Line – Wilson (3), D'Amico (2), Ford (2), Turrell (2), Fuller (1), Johnston (1), Kirk Thomas (1), and Traylor (1); and Minutes Played –Kirk Thomas (171), Ford (141), Wilson (133), Mankosa (87), Turrell (65), Johnston (36), Traylor (26), D'Amico (26), Fuller (17), Macklin (14), Whyte (10), JT Thomas (3), Hayden (2), and Hargis (1).

On offense, here were the 1975 statistics: Rushing Yards – King (495), Hall (93), and Whyte (-12); Carries – King (121), Hall (85), and Whyte (1); Rushing Touchdowns – King (3) and Hall (3); Passing – Hall (93 completions of 218 passes for 1,107 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions); Receptions – King (8), McGlasker (6), and Patterson (5); Receiving Yards – King (76), Patterson (54), and McGlasker (52); Receiving Touchdowns – King (1) and McGlasker 91); Scoring – King (24), Hall (18), Castelli (8), McGlasker (6), and Patterson (2); and Minutes Played – King (310), Hollingsworth (229), Hall (224), Dailey (177), Hodge (143), Patterson (93), McGlasker (40), Downs (18), and Castelli (4).

Ward Whyte punted eight times for a 41.6 yard average, with his longest being 55 yards. Mike Hargis punted once for 34 yards. Mike Castelli kicked five out five extra point attempts plus made his only field goal attempt. Greg King returned 10 kickoffs for an average of 14.4 yards and the longest of 24. Phil Macklin returned 11 punts for a 4.9 yard average, the longest being 13 yards. King returned one punt 20 yards, while McGlasker returned one punt two yards.

Sixteen future members of the 1977 team spent the 1975 on the junior varsity or plebe squads, though they may have dressed for a varsity game – Mark Berry, Joe Cerv, Ed Clemons, Bob Groller, Greg Johnson, Joe LeGasse, Mark Logue, John Lytwynec, Gene McIntyre, Jim Merriken, Corky Messner, Steve Miller, Joe Oliver, Chuck Schott, Steve Smith, and Gus Steenborg.

Overall, the 1975 Army Football team gained 196 first downs, averaged 295 yards in total offense, 179 yards rushing per game, 116 yards passing per game, completed 106 of 256 passes, had 20 intercepted, lost 17 of 40 fumbles, averaged 36 yards punting, averaged 5.5 yards returning punts, averaged 18.0 yards returning kickoffs, and scored 165 points,. Defensively, Army allowed 209 first downs, averaged 354 yards in total offense, 235 yards rushing per game, allowed 102 completions of 182 passes for 119 yards per game, intercepted 10 passes, recovered 24 of 41 opponent fumbles, and allowed 337 total points. Most of these statistics were improvements over the 1974 season.

Seven Army opponents finished the 1975 season with winning records, and two went to bowl games. Holy Cross (1-10-0), Villanova (4-7-0), Duke (4-5-2), and Air Force (2-8-1) had losing records. The Duke Blue Devils finished second to Maryland in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings with a 3-0-2 record. Lehigh (9-3-0), Stanford (6-4-1), Boston College (7-4-0), Vanderbilt (7-4-0), and Navy (7-4-0) were unranked and did not play in post-season games. Stanford finished third in the Pacific-8 Conference standings.

The #20 Pitt beat #19 Kansas in the Sun Bowl, 33-19, and were ranked #13 at the end of the season. #8 Penn State lost to #4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, 13-6. The Nittany Lions finished #10 in the rankings. Stanford finished #6 in passing offense nationally while Boston College finished #9 in total defense and #7 in rushing defense. Navy was #3 in total defense, #5 in passing defense, and #10 in rushing defense. Penn State was #9 in scoring defense. The Cadets also faced #3 rusher, #2 and #7 receivers, #6 and #8 punters, #6 and #10 punt returners, #9 scorer, #2 field goal kicker, and the #5 player in interceptions.

Post-Script

The _1975 Army Football Guide_ predicted that the season would be "The March Back – Chapter 2" by saying "Army's march back from a 0-10 season in 1973 began last year. It will continue in 1975." Unfortunately, it was a tale of two seasons, one that opened with two decisive victories, followed by nine agonizing defeats.

Chapter 7  
Solid Improvement – The 1976 Football Season

Off-Season

"There is an opportunity to develop football players here that exists at few schools in the country. Football is much, much more than a business. It's too real; it involves too many real people. But the same organizational problems are still there. That's what is exciting, the overall challenge of organization," said Homer Smith in the _1976 Army Football Guide_.

Homer Smith would begin his third season as Army head football coach. Nine members of the 1975 coaching staff remained at West Point for the 1976 season, though some individuals changed areas of responsibilities. Bruce Tarbox, formerly defensive coordinator, became the offensive coordinator, while Dick Bowman became defensive coordinator. Mike Mikolayunas moved from coaching the defensive secondary to offensive receivers.

"Coach Mikolayunus' [recruiting] visit was great," recalled Bill Skoda, "and he was a great coach for a receiver."

John Stiegman, the former offensive coordinator, would now handle the defensive secondary. Likewise, John Wade would move from the offensive to the defensive line. Frank Gibson was now the head coach for the junior varsity squad. Pat Mente moved from varsity halfbacks to coach the offensive junior varsity. K.C. Scull worked with the plebe team in '75 and will now work with the defensive line of the junior varsity team. Gary Steele, who had the plebe offensive line last season, would be the head plebe coach.

Four men joined the Army coaching staff. Steve Axman (C.W. Post '72) moved from being the offensive line coach at Albany State to offensive backfield at West Point. Larry Lock (Henderson State '74), a Second Lieutenant in the Armored branch, coached defensive ends and linebackers at his alma mater and will now work with the junior varsity offensive line. Fred Borman (USMA '74), an active duty officer, would work with the varsity, junior varsity, and plebe kickers. John Roth (USMA '72), another active duty officer, will be responsible for the offensive line of the plebe squad. In addition, the football team was supported by Head Trainer Ed Pillings, in his 20th year at West Point; Dick Hall, Equipment Manager since 1974; and Lieutenant Colonel Bob Protzman, Team Physician.

Members of the Army coaching staff understood the challenges of West Point football. Dick Bowman said, "Recruiting the blue chip athlete is hard work wherever you coach because of the keen competition for the athlete. If it is harder at West Point, it is because the athlete we recruit must also be a blue chip student."

"I believe the most exciting thing about coaching at the U.S. Military Academy is the young people you are working with. They are alive, energetic, dedicated and selfless. They are ready to give all they can to the team goal. These young people are also more serious than most because of the profession they are trying to master, and they are more willing to accept the demands of football and derive the benefits," said Mike Mikolayunas.

"There are a good many similarities between a good football player at West Point and one at another college or university such as North Carolina State. But there is also one basic difference. That basic difference is in the discipline which is built into the system at the Military Academy, and with that discipline you are going to see a different individual," said John Wade.

Coach Smith realized that the 1975 team lacked offensive consistency, especially in its inability to score in the first and third quarters. He decided to abandon the Wishbone thinking, and employ the Split Back T or Pro offense to take advantage of Leamon Hall's passing abilities and to complement the running ability of Tony Pyne and Greg King, complemented by blocking by Jeff Jancek, Jim Hodge, and Jim Hollingsworth. The defensive secondary and kicking game needed work prior to the season beginning.

The disappointing 1975 season ended with 34 lettermen eligible to return for the 1976 season. Many of the group had known starting responsibilities, so Army fans felt that this experience would begin to bear fruit. By the time spring practice began on Wednesday, April 7th, there were only 26 returning lettermen due to resignations, academic reasons, or an individual's desire to not continue football. At the end of the drills in May, Coach Homer Smith said, "My initial reaction to spring practice is that it went off extremely well. We had good weather, suffered no major injuries, and had several young players surprise [us] with their dedication and rate of improvement."

"However, we must temper our enthusiasm with the realization many (10) top players were not there for some reason, ranging from academics to rehabilitation. I admit it was a gamble on my part allowing them to miss so much practice time, but having them in the fall is far more important than in the spring for fundamentals," added Smith. Missing from the spring practices were Clennie Brundidge, Greg McGlasker, Doug Turrell, Tony Dailey, Tiki Traylor, and five others. Duane Fuller made a big impression during spring practices. Losses continued, and Army had 23 lettermen by the July publication of the _1976 Army Football Guide_. Army also announced in May that Stan Ford (defensive end) and Jeff Jancek (tight end) would be the Co-Captains of the 1976 Army Football team.

The addition of an eleventh opponent to the Army Football schedules resulted in three changes to the original 1976 season. One was the addition of Lafayette College as the opening game. The Stanford game was changed from an away to a home game. Similarly, the Penn State game changed from a home to an away game. This resulted in the Cadets opening with four straight home games, then two away games, followed by two home, one away, one home, and then the annual Navy game. Around March, Jim Hodge won the Corps heavyweight boxing championship.

Prior to the start of spring practice on Sunday, April 4th, the USMA Electrical Engineering department had forwarded to the Cadet Honor Committee a listing of 117 juniors who they suspected had collaborated on a take home examination completed by 823 members of the Class of 1977. At breakfast formation on Monday or Tuesday, those individuals were kept in a Washington Hall auditorium for eight or nine hours while the investigation unfolded. By April 21st, two Cadets had resigned before appearing before a Cadet Honor Committee board and fifty Cadets had been found guilty of violating the Cadet Honor Code.

Meanwhile, the Rockland County district attorney Kenneth Gribitz announced on Monday, April 5th, that Cadet Lavell T. McNutt, 18, had been arrested for rape and robbery charges against a Bardonia, NY, woman on March 29th. McNutt was a sophomore defensive back. Further investigation alleged that McNutt raped a Smith College coed near the Cadet Chapel on March 6th. A military court martial on September 14th found him guilty of the first rape and sentenced him to five years at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

In early May, defense counsels for the Cadets being investigated had wrote to the Secretary of the Army that the cheating scandal was more widespread and that at least 300 Cadets had collaborated or tolerated those who did. On May 23rd, the Superintendent determined that the Honor Committee was structurally unable to deal with so many cases, and established an Internal Review Panel (IRP) of twelve field-grade officers and five Cadets to make recommendations to separate Officer Boards for further decisions on the Cadet's status.

The IRP, in groups of two officers and a Cadet, received analysis from three Electrical Engineering professors on all 823 examination papers; and investigated and made recommendations. The IRP received a listing of about 206 names from the professors and forwarded about 150 names to Officer Boards. This list did not include the 52 previously found guilty or resigned, but some of the Cadets had been previously cleared by the Cadet Honor Committee's investigations or boards. These Officer Boards would begin deliberating through the summer and started investigations on about 199 members of the Class of 1977 by August 9th, with about 35 Cadets cleared, 42 juniors had resigned, and 110 others found guilty during the summer.

On July 7th, 1,482 New Cadets of the Class of 1980 entered West Point for their initial summer training. This class also included 119 women. Because this was the largest class in USMA's history and the increased number of parents and visitors, the oath ceremony was held on The Plain. The New Cadets completed Reception Day and began Cadet Basic Training through the end of August. One New Cadet wrote home, "This is the most binding, mind-taxing, frustrating thing I've ever been through. It's absolutely incredible! For some strange reason, I like it. It's the first team I've been on that shows genuine enthusiasm."

Twenty-three future members of the 1977 Army Football team arrived as New Cadets on July 7th. The future defensive players included – Dave Charest (Hereford, TX), Bill Duelge (Milwaukee), Bruce Elliott (Hampton, VA), Dusty Foster (Sacramento, CA), Drew Harrington (Moultrie, GA), John Hilliard (Plain City, OH), Dave Liebetreu (Ludington, MI), Doug Lowrey (Lake City, FL), George Mayes (Orange, NJ), Clif Triplett (Loomis, CA), and Charlie Adams (Huntsville, AL). Of this group, six would play and five would letter during the 1976 season.

"Joe Albano, at the time, the all-time Army leader in receptions, came to my house to talk to my Dad about Army Football," recalled Bill Duelge, "It was really impressive. I will always be grateful to Coach Smith for calling my Dad the night after my application was accepted. My Dad considered it one of the best moments of his life."

The future offensive members were – Chuck Boucher (Indianapolis), Charlie Conz (Selinsgrove, PA), Ron Decker (Dayton, OH), Jon Dwyer (Navarre, OH), John Kisiel (Lancaster, NY), Barron Klopfenstine (Great Falls, MT), Tony Landry (Daisetta, TX), Glen Ledeboer (Irving, TX), Earle Mulrane (Emerson, NJ), Ed Perkins (Cleburne, TX), Bill Skoda (Rockville, MD), and Scott Teising (Flossmore, IL). Five would play during the 1976 season and three would letter.

"I remember during Beast when all of us who were recruited or just wanted to play football were called aside," said Clif Triplett, "As usual, they started to ask us about our previous football accomplishments. I was good high school player, but not a State All-American. Several were in our group. It was a bit intimidating, but I was committed. I do not believe any of the All-Americans made it to our yearling [sophomore] season."

"I was not heavily recruited," recalled Charlie Conz, "I pretty much got into West Point on my own with very little, if any, support from the coaches or AAA staff. I went to Lake Frederick with the rest of my classmates and not to Camp Buckner for preseason practice. In September, I started practicing with the Plebe team."

The Army Athletic Association (AAA), which ran a deficit in the 1975 fiscal year, was in the "black" by a few thousand dollars in the twelve months ending in June 1976, by sharply cutting back on expenses.

"One of my concerns during the past year has been the financial status of the AAA. We expect athletic expenses to continue to increase and the income of the AAA to remain relatively constant. The Military Academy now participates in twenty-two varsity sports, more than a vast majority of other schools in the country. This year, those twenty-two teams will play over 300 games and matches. Our objective is to continue to maintain the highest standards of competition and success in each of these sports. To do so, in a period when many colleges and universities are in serious financial trouble with their athletic programs, we must practice the strictest economy commensurate with our long range goals," wrote USMA Superintendent, Lieutenant General Sidney B. Berry, in the June 1976 edition of the _Assembly_.

The football guide's three-deep depth chart from about July 1st for the offensive squad consisted of the following 1977 players: First String – Greg McGlasker (spread end), Joe Oliver (tackle), Jim Hodge (center), Jim Hollingsworth (guard), Leamon Hall (quarterback), and Greg King (running back); Second String – George Dunaway (spread end), Mitch Mankosa (tackle), Jim Hodge (guard), Chuck Johnston (center), Gene McIntyre (guard), Joe Cerv (running back), and Jim Merriken (slot back); and Third String – Greg Johnson (spread end), Curt Downs (guard), Mark Logue (tight end), and John Lytwynec (slot back).

You will notice that the depth chart seems to be missing a key player. In June, Homer Smith received a letter from Clennie Brundidge. In the letter, Brundidge said he did not feel he could play two varsity sports (football and basketball) and maintain his academic standing. "It was a beautiful letter, and I hung it in the locker room," said Homer Smith, "We wished Clennie the best and I told him I fully understood."

The football guide's three-deep depth chart for the defensive squad consisted of the following 1977 players: First String – Duane Fuller (end), Chuck D'Amico (tackle), Steve Miller (middle guard), Stan Ford (end), Kirk Thomas (linebacker), Joe LeGasse (secondary), and Phil Macklin (secondary); Second String – Chuck Schott (end), Doug Turrell (tackle), Bob Groller (tackle), Keith Wilson (end), Mark Berry (linebacker), and Steve Smith (secondary); and Third String – Tom Hayden (middle guard) and Ed Clemons (secondary). During pre-season, Kirk Thomas was moved to play offensive tackle for the season. Fuller was considered a virtual walk-on to the team, due to his limited high school experience in Germany.

Other 1977 players who made the roster in the football guide included JT Thomas (slot back), Mike Castelli (placekicker), Mike Hargis (punter), Ward Whyte (punter), and Tony Dailey (defensive end). Additionally, Assistant Football Managers on the 1977 team for the 1976 season were juniors Clint Horn, Dave Adam, Joe Whitfield, and sophomore Kurt Nygaard.

"I look forward with enthusiasm to the coming fall athletic season. The Classes of 1978 and 1979 who provided so many fine athletics last year are a year older and return with added maturity and experience. I expect our football team to show solid improvement. Coach Homer Smith shares my optimism," wrote Lieutenant General Berry in the September 1976 issue of the _Assembly_.

At the end of July, Colonel William J. Schuder, the USMA Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, retired from the U.S. Army after 34 years of service. Colonel (retired) William T. Call, Jr., served as acting Director until a replacement arrived. In October, it was announced that Lieutenant Colonel Len S. Marrella (USMA '57) would take Schuder's place. Marrella was on the promotion list for Colonel and currently a student at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He would report to West Point in the summer of 1977.

On August 23rd, the Secretary of the Army decided that the Officer Boards activities would be stopped and determined that all Cadets who left due to the cheating scandal could return after a year's absence. Additional allegations were made on 259 juniors and more than 300 other Cadets on September 16th by those under investigation, and the Cadet Honor Committee continued to investigate these cases through the fall. By January 5, 1977, 151 Cadets had left due the cheating scandal, though twelve Cadets were still being investigated. About 96 would rejoin the Corps of Cadets in June 1977

Pre-Season

Coach Smith received a pleasant surprise on team picture day in August 21st. Clennie Brundidge showed up suddenly and unexpectedly. "I think what happened was that he was around football players at Camp Buckner with [his] sophomore class, and with the season approaching and the magazines coming out, it turned his attention to football. We are simply thrilled he's with us. He can be a tremendous receiver for Army," said Smith. Leamon Hall might have also played a role in the return of Brundidge to the football field. Hall wrote his teammate a letter this summer, expressing his feelings that Clennie would play a big part in Army's success during the next season.

On Monday, August 23rd, preseason practice started with 75 Cadets present. On Thursday, they would be joined by 25 plebes. On Sunday, the team moved into a separate camp to practice until Labor Day. There were now only 19 lettermen, most with starting responsibilities over the last two or three seasons, nine from the offense, nine from the defense, and one kicker.

The lettermen returning did not include defensive end Keith Wilson and defensive tackle Mitch Mankosa, still nursing knee ailments, both who would not play in 1976. During the intra-squad scrimmage on Saturday, the team lost offensive guard Jim Hollingsworth to a knee injury. JT Thomas was scheduled for surgery for removal of torn knee cartilage on Tuesday. Both Hollingsworth and Thomas would not play during the 1976 season.

"Pressure? I feel tremendous pressure," said Coach Smith, "In fact, something happened this morning at practice, just to give an example. I was up on the tower, making my remarks into a tape recorder for the coaches, and I mentioned what a beautiful scene it was, with coaches coaching techniques, players learning and practicing, in the background was the lake, the chapel, Michie Stadium. And there's the scoreboard! We're aware at all times of the scoreboard, of what our purpose is out there."

The cheating scandal and subsequent investigations had an effect on the Army Football team. Army lost future 1977 players Stan Ford (Co-Captain and defensive end), Jim Hodge (center), and Tony Dailey (defensive end or offensive lineman). The football team also lost Brett Moritz, who lettered twice at offensive guard. Moritz had resigned in August and enrolled at the University of Nebraska, and planned to play for the Cornhuskers after sitting out a season.

Coach Smith moved team captain Jeff Jancek from tight end to offensive tackle and linebacker Kirk Thomas to offensive tackle after the losses of Dailey, Hollingsworth, and Moritz. "Jeff was willing to help, he just told me he wanted number 71 and bigger portions at the training table. Then he took off with the tackles."

This caused the coaches to look to the incoming plebes. "The integration of freshmen into the varsity program will be a gradual one, and not quite as extreme as a year ago when we had to rush many plebes along out of sheer necessity. We plan to guard against such a recurrence this year," Smith said as Jancek sacrificed personal glory for the good of the team.

The Army Football team even lost a coach for the season. Back in April, John Roth noticed he had developed a lump under his right armpit. It was determined through a biopsy to be Hodgkin's disease. Roth spent June through August at Water Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC, undergoing exploratory surgery and treatments to control this form of leukemia. Doctors had assessed Roth as being in the first stage, the least serious. Treatments would continue until November, when Roth expected to begin handling the weight training program. Meanwhile, Captain Bob Ivany (USMA '69) would assist with the plebe offensive line in addition to teaching in the USMA Department of History.

_Sports Illustrated_ in its annual preview of college football, wrote "It will be virtually impossible for Navy to improve its 7-4 record, the Midshipmen's first winning year since 1967 and its best since 1963. Navy graduated 28 out of 42 lettermen. Even so, it should beat Air Force and Army (2-8-1 and 2-9 last year) to retain the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Lafayette

On Saturday, September 11th, Army hosted Lafayette College at Michie Stadium. Lafayette finished with a 5-5-0 record under sixth year head coach Neil Putnam (22-27-1). The Leopards returned 30 lettermen and eleven starters, with five starters from the defensive line. Army led the series with a 4-1-0 record, including a 14-7 win during the 1974 season.

The offensive starters for the Lafayette game included the following 1977 players – McGlasker (spread end), Brundidge (tight end), Johnston (tackle), Downs (guard), Hall (quarterback), and King (halfback). The defensive starters were – Schott (end), D'Amico (tackle), Miller (middle guard), Berry (linebacker), LeGasse (backfield), Elliott (backfield), and Macklin (backfield). Joining the Army Mules, A-Man, and the Black Knight in the stands with the Corps of Cadets would be the 1st Regiment Gorilla and Snoopy.

"Being named the starter at Cornerback after getting cut from the plebe team was quite an honor," recalled Joe LeGasse forty years later, "Except it took a while for people to realize I was the same Joe LeGasse as the one on the football team because I was so small – they thought I was on the 150's [Lightweight Football] – as did most of the teachers."

Other 1977 offensive players on the roster published in _The Army Sportsletter_ before the Lafayette game were – Cerv (halfback), Castelli (kicker), Dunaway (spread end), Dwyer (halfback), Hargis (kicker), Johnson (spread end), Kisiel (guard), Logue (tight end), Merriken (slot back), Messner (kicker), Oliver (tackle), Smith (quarterback), and Kirk Thomas (tackle). Defensive players on the roster were – Charest (secondary), Clemons (secondary), Fuller (tackle), Groller (tackle), Hayden (linebacker), Hilliard (end), Mayes (middle guard), Doug Turrell (tackle, who did not play during the 1976 season), and Whyte (punter).

In front of 20,865 fans at Michie Stadium, Army opened its 87th season against Lafayette College. The offensive line had some difficulty in the early going, primarily because of inexperience, since the entire front line was playing together for the first time. The Leopards converted a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Tony Pyne scored on a five-yard touchdown run in the second period, capping a 49-yard drive started by a Devon Maness interception. Mike Castelli's extra point kick attempt failed due to a poor snap. Lafayette kicked a 28-yard field goal to tie the score at 6-6 just before halftime. Moments later, the Leopards recovered a Cadet fumble, but the 32-yard field goal attempt was short.

In the third period, the Army defense exerted itself, holding Lafayette to 39-yards offense. Mike Castelli kicked a 42-yard field goal that allowed the Cadets to take a 9-6 lead. Later in the third quarter, a 19-yard punt return by Greg McGlasker put the ball on the Leopard 38. Five plays later, Leamon Hall threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Clennie Brundidge, and Castelli converted the extra point, for a 16-6 lead.

No scoring occurred in the final period, though the Cadets threatened to score three times. Army rushed for 167 yards, passed for 178, with two interceptions and two fumbles lost. Lafayette had 45 yards rushing and 118 passing, with one interception and two lost fumbles. The Army defense had eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Steve Miller was awarded an Army game ball following his play in the Lafayette victory.

Hall completed 16 out of 27 passes for one touchdown. Brundidge caught ten passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. Jon Dwyer rushed for 68 yards on 17 carries. Steve Miller was credited with 11 tackles against Lafayette. Ward Whyte punted six times for a 42.7 yards average. McGlasker returned three punts for 38 yards. Bruce Elliott returned two kickoffs for 32 yards and Joe Cerv returned one kickoff 13 yards.

Nationally, Brundidge was ranked #1 in receiving, while Hall ranked #9 in passing and McGlasker ranked #10 in punt returns. The team ranked #3 in rushing defense and #8 in total defense. Brundidge was named "Offensive Player of the Week" by the ECAC while Chuck Schott was selected for the weekly ECAC all-Star team with nine tackles, three behind the line.

Coach Smith admitted after the game that he had gambled when he decided to skip a full-scale scrimmage prior to the season opener. He said he hoped that the Lafayette game would suffice as a shakedown experience. Smith won in spite of the risk, and in spite of some rather risky moments. "Naturally, I was really upset at halftime. We hadn't released ourselves in our playing. When you play you really have to release yourself. I haven't gotten the team to work at that, perhaps because we haven't scrimmaged."

Besides the starters named above, the following 1977 players saw action against Lafayette as substitutes – Fuller, Groller, Mayes, Hilliard, Hayden, Charest, Clemons, Dunaway, Logue, Thomas, Oliver, Kisiel, McIntyre, Dwyer, Cerv, Merriken, Johnson, Whyte, and Castelli. Greg King suffered a hip injury in the game. Defensive tackle Bob Groller suffered a fractured ankle in the game that would keep him from playing until the Colgate game.

Holy Cross

The College of the Holy Cross (0-1) traveled to West Point to play the Cadets on September 18th. This was the 11th game between the two schools, with Army holding an 8-1-1 record. The Crusaders returned 27 lettermen and 12 starters from a team that went 1-10 last season; including a 44-7 loss to the Cadets last season. Holy Cross lost their opening game, 3-17, to New Hampshire by failing to generate any sustained attack. First year head coach, Neil Wheelwright (41-38-2) brought eight years of head coaching experience to Army's opponent.

"Holy Cross will give us a rough game," said Coach Smith, "They are just a better school. People ask me why and I say they just are. They have scholarships and Lafayette doesn't. It makes a difference so we are going into a different world next week. I've told the team we must have more authority in our offense. We have to isolate areas and work on them. We need to release ourselves physically and not worry about mistakes. We need more mileage on our kicking game. We should be getting a kick return pretty quick. We've been working on it."

"The defensive backfield will be about the same," Smith said, "I'm going to have Jon Dwyer (plebe) start at running back. And I've shifted Devon Maness (sophomore) from the secondary to running back." 1977 players starting against Holy Cross were Schott, D'Amico, Miller, Berry, LeGasse, Elliott, Macklin, McGlasker, Brundidge, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, Hall, and Dwyer.

Army hosted Holy Cross in front of 24,176 fans at West Point. In the opening quarter, the Crusaders kicked a 22-yard field goal. In the second period, Holy Cross scored on two short touchdown runs. Army got on the scoreboard before halftime when Tony Pyne plunged across the goal line from the Holy Cross 1. The extra point kick failed, making the halftime score, 6-17. The Crusaders scored on a two-yard touchdown run, upping their lead to 6-24 with 3:36 to play in the third quarter. Smith complimented the Holy Cross running attack and its quarterback after the game. "A marvelous job with their offense."

Army battled back in the final stanza. Bruce Elliott recovered a Holy Cross fumble on the Army 48. After driving 39 yards in six plays, Leamon Hall completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Clennie Brundidge, who out wrestled the defender on a simultaneous catch. Hall then passed to Mark Logue to add the two point conversion, with 7:41 to play. After a Crusader three and out, Army drove 48 yards in four plays mostly on the ground before Greg King bulled eight-yards a touchdown run. The pass conversion failed, making it 20-24 with 4:16 remaining. An Army onside kick failed.

The Army defense, manhandled for the better part of the game by the Holy Cross Wishbone attack, got the ball back on the Army twenty. After an incompletion, Hall passed to George Dunaway on the Army 43 sideline for a first down, who ran for 16 more cutting to the middle of the field. It was Dunaway's first varsity reception.

Offensive coordinator Bruce Tarbox, who called the play from the press box, noted that it was Dunaway who brought the play call into the huddle, said "I thought that was the key play in the winning drive. We had an 80-yard drive and that bit off a pretty big chunk. That was a key play because it got us over midfield and down where we were in firing range." Smith laughed about the play when Dunaway did not go out of bounds to stop the clock, "It's really funny about coaches. When George caught the pass we all yelled to him to get out of bounds, get out of bounds. Of course, he didn't get out of bounds, he ran another twenty yards."

On the sixth play of the 80-yard drive, Dunaway caught a 26-yard touchdown pass with 47 seconds left to win the game, 26-24. "I thought coming out of the stadium that the difference between a pat on the back and a kick in the rear is about 18 inches," said a smiling Homer Smith after the victory, "Our young players need to experience something like that, and the lesson to be learned from it, as I told the team after the game, is that you never really know when you are winning." Army rushed for 126 yards and passed for 261, with three interceptions and one lost fumble. Holly Cross rushed for 272 yards and passed for 53, with one interception and three lost fumbles.

1977 players substituting in the Holy Cross game were Dunaway, Logue, Johnson, Kisiel, McIntyre, Decker, King, Cerv, Merriken, Hargis, Castelli, Whyte, Duelge, Fuller, Mayes, Hayden, Hilliard, Lowrey, Clemons, and Charest. McGlasker returned two punts for eight yards. Whyte punted three times for a 39.7 yard average. King played on a bruised hip and rushed for 45 yards on nine carries and a touchdown, while Dwyer had 19 yards and Hall had five.

Brundidge caught nine passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. Dunaway caught two passes for 65 and a touchdown, McGlasker two for 24, King one for 11, Merriken one for eight, and Dwyer one for two yards. Hall completed 19 out of 36 passes for 261 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Mark Berry was credited with 16 tackles, while Steve Miller had 13, including four sacks. Mark Hargis took over the kick off chores for the remainder of the season.

Jeff Jancek suffered a bruised thigh in the second quarter and missed the entire second half. Middle guard Steve Miller had a twisted ankle but he was expected to start against North Carolina's All-American center. Brundidge continued to lead the nation in receiving, while Hall ranked third in passing. Leamon Hall was named "Offensive Player of the Week" by the ECAC, while Brundidge was selected to the weekly all-Star Team.

On Tuesday, Homer Smith got a call from the USMA Hospital saying his quarterback was suffering from conjunctivitis. Smith told reporter Leni Mucsarella as he cupped his hand under his heart and dropped it slowly to his stomach. Before the coach keeled over laughing, he assured the reporter that the diagnosis was "pink eye," due to Leamon Hall leaving his contact lens in his eyes too long. Hall missed practice on Tuesday afternoon.

The Army junior varsity squad kicked off its season by traveling to Rutgers on Friday afternoon to meet their JV team. The Cadets opened the scoring in the second quarter when Earl Mulrane fired a 29-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Wright, with Corky Messner converting the extra point. Messner boosted the lead to 10-0 in the third quarter, hitting a 27-yard field goal. The Scarlet Knights hit two touchdown passes in the final period to beat the Cadets, 10-13.

The Army Plebe team hosted Southern Connecticut State on Friday afternoon at West Point. The game was scoreless until the last possession of the first half. On an 81-yard drive, quarterback Tinker Stewart scampered 26-yards for a touchdown with no time left on the clock. Alex Dornstauder converted the extra point for a Plebe 7-0 lead. Early in the fourth period, Southern Connecticut halted a Plebe drive on its five-yard line, and defensive tackle Kevin Mike tackled the Owl quarterback on the first play in the end zone for a safety, upping the score 9-0. The Owls scored a touchdown and converted a two point conversion run with 40 seconds left in the game, but Army recovered the onside kick to win, 9-8.

North Carolina

Army hosted #16 ranked and undefeated North Carolina (3-0) on September 25th for their third straight home game. The Tar Heels were led by tenth year coach Bill Dooley (55-47-1) and went 3-7-1 last season. North Carolina returned 37 lettermen and 17 starters, including a strong offensive line. North Carolina beat the Cadets in 1974, 56-42. The Tar Heels had upset both #20 Miami of Ohio (14-10) and #17 Florida (24-21), before beating Northwestern (12-0) last weekend. Army was a 17 point underdog before the game. Players from the 1977 team who started against the Tar Heels were Schott, D'Amico, Miller, Berry, LeGasse, Elliott, Macklin, McGlasker, Brundidge, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Kisiel, Johnston, King, and Hall.

North Carolina opened the game with two touchdown runs before the 24,694 fans at Michie Stadium, both from the three-yard line, with both possessions due to fumbled pitches by the Cadets. "The turning point for us, of course, was in the first quarter when I gave up the option forever," said Smith, "I couldn't believe what was happening. It was all that couldn't happen. Our game plan... exchange punts and get some time off the clock, and then at a point, really open it up... However, when we got behind 14-0 right away, we had to go to the air."

The Cadets drove from the Army 24 to the Tar Heel 21 before Mike Castelli converted a 38-yard field goal to make it 3-14 at the end of the first period. The defense forced a North Carolina punt. In the second quarter, Army drove 78-yards in eight plays before Leamon Hall threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jim Merriken (the conversion pass failed). Once again, the Cadet defense stopped the Tar Heels.

Army drove to the North Carolina six and then Castelli made a 23-yard field goal. Army forced another punt. From the Army 23, Hall was intercepted and it was returned to the Army 1. The Tar Heels scored on a quarterback plunge, leading 12-20. In the final minutes of the first half, the Cadets drove 78 yards to the North Carolina four, first and goal. After two running plays, Hall was intercepted in the end zone as time ran out.

"When you play, when you really move the ball," said Homer Smith, "and the way we have to play to beat North Carolina, there will be some errors. I never want to pretend that there won't be, and have Leamon and Clennie come to the sideline and say I can't make another mistake ever. I don't want that. [Referring to UCLA's basketball teams under John Wooden] But they were always going after the goal. We played that way to win games against teams like North Carolina and Stanford, and there will be some turnovers. But we just want to get to the sideline and then get right back in there. Someone said what is there in defeat. There is nothing in defeat. However, the next time we go to the field to play again we will have an experience in our foundation. It is not an insignificant experience to move like that."

Army traded touchdowns in the third period. First, Hall hit Merriken again for a ten-yard touchdown strike. North Carolina then scored on a three-yard run, making it 18-27 at the beginning of the final period. Hall completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Clennie Brundidge, with Castelli making the extra point, closing the score to 25-27. Ray Beverley recovered a fumble on the North Carolina 23-yard line. On a third down and 15, Hall was intercepted while moving to his right. "That's snatching defeat from the jaws of victory," said Homer Smith, "A needless loss in that we didn't get a chance to kick the field goal."

North Carolina then drove 58-yards in ten plays to score their final points on a three-yard run. Army moved 58-yards in three plays in 44 seconds before Hall hit Tom Kuchar on an 11-yard touchdown pass, and Castelli converted the extra point. Army attempted an onside kick and Dave Charest recovered it (or Phil Macklin in some press reports), but the officials ruled the ball was touched before going the required ten yards. North Carolina hung on to win, 32-34.

North Carolina rushed for 236 yards, 76 passing, and two lost fumbles. Army rushed for 141 yards, passed for 385, three interceptions, and two lost fumbles. Merriken suffered a conclusion in the fourth quarter and King suffered a knee ligament strain. Despite the close win, North Carolina improved to #14 in the national polls before losing to #12 Missouri the next weekend, 3-24. The Tar Heels moved down to #19 and then were unranked until late November.

Hall tossed four touchdown passes and shattered four single game Army records and tied one. He set the record for most passes attempted (55), completions (28), passing yardage (385), total offense (378), and total plays (64). The team set five records for passing first downs (20), total first downs (33), passes attempted (55), passes completed (28), and yards passing (385). Brundidge had eight receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. Dunaway had three receptions for 60, Merriken three for 25 and two touchdowns, King two for 24, McGlasker two for 21, and Dwyer one six yard reception. Phil Macklin was credited with 13 tackles against the Tar Heels.

1977 players who substituted in the North Carolina game included Dunaway, Logue, McIntyre, Decker, Merriken, Dwyer, Cerv, Messner, Duelge, Fuller, Mayes, Hilliard, Hayden, Lowrey, Clemons, Charest, Hargis, Whyte, and Castelli. King rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries. Whyte punted twice for a 41.0 yard average, McGlasker returned two punts for four yards, Merriken returned three kickoffs for 29 yards, Brundidge returned a kickoff for 15, and Cerv returned a kickoff for twelve yards.

Clennie Brundidge continued to lead the national ranks in receiving with nine catches per game. Leamon Hall was ranked #1 in passing and total offense. Both were named to the ECAC all-Star team after playing North Carolina, the third time for Clennie and the second time for Leamon.

The Army junior varsity hosted the Montclair State JV team on Friday afternoon at Daly Field. Bruce Wright caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Steve Smith to open the scoring in the first period. Earle Mulrane fired a 67-yard touchdown pass to Gary McCullough in the second period as the Cadets took a 14-6 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Mulrane hit Wright again for an 11-yard touchdown that deflected off of tight end Charlie Conz. Jeff Honcharik intercepted a pass on the State 24, and Mulrane plunged over the goal line for a two-yard touchdown. Tony Landry scored on another two-yard run. Corky Messner converted all five extra points. Honcharik intercepted a pass on the final play of the day, as the junior varsity won, 35-20.

The Columbia freshmen traveled to West Point to play the Plebe team on Friday afternoon. Army lost two fumbles that the Lions converted for touchdowns in the second quarter. Tinker Stewart plunged over from the one to cap a 52-yard scoring march. Alex Dornstauder converted the extra point to make it 7-14 with three minutes left in the first half. No scoring occurred in the second half, and the Plebe's record dropped to 1-1.

The Army Lightweight football team hosted the Princeton Tigers on Friday afternoon. Princeton had ruined the Cadet's title hopes last season in a 13-21 upset, and Army came out with the barrels blazing. Warren Chellman fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to Terry Collins three minutes into the contest. Chellman hit Duncan Cameron for a 14-yard touchdown pass and Fred Seeger kicked a 23-yard field goal to give Army a 16-0 halftime lead. Cameron bolted for a 51-yard touchdown run in the third period. In the final period, Seeger hit a 29-yard field goal and Dexter Adams followed two Princeton scores with his own 46-yard touchdown run to close the scoring at 33-14.

Stanford

The Stanford Cardinals (1-2) traveled to Michie Stadium for its game with the Cadets on Saturday, October 2nd. Stanford finished with a 6-4-1 record last season, including a 67-14 blowout of the Cadets at Stanford Stadium in 1975. Led by fifth-year coach Jack Christiansen (25-19-3), the Cardinals returned 40 lettermen and 15 starters. This was the ninth game in the series, with Army holding a 3-5 record. Stanford was favored by 17 points.

The blowout last year weighed heavily on both coaches and players as they prepared to face Stanford. "We were really beaten last year," said Smith, "It was the highest score that I have ever looked up and seen in a game against me. That hurt. And, yes, I made something out of that, too much. But I don't like that. I'm implicated in [a] kind of an unhealthy kind of thing. I deplore that. Intellectually, I really deplore it, so much so that I think the captains should be the ones who get the team up. There shouldn't be these things between schools about losing and winning. Yeah, our players were upset about that loss, and that did make practices maybe a little more attentive. But I'm sorry that I felt the way I did after that game last year because I know how those things happened."

The 1977 players starting against Stanford were Dunaway, Brundidge, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, Dwyer, Hall, Schott, D'Amico, Miller, Berry, Hilliard, LeGasse, Elliott, and Macklin. In the Army locker room before Saturday's game, the numbers "67-14" were chalked on the blackboard. "I didn't write it and I didn't suggest it," Homer Smith said, "So I know that if I hadn't psyched the team up, the players would have anyway. And that's the way it should be."

"I am convinced that being an Army Football player in the 70s was a unique experience in academy history," recalled Bill Duelge, "As a bean head [plebe], Joe Palone made me and George Mayes box for a grade three hours before kickoff of the Stanford game."

In front of 30,382 fans at Michie, Army hosted Stanford for its fourth home game in a row. Stanford converted a 27-yard field goal in the first period and completed a 51-yard touchdown pass in the second to take a 0-10 halftime lead, despite being held in check for the most part by Army's gritty defensive unit. Leamon Hall was limited to three completions and 40 yards in 12 passing attempts. The Cardinals continued to score in the third quarter, with a 52-yard field goal and another 19-yard touchdown pass to up their lead to 0-20 with 4:52 left in the period.

Leamon Hall dumped three short passes to begin the Cadet's first scoring march. This seemed to curtail the heavy pass rush that had bottled up the passing attack. Hall then went deep, hitting Greg McGlasker on a 39-yard reception that set up Army with a first down on the Stanford six. Two plays later, Jon Dwyer scored on a four-yard run, with Mike Castelli converting the point after touchdown with 1:49 to go in the third period.

"It broke there in the third quarter and exactly why I don't know," said Smith, "But sometimes if you get anything going, make one pass or make one run, then the defensive players start worrying about that happening again and it takes their attention off pursuit, which is defense. And pretty soon you have them scattered."

On the next possession, Hall was intercepted. Stanford then missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. With eight minutes left in the game, George Dunaway's 52-yard reception gave Army a first down on the Stanford 28. A pass interference call moved the ball to the seven. After a four-yard loss, Hall passed to Tom Kuchar for an 11-yard strike, but Castelli's extra point kick was wide, closing the score to 13-20.

After the Cadet defense held again, a 65-yard drive in 12 plays and another pass interference call put the ball on the Stanford 1. Hall plunged over the goal line on the next play to make it 19-20 with 1:18 to go in the game. Homer Smith elected to go for two rather than kick for a tie. Hall completed a miraculous pass over the middle to Clennie Brundidge to make it 21-20. Stanford moved from its twenty to the Army 30 with three passes, but a 42-yard field goal attempt with four seconds left was wide to the left, preserving the Army upset. Stanford rushed for 192 yards, had 212 passing, with no turnovers. Army rushed for 49 yards, had 214 yards passing, with three interceptions and no fumbles lost.

The third victory in four games was the first time since 1967 Army had started the season this way. Smith jokingly pushed Hall for running for President in 1976, "what a great job he did. It's not just throwing the pass that won the game, but just hanging on. He's tremendous on the sideline. You talk about never giving up. He really believes that something is going to happen. And that starts the contagion."

Smith had much praise for his defense, citing Chuck Schott, Hal Burton, Ray Beverley, and Duane Fuller. "Looking out there and seeing the size of their offensive linemen against our defense, there is such a size disparity. And how they got things stopped, well I'm going to have to study the film and see."

Substitutes from the 1977 team included McGlasker, Logue, McIntyre, Kisiel, Decker, Merriken, Cerv, Landry, Johnson, Castelli, Hargis, Whyte, Hayden, Fuller, Mayes, Duelge, Lowrey, Clemons, and Charest. Whyte punted seven times for a 44.4 yard average. Dwyer rushed for 34 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown. Hall gained three yards and a touchdown. Brundidge caught four passes for 64 yards. Dunaway had three receptions for 71, Dwyer three for five, and McGlasker one for 39 yards. Hall completed 14 of 36 passes for 214 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions.

Brundidge remained the nation's #1 receiver for the fourth straight week while Hall remained on top for the second week in total offense and was second in passing. Brundidge received his fourth straight ECAC weekly all-star selection while Hall was named for the third time. Chuck Schott was awarded an Army game ball for his big goal-line hit that stopped a Stanford drive inside of the Cadet five-yard line.

The Army junior varsity squad (1-1) traveled to Albany State on Friday afternoon. Bob Avey intercepted a State pass and returned it to their two-yard line. Gus Steenborg bolted over for the touchdown. Moments later, Mike Beasley recovered a Great Dane fumble that set up a 24-yard field goal by Corky Messner and a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second period, Craig Gilbert intercepted a pass and returned it for a 33-yard touchdown. Messner converted the extra point to close the Cadet scoring. Albany State scored on a touchdown in the second half, for the final score, 17-8.

The Plebe team traveled to Fort Belvoir, VA, to meet the USMA Prep School on Friday afternoon. Bobby Shields scored two touchdowns and John Wynn converted for a 0-14 score for the Prep School. The Plebe team made the score 7-14 at halftime, thanks to a three-yard touchdown run by Tinker Stewart and Alex Dornstauder converting the extra point. The Prep School (4-0) scored two more touchdowns for a 7-29 victory over the Plebes (1-2).

The Army Lightweight football team traveled to Annapolis to play the Midshipmen on Saturday afternoon. The Cadet defense opened the scoring on a safety. Duncan Cameron scored two touchdowns on two and 22-yard runs. John Basilica added a one-yard touchdown run for a 22-0 halftime lead. Fred Seeger kicked a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter. The Midshipmen rallied by scoring three touchdowns in the final period and were threatening again in the final minutes. George Mitroka ended that drive with an interception, allowing the Cadets to run out the clock for a 25-21 seventh straight victory over the Midshipmen. It was Coach Eric Tipton's 100th career victory since taking the reins in 1957.

Penn State

Army traveled to its first away game of the season at Beaver Stadium to play Penn State (1-3) on October 9th. The Nittany Lions were led by Coach Joe Paterno (95-21-1) in his 11th year at Penn State. Penn State finished 1975 with a 9-3 record, including a 31-0 victory over Army and a 6-13 loss to #2 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. The Nittany Lions returned 26 lettermen and nine starters. This would be the 24th meeting between the two, with Penn State having an 11-10-2 record. The Nittany Lions were a 16 point favorite.

"Defensively, they have no weaknesses, they get the very best athletes," said Smith, "Their defensive secondary has seen every type of passing attack possible. Nothing we can do will surprise them." Penn State came into the Army game on a three game losing streak, their first since 1964 (losses to Ohio State by 7-12, Iowa by 6-7, and Kentucky by 6-22). When asked by reporters what happened to Penn State, Paterno answered "the last three teams have just scored more points than we have."

The starting lineup included the following 1977 players – Schott, D'Amico, Berry, Hilliard, LeGasse, Macklin, Elliott, McGlasker, Brundidge, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, Dwyer, and Hall. The grass field was heavy and soggy by three days of rain.

Before 36,000 hardy fans (official attendance was 60,436), Penn State hosted the Army Football team in a steady downpour. The Cadets won the toss and elected to receive. On the second play, Leamon Hall was intercepted by a Nittany Lion linebacker who returned it to the Army 8. The Cadet defense stopped Penn State from scoring by recovering a fumble. After an Army punt, the Nittany Lions scored on a long field goal. Moments later, Penn State scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass for a 0-10 lead.

Penn State then scored on two touchdown runs early in the second period. The Cadets then drove to the Penn State 26, but lost the ball on downs. Penn State responded by marching down the field in nine plays to score on a touchdown pass to make it a comfortable 0-31. On the final play of the half, Don Briggs caught a deep pass from Hall and broke free for the end zone, but after a 59-yard gain, was forced out of bounds at the Penn State 8.

Penn State scored its final touchdown midway in the third quarter. Army drove 84-yards in nine plays before Hall completed a three-yard touchdown pass to Tony Pyne. A two point conversion pass to Tom Kuchar put Army on the scoreboard, 8-38.

In the final stanza, Army drove 66-yards including a 16-yard reception by Clennie Brundidge and a 50-yard catch by Jon Dwyer for a first down on the Penn State 1. Hall plunged over the goal line and completed a two point pass conversion to Clennie Brundidge. Army threatened again, driving to the Penn State 26 before Hall was intercepted. Another Cadet drive was stopped on downs, and the final Army drive ended due to an interception to close the game at 16-38.

Army as a team lost nine yards rushing, passed for 298 yards, lost three interceptions and had no fumbles lost. Penn State rushed for 351 yards and passed for 85 yards. Hall completed 16 out of 42 pass attempts with one touchdown. Brundidge caught five receptions for 85 yards, while Dwyer had 57 yards on two catches, McGlasker one catch for 15, and Merriken one catch for 11 yards. Dwyer rushed for ten yards. Whyte punted seven times for a 36.6 yard average. Schott and D'Amico were each credited with 15 tackles, while Macklin had 14.

1977 players who substituted into the game were Hayden, Mayes, Fuller, Duelge, Miller, Clemons, Lowrey, Charest, Dunaway, Logue, McIntyre, Kisiel, Decker, Cerv, Merriken, Johnson, Hargis, and Whyte. Brundidge was second nationally in receptions while Hall was second in both passing and total offense. As a team, Army ranked fourth in passing offense. Hall was name for the fourth week in a row to the ECAC all-Star team.

"I said right along that they had great athletes right through the roster. The performance of their reserves didn't surprise me at all. Their line play was the key to their ground game, they can really block," said Homer Smith, "And their defense was superb. We couldn't move them, although the wet conditions bothered us in getting footing, both for our blockers and our runners." Joe Paterno said, "But I was still scared to death of that Army passing attack. I know about how they came back against Stanford last week. The passing game was the best we'll see all year."

On the return five-hour bus trip back to West Point on Sunday, the team stopped for a lunch stop in the Pocono Mountains. The football team gave their head coach a cake with blue icing and sang happy birthday, as Homer Smith had turned 45 years old on Saturday.

On Friday afternoon, the Army junior varsity team hosted the Massachusetts JV squad on Daly Field. The Minutemen recovered a Cadet fumble and scored a touchdown early in the game. Later, Massachusetts gained excellent field position on a short punt to score again, leading 0-14 at halftime. Bruce Wright returned the second half kickoff 85-yards for a touchdown to close the score to 7-14. The Minutemen later scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Gus Steenborg bolted over the goal line from the three to cut the score 14-20. Massachusetts scored again to win, 14-27. The loss lowered the junior varsity record to 2-2.

The Colgate freshmen traveled to West Point to face the Plebe football team on Friday afternoon. The Red Raiders opened the scoring before Tinker Stewart scampered four yards for a touchdown and Alex Dornstauder converted the extra point to tie the game at 7-7. Colgate scored on two touchdown passes and a field goal to take a 7-23 lead at halftime. Colgate coasted to a 7-30 victory over the Plebes (1-3).

On Saturday afternoon at Michie Stadium, the Army Lightweight football team hosted Cornell. Army dominated play by rolling up 417 yards in total offense compared to Cornell's 140 total yards, but fumbles prevented more points from going on the board. Ted Miller threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Bill Woodcock and Duncan Cameron scored on a five-yard run to lead the Cadets to a 14-0 victory. Cameron had 193 yards rushing on 24 carries.

Tulane

The Cadets continued their road travels by playing Tulane (1-4) at the Superdome on artificial turf on Saturday night, October 16th. The Green Wave team was 4-7 last season. Tulane returned 29 lettermen and nine starters and was led by first year coach Larry Smith. Army lost 14-31 to the Green Wave in 1974 and the series was tied at 1-1-1. The Cadets were a seven point underdogs in the game that would be the first indoor game in Army history.

For the first time in the 1976 season, Army scored first in the opening quarter in front of 25,327 Tulane fans. The Cadets took the opening kickoff and marched 76-yards, helped by a 43-yard reception by George Dunaway, before stalling. Mike Castelli then converted a 22-yard field goal. Moments later, Duane Fuller picked off a Green Wave pass, returning it to the Tulane 36. On the third play, Leamon Hall hit Clennie Brundidge for a 31-yard touchdown reception, which with Castelli's extra point kick gave Army a 10-0 lead at 6:26 in the first period. The Cadets got the ball back minutes later and drove to the Tulane 19 before losing the football.

Tulane was able to respond early in the second period with a 21-yard field goal. Army drove again down to Tulane 25, but a holding call ended the threat. Late in the second period, Tulane moved down to the Army 14, but was stopped, and the Green Wave kicked a 32-yard field goal with three seconds left to make it 10-6 at halftime.

It was a scoreless third period, as Army's offense bogged down. Tulane drove 76-yards for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 12:17 left in the fourth quarter and a 10-13 lead. A 35-yard kickoff return by Devon Maness helped move the Cadets to the Tulane 14 in nine plays, with Hall connecting on four out of five passes. A pass to Dunaway skipped off his hands to a Tulane defender, who returned it 96-yards for a touchdown and a 10-20 lead. Another interception allowed Tulane to close out the game with a 34-yard field goal to beat Army, 10-23. Hall did break the Army's single season passing yardage mark of 1,343 yards held by Joe Caldwell in 1969.

"Tulane cut off our inside running game in the second half," said Homer Smith, "And when you have to go to the pass all the time you're in trouble. After the interception that went for the touchdown, Tulane gained so much momentum they were too tough for us to handle."

Army rushed for 106 yards and passed for 161, with three interceptions and one lost fumble. Tulane rushed for 261 yards and passed for 90, with two interceptions and two lost fumbles. Hall completed ten passes out of 24 for 161 yards and one touchdown. Dunaway caught three passes for 65 yards, while Brundidge caught two for 39 yards and a touchdown, Greg McGlasker had one reception for 22 yards, and Jon Dwyer caught one pass for eight yards. Phil Macklin was credited with 13 tackles in the game against Tulane.

Ward Whyte punted five times for a 34.8 yard average. Phil Macklin returned one punt for five yards, while Jim Merriken returned two kickoffs for 31 yards. Dave Charest returned one interception for 29 yards and Fuller returned his interception for nine yards. Jon Dwyer rushed for six yards on four carries and Merriken one carry for two yards. Duane Fuller was named to the weekly ECAC all-Star squad.

Starters for the Tulane game from 1977 players included Schott, D'Amico, Fuller, Berry, Hilliard, Clemons, Lowrey, Macklin, Dunaway, Brundidge, Downs, Oliver, Kisiel, Johnston, Merriken, and Hall. Substitutes for the Tulane game were McGlasker, Logue, Thomas, McIntyre, Decker, Cerv, Dwyer, Johnson, Mayes, Duelge, Miller, LeGasse, Elliott, Charest, Hargis, Castelli, and Whyte. It was the third straight game that Greg King missed.

Fordham junior varsity was scheduled to play the Army JV squad at West Point on Friday afternoon, but the game was cancelled. On Friday afternoon, the Army Plebe team hosted the Yale freshmen at Shea Stadium. Reggie Johnson took the opening kickoff 97 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the Cadets were called offside and the return negated. Another Plebe drive to the Yale three-yard ended with an awry pitch recovered by Yale. The Eli's took a 0-5 halftime lead on a safety and a field goal. Two touchdown runs of 59 and 47 yards plus a 24-yard touchdown pass were scored by Yale in the second half for the 0-24 victory over the Plebes (1-4).

The Army Lightweight Football team traveled to play Rutgers on Friday evening. Marion Key scored on a touchdown run of 70-yards on the first play of the game. Key scored on another three-yard touchdown run. Paul Campbell passed for a 41-yard touchdown to Toney Ash. John Basilica ran in a two point conversion. Defensive end Don Patchell blocked a Scarlet Knights punt and Tom Bostick fell on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. Harry Tukes returned a Rutgers pass 50 yards to set up another score. Army (4-0) routed Rutgers, 33-7.

Boston College

Army hosted Boston College (4-1) on Homecoming Day on October 23rd in front of 38,093 fans. The Eagles were led by ninth year Coach Joe Yukica (65-39-0) and returned 32 lettermen and 17 starters. BC went 7-4 last season, including a 31-0 victory over the Cadets. The Eagles had started strong by beating Texas (14-13), Tulane (12-3), and Navy (17-13). Army still led the series 9-2. The Eagles were a 13 point favorite.

1977 players starting on offense against Boston College were George Dunaway (spread end), Clennie Brundidge (tight end), Curt Downs (tackle), Joe Oliver (tackle), John Kisiel (guard), Chuck Johnston (center), Jim Merriken (slot back), and Leamon Hall (quarterback). Starting on defense were Chuck Schott (end), Chuck D'Amico (tackle), Duane Fuller (tackle), Mark Berry (linebacker), Joe LeGasse (halfback), Doug Lowrey (halfback), and Dave Charest (halfback). Phil Macklin missed the BC game due to an ankle sprain.

Army dominated play in the first quarter. The Cadets marched 55-yards with Leamon Hall connecting on six out of seven passes, but were a yard short of the first down. Mike Castelli's 26-yard field goal was just off to the right. Early in the second period, the Cadets moved 78-yards in 13 plays. But after two dropped passes, the drive stalled on the Eagles 21. Castelli converted a 37-yard field goal at 6:10 for a 3-0 lead.

Boston College responded by driving 71-yards in ten plays, scoring on a four-yard run with 1:31 remaining in the half. After a Cadet punt and a good return to the Army 43, the Eagles rushed 19-yards. BC set up for a field goal with three seconds left, but it was a fake, and the Eagles scored on a touchdown pass to take a 3-14 lead. In the third period, BC kicked two field goals. The Cadets drove 66-yards late in the period before Greg King scored on a six-yard scamper, with Castelli converting to close the score at 10-20. The Eagles controlled the ball during the final period (29 plays to five) and scored on a three-yard touchdown run, winning the game, 10-27.

Hall broke Caldwell's season record of 105 pass completions. Boston College rushed for 390 yards and passed for 81, with one lost fumble. The Cadets rushed for 82 yards, passed for 136, with one interception. Hall completed 16 of 24 passes for 136 yards. King caught four passes for 29 yards, Clennie Brundidge had three receptions for 36, George Dunaway caught one pass for 17, and Jon Dwyer had one reception for one yard. Ward Whyte punted three times for a 36-yard average. Jim Merriken returned three kickoffs for 64 yards. King ran for 50 yards on ten carries and one touchdown, Hall rushed for 13, and Jon Dwyer had three. Mark Berry was credited with 20 tackles, while Duane Fuller had 13 tackles and Chuck Schott had ten.

"We only had the ball seven times," remarked Coach Smith after the game, "That's the fewest possessions I've ever experienced. That's a credit to them [Boston College] and a discredit to us because we didn't get their offense interrupted. Our defense was under heavy pressure. I was disappointed we didn't get more big plays on offense. But their defense was designed to keep us from getting the big play. There was no going deep, with the safety man back deep and another man pretty deep."

1977 players who substituted in the Boston College game included Greg McGlasker, Mark Logue, Kirk Thomas, Gene McIntyre, Ron Decker, King, Dwyer, Tony Landry, Joe Cerv, Greg Johnson, Mike Hargis, Castelli, Whyte, Bill Duelge, Steve Miller, John Hilliard, Bruce Elliott, Ed Clemons, and Steve Smith.

"A coach does not want to see an eager face of a young man who thinks he can win but who cannot relate winning to the blows which must be hit to win. A coach loves the face of a (Chuck) D'Amico who has to take on double team blocks by those guys who average 258. Or a (Chuck) Schott who has looked many times at sweep blockers coming out of the stands to lead a ball carrier, or a (Ray) Beverley who dislocates and relocates his thumb joint thirty times in a game," Coach Smith offered an assessment of the season after the Boston College game.

Boston College was recognized for its win over Army by being ranked #18 in the national polls. The Eagles then lost to Villanova, 3-22, the next weekend, and lost their national ranking. Meanwhile, Leamon Hall was ranked fourth nationally while averaging 17 pass completions per game. Clennie Brundidge was the nation's fourth leading receiver.

Sometime during the season, Homer Smith began lobbying to install artificial turf in Michie Stadium. Smith said, "Did you know that turf can be made just about as soft as a customer desires? The best of the new fields are as soft as good grass turf. Every player and coach believes that an artificial turf field would allow us to present a better team. Every coach believes that we need it in the selling competition with Navy and Air Force. They have beautiful new practice areas. About sixty percent of the players and of the coaches favor putting it in Michie Stadium; forty percent believe that we should leave the beautiful stadium as it is and put a rug over a practice field."

"I favor putting it in Michie to gain for us a basketball type home court advantage and to allow us to practice much of the time on the field where we play. When the weather is bad and we are forced into the field house we can practice the offense for one hour and the defense for one hour. We must practice them separately. Before 1970, football had the field house; now football has one half of it. Believe me, artificial turf would give our program an acceleration that no other one thing could give it at this time."

The Army Plebe football team hosted West Chester State on Friday afternoon. After a scoreless first quarter, the Cadets had three opportunities in the second. Army missed a 36-yard field goal attempt early in the quarter. The Plebes drove twice inside the West Chester ten-yard line; losing a fumble and being intercepted, ending those threats. Early in the third quarter, Jeff Kildow caught a punt at the Army 38 and handed off to Mike Bean on a reverse. Bean scampered down the sidelines for a 62-yard touchdown, with Alex Dornstauder making the extra point for a 7-0 lead. The Golden Rams responded for two touchdowns in the final period to win the game, 7-13.

The Army Lightweight football team hosted Pennsylvania on Friday afternoon. Army soundly beat the Quakers, 58-21. The Cadets scored on three of their first four possessions. On its first drive, Army capped a 52-yard drive on a 31-yard touchdown pass by Tod Miller to Bill Woodcock on the sixth play. Dave Odegard then recovered a Penn fumble. Miller fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to Terry Collins to make it 14-0. Early in the second period, Reggie Bassa plunged over the goal line from the Quaker 3. Fred Seeger made all three extra points for a 21-0 halftime lead. Army scored two more touchdowns, one by Bassa, in the second half, for a 34-0 victory.

Air Force

Army opened its Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition when it hosted Air Force (2-5) at Michie Stadium on October 30th. Ben Martin (98-106-9), in his 19th year at the academy, returned 26 lettermen and ten starters to a team that went 2-8-1 last season. The Falcons beat Army 33-3 last season and led the series record (5-4-1). The Falcons had beaten only Pacific (36-3) and Navy (13-3), so a Falcon victory over Army would result in Air Force winning its first Commander-in-Chief's Trophy outright. Air Force was defeated by The Citadel, 26-7, last weekend. Army would be a three point favorite coming into the game.

"I told our team a whole new season starts now," said Smith, "And all the things in the world young people get to do, one of the greatest has to be to play in a service academy rivalry. I said their corps mates would do everything but burn down the barn to get ready for this ballgame. They would feel it and it would be exciting and a once in a lifetime experience, here at Michie Stadium. And we are going to work and peak this football team for the game against the Air Force Academy." During the week, Leamon Hall had a sore right arm and did not throw any passes in practice. Clennie Brundidge had pains in his neck. "I know Clennie will start for us Saturday, but I'm not so positive about Leamon."

In front of a capacity crowd of 42,283, Army battled the Falcons. Starting against Air Force were Schott, D'Amico, Fuller, Berry, Hilliard, Elliott, LeGasse, Macklin, Brundidge, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, King, and Hall. With the game scoreless late in the first period, Army began a 65-yard drive. It ended in the second quarter when Clennie Brundidge caught an 18-yard pass from Leamon Hall in the end zone, while Mike Castelli kicked the point after.

On the Mike Hargis' kickoff, the Falcon receiver was trying to field the football when Bill Duelge smacked him down and John Hilliard recovered it on the Air Force nine-yard line. On the third play, Greg King plunged over the goal line from Falcon one for a 14-0 halftime lead.

"Being a wedge breaker on the kickoff coverage team against Air Force, I got through before the wedge was formed and hit the zoomie returner at about the ten-yard line with a fifty yard running start," recalled Bill Duelge, "It was a yard sale, this guy had parts of his uniform spread on the lawn. We recovered the fumble and Leamon handed it to Greg King for a quick touchdown. We owned the zoomies."

Midway through the third quarter, a short punt and a decent return allowed Air Force to start their drive on the Army 32. The Falcons scored four plays later with a two-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7. Army drove to the Falcon 13, but Air Force intercepted Hall's pass. This ignited the Falcons, and Air Force drove down the field before being stopped on the Cadet 17. The 34-yard field goal attempt was deflected by Duane Fuller, and defensive back Wes Sneed returned it to the Army 33.

After Air Force got the ball back two minutes later in the fourth quarter, defensive end Hal Burton intercepted the Falcon pass at the Air Force 17. On fourth down, Mike Castelli converted a 34-yard field goal to give Army a little more breathing room, 17-7. The Falcons drove into Army territory, but a 33-yard pass into the end zone was ruled incomplete. Four plays later, Chuck Schott sacked the Falcon quarterback for a loss on downs. The Cadets drove 71-yards in five plays, including King's 33-yard touchdown run (and Castelli extra point) with 2:29 to play to close the Army victory, 24-7. Greg King and Joe LeGasse were each awarded an Army game ball.

Army rushed for 158 yards and passed for 59, with two interceptions. Air Force rushed for 197 yards, passed for 135, with one interception and two lost fumbles. Key to winning the game were the Falcons ten penalties for 101 yards that critically hurt their offensive drives throughout the game. Army only had two penalties totaling ten yards.

"We are so thankful that one is over," said Coach Smith, "It seemed like such a pressure packed game. We were fortunate to get out of it. There were a lot of break factors in the game, but we were jubilant and the locker room exploded. It was just like a sigh of relief that it was over and we had gotten out of there with our win."

"This was a week I couldn't believe," continued Smith, "Leamon Hall did not throw a pass all week. That not only hurts Leamon, but it hurts the receivers...Clennie Brundidge's brother was killed on Thursday. A tremendous blow. I don't know how Clennie feels, I've never lost a brother. It just must be a devastating thing. Clennie chose to stay. The funeral is not until a week from today. We were pleased he was with us and I think being around his teammates, who love him so much, was maybe the best place for him to be."

"God told me to play," a saddened Clennie Brundidge said Saturday after the game, "My brother and I were very close and I felt he would have wanted me to play. I prayed to God. I asked God what to do and he told me to play." Carton, aged 20, was killed in a highway accident on Thursday night in Sanford, FL. Brundidge's brother lost a kidney as a result of a high school football injury and had to give up the sport. "His inspiration caused me to stick with football and he's responsible for everything I've done in athletics." Brundidge would miss the Pitt game in order to attend the funeral.

Substitutes against the Falcons were Dunaway, McGlasker, Logue, McIntyre, Kisiel, Decker, Dwyer, Landry, Cerv, Merriken, Johnson, Duelge, Mayes, Miller, Lowrey, Charest, Clemons, Avey, Smith, Hargis, Castelli, and Whyte. King rushed for 88 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns, and Dwyer had 23 yards on five attempts. Brundidge caught two passes for 25 with one touchdown, while King had two receptions for 13. Hall completed six out of 14 passes for 59 yards and one touchdown. LeGasse was credited with 12 tackles in the victory, while Schott had ten. Whyte punted five times for a 38.6 yard average. Merriken returned two kickoffs for 45 yards. Chuck Schott was named to the weekly ECAC all-Star team. Hall and Brundidge had a four-page story in that week's _Sports Illustrated_.

The Army junior varsity team hosted East Stroudsburg JV squad on Friday afternoon at Howze Field. The Cadet team was originally scheduled to travel to the Coast Guard Academy for an evening tilt. Army jumped to a 6-0 lead when Earl Mulrane scampered ten yards for a touchdown to finish a 54-yard drive. Later in the first period, Mulrane threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Gary McCullough to make it 12-0. East Stroudsburg cut the lead to 13-7 on a one-yard run, and then completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to beat the Army junior varsity (2-3), 12-13.

"One Friday, Earle Mulrane got his bell rung and needed some help getting back to his barracks," recalled plebe Bill Duelge, "He was in F-1, a contender for the worst hazing in the Corps. I was wearing my game jersey for the mess hall rally, and I ended up having to get Earle back to his room. So I just fell out like an upperclassman and BS'd my way into and out of F-1. I made varsity as a bean head, but got some cover because Mike Castelli was my squad leader. There were a bunch of '77 firsties in the company that were highly motivated to deliver a true fourth class system experience to me despite my absences."

"Clennie Brundidge was in my company, and he looked after me while I was a plebe," recalled Clif Triplett, "Later, several football players junior to me were in my company and I returned the favor to them. It made an extra bond to those of my own year group, but then again a bit more special. Team went beyond the field. I thing West Point grads have a special bond, but the bond with West Point Football players is even stronger."

The Army Plebe football team traveled to Ithaca, NY, to play Cornell's freshmen team for its final game of the season on Saturday. The Big Red scored in every quarter to trounce the Plebes, 13-37. Cornell scored its first touchdown on a 67-yard punt return, then took a 0-14 in the first period. Reggie Johnson ran 60-yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Johnson scored again from the one in the third period. The Plebes ended their season with a 1-6 record.

Pittsburgh

Army traveled to Pitt Stadium's artificial turf on November 6th to play the #2 ranked Panthers before a crowd of 45,753. Pittsburgh (8-0) was led by fourth year Coach Johnny Majors (53-42-2) while returning 41 lettermen and 18 starters, including All-American running back Tony Dorsett. Army lost 52-20 last season when Pitt went 8-4, including a Sun Bowl victory (33-19) over Kansas. The Panthers held an 11-6-2 record over the Cadets. Pittsburgh was favored by 26 points.

Coach Homer Smith was looking for non-partisan cooperation as the nation voted on Tuesday. "I've got a defensive line coach voting for Carter and a linebacker coach voting for Ford, and all they got to do is stop Tony Dorsett. I've said it before, Dorsett is the best runner I've seen on film or from the sideline. But we're in awe of Pitt. They're a football team of tremendous skill balance. My gosh, some of their defensive backs are just ready to start in the pro league right now by our estimation."

The Panthers converted a 27-yard field goal in the opening period. In the second quarter, Pittsburgh scored on a field goal and a four-yard touchdown run by Dorsett to lead at halftime, 0-13. During the first half, the Army defense, led by Duane Fuller, Chuck D'Amico, and Ray Beverley, was on the field for almost twenty minutes and made a valiant effort to hold the score down.

Dorsett scored on 32-yard and five-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter on his way to rushing for 212 yards in the game. "One of the most elusive running backs that I have seen," recalled Phil Macklin, "I remember him playing mostly the first half where he racked up over 200 yards."

"We played a good first half," recalled Chuck Schott, "Pitt's quarterback Matt Cavanaugh came back in the second half from a broken wrist injury three weeks prior, and the triple option with Dorsett was much more effective."

With Pitt leading 0-27, the Cadets drove 53-yards in three plays, with Greg King rushing 40-yards on a counter. On the fourth play, Leamon Hall completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Mark Logue, with Mike Castelli converting the point after. The Panthers completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-34 at the end of the third quarter. Pittsburgh closed the scoring with a 35-yard field goal in the final period for the victory, 7-37.

During the game, the partisan crowd erupted when the public address announced that #1 Michigan had lost to Purdue, 16-14. Pittsburgh moved up to the #1 ranking in the polls. The Panthers would remain #1 throughout the remainder of the season and win the 1976 national championship.

"While we were playing good defense, we needed to play good offense," said Coach Smith, "And when we started to play some offense, we needed to play good defense. We simply needed to get it together. I was disappointed that a couple of things in the first half didn't happen, and they should have happened. We didn't have to be lucky to get a couple of those things done. But it is not easy to play into that Pitt team."

1977 players starting against Pitt were Schott, D'Amico, Fuller, Berry, Hilliard, LeGasse, Lowrey, Macklin, Dunaway, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, King, McGlasker, and Hall. Substitutes included Logue, McIntyre, Kisiel, Decker, Dwyer, Landry, Merriken, Castelli, Whyte, Hargis, Duelge, Mayes, Miller, Charest, Clemons, Smith, and Avey. Linebackers Geoff Clark and Mark Berry, defensive backs Phil Macklin and Bruce Elliott, slot back George Dunaway, and middle guard Steve Miller sustained injuries in the game. Leamon Hall was still suffering from a sore shoulder during the game.

Army rushed for 78 yards and passed for 147, with three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Pitt rushed for 447 yards, passed for 73, with two fumbles lost. Hall completed ten of 24 passes for 115 yards with one touchdown. King rushed for 50 yards on six carries and Dwyer had four yards. King caught two catches for nine yards, Dunaway made 12 yards on one reception, Merriken caught one pass for 13, Logue had one catch for 27, and Dwyer caught one pass for three yards. Whyte punted six times for an average of 40.8 yards. Merriken returned two kickoffs for 21 yards and one punt. John Hilliard was credited with 21 tackles against Pitt, while Duane Fuller had 16. Hilliard's 21 tackles were the most in a game for Army during the season.

"I had my picture in the papers tackling Tony Dorsett from behind," recalled Joe LeGasse, "I later had him sign that picture the same year he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame with Randy White."

The Army Lightweight Football team traveled to play Columbia on Friday afternoon for its final game of the season. The Cadets jumped to a 27-0 lead in the first half, allowed the Lions only one first down in the game, and then coasted to a 34-0 victory to win their 13th Eastern Intercollegiate Lightweight Football League title. Marion Key, Tod Miller, Dexter Adams, Jim Nagy, and John Brophy all scored touchdowns with Fred Seeger making four extra points.

Coach Eric Tipton closed out his 20th season at West Point with an undefeated 6-0 national championship team. Tipton's career record was 104 victories, 14 defeats, and one tie. It was an appropriate sendoff for his retirement. Eight Cadets made the first-string all-star team – Ken Miller, Fred Seeger, Duncan Cameron, Phil Campbell, Nick Altomare, Bob Acker, George Mitroka, and Bill Butler. Two Cadets were named to the second-string team.

Colgate

Army hosted undefeated Colgate (8-0) in its final home game of the 1976 season on November 13th. The Red Raiders finished with a 6-4 record last season and returned 28 lettermen and 16 starters. Led by first year Coach Fred Dunlap (57-62-2), this was the first game with Army since a one point Red Raiders victory in 1965. Army held a 13-3-2 record in the series. The Cadets were favored by seven points.

"Let's not start qualifying their record," Smith said on Wednesday, "No matter who you're playing, being undefeated is quite an achievement. Colgate is a very good team. They are very well coached and are a veteran team with lots of seniors. They have good equipment and they use it over and over again. Their offense is sound overall and the team has strong players everywhere. There are really no weak links. No one player stands out, as in Pitt's case. They're all just good, sound players. Colgate is an excellent team by anyone's standards." Smith made a plea to his young football team prior to going out on the field, asking them simply to do whatever it took to win.

Before 29,637 friendly but chilled fans at Michie Stadium early in the first period, Phil Macklin returned a 25-yard punt to the Colgate 48. The Cadets took eleven plays before Leamon Hall completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Don Briggs into the end zone and Mike Castelli converted the extra point. Moments later, Ray Beverley hit the Red Raiders halfback and Joe LeGasse recovered the fumble on the Colgate 34. After moving to the twelve-yard line, Castelli converted a 29-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead.

Army started an 80-yard scoring drive near the end of the first period. In the second period, Jim Merriken caught a 59-yard pass and run from Leamon Hall for a touchdown. A bad snap prevented the conversion of the extra point. The defense held Colgate again, and Army drove down to the Red Raider seven before being intercepted and returned 54-yards to the Cadet 44. The Army defense stopped the Colgate again. After an Army punt, Colgate was able to score on an 11-yard touchdown pass, and Phil Macklin knocked down a two point pass conversion attempt to make it 16-6 at halftime.

Colgate dominated play in the third period, but neither team was able to score. The Red Raiders drove 86-yards to score on touchdown pass and closed the score to 16-13. Army then marched 80-yards in 15 plays, scoring on a Hall seven-yard touchdown pass to Clennie Brundidge and a Castelli extra point for a 23-13 score. George Mayes picked off a pass tipped by Duane Fuller, and Army drove to the Colgate 20, but lost the ball on downs. Phil Macklin picked off the Colgate quarterback at the Red Raider 47. Army marched down the field, with Greg King scoring on a two-yard run for a 29-13 lead. Steve Smith intercepted the Red Raiders and the Cadets ran out the clock for the victory.

"It is not easy for us to win," said Smith following the victory, "I hope we're getting better as we go along, but like today it is still not easy to get some things done. It was important for us to go to the stadium today and do whatever it took to win. This was our plea, our instructions to the team. Go do whatever it takes to win. There wasn't anything easy about that football game today, although it looked at one point as if we might get it put away early. But we didn't and that's how things go. Colgate is really good."

Army passed for 195 yards and rushed for 174, with one interception. Colgate rushed for 149 yards, passed for 114, with three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Hall completed 14 of 31 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns. McGlasker caught five passes for 45 yards, Brundidge had two for 15, Merriken one catch for 59, and Dunaway one reception for 15 yards. King rushed for 40 yards on 16 carries, and Hall had 17. Whyte punted six times for a 33.7 yard average. Macklin returned a punt for 25 yards. Merriken returned a kickoff for 23 yards. Steve Smith, George Mayes, and Phil Macklin each had interceptions, with Smith returning his for 20 yards. Duane Fuller deflected five Colgate passes and had nine tackles, while Chuck D'Amico was credited with ten. The Cadets were penalized just once, for clipping in the fourth period, their first penalty in nine quarters of play.

With his sixth touchdown reception for the season, Clennie Brundidge tied the Army record first set by Jim Cain in 1949 and tied by Pete Dawkins in 1958 and Joe Albano in 1970. Leamon Hall broke Kingsley Fink's career record of 257 completions. With his three touchdown passes giving him a total of 15, Hall also broke the season record of 13 set by Arnold Galiffa in 1949. Hall and Fuller were named to the weekly ECAC all-Star squad. Brundidge was ranked sixth in the nation averaging five receptions per game. Curt Downs and Duane Fuller were each awarded an Army game bowl following the victory.

Starters against Colgate were Dunaway, Brundidge, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, Hall, Schott, D'Amico, Fuller, Berry, Hilliard, LeGasse, Clemons, and Charest. Substitutes included Avey, Groller, Duelge, Miller, Mayes, Macklin, Smith, McGlasker, Logue, McIntyre, Kisiel, Decker, King, Landry, Merriken, Castelli, Whyte, and Hargis. Brundidge slightly twisted his ankle during the Colgate game, and Bruce Elliott was out due to a hip muscle pull from the Pitt game.

The Army junior varsity squad hosted Central Connecticut State on Monday at Michie Stadium for its final game of the season. The game had been originally scheduled for the previous Friday, but was probably rescheduled due to weather or travel difficulties. Earl Mulrane scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge. Central Connecticut blocked a Cadet punt that rolled out of the end zone for a safety to close the score at 7-2 in the third quarter. Joel Anderson and Tony Landry scored on touchdown runs to take a commanding 21-2 lead in the third quarter. Tinker Stewart closed out the scoring with a touchdown in the final period. Corky Messner kicked all four extra points, as the junior varsity finished the season with a 3-3 record.

Navy

After the close of the Colgate game, Army had two weeks before the Navy game. Be cruel to goats week began immediately. Smith said, "We plan to tie all loose odds and ends before Tuesday. After that, I want nothing hanging on me. We just plan to submerse ourselves completely in the game plan. Each Tuesday [evening], we've been studying films of Navy, and each week they've gotten progressively better. I think that our approach to the Navy game will be one of skill development. We can leap far ahead in skills in the next two weeks. Our staff will be giving everything it has. We'll just clear off the desk, cut off the phone lines, and do everything to prepare for Navy. Beat Navy pervades all."

The 54th Goat-Engineer football game, pitting the bottom but gifted members of the Class of 1978 against the top academic Cadets was played on Tuesday night, November 23rd, at Michie Stadium. At halftime, the members of the Goats engaged in a special tug-of-war with the heads of the USMA academic departments.

The original of the game comes from annual football clashes played on Thanksgiving morning between the four classes and also between the Runt and Flankers. Back then, the Corps of Cadets were assigned to companies based upon their heights to improve their appearance in parades, with the middle companies being the vertically challenged (Runts).

The exact score of the game has been long forgotten, but the _1978 Howitzer_ said "the Goat-Engineer game was closer than ever, but the Goats of '78 pulled it out (as usual.) Everyone had a good time, except for those Goats that failed to meet the Engineer cheerleaders." Meanwhile, several Cadets captured Billy XX, the Navy mascot, from the Navy dairy farm and paraded the goat thru the Cadet Mess Hall. The goat was returned safely to Annapolis amid calls for the kitchen staff to clean and prepare it properly for human consumption.

Army (5-5) would meet Navy (3-7) at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia on November 27th, kicking off at 12:50 pm. The Midshipmen went 7-4 last season and were led by fourth year Coach George Welsh (18-25-0). The Mids returned 13 lettermen and six starters. Army held a 36-34-6 record in the series, but the Cadets had lost three straight. Navy was favored by seven points.

Navy had lost their first game to Rutgers, beaten Connecticut (21-3), and then lost six straight games before winning their final two, beating Syracuse (27-10) and upsetting Georgia Tech (34-28). A week before the Syracuse game, Navy almost upset Notre Dame, falling to the Irish, 21-27. The Middies had lost to Air Force, 3-13, while Army had defeated the Falcons 24-7, so a Cadet win over Navy would win their second Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, the first since 1972. A Midshipmen win over Army would mean that all three service academies would be tied in the annual competition, and Navy would retain the actual trophy another year.

Before 77,612, the smallest crowd to ever to witness a game at the old stadium, Army botched the opening kickoff and were pinned on their own four-yard line. Through the running of Greg King and Tony Pyne, the Cadets drove down the field to the Middies nine and a first down. A fumbled pitch was recovered by Navy ending the threat. "It's difficult to look back and see what might have been," said Homer Smith, "If we had gotten the first touchdown on that drive it might have turned things around. But you never know."

Navy moved to the Army 46 before being forced to punt, but it rolled out of bounds at the Army two-yard line. Army gained to its own 15, and Ward Whyte punted to the Navy 49. The Mids drove 49 yards in six plays before scoring a two-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left in the first quarter.

Army responded by marching 66 yards quickly, aided by a pass interference call that gave the Cadets a first down on the Navy 11. Greg King scooted untouched around left end for a touchdown. Mike Castelli tied the score at 7-7 with two minutes gone in the second period. Each team had two possessions without making any progress before Navy began a drive from its own 43 with five minutes left in the half. On the ninth play, the Middies scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass for a 7-14 lead with 1:15 to play. Hall completed three passes to move the Cadets down to the Navy 20 in six plays. An incomplete pass attempt was overthrown, and Castelli converted a 37-yard field goal with two seconds left to make it 10-14 at halftime.

The tight first half battle evaporated in the third quarter behind the Middies relentless ground game. Navy drove 75-yards, scoring on a 20-yard run. The Mids next marched 65-yards for a one-yard scoring plunge to make it 10-28. Four plays later, Hall was intercepted at the Army 35. The Cadet defense held, holding the Midshipmen to a 33-yard field goal and a 10-31 lead going into the final period.

Navy would intercept Army twice on tipped passes in the fourth quarter and completed a 16-yard touchdown pass in the final period to beat Army, 10-38. Army passed for 172 yards, rushed for 117, with three interceptions and one lost fumble. Navy rushed for 283 yards and passed for 145, with no turnovers but eight penalties, compared to two for the Cadets. Army still led the series with 36 wins, 35 losses, and six ties.

1977 players starting were Schott, D'Amico, Fuller, Berry, Mayes, LeGasse, Lowrey, Macklin, Hall, Brundidge, Logue, Thomas, Oliver, Downs, Johnston, and King. Substitutes included McGlasker, Dunaway, Skoda, McIntyre, Merriken, Castelli, Whyte, Hargis, Avey, Duelge, Groller, Hilliard, Charest, Clemons, Smith, and Elliott. Jon Dwyer was not able to play due to a pulled muscle.

Hall completed 13 out of 31 passes for 172 yards. King rushed for 55 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown, while Hall had 24 yards. Greg McGlasker caught three passes for 36 yards, King had two for 28, Brundidge two for 23, and Logue one for 31 yards. Whyte punted six times for a 38.2 yard average. Merriken returned one kickoff for 25 yards. Mark Berry was credited with 18 tackles, while Chuck Schott had 14.

"This loss hurt so much it is unbelievable," said Coach Smith afterward, "To say we didn't get ready for this game is silly. I don't think I would change any of the preparation we made. We would have the same spirit buildup and work just as hard as we did. We simply were unable to stop them in the third quarter and I really can't explain why we had so much trouble trying to stop the tailback play. Gattuso was simply going right up the middle. A loss to Navy is very different than another defeat. It hurts much more. Nothing compares to the pain of defeat against Navy. You have to live with it every day because at West Point you live to beat Navy."

"I was so confident going into the game, I didn't see any way they could beat us," Hall said with a numb stare on his face, "And I still don't understand it now. Obviously they just got the momentum and we could never get it back. I can't recall a single break that went our way. [Referring to the opening drive fumble] It was too early and I don't know if it gave them the momentum. But it slowed ours down. Had we scored there, there's no telling what we would have done. We might have gone crazy (romped). [On the fourth quarter tipped passes being intercepted] Who knows what would have happened. A couple of deflected passes could have gone either way."

"I really felt like we could beat them, and now it really bothers me to lose to them," Brundidge said with a lump in his throat, "The difference in this year's team was that we would never give up as long as there were seconds on the clock. Unfortunately, we got the bad breaks."

"I've lost to these guys four years in a row," said quarterback Leamon Hall, who first lost to a Navy team while at the USMA Prep School. "The one consolation is that we've got all these young players. I'd like to come back next year and run these guys out of the stadium – just never stop."

Post-Season

Thirty members of the 1977 team lettered during the 1976 season – Berry, Brundidge, Castelli, Charest, Clemons, D'Amico, Decker, Downs, Dunaway, Dwyer, Elliott, Fuller, Hall, Hargis, Hilliard, Johnston, King, Kisiel, LeGasse, Logue, Lowrey, Macklin, Mayes, McGlasker, Merriken, Miller, Oliver, Schott, Kirk Thomas, and Whyte. Eleven others played in one or more of the eleven varsity games (Avey, Cerv, Duelge, Groller, Hayden, Johnson, Landry, McIntyre, Messner, Skoda, and Smith).

Together, these forty individuals started in 169 games (70% of all starts) and played for a total of 5,105 minutes (70% of the playing time). Eight players started all 11 games – Mark Berry, Chuck D'Amico, Curt Downs, Leamon Hall, Chuck Johnston, Joe Oliver, Chuck Schott, and Ward Whyte. Four other Cadets started at least eight games.

Additionally, 14 players played in every game during the 1976 season – Dave Charest, Ed Clemons, George Dunaway, Duane Fuller, John Hilliard, John Kisiel, Joe LeGasse, Mark Logue, Greg McGlasker, Gene McIntyre, Jim Merriken, Steve Miller, Kirk Thomas, and Ward Whyte. 13 more Cadets played in eight to ten games.

On defense, here were the 1976 statistics: Total Tackles – Berry (140), D'Amico (106), Schott (101), Macklin (87), Fuller (67), Miller (63), Hilliard (63), LeGasse (57), Mayes (31), Elliott (31), Clemons (21), Charest (17), Duelge (13), Lowrey (10), Hayden (5), Avey (5), Smith (4), Decker (4), Hargis (3), Whyte (2), and Groller (1); Passes Deflected – Fuller (5), Schott (4), Macklin (3), Berry (2), Hilliard (2), LeGasse (1), Charest (1), and D'Amico (1); Interceptions – Charest (1), Fuller (1), Macklin (1), Mayes (1), and Smith (1); Fumbles Caused – Berry (1), Schott (1), Macklin (1), Hilliard (1), Charest (1), and Fuller (1); Fumbles Recovered – LeGasse (3), Fuller (2), Berry (1), Hilliard (1), Elliott (1), Charest (1), and D'Amico (1); Tackles Behind the Line – Schott (9), Fuller (7), D'Amico (6), Miller (4), Berry (1), Hayden (1), LeGasse (1), and Mayes (1); Kicks Blocked – Fuller (1); and Minutes Played – Schott (349), Berry (348), D'Amico (298), Fuller (282), LeGasse (265), Macklin (265), Hilliard (181), Elliott (159), Miller (144), Lowrey (128), Mayes (121), Charest (101), Clemons (88), Duelge (30, Whyte (13), Hayden (12), Smith (11), Avey (8), and Groller (6).

On offense, here were the 1976 statistics: Rushing Yards – King (395), Dwyer (167), Merriken (-6), and Hall (-53); Carries – Hall (100), King (99), Dwyer (54), Merriken (5); Rushing Touchdowns – King (6), Hall (2), and Dwyer (1); Passing – Hall (162 completions of 344 passes for 2,174 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions); Receptions – Brundidge (47), McGlasker (15), Dunaway (14), King (13), Dwyer (12), Merriken (7), and Logue (2); Receiving Yards – Brundidge (657), Dunaway (305), McGlasker (202), Merriken (116), King (114), Dwyer (94), and Logue (58); Receiving Touchdowns – Brundidge (6), Merriken (3), Dunaway (1), and Logue (1); Scoring – Brundidge (40), Castelli (37), King (36), Merriken (18), Hall (12), Logue (8), Dunaway (6), and Dwyer (6); and Minutes Played – Downs (273), Hall (265), Johnston (244), Brundidge (242), Oliver (237), Kirk Thomas (220), King (153), McGlasker (121), Kisiel (114), Dunaway (112), Merriken (100), Dwyer (98), Logue (35), Decker (21), Johnson (15), McIntyre (11), Castelli (10), Cerv (9), Hargis (9), Landry (5), Messner (2) and Skoda (?).

Ward Whyte punted 56 times for a 38.8 yard average, with his longest being 62 yards. Mike Castelli kicked 13 out 18 extra point attempts plus made eight out of ten field goal attempts. Mike Hargis kicked off 37 times during the season. Merriken returned 14 kickoffs for an average of 17.0 yards, with the longest being 26 yards. Bruce Elliott returned 2 kickoffs for an average of 16.0 yards (longest was 19). Joe Cerv returned two kickoffs for an average of 12.5 yards (longest was 13). Clennie Brundidge returned one kickoff for 15 yards. Greg McGlasker returned nine punts for a 5.3 average (longest was 19). Phil Macklin returned two punts for a 15.0 yard average (longest 25). Jim Merriken returned one punt for minus one yard.

Clennie Brundidge received national recognition by being named second-team All-American at tight end by the _United Press International_. Brundidge was also named to UPI All-East, AP All-East, and All-ECAC first teams. Leamon Hall was named to UPI All-East and All-ECAC first team teams. Hall and Brundidge were also named to AP All-East second teams and _The New York Times_ All-East teams.

Offensive guard Curt Downs was selected for the All-ECAC team. Defensive end Curt Schott made second team AP All-East team. Brundidge finished ninth nationally in pass completions. Hall finished sixth nationally with an average of 14.7 completions per game. Hall set or tied 18 Army game, season, or career records during the season.

Thirteen future members of the 1977 team spent the 1976 season on the junior varsity or plebe squads, though they may have dressed for a varsity game – Charlie Adams, Chuck Boucher, Charlie Conz, Dusty Foster, Drew Harrington, Barron Klopfenstine, Glen Ledeboer, Dave Liebetreu, John Lytwynec, Earle Mulrane, Ed Perkins, Gus Steenborg, and Scott Teising.

Injured for the entire season were Jim Hollingsworth, JT Thomas, Mitch Mankosa, and Keith Wilson. Tiki Traylor sat out the entire season, concentrating on academics. Doug Turrell also sat out for the season.

Overall, the 1976 Army Football team gained 210 first downs, averaged 309 yards in total offense, 108 yards rushing per game, 201 yards passing per game, completed 163 of 348 passes, had 27 intercepted, lost 9 of 24 fumbles, averaged 38 yards punting, averaged 6.4 yards returning punts, averaged 15.7 yards returning kickoffs, and scored 201 points,. Defensively, Army allowed 229 first downs, averaged 364 yards in total offense, 257 yards rushing per game, allowed 98 completions of 204 passes for 107 yards per game, intercepted 8 passes, recovered 18 of 44 opponent fumbles, and allowed 267 total points. Most of these statistics were improvements over the 1975 season, except for Army's rushing numbers.

Six Army opponents finished the 1976 season with winning records, and three went to bowl games. Holy Cross (3-8), Air Force (4-7), and Navy (4-7) had losing records. Stanford (6-5), Boston College (8-3), and Colgate (8-2) had winning records, with Stanford finishing third in the Pacific 8 Conference standings at 5-2. Stanford also finished as the #5 passing offense in the nation, plus their quarterback, Guy Benjamin, finished #3 in passing. Boston College was ranked as high as #13 in early October and #18 at the end of October, before losing games to Florida State (9-28) and Villanova (3-22), respectively. Lafayette finished the season with a 5-5 record.

Penn State was ranked in September and then again in late November, going into its bowl game ranked at #20. The Nittany Lions lost in the Sun Bowl to #15 Notre Dame, 9-20, and finished unranked with a 7-5 record. North Carolina was ranked early and then late in the season, ranking #19 before its bowl game, and finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings at 4-1. The Tar Heels lost to unranked Kentucky in the Peach Bowl, 0-21, and finished unranked with a 9-3 record.

Pittsburgh jumped to #3 and #2 in the rankings by the end of September, and after beating Army moved to the #1 slot for the remaining four weeks of the season. The Panthers played #5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, beating the Bulldogs 27-3 to win the 1976 national championship, finishing with a 12-0 record. In addition, Pittsburgh's running back Tony Dorsett won the Heisman, Camp, and Maxwell awards. Pittsburgh finished as the #7 rushing offense, #4 rushing defense, #6 total defense, and #6 scoring offense in the nation.

Army played against several of the individual national leaders - #1 in all-purpose yardage, #1 and #6 in rushing, #5 & #7 in receiving, #5 in punting, #1 and #5 in scoring, #3 in field goals, and #2, #3, and #7 in interceptions made. In addition, Colgate finished #8 in total defense.

Post-Script

"There have been some battles won and some battles lost during the past three seasons. There has been the satisfaction of victory as well as the frustration and pain of defeat, but for Army Coach Homer Smith, there has been a relentless dedication to return Army to its traditional winning ways in football. However, it has been far from an easy task and one that still must be obtained," wrote the _1977 Army Football Guide_.

"Did I anticipate how difficult it would be to assemble and train winning players?" said Smith, "Yes, although things have happened that no one could have anticipated. It is a mountain climb, but we know that we have secured the ground we have covered and maintained steady progress."

Chapter 8  
Preseason – The 1977 Football Season

Things Change

The 1977 coaching staff would consist of 12 out of 14 of the same individuals on the staff during the 1976 season. Most had the same responsibilities as last year – Dick Bowman (defensive coordinator), Bruce Tarbox (offensive coordinator), Steve Axman (offensive backfield), Mike Mikolayunas (offensive receivers, plus would be responsible for quarterbacks), John Stiegman (defensive secondary), John Wade (defensive line), Fred Borman (kickers), and Larry Lock (junior varsity offensive line, plus added responsibility as JV offensive coordinator).

Frank Gibson would move from being the head junior varsity coach to coaching varsity defensive ends. K.C. Scull also moved from coaching the junior varsity defensive line to working with the varsity tight ends. John Roth, who was on sick leave last season, would become the head junior varsity coach and be responsible for linebackers and defensive ends on the JV squad. Bob Ivany, who worked with the plebe offensive line, would now be responsible for the junior varsity defensive line.

Three new men joined the Army coaching staff. Second Lieutenant Ronnie Joe Barnes (Alabama '76), who was a student assistant coach last season under Bear Bryant handling defensive linemen, would work with the junior varsity defensive secondary. Captain Rance Sopko (Oregon '67), who coached linebackers and defensive ends at South Dakota last year, would coach junior varsity offensive receivers. Captain Bernie Wall (USMA '71) would be responsible for coaching the junior varsity backfield.

"There was no shortage of personality there," said Bill Duelge, "Regardless of your stereotype of a coach, we had one of those. Coach Mike yelling 'whack and get off!' during pass blocking drills. Coach Wade cracking you on the back of your thigh if you got your footwork messed up ('next time, move the one that hurts'). Coach Gibson using salty language to make his point while someone like Homer winced. Coach Larry Lock – 'if you do it right we'll do it light. If you do it wrong, we stay all night long." Joe LeGasse adds, "Coach Stiegman was a genius." Phil Macklin recalled, "They were good guys who were trying to Coach in a tough Academy environment."

"I thought the staff did an excellent job of play calling, getting athletes in positions where they were most able to use their skills," recalled Mike Fahnestock, "Practices proved very positive for me. I enjoyed the work the Coaches set up for practice. My position coach was invaluable to my transition from playing high school to college that allowed me to 'fit in' as a plebe who started over half of the games. The Coaches were positive in their instructions to us as players and provided me with a very positive experience."

"And then there was Homer – you'd follow him into hell on a mission to kill the devil," continued Duelge, "His incredible memory about every player's family and hometown, and the love he had for us as young men was far more important to us than his brilliant football mind."

"Homer did the best he could with the talent he had," recalled Mike Castelli, "Leamon and Clennie are a great example. He was also one of the best human beings I have come across in my life."

"Coach Homer Smith decided to lead warm-up calisthenics normally led by the team Co-Captains," recalled Clif Triplett, "We started with up-downs, and then while we were down, Coach said 'hands by your sides,' then came the surprise; he said 'Up.' Several of us popped up, but no, he was doing a push-up with his hands on his hips. I think no one but the Coach could do it. I was in awe."

"The late and great Coach Homer Smith, a fine gentleman, scholar, and articulate spokesman for the Sport of Football," said Phil Macklin, "He used to say, you are 'Football Athletes' and about opposing teams, 'Men, they may be better than you in Football, but you are better Men than them, so get out there and show it! I'll never forget when he would enunciate our names when did something good on the field, at practice, or during film review. What a guy, who I would later took my Son to see when he was Offensive Coordinator at Alabama!"

Charlie Conz was a plebe during the 1976 season that had worked his way up to junior varsity and had a limited role in a couple varsity games. He played a couple different positions during the season, with different coaches. "After the 1976 Army-Navy game, I was simply 'confused.' Where do I fit in, what position do I play, who is my coach, etc.? So February rolls around, and I am still confused. So I get up the courage to schedule a time to meet with Coach Smith. I asked, 'Coach, do I fit into the plans for the upcoming season?' Coach Smith's jaw dropped. 'Charlie, you do not know?' 'Coach, I spent the fall as a receiver and the depth chart lists me as 4th string center.' Coach shook his head and said 'Unbelievable. By the time you finish class this afternoon you will have an answer.' I did."

'76 coaches Pat Mente and Gary Steele both finished their military tours at West Point and were assigned to units in Europe, with Steele first going to the Defense Language Institute for his duties in Greece. In addition, the football team this season was supported by Head Trainer Ed Pillings, in his 21st year at West Point; Dick Hall, Equipment Manager since 1974; and Lieutenant Colonel Bob Protzman, Team Physician.

"Dick Hall was always being there to support and knew everyone's name," recalled Gene McIntyre forty years later. Said Bill Duelge, "Dickie Hall has a memory to rival Coach Smith's. He could recognize you twenty years later and tell you what number you wore." "Dickie Hall was an amazing man," said Kevin Kullander, "Always made you feel like you were on the varsity first team." "I was very comfortable working with Trainers and Equipment personnel," said Mike Fahnestock, "As a Plebe, I felt very much a part of the team." "Ed 'Shave it and tape it' Pillings," recalled Chuck Schott. "Ed Pillings – the BEST of the BEST! And Dickey," said Phil Macklin.

In October 1976, the Association of Graduates (AOG) agreed to assist the USMA Superintendent by making nongovernment funds available for the installation of artificial turf in Michie Stadium by the beginning of the 1977 football season. By the end of 1976, AOG had raised almost $280,000 from graduates and friends, including funds from 13 USMA Classes. This fund raiser, along with funds from the West Point Fund and reserves from the Army Athletic Association, would go to pay for the estimated $750,000 cost. Army would not use any appropriated government funds for this effort.

On January 7th, Brigadier General John C. Bard became the 57th Commandant of Cadets, replacing BG Walter F. Ulmer, Jr. Bard had last been assigned as the executive officer to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; was First Captain of the USMA Class of 1954, named a Rhodes Scholar, and served two tours in Vietnam. Ulmer finished his two-year tour at West Point and moved to Fort Hood to become the assistant division commander of the 2nd Armored Division. He would later be the commanding general of both the 3rd Armored Division in Germany and III Corps at Fort Hood, retiring as a Lieutenant General in 1985.

The 1977 Army Football schedule originally in 1972 consisted of ten opponents, beginning with the home opener against the Virginia Military Institute, followed by an away game at Boston College, home versus Colorado, an away game against Penn State, then three straight home games (Notre Dame, Lafayette, and Holy Cross), an away game at Air Force, the final home game versus Pittsburgh, and the season ending game with Navy in Philadelphia.

Efforts in 1973-1974 to produce a more competitive schedule led to the cancellation of the Penn State game and its replacement (a home game with Villanova), plus the addition of an eleventh game with the opener at home versus Massachusetts. There were probably discussions to reschedule either Notre Dame or Pitt, but the desire for Army to play nationally-ranked opponents overwhelmed these efforts, and Army kept them on the schedule.

The 1976 opening of the Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands provided USMA with the opportunity to host the Notre Dame and Pitt games there, which were officially announced on February 23rd. Thus, Army faced a 1977 schedule of six home games, two true road games, two home games at a neutral site, plus the encounter with the Midshipmen.

In March, USMA Superintendent Sidney B. Berry decided that sufficient funds were available and approved the initiation of the project to install artificial turf. The Secretary of the Army, Clifford L. Alexander, Jr., gave final approval on March 25th. Three days later, the 528th Engineer Detachment began to remove sod and topsoil from Michie Stadium. It was saved and reused at other facilities. This work caused the June graduation exercises for the Class of 1977 to be moved to The Plain.

On April 9th, retired Major General Raymond P. Murphy became USMA's new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, a position which Colonel Len Marella, an active duty officer, had previously been announced to fill. The Army Chief of Staff, General Bernard W. Rogers, had decided to fill the position with a retired officer, as had the Naval Academy, in order to provide greater continuity in the athletic program. Murphy was captain of the 1941 Army Football team and previously served as USMA athletic director during the 1963-1966 timeframe.

Spring Football

Several individuals moved positions during the spring practices – George Mayes was switched from linebacker to middle guard during spring drills, JT Thomas moved from defensive secondary to receiver, Kirk Thomas returned to his linebacker position after playing offensive tackle last season, Ward Whyte was inserted into the tight end position as well as continuing punting duties, and Keith Wilson moved to a receiver position from defensive end. By the summer, the coaching staff had decided to move Steve Miller from the defensive line to linebacker.

Mike Castelli recalled that "Chuck, Leamon and the seniors [were put in] charge of the team. We held each other accountable for performance." "Chuck D'Amico set goals, expectations, and success criteria right off the bat and carried them through the season," said Joe LeGasse.

"I remember always warming up with Joe Oliver," said Clif Triplett, "Everyone would be stretching or whatever, but Joe would say, 'Clif, grab your foot and do isometrics on your ankle. I and Joe did this religiously. At first I thought it was Joe just trying to relax a bit. He was an easy going guy. But after following Joe's lead, for four years I never had an ankle injury and had no need to be taped. I credit Joe's early mentoring back in 1977."

"I remember feeling good about practice in the Spring," recalled Phil Macklin, "It was a respite from taking math, chemistry, and physics at the same time as a Football Athlete."

Army was able to have several players return from injuries or other reasons and participate in spring practices – Jim Hollingsworth at offensive guard after not playing last season, Hobie Murnane resumed work from knee surgery during the spring, JT Thomas rehabilitated his knee, Tiki Traylor returned to the gridiron this spring after sitting out last season for academics, and Keith Wilson was given the medical permission to play. Joel Anderson (halfback or linebacker) and George Dunaway (halfback) missed spring practice due to injuries.

Highlights from the 1977 Black-Gold Game on May 14th at Shea Stadium included the following – Jon Dwyer rushed for 52 yards and scored three touchdowns, Jim Merriken rushed for 79 yards and scored a touchdown, Earle Mulrane completed 14 of 25 pass attempts for 171 yards and scored on a one-yard run, Bill Skoda had three receptions for 34 yards, Ward Whyte caught four passes for 85 yards, Jim Merriken gained 26 yards on three receptions and returned both kickoffs and punts, Keith Wilson caught two passes for 31 yards, Greg Johnson had one reception for a gain of 13 yards, and Mike Castelli booted a 47-yard field goal.

The guide highlighted other comments about the Cadets during spring practices– Dusty Foster was a pleasant surprise at middle guard; Bob Groller enjoyed a solid spring at defensive end; Tony Landry enjoyed a solid spring at halfback; Dave Liebetreu received long looks at defensive tackle and was rewarded with third-team status; and Joe Oliver had solid improvement in technique at offensive tackle.

"We established two primary goals for our work this spring," commented Coach Smith, "The first was to get our best players fitted into 22 positions, the second to put 'practice field age' on our group as a whole. I believe we succeeded, or came very close to succeeding, in both areas."

Spring drills had an air of conservatism, with several veteran players excused for a number of reasons. Much of the focus was on newcomers. "Spring, unlike fall, is a time to let players show what they can do. Once we get into the season routine in the fall, we sometimes can't do this due to the demands of a schedule. But we can make plans for our spring drills, and follow them very closely," Smith concluded.

During spring practice, a number of Cadets tried out for the Army Football team. Many of them were listed on the roster of the Black-Gold Game, and then dropped from the squad, though it is possible that a few found their way to the junior varsity team in the fall. These individuals who tried included – juniors ('78) Gale Satre; sophomores ('79) Rich Anderson, Larry Buchanan, and Francis LeGasse; and plebes ('80) Chuck Anderson, Pete Ash, Glenn Benecke, Mark Brinkley, Paul Chapstick, Larry Cherry, John Dilley, Mike Ellerbe, John Gniadek, Derek Lyons, Jim Raiola, Mark Rose, Bob Sapiro, Jeff Smith, Tinker Stewart, and Paul Wright.

Off-Season

Work at Michie Stadium continued into April through June, with a contractor installing a new drainage system, leveling and compacting the field, and paving four inches of asphalt across the stadium. In July, another contractor laid down the Astroturf itself. It cost $752,850 to install the artificial turf.

On May 24th, outgoing coach Gary Steele spoke to the Southern Duchess Exchange Club. "This will be the season to watch," said Steele, remarking that Head Coach Homer Smith has spent the last four years building up to a great grid team, saying that the West Point squad has a great potential offensive, but probably a little too much youth. The newspaper noted that Steele was good enough to be drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1969 after his Cadet playing days were over, but he turned the offer down due to his five-year commitment to the Army after graduation.

During June Week 1977 at the annual USMA Awards Convocation, two members of the Army Football team received recognition. Clennie Brundidge received the Thruston Hughes Memorial Award as the most valuable player on the 1976 football team. Curt Downs received the Thomas West Hammond Memorial Award to the outstanding lineman on the 1976 football team. Curt Downs made the Dean's List.

On June 13th, retired General Andrew J. Goodpaster became the 51st USMA Superintendent, succeeding Lieutenant General Sidney B. Berry. Goodpaster, a member of the USMA Class of 1939, last served on active duty as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe from mid-1969 to his retirement at the end of 1974. Berry left West Point after the conclusion of his three-year tour to become the commanding general of V Corps in Frankfurt, Germany. Berry retired in 1980 and then became the Commissioner of Public Safety for the state of Mississippi.

On July 7th, the 1,471 New Cadets of the Class of 1981 arrived at West Point to start their first summer training. Included in this group were eight future members of the 1977 Army Football team – Mike Fahnestock (flanker from Selinsgrove, PA), Jon Hallingstad (flanker from Madison, WI), Kevin Kullander (tight end from Little Rock, AR), Dave Maples (center from Atlanta, GA), Dave Pritchard (halfback from Tacoma, WA), Charlie Swanson (defensive end from Los Angeles), Dick Vorenkamp (defensive tackle from Tulsa, OK), and Dan Webb (secondary from East Canton, OH).

"I was recruited by a number of schools and many offered," recalled Mike Fahnestock, "I enjoyed the Army experience. I liked the Coaches I interacted with in the recruiting process and upon my entry, everything they told me was held true to their word." "Coach Frank Gibson did an amazing job," said Kevin Kullander, "Of all the recruiters I had contact me; he was by far the best. We maintained a very close relationship up until his untimely death."

"Plebe Summer in 1977," recalled Kevin Kullander, "I was shocked at the number of potential football players. I will always remember that Mike Fahnestock always managed to beat me by half a step in the forty."

At the beginning of July, the Army Football team had 41 players returning who had had earned varsity letters last season, compared to 14 last season. Army lost six lettermen to the graduation of the Class of 1977. Four other lettermen were lost through resignation – wide receiver Don Briggs, running back Devon Maness, defensive back Wes Sneed, and defensive end Chip Tenuta.

Pre-Season

"I remember lifting and running all the time to be in shape before the two-a-days so I could make sure I impressed the coaches with my stamina at Camp Buckner practices. They were BRUTAL. Two-a-days in the hot Sun! I always wanted to start, never be on the bench," recalled Phil Macklin.

The football guide opened its prospectus with the title "A Year Older – A Year Better" in that the varsity would have experience and depth that it lacked over the last three years. 17 players who started against Navy were expected back when preseason practices started on August 22nd.

The offensive three-deep as of July 1st consisted of the following: First String – Ward Whyte (end), Tony Dailey (tackle), Curt Downs (guard), Chuck Johnston (center), Jim Hollingsworth (guard), Joe Oliver (tackle), Clennie Brundidge (end), Greg King (halfback), Jon Dwyer (halfback), Greg McGlasker (flanker), and Leamon Hall (quarterback); Second String – Wilson & JT Thomas (ends), McIntyre & Murnane (tackles), Kisiel & Hodge (guards), Hodge (center), Landry & Merriken (halfbacks), Dunaway (flanker), and Mulrane (quarterback); and Third String – Logue & Decker (ends), Sartin & Kubacki (tackles), Triplett & Kreidler (guards), Ledeboer (center), Anderson & Farrell (halfbacks), and Skoda (flanker).

The defensive three-deep included: First String – Stan Ford (end), Duane Fuller (tackle), George Mayes (middle guard), Chuck D'Amico (tackle), Chuck Schott (end), Kirk Thomas (linebacker), Mark Berry (linebacker), Dave Charest (secondary), Bruce Elliott (secondary), Steve Smith (secondary), and Phil Macklin (secondary); Second String – Groller & Burton (ends), Traylor & Mankosa (tackles), Turrell (guard), Hilliard & Hayden (linebackers), LeGasse, Lowrey, Clemons, & Harrington (secondary); and Third String – Avey & Silvola (ends), Duelge & Liebetreu (tackles), Foster (guard), Miller & Pettus (linebackers), Beans, Turner, Hunter, & Kouhia (secondary).

Also listed on the July 1st roster were – Mike Castelli (placekicker), Mike Hargis (kicker), Greg Johnson (flanker), Corky Messner (kicker), and Hobie Murname (offensive tackle).

Preseason practice began on August 22nd on a rainy day, initially with the upperclassmen before the plebes joined the team. Defensive end Stan Ford, offensive tack Tony Dailey and center-guard Jim Hodge were among the 98 Cadets returning to West Point due to the cheating scandal.

"Too many guys showed up out of shape, taking some of the shine off a good spring," recalled Joe LeGasse, "But Chuck D'Amico again set the tone, giving us an edge over the previous year. Ed Clemons and Phil Macklin took on the role as team energizers with their songs we sang in the locker room and in the mess hall Friday nights for all Cadets."

Phil Macklin commented, "My friend from Hampton, VA and teammate, Bruce Elliott, and I used to get going after a big Win or solid performance or in the locker room or at the football tables! Ask everybody on our Team about the 'Oh Yeah Cheer' – it got our Team adrenalin going! What a time!!"

"Michie would have Astroturf for the 1977 season; it made everybody faster," recalled Chuck Schott.

"As a plebe, there were a great number of role models for me to learn from as the year passed," said Mike Fahnestock.

"My senior year started with me returning to West Point after a year's absence," recalled Hodge, "Despite the year absence, I entered fall camp expecting to start on the offensive line, but to be quite honest, I wasn't ready physically and I wasn't performing at the level required to be a starter. So when the season began, I was listed #2 on the depth chart at tackle, guard, and center. I had no one to blame but myself and the disappointment was unbearable."

Predictions

With the season being a few weeks away, newspaper articles began to appear assessing the Army team's strengths, weaknesses, and prospects against its slate of eleven opponents.

Geoff Hilton stated "this year's Cadet squad has to rank as one of the most seasoned and talented units Army has presented in quite some time. The primary goals are to better last fall's 5-6 mark and, of course, beat Navy. Leading the Cadets into battle... will be a pair of All-American candidates – quarterback Leamon Hall and tight end Clennie Brundidge.... While the Army passing attack will be formidable, the ground game should also be effective with the return of senior Greg King and the all-important offensive line led by All-East guard Curt Downs and tackle Joe Oliver. Turning to defense, the tackle combination of Co-Captain Chuck D'Amico and Duane Fuller promises to be a good one, while last fall's leading tackler, Mark Berry, and Kirk Thomas bring experience to the linebacking corps."

"Army will start a defensive unit with a letterman in every position," wrote Gene Ward, "On offense, ten of the eleven will be veterans of the 1976 club which was 5-6, two of the victories over Stanford and previously unbeaten Colgate. The major problem is depth. Teams like Notre Dame, Colorado, and 1976 national champion Pittsburgh are knee-deep in talent, most from athletic scholarships. There is no such thing as an athletic scholarship at West Point; no special privilege for football players; no extra time for practice. Upon graduation, a Cadet is required to serve five years in uniform. That, in itself, rules out 99 percent of the blue-chip high school athletes because it prohibits a pro career except in rare cases such as ex-Navy star Roger Staubach."

Another article called out other defensive players – "Chuck Schott will spark the defensive line, while Stan Ford is back at the other end position. Phil Macklin is the top member of the secondary." "We have a good football team," Coach Smith said, "And we have three outstanding players who could play for anybody plus more depth than we've had since I came to West Point. We can be explosive on both offense and defense. We'll hang in there against anybody." _Sports Illustrated_ mentioned Leamon Hall as the fourth among returning quarterbacks in both passing and total yardage.

The Ultimatum

As the Army team was making final preparations for its first game, an _Associated Press_ story hit the wires and the nations' newspapers on September 8th, reporting that head coach Homer Smith was given an ultimatum to win seven games and Beat Navy, or his four-year contract would not be renewed at the end of the season. Smith had a meeting with the USMA Athletic Board in January 1977 to discuss expectations for the next season. Smith wrote in one of his letters to supporters of the Army Football program that the words he heard during the meeting were different then what was written in the minutes.

Army's athletic director, Raymond P. Murphy, downplayed the story by stating "I know of no ultimatum, but frankly, I haven't asked that question since I've been here. I don't think there's an ultimatum. You have to realize what kind of schedule we play and what the guy's working with. All factors have to be measured out. Any evaluation of a coach must take into consideration the players, the schedule, the coaching staff, [and] the spirit."

In newspapers on September 9th, Homer Smith responded to yesterday's _Associated Press_ report by saying that there had been an ultimatum earlier this year, but it no longer exists. "I was given an ultimatum by the Athletic Board last January, but since so many members have changed since then, the board has pretty much disbanded. I was informed today by the new athletic direct (Raymond Murphy) there is no ultimatum. He does not like to deal in terms of an ultimatum."

"You could tell all year that there were many Officers at West Point who didn't like Coach Smith for some reason," said Kevin Kullander forty years later. Sometime during the season, the responsibility for recruiting was removed from Smith and his civilian coaching staff and given to others in the USMA Athletic department, in anticipation that Smith would be fired at the end of the season. However, no one told the Smith or his coaching staff about this change, and they continued recruiting efforts.

Final Preparations

Preseason began with about 100 Cadets. There were about 70 men on the varsity squad rosters the week prior to the Massachusetts game. Upperclassmen added since the spring game included – seniors Joe Cerv, Tony Dailey, George Dunaway, Stan Ford, Jim Hodge, and Steve Miller; juniors Bob Avey, Duane Fuller, Tom Hayden, Tsu Kreidler, Mark Logue, and JT Thomas; and sophomores Barron Klopfenstine and Dave Liebetreu.

Eight plebes were on the varsity roster during preseason – Jim Bagwell, Jeff Cook, Mike Fahnestock, Jon Hallingstad, Jim Hill, Dave Maples, Dave Pritchard, and Charles Swanson. Plebes Steve Bleyl, Kevin Kullander, Carlous Pettus, Dick Vorenkamp, and Dan Webb were added to the updated varsity roster later in the week.

The Army Radio Football Network would broadcast the entire eleven-game schedule on a twelve-station network in eight states (AL, GA, KY, LA, NC, NJ, NY, and SC). Bob Outer will be handling the play-by-play, while Tad Schroeder will do the color commentary with Bob Lessner as the producer.

On Saturday night, September 3rd, the starters gathered at Michie Stadium at the request of the two Co-Captains. They committed themselves to playing to win and being accountable to each other. They each slashed their right thumbs and vowed to be blood loyal to each other. On early Sunday morning, the players left the stadium and Operation Black September began for the 1977 Army Football team.

"My staff has worked very, very hard in putting this year's team together," said Homer Smith, "And it is an exciting thing to watch. We have spent long hours on the road and many hours in the meeting rooms, but I think we can see visible progress and that's what makes it exciting. For one thing, our situation this season is much more settled. We have more experienced personnel on hand and much better balance. We believe our team is better than a year ago."

Chapter 9  
Massachusetts – September 10, 1977

Pre-Game

Army would face the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for its opening game of the 1977 season. Led by seventh-year coach Dick MacPherson (37-24-1), the Minutemen returned 26 lettermen, with five offensive and five defensive starters, to a squad that went 5-5 last season and finished second in the Yankee Conference. Top players were wide receiver Kevin Cummings, linebacker Peter McCarty, kicker David Croasdale, and middle guard Phil Puopolo. Massachusetts' strengths were its pass receivers, offensive backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and an experienced kicking game.

"We know what UMass did last year," said Coach Smith, "We also know they have excellent athletes. We know this because we feel their presence in the recruiting field. We are simply going to be prepared to take only one game at a time. And that starts with Massachusetts."

This would be the third time some Cadets and coaches would have played the Minutemen. In the 1974 season, the Plebe team, made up of members of the USMA Class of 1978, met the Massachusetts junior varsity squad, with the Minutemen building up a 0-28 lead in the third quarter before the Plebes rallied and scored on three touchdown passes of 50, 30, and 31 yards to finish 21-28. The Plebe quarterback was not Leamon Hall, but Herb Bleck, who left the academy later during his first year. Bleck led the St. Lawrence University football team to the 1978 NCAA playoffs and was named All-American at quarterback and in baseball.

The second time was during the 1976 season when the Army junior varsity met the Massachusetts junior varsity squad. The Minutemen took advantage of a Cadet lost fumble and a short punt to go out to a 0-14 lead at halftime. Army's Bruce Wright returned the second half kickoff 85-yards to close the score to 7-14. UMass scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter before quarterback Gus Steenborg plunged over the goal line from the three-yard line to close the score to 14-20. The Minutemen scored again to win the game, 14-27.

On September 3rd, Massachusetts scrimmaged Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. The Big Green scored in the first period and the Minutemen answered with an early second quarter score to tie it. Midway through the second quarter, Massachusetts quarterback Mike McEvilly completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Kevin O'Connor to take a 14-7 halftime lead. With 31 seconds left in the game, Dartmouth's quarterback Larry Margerum completed a one-yard pass to Scott Daggs and then Nick Lowery converted the extra point kick to tie the game at 14-14.

The pre-season polls came out during the week before the first game. Three Army opponents received rankings in the Top Twenty – Notre Dame (#1), Pittsburgh (#11), and Colorado (#14) in the UPI poll. The AP poll was similar with Notre Dame (#3), Pittsburgh (#7), and Colorado (#12).

Predictions for the Army-Massachusetts game also began to come out in the newspapers – Fred McMane picked Army winning, 30-7, Roger O'Gara went with the Cadets to win, Bob Harmon predicted an Army victory at 25-16, Major Amos B. Hoople felt Army would just nip the Minutemen 14-12, and John Fox picked a strong victory, 27-7. There was no line given from Vegas.

Hal Burton was confirmed in the weekly football fact sheet as medically disqualified from any competition this year due to chronic knee problems. Burton, a junior defensive end, had started the final eight games during the 1976 season and lettered. Burton would soon undergo his fourth cartilage removal operation and would never play for Army again. Four other Cadets were listed as questionable one week prior to the game, Mike Castelli, John Kisiel, Steve Miller, and George Dunaway.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Stan Ford and Chuck Schott, tackles Duane Fuller and Chuck D'Amico, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Joe LeGasse, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Curt Downs and Jim Hollingsworth at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Tony Landry and Jim Merriken, flanker Bill Skoda, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. In the game, Keith Wilson started in place of Whyte.

The Massachusetts football team bused from Amherst on Friday, arriving to practice at Michie Stadium at 3:30 pm. The squad stayed overnight in Newburgh. The Corps of Cadets had a parade on The Plain at 11 o'clock. The Co-Captains distributed a band aid to each Blood Brother who applied it to the scar on their right thumb. As the team ran out onto the field for the first game at Michie on artificial turf, about two dozen players reached the sidelines, found their Blood Brother, and touched thumbs, without anyone noticing. Chuck D'Amico handed a bag to Dickie Hall, who kept it for safe-keeping, unaware that it contained the Blood Ball.

Army fans, numbering 22,101, gathered for the game, with ticket prices at $7, with youth groups paying $3 a stub. The Co-Captains touched their thumbs together before walking out to the middle of the field. Army won the toss and elected to receive. Massachusetts chose to defend the north goal. It was 72 degrees and partly sunny, with winds from the north at eight miles per hour, as the kickoff for Army's 88th season came about 1:30 pm.

First Quarter

Jim Merriken received the kickoff at the Army 2-yard line and returned it to his 24. On first down (A26), Leamon Hall completed a 13-yard pass to Keith Wilson. On first down (A39), Merriken ran three yards up the middle. Hall brought the crowd to a roaring pitch by completing a 50-yard pass down the right sideline to Bill Skoda to the Massachusetts 8-yard line. On first down (M08), Hall completed an eight-yard pass to Mike Fahnestock for a touchdown at 13:34. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was blocked. Army's drive was 76 yards in four plays for a 6-0 lead.

"Mike [Fahnestock] really did a good job on getting open. On the first touchdown, I checked off at the line of scrimmage," said Leamon Hall after the game, "Their defensive back was playing the inside of our wide receiver and they were in man-to-man coverage. I just threw up one of those mortar shots to the corner of the end zone. It is not a super timed pass. Our receiver just beat the man-to-man coverage. I don't think the defender saw the ball until Mike held it up."

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Massachusetts 14-yard line and it was returned ten yards (tackled by Elliott). On first down (M24), UMass rushed four yards up the middle (Ford). The Minutemen ran seven yards off left tackle (Schott, D'Amico). On first down (M35), Massachusetts lost a yard on a pitch going wide (Hilliard). UMass plunged one yard straight ahead (Fuller). The Minutemen's third down pass was incomplete. Massachusetts punted 35 yards to the Army 30-yard line and Jim Merriken returned it five yards at 11:08.

On first down (A35), Merriken drove one yard straight ahead. Hall's deep pass was intercepted by Massachusetts at the UMass 26-yard line and returned 21 yards to the Minutemen 47 at 10:25. Hall said after the game, "Many times an athlete feels he didn't do as good as he should have. I know a lot of excitement of today's game will be taken out when I see the film. I threw a couple of balls I shouldn't have thrown and I would like to have some of them back."

On first down (M47), Massachusetts rushed three yards up the middle (D'Amico). UMass ran around right end for seven yards (Elliott, Ford). On first down (A43), the Minutemen rushed for six yards up the middle (Hilliard). Massachusetts drove ten yards off right tackle (Charest). On first down (A27), UMass rushed two yards off left tackle (Mayes). The Minutemen ran three yards to the left (Schott). Massachusetts' Dennis Dent went 22 yards off left tackle for a touchdown at 7:14. Dave Croasdale converted the extra point kick. The scoring drive lasted 53 yards over seven plays for a 6-7 score.

Merriken received the kickoff on the Army six and he returned it 17 yards. On first down (A23), Jon Dwyer ran four yards off left tackle. Dwyer went off left tackle again for seven yards. On first down (A34), Hall completed a six yard pass to Dwyer on the right side. Dwyer lost two yards on his next carry. Hall rolled right and completed an eight yard pass to Dwyer.

On first down (A46), Hall completed a 54-yard pass to Fahnestock down the left sideline for a touchdown at 4:45. On the two point conversion attempt, Hall flipped a pass to Dwyer on the right side. The six-play scoring drive over 77 yards gave Army a 14-7 lead they would never relinquish. "On the second touchdown pass, Mike made a good play because I underthrew the ball a little," said Hall, "But he checked the defender and then took the ball away from him and went in for the touchdown."

Hargis kicked off to the Massachusetts six-yard line and it was returned 31 yards (Macklin). The Minutemen were penalized 15 yards for clipping on the play. On first down (M16), UMass rushed four yards up the middle (Fuller). Massachusetts gained one yard on the second down play (Mayes, Schott). The Minutemen completed a 20 yard pass up the left sideline and the receiver went out of bounds.

On first down (M41), UMass ran two yards up the middle (Thomas). Massachusetts gained a yard on a pitch to the left side (Schott). The Minutemen then completed a 14-yard pass in the right flat (Elliott). On first down (A42), UMass went around the right end for three yards (Ford). A Massachusetts pass was intercepted by Joe LeGasse on the Army two-yard line at 1:15. "I dropped a chance for a 98-yard touchdown return," recalled LeGasse.

Army declined the offside penalty against the Minutemen on the play and took possession of the football. A personal foul against Army after the play was accepted, with the Cadets penalized half the distance to the goal. "We had real trouble, especially in the line early in the game," admitted Coach Homer Smith, "But there came a time late in the first period when the defense just seemed to come together."

On first down (A01), Hall followed his center on a quarterback keeper straight ahead for one yard. Dwyer rushed two yards off left tackle and the clock ran out. At the end of first quarter, the score was Army 14, Massachusetts 7.

Second Quarter

On the third down play (A04), Hall completed a seven yard pass to Dwyer on the left side. On fourth and one from the Army 11-yard line, Ward Whyte punted 49 yards to the Minutemen 40, which was returned seven yards (Johnston).

On first down (M47), Massachusetts ran two yards up middle (D'Amico). UMass pass attempt was defended by Bruce Elliott and incomplete. The Minutemen quarterback was sacked for a loss of ten yards by Chuck D'Amico, but Army was penalized 15 yards for a facemask infraction. On first down (A36), Massachusetts ran up the middle for three yards (Ford). UMass rushed four yards off right guard (Hilliard). On third down, the Minutemen were penalized five yards for being offside. Massachusetts ran two yards up the middle (D'Amico), but Army was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul.

On first down (A18), UMass rushed up the middle for two yards (Mayes, Ford). The Minutemen lost five yards for being called offside. On second down and twelve, Massachusetts threw an incomplete pass, but Army was called for pass interference. On first down (A04), UMass ran up the middle for no gain on the play (Mayes). The Minutemen rushed again but fumbled the ball, and Chuck Schott recovered it on the Army four-yard line at 10:45.

On first down (A04), Tony Landry rushed three yards off right tackle. Hall then pitched to Landry around the right side for 11 yards. On first down (A18), Hall on a keeper ran for four yards. Hall then completed a seven-yard pass to Merriken in the right flat. On first down (A29), Merriken ran for five yards off left tackle. Before the next play was snapped, Massachusetts was called for offside. On first down (A39), Hall pitched to Merriken around the left side for three yards. A pass to Wilson was broken up by the Minutemen. Hall's pass to Brundidge was defended and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 46 yards to the Massachusetts 12-yard line and it was returned one yard (Avey) at 7:17.

On first down (M13), UMass drove two yards off right tackle (Mayes). The Minutemen ran straight ahead for three yards (D'Amico). The Massachusetts quarterback rolled right for three yards (Thomas). On fourth down, UMass punted 26 yards to its own 47-yard line where it was caught and downed by Tony Landry at 5:27.

On first down (M47), Greg King rushed eight yards up the middle. Hall completed an 18-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge in the right flat. On first down (M21), a pass attempt to Bill Skoda was incomplete. An illegal procedure penalty on Army during the first down play was declined by Massachusetts. On second down, Hall pitched to Merriken, who went around the right end for three yards. Hall then completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mike Fahnestock at 4:36. Mike Castelli's extra point attempt failed. Army's scoring possession was 47 yards in five plays for a 20-7 score.

"I just happen to be a part of this team," said Fahnestock, "I was just fortunate to be on the receiving end of those passes. Leamon just gives us an added dimension with his ability to call the plays from the line of scrimmage. He was able to see things and know how to react to certain defensive situations."

Coach Smith said, "You have to look long and hard around the country to find a freshman who makes his debut by catching three touchdown passes. That's an event. But Mike just went out and did what he does in practice all the time. We are all thrilled with his accomplishment."

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Massachusetts five-yard line and it was returned 19 yards (Hayden). On first down (M24), an UMass pitch play around the right end went 17 yards (Hayden). On first down (M41), Massachusetts rushed two yards off left tackle (Schott, Mayes). A pass attempt was defended by John Hilliard and incomplete. UMass then completed a ten-yard pass (Macklin).

"One of my best games," recalled Phil Macklin, "I was at Free Safety, and loved to come up to hit the running backs. There is a picture of me in the paper flipping a 220 pound UMass running back over my shoulder in that game. I never knew how I did that myself, adrenalin and loving the game!"

On first down (A47), Massachusetts ran three yards around right end (Schott). An UMass pitch play lost two yards (Elliott). UMass completed a pass up the middle defended by Elliott, but the play did not count as the Minutemen were penalized five yards for illegal procedure. On third down (M49), the pass attempt was incomplete and the Minutemen were penalized 15 yards for clipping. On third down (M34), UMass lost two yards when it fumbled and recovered the football. On fourth down (M32), Massachusetts punted 37-yards where Jim Merriken downed it on a fair catch at 0:57.

On first down (A31), Hall completed a 16-yard pass to Brundidge up the middle. On first down (A47), Hall then completed a 13-yard pass to Brundidge in the right flat. On first down (M40), Hall completed a 19-yard pass to Brundidge up the middle. On first down (M21), Hall was intercepted in the end zone, and Massachusetts returned it 29 yards with no time left in the half. At the end of the second quarter, the score was Army 20, Massachusetts 7.

Third Quarter

Army will now defend the north goal. Hargis kicked off to the Massachusetts 12-yard line and it was returned 19 yards (Avey). On first down (M31), UMass ran up the middle for one yard (Fuller, Thomas). The Minutemen went four yards off left guard (D'Amico). Massachusetts completed a four yard pass (Charest). On fourth down, UMass punted 41 yards and Merriken returned it 36 yards at 12:43, but Army was called for clipping.

On first down (A12), King rushed for one yard. Hall pitched to Dwyer around right end and he gained three yards. Hall pitched to Dwyer again for four yards around right end. On fourth down, Whyte punted 39 yards and UMass returned it for two yards at 10:45 (Avey).

On first down (M43), UMass went two yards around right end (Ford). Massachusetts gained five yards on a pitch around right end (Charest). The Minutemen rushed 13 yards up the middle (Hilliard). Army lost 15 yards for a personal foul on the play. On first down (A22), UMass rushed six yards off right guard (Thomas). The Minutemen gained one yard off tackle (D'Amico, Schott).

An UMass pass attempt was knocked down by Chuck D'Amico, but Army was penalized half the distance to the goal for roughing the passer. On first down (A08), a pass attempt was broken up by Joe LeGasse. Another pass attempt was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete. The Minutemen went up the middle for no gain (Fuller). On fourth down, Massachusetts' Croasdale converted a 25-yard field goal at 6:59. The scoring drive of ten plays for 51 yards led to a 20-10 score.

The Minutemen kicked off to the Army two-yard line, and Greg King returned it 18 yards. On first down (A20), Landry went up the middle for a yard. Hall's pass was intercepted on the Army 49 and returned 32 yards at 6:02 (Dailey).

Massachusetts changed their quarterback on this possession. On first down (A17), UMass ran for four yards off right guard (Fuller). Then the Minutemen rushed four yards off right tackle (Ford, Thomas). UMass went two yards around left end (Schott, LeGasse). On first down (A07), Massachusetts gained four yards (Hilliard). John Hilliard caused a fumble on their next carry, and Chuck D'Amico recovered the football at 4:06.

"They hurt us a little with their inside running early in the game," said defensive end Chuck Schott, "They had some really big people, but we just put it together and shut off the inside game. We are a veteran defensive team. We were all together last year and Chuck D'Amico finally got us together and said let's play ball. Then we started to stop them on third and long in the third quarter, but the penalties hurt us."

On first down (A01), UMass was called for being offside, and Army gained five yards on the penalty. On first down and five (A06), Greg King drove off left guard for two yards. Dwyer went two yards off left end. On third down and one, the Minutemen were again called for being offside, giving the Cadets a first down. From the Army 16, Jon Dyer rushed 11 yards around left end.

On first down (A27), Hall pitched to King who went around right end for nine yards. Hall passed to Landry for no gain in the right flat. King ran three yards off right guard. On first down (A39), a pass attempt to Landry was incomplete. Another pass attempt intended for Fahnestock was incomplete. Hall ran on a keeper for eight yards over left tackle. On fourth down and two (A47), Ward Whyte punted 53 yards into the end zone, with no return and no time left on the clock. At the end of third quarter, the score was Army 20, Massachusetts 10.

Fourth Quarter

On first down (M20), Massachusetts plunged up the middle for a yard (D'Amico). An errant pitch from the quarterback went backwards 13 yards and the fumble was recovered by Chuck Schott at 14:15.

On first down (M08), Hall's pass attempt to Keith Wilson was incomplete. Another pass attempt intended for Fahnestock was broken up. Army was called for illegal motion on the play, but Massachusetts declined the penalty. On third down, Leamon Hall was sacked for a loss of six yards. On fourth down, Army was called for delay of game and lost five yards. On fourth down (M19), Hall's pass attempt intended for King was incomplete. Army lost the ball on downs at 13:14.

On first down (M19), Joe LeGasse broke up an UMass pass attempt and the Minutemen were penalized ten yards for holding. On first down (M09), another pass attempt was defended by LeGasse and incomplete. An UMass pass attempt was broken up by Bruce Elliott. On third down, the UMass pass was intercepted by John Hilliard at the Massachusetts 33-yard line and returned 17 yards at 12:41.

On first down (M16), King carried for no gain. Hall's pass attempt for Brundidge was incomplete. On third down, Leamon Hall completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Keith Wilson at 11:56. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown. Army's took three plays to cover the 16 yards for a score of 27-10.

Hargis kicked off to the Massachusetts eight-yard line and it was returned twelve yards (Foster). On first down (M20), Massachusetts went off right guard for a yard (Groller). A Minutemen pass attempt to the right flat was defended by Dave Chares and incomplete. On third down, UMass was penalized five yards for illegal procedure. On the next play, a Massachusetts deep pass was intercepted by Steve Smith with no return at 10:50.

On first down (A35), Landry went for no gain on a draw play. Landry lost four yards on a pitch play around left end. Hall completed an 18-yard pass to Brundidge up the middle. On first down (A49), Hall passed to Skoda for 19 yards. On first down (M32), King went one yard off left tackle. Hall rushed nine yards on a keeper around the right end.

On first down (M22), Landry gained two yards. Hall threw a screen pass to Landry on the left side that gained seven-yards. Hall ran two yards up the middle on a keeper. On first down (M11), Hall's pass to Brundidge was broken up. Another pass attempt for King was incomplete. Hall's pass to Landry on the left side was completed for an 11-yard touchdown at 6:31, Leamon's fifth of the day. The point after was converted by Mike Castelli. Army's 12-play scoring drive for 65 yards led to a score of 34-10.

Hargis kick was caught on the Massachusetts three-yard line and returned 17 yards (Berry). On first down (M20), Massachusetts carried for one yard (Berry). The Minutemen ran eight yards around the right end (Berry). A quarterback keeper gained two yards (Groller). On first down (M31), the quarterback lost four yards on a sack by Charlie Swanson. Massachusetts went seven yards off left tackle (Berry). A pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down, the Minutemen punted 47 yards to Tony Landry, who returned it five yards at 3:10.

On first down (A24), with Earle Mulrane at quarterback, Landry rushed three yards. Landry carried for another three yards. Mulrane completed a five-yard pass to Landry in the left flat. On first down (A35), Joe Cerv lost three yards on a carry. Dave Pritchard ran up the middle for two yards. Mulrane's pass attempt to Landry was incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 47 yards and Massachusetts made a fair catch at 0:24.

On first down (M19), an UMass pass attempt was broken up by Ed Clemons. The Minutemen went 17 yards off right tackle (Traylor). On first down (M36), Massachusetts completed a nine yard pass. On the final play, an UMass pass attempt was incomplete. The clock ran out before another play could be called at 4:27 pm with the final score was Army 34, Massachusetts 10.

Post-Game

"We just didn't get that much done in trying to push their heavy defensive line around," said Coach Smith, "It was heavy going inside for our line and I am distressed that we didn't get some things done with the running game. But I know we will better. A coach always likes to have some things go wrong in a game and then still win because then the team can concentrate on improving their weaknesses."

"Looking back on the game, I saw that our defenders were really under a great deal of pressure," said Smith, "But they were able to settle themselves down right in the middle of the fight and that is significant. It wasn't anything the coaches sent in. They just got together and finally took the inside run away from Massachusetts. At one point in the game, we weren't giving them anything, but some unfortunate penalties. I was very pleased with the play of our defensive backfield. At one point, they simply played sensationally, particularly when Massachusetts started putting the ball up in the air." Smith singled out Schott, D'Amico, and Charest for outstanding defensive play.

"We came down here thinking if we played well, we could beat them," said Massachusetts coach Dick MacPherson, "But, we just didn't play well when we tried to play catchup football." Army had 23 first downs, 108 yards rushing on 36 carries, passed for 315 yards, had three interceptions and no fumbles lost, and were penalized for 92 yards. Massachusetts had 16 first downs, rushed for 180 yards on 53 attempts, caught 5 of 20 passes for 57 yards, was intercepted three times, lost three fumbles, and was penalized for 76 yards.

Brundidge caught five passes for 84 yards, Landry four for 23 with a touchdown, Fahnestock had three receptions for 80 yards with three touchdowns, Dwyer caught three passes for 21, Skoda caught two for 69 yards, Wilson had two receptions for 31 yards with a touchdown, and Merriken caught one pass for seven yards. Hall completed 19 of 33 passes for 310 yards and five touchdowns, while Mulrane completed one of two passes for five yards.

Dwyer rushed for 31 yards, King had 24, Hall ran for 20 yards, Landry carried for 19, Merriken ran for 15 yards, while Cerv went for three and Pritchard ran for two yards. Whyte punted five times for a 46.8 yard average. Merriken returned two punts for 10 yards, while Landry returned a punt for five. Merriken returned two kickoffs for 39 yards, while King returned one for 18.

Schott recovered two fumbles while D'Amico had one recovery. Hilliard, LeGasse, and Smith each intercepted a pass. The following were credited with five or more total tackles – Thomas (13), Schott (11), Hilliard (8), Ford (7), D'Amico (6), Mayes (6), Berry (6), Elliott (6), Fuller (5), and Macklin (5).

Substituting for the offense were – ends Whyte, Conz, and JT Thomas; tackles McIntyre, Decker, and Klopfenstine; guards McIntyre and Hodge; centers Hodge and Maples; flankers Fahnestock, Johnson, and Teising; quarterback Mulrane; halfbacks King, Dwyer, Pritchard, and Cerv; and kickers Castelli, Hargis, and Messner.

Substituting for the defense were – ends Swanson, Hayden, and Berry; tackles Traylor, Groller, Duelge, Mankosa, and Vorenkamp; middle guard Turrell and Liebetreu; linebackers Berry, Foster, and Avey; defensive backs Webb, Lowrey, Clemons, and Smith; and punters Whyte and Adams.

A total of 58 Cadets played against Massachusetts and about 78 dressed. Dressing but not playing from the varsity squad were Boucher, Hallingstad, Harrington, Kullander, Ledeboer, Logue, McGlasker, Perkins, and Triplett. Also dressing for the game were Bagwell, Beans, Bleyl, Cook, Hill, Kouhia, Kreidler, O'Sullivan, Pettus, Robertson, and Turner. Injured or sick and missing the game were Steve Miller (mononucleosis), John Kisiel (knee), and George Dunaway (knee).

Recognitions

A little story about Homer Smith's sense of humor, Chuck D'Amico shared with me a typed note, _from the desk of Homer A Smith_ , "Chuck – Here is a picture that I literally do not know what to do with. _/s/ HAS_ ". Attached was a photograph by Bo Gill showing D'Amico moving in to sack the Massachusetts quarterback, Mike Fallon. On the play, Chuck was charged with a face-masking penalty.

Three game balls were presented by the coaching staff – junior offensive tackle Joe Oliver received the offensive squad's ball for an outstanding job of blocking. Sophomore middle guard George Mayes received the defensive ball for giving us the performance at middle guard we have been searching for. Junior Bob Avey received the kicking team ball for outstanding coverage in the kick return area, being credited with three tackles.

Ward Whyte ranked third in the nation with his 46.8 yard punting average. The Cadets ranked fourth nationally in passing and #20 in total offense.

Leamon Hall was selected Offensive Player of the Week by _Sports Illustrated_ , ECAC's Player of the Week, and UPI's Backfield of the Week. Mike Fahnestock was named ECAC Rookie of the Week for his three touchdown receptions. Defensive end Chuck Schott was named to the ECAC all-Star squad for his 11 tackles and two fumble recoveries.

"Mike Fahnestock led the nation in scoring after this game," recalled Kevin Kullander, "Three passes thrown to him (all were audibles) with three catches and three touchdowns." "Mike Fahnestock," said Charlie Conz, "My high school teammate made a fantastic debut."

Hall's five touchdown passes set the academy's single-game record previously held by Hall (1976), Joe Caldwell (1959) and Arnold Galiffa (twice in 1949) of four touchdown passes. He also set a new career mark for scoring passes with 28, passing the old one of 25 set by Pete Vann during the 1951-1954 seasons. Fahnestock's receptions tied the Army single-game record set by Dick Stephenson versus Colgate (1956) and Jim Cain against Fordham (1949).

Army Opponents

Four future Cadet foes won their opening games of the 1977 season this same weekend – VMI beat William & Mary (23-13); Colorado edged Stanford (27-21); Notre Dame beat Pittsburgh (19-9); and Navy won over The Citadel (21-2). Five opponents lost their first game – Boston College was blasted by Texas (44-0); Villanova lost to Youngstown (10-13); Lafayette was edged by Maine (10-12); and Holy Cross lost to New Hampshire (14-27). Air Force and Wyoming played to a tie (0-0).

The Texas Longhorns, mindful of last year's 14-13 defeat at Boston College, had given up Darrell Royal's wishbone attack in favor of Fred Aker's veer, and gained nearly half of the 477 yards in the air. "We had no offense early in the game," said BC's Coach Joe Yukica, "We left our defense on the field an awful lot and Texas was very quick. We didn't execute on the little opportunity we had. They just played a basic defense and we couldn't do a thing."

Nationally, the top six ranked teams in the _Associated Press_ poll won their opening games – #1 Oklahoma (25-23, edging Vanderbilt), #2 Michigan (beat Illinois 37-9), #3 Notre Dame (over #7 Pitt), #4 Southern Cal (beat Missouri 27-10), #5 Ohio State (10-0 over Miami, Florida), and #6 Alabama (beating Mississippi 34-13). The Sooners narrow win did not impress the pollsters, and the next week's poll moved Michigan and Southern Cal to the top two spots, with #3 Notre Dame (#4 in UPI poll),#12 Colorado (#11 in UPI poll), and #16 Pittsburgh.

Post-Script

The Blood Victory over Massachusetts was Army's 500th win ever, something that only 15 other college teams had ever achieved. This was also Army's fourth straight opening game win and upped the mark for West Point to 77-8-3 since football began there in 1890. _Sports Illustrated_ ranked Army as the second best team in the East, behind Penn State, and ahead of New Hampshire.

Operation Black September was off to a great start.

Chapter 10  
Virginia Military Institute – September 17, 1977

Pre-Game

The Virginia Military Institute (1-0), or VMI, would play Army on Saturday, September 17th. The Keydets, led by their seventh-year Coach Bob Thalman (49-53-1), returned 36 lettermen and 16 starters to a team that went 5-5 during the 1976 season. The strengths of the team were its depth, experience at quarterback, and reliance on its running game. Top players were defensive tackle Ned Stepanovich, offensive guard Tom Replogle, and kicker Craig Jones. Army and VMI would meet for the ninth time in football. The Cadets held an 8-0-0 record in the series, with the last game being a 21-7 decision, coming in 1965.

VMI opened the 1977 season with a 23-13 victory over William & Mary behind the kicking of sophomore Craig Jones. Jones, a soccer-style kicker, booted a school record five for five field goals to lead the Keydets to the win. Jones connected from 41, 42, 50, 35, and 47 yards during the game. Tailback Andre Gibson scored the only touchdown on a four yard burst and quarterback Robby Clark added the two point conversion on a run. Gibson rambled for 119 yards as VMI outrushed the Indians 284 to 178 yards. This win was VMI's fifth straight victory going back to last season.

"VMI is a very settled and experienced football team and will prove to be a much tougher test for us than the opener," said Homer Smith, "They have an excellent kicking game with young Craig Jones, who obviously is one of the best in the nation at this stage in his career. He is a threat anywhere inside the fifty, and will add another dimension to their offense. It will be a difficult challenge, but I feel we should be a much better football team this week as well."

"Last week we faced one of the top quarterbacks in the South (William & Mary's Tom Rozantz), and this week we are up against one of the best in the nation – Army's Leamon Hall, who passed for five touchdowns last Saturday. The theme for Saturday will be to stop the passing game," said VMI's Coach Thalman.

Army did not sustain any serious injuries in the Massachusetts game. Halfback Jon Dwyer suffered a hip flexor muscle pull during the second half and missed all practices before the VMI game. Sophomore offensive guard John Kisiel would miss his second straight game due to a knee ligament sprain suffered during preseason. George Dunaway and Steve Miller, who both missed the Massachusetts game, were expected back against VMI as substitutes.

The starters were expected to be the same as last week. Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Keith Wilson and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Curt Downs and Jim Hollingsworth at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Tony Landry and Jim Merriken, flanker Bill Skoda, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Greg King would actually start in place of Landry.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Stan Ford and Chuck Schott, tackles Duane Fuller and Chuck D'Amico, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Joe LeGasse, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary.

A Virginia newspaper predicted a 27-10 victory by Army. Bob Harmon picked VMI to win, 21-20. There was no line from Vegas before the game.

The Army junior varsity/plebe squad hosted East Stroudsburg State on Friday afternoon in Michie Stadium. The two teams played to a scoreless first half and neither threatened. In the opening minutes of the third quarter, linebacker Mark O'Gara recovered a fumble at the Warrior 24. On the fifth play, quarterback Mark Trigsted threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Kullander. Alex Dornstauder missed the extra point attempt.

Minutes later, State scored on a 56-yard touchdown pass, but missed the extra point kick to remain tied at 6-6. Defensive back Drew Harrington intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown for a 12-6 lead. On the first play of the final period, the Warriors scored on a 33-yard pass to tie it, 12-12. State scored again on a 30-yard strike to take the lead, 12-18. Chris Vanslager recovered a fumbled punt return on the Warrior 22. On the tenth play, Trigsted passed ten yards to Kullander for the touchdown to tie the game at 18-18. Neither team threatened in the final minutes, with the game ending in a tie.

VMI flew into Stewart Airport on Friday afternoon and worked out later that day at Michie Stadium after the Army junior varsity game. It rained a little bit on Friday. The Keydets squad stayed overnight in Newburgh. The Blood Brothers met secretly, and inducted a couple players into Black September, perhaps a plebe who caught three touchdown receptions last weekend.

"We woke up that Saturday morning to a huge sign composed of bed sheets hanging from the roof of Cullum Hall, saying WEST POINT – THE VMI OF THE NORTH," recalled Chuck D'Amico. Each Blood Brother applied their band aid to the scar on their right thumb, ran out on the field, and along the sideline discretely touched thumbs. Again, D'Amico entrusted the Blood Ball to the Equipment Manager, Dickie Hall, who knew nothing of its significance.

When the game started, it was 71 degrees, cloudy, humid, with winds from the southwest at 10 miles per hour. It became warm and more humid during the game and almost an inch of rain would fall later in the day. The two Co-Captains touched thumbs along the sideline and then walked together to the Cadet logo in the middle of the field. Army won the toss and elected to receive in front of 27,427 fans. VMI elected to defend the north goal.

First Quarter

The kickoff at 1:33 pm went to the Army 17-yard line and Tony Landry returned it eight yards.

On first down (A25), Jim Merriken ran up the middle for two yards. Bill Skoda caught a pass on the right side and gained 11 yards. On first down (A38), Leamon Hall pitched the football to Merriken who ran around left end for six yards. Hall's pass attempt to Clennie Brundidge up the middle was incomplete but the Keydets were called for pass interference. On first down (V48), Greg King lost four yards on a pitch play. Hall ran on a quarterback keeper, but VMI was called for a facemask penalty.

On first down (V38), Merriken rushed four yards up the middle. Merriken went up the middle again for two yards. Hall completed a pass to Mike Fahnestock on the right side for a gain of three yards. On fourth and one, Hall went straight ahead on a keeper for two yards. On first down (V27), Hall was sacked for a loss of eight yards. A pitch play to King around the right end went for three yards. A reception by King on the left side gained three yards. On fourth and twelve (V29), Hall's pass attempt intended for Brundidge was intercepted with no return at 9:27.

On first down (V17), VMI ran up the middle for a yard (Mayes). A pitch around the right end went four yards out of bounds (Elliott). The quarterback was sacked by Chuck D'Amico for a loss of seven yards (D'Amico). On fourth and twelve (V15), the Keydets punted, but Army was called for a personal foul (running into the punter?). On first down (V30), VMI rushed up the middle for five yards (Macklin, LeGasse), but the Keydets were offside.

On first down and 15 (V25), a pitch play to the left side gained two yards (Schott). Army blocked a pass attempt for an incompletion. On third down (V27), the quarterback was tripped up for a two yard gain (Schott). On fourth down, the Keydets punted 36 yards where Tony Landry caught it for a fair catch at 6:42.

On first down (A35), Merriken rushed up the middle for three yards. A pass attempt to Keith Wilson was defended and incomplete. Hall completed a pass to George Dunaway to the left side and he gained 15 yards before going out of bounds. On first down (V47), King lost five yards when tackled behind the line of scrimmage. Leamon Hall then completed a 52-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Clennie Brundidge at 5:12. Mike Castelli converted the extra point kick. Army drove 65 yards in five plays to take the lead, 7-0.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the goal line and VMI returned it 13 yards (Swanson). On first down (V13), the Keydets ran eight yards off the left tackle (Thomas, Hilliard). VMI gained two yards up the middle (Hilliard, D'Amico). On first down (V23), a pitch to the wide right went four yards (Ford, Traylor). A pass attempt went incomplete as the Keydets were called for having an ineligible receiver downfield. On second down and 20 (V13), Army was called for illegal procedure. On second down and 15 (V18), the Keydets rushed three yards straight ahead (Thomas, Ford). A pitch play around the left end gained eight yards (Thomas, Macklin). On fourth down and four (V29), the Keydets punted 52 yards to Merriken who returned it ten yards, but Army was penalized for clipping at 3:08.

"Loved playing against those guys," said Phil Macklin forty years later, "Another military academy from my home state. I got hit hard with a crack back block from their wide receiver! My chest still hurts from that hit."

On first down (A11), King ran off left tackle for eight yards. King rushed up the middle for five yards. On first down (A24), Landry went off right tackle for four yards. King went around the left end and gained 22 yards before being knocked out of bounds. On first down (V40), Landry ran off left guard for two yards when time ran out. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Army 7, VMI 0.

Second Quarter

On second down and eight (V38), Hall rolled out to the right side, but his pass attempt was knocked down by a defender. On the play, Army was called for a five-yard penalty and loss of down. On third and twelve (V42), Hall's pass attempt to King was incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 42 yards into the end zone with no return at 14:43.

On first down (V20), VMI rushed off right tackle for four yards (Traylor, Thomas). The VMI runner plunged straight ahead for three yards (D'Amico, Mayes). VMI went six yards off right tackle (Traylor). On first down (V33), the Keydets went around the right end gaining three yards out of bounds (Swanson). VMI completed a pass on the left side for eleven yards (Schott). On first down (V47), VMI completed a pass on the right side for eleven yards (Charest).

On first down (A42), the Keydets ran off right tackle for five yards (Berry, Ford). VMI again rushed off right tackle for four yards (Berry, Ford). The Keydets' runner went straight ahead for two yards (Thomas, Berry). On first down (A31), a pitch play went off left tackle for seven yards (Fuller). VMI rushed off right guard for six yards (Mayes, Thomas). On first down (A18), the Keydets rushed for two yards (Elliott, Charest). VMI ran off right tackle for three yards (Ford, Mayes). The VMI quarterback was sacked for a loss of seven yards (Schott). On fourth down, a 37 yard field goal attempt was wide to the right at 7:17.

On first down (A20), Hall ran a keeper that gained two yards. King went up the middle for a yard. Army was then called for delay of game and lost five yards. On third and eleven (A19), Hall completed a twelve-yard pass to Brundidge up the middle. On first down (A31), King went up the middle for five yards. A pitch to King around the right end gained seven yards.

On first down (A43), Hall completed a six-yard pass over the middle to Merriken. King went around the left end for no gain. Hall ran around the right end for five yards and VMI was penalized ten yards for a personal foul. On first down (V26), King went off right tackle for nine yards. King ran straight ahead for three yards. On first down (V14), King ran straight ahead for no gain. Leamon Hall completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to the right side to Bill Skoda at 1:39. Mike Castelli converted the extra point kick. Army drove 80 yards in 12 plays to raise their lead to 14-0.

Hargis kicked off to the VMI 9-yard line and it was returned 13 yards (Miller). On first down (V22), the Keydets' pass was incomplete. VMI completed a seven yard pass to the right side (Charest). A quarterback keeper up the middle gained ten yards (D'Amico). The Keydets substituted Larry Hupertz in at quarterback. On first down (V39), VMI lost nine yards. VMI changed to another quarterback (Lambert). VMI's pass was knocked down by John Hilliard and the Keydets was called for being offside. Army declined the penalty.

On third and 19 (V30), VMI's pass attempt was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete. On fourth down and 19, the Keydets punted 38 yards and Merriken downed it, but Army was penalized five yards for illegal procedure before the punt. On fourth down and 14, VMI punted 39 yards to Tony Landry, who returned it twelve yards as time ran out in the half. At the end of the second quarter, the score was Army 14, VMI 0.

Third Quarter

Army will now defend the south goal. Mike Hargis kicked off to the VMI 12-yard line and the Keydets returned the football 15 yards (Foster). Hupertz was back in at quarterback. On first down (V27), the Keydets ran wide to the right for ten yards (Ford). On first down (V37), a pitch play around the left end went three yards (Groller). A Keydet pass was completed up the middle for 13 yards (Hilliard).

On first down (A47), a pitch play around the left end gained two yards (Mayes). A cutback run went three yards (Thomas). VMI completed a six yard pass up the middle (Thomas). On first down (A36), the Keydets ran off right tackle for five yards (Thomas). VMI gained two yards off right tackle (Traylor). VMI's pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down, a VMI 46-yard field goal attempt was short at 10:29.

On first down (A20), Tony Landry went off right guard for no gain. Leamon Hall completed a seven-yard pass on the left side to Mike Fahnestock. Hall's keeper around the right end gained two yards. On fourth down and one, Whyte punted 37 yards and VMI returned it for two yards at 8:19 (Liebetreu).

On first down (V36), the Keydets lost two yards off right tackle (D'Amico). A quarterback keeper gained one yard (Ford, Hilliard). VMI's pass attempt was defended by Joe LeGasse and incomplete. On fourth down, the Keydets punted 33 yards to Jim Merriken, who returned it 27 yards at 7:04.

On first down (V41), King rushed straight ahead for two yards. Hall's pass attempt to Landry was defended and incomplete. Hall's pass attempt for Skoda was covered and incomplete. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 29 yards where it was fair caught. Army was penalized five yards for illegal procedure and had to punt again. On fourth down and 13 (V44), Whyte punted 15 yards where it was downed at 6:10.

On first down (V32), the Keydets ran around the right end for a loss of a yard (Hilliard, Ford). VMI's deep pass was intercepted by Bruce Elliott and returned three yards at 5:24.

On first down (A47), King rushed off left tackle for three yards. Landry went up the middle for a yard. Hall's pass attempt for Dunaway was defended and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 35 yards and it was returned seven yards at 3:58 (Johnston).

On first down (V21), the Keydets went up the middle for two yards (Mayes). The VMI quarterback was sacked for a loss of two yards (Traylor, Mayes). A quarterback keeper around the right end gained nine yards (Hilliard, Berry). On fourth and one, a pitch play around the right end went three yards (Elliott).

On first down (V33), another pitch play wide around the left gained nothing (Schott). VMI completed a nine-yard pass to the left side (Elliott). A quarterback keeper up the middle gained three yards (Turrell). On first down (V45), the Keydets rushed four yards off left tackle (Hilliard, Turrell) as time ran out. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Army 14, VMI 0.

Fourth Quarter

On second down and six (V49), a quarterback keeper around the right end went five yards (Hayden). A VMI pass attempt was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete, but Army was called for pass interference. Another 15-yard penalty was called on Army after the play.

On first down (A14), the Keydets went around the right end for seven yards (Charest). A VMI plunge gained two yards (Hilliard). VMI lost a yard when the runner was caught behind the line (Mayes, Charest). VMI's Andre Gibson took a pitch around the left side for a six yard touchdown run at 12:18. The extra point kick by Craig Jones was good. VMI's scoring drive went 79 yards in 13 plays to close the score at 14-7.

VMI kicked off to the Army 15-yard line and Tony Landry returned it ten yards. On first down (A25), King went up the middle for six yards. Landry went three yards up the middle. King gained a yard up the middle. On first down (A35), Leamon Hall's pass attempt was intercepted as a the Keydets defensive back stepped in front of Keith Wilson and returned it for two yards at 10:52.

On first down (A45), the Keydets gained two yards going wide left (Schott). VMI lost five yards upon being called for delay of game. On second down and 12 (A47), VMI completed a pass to the right side for 31 yards (Charest). On first down (A16), the Keydets went wide right for six yards before going out of bounds (Charest). VMI rushed up the middle for seven yards (Thomas). On first down (A03), the Keydets plunged up the middle for two yards (Hilliard, Schott). VMI's Larry Hupertz ran straight ahead for a one-yard touchdown at 8:54. Craig Jones converted the extra point. VMI drove 45 yards in six plays to tie the score at 14-14.

"The first thing I thought about was the Tulane game last year," said Hall, "when we jumped out in front and then lost the game. But I was confident we could move the ball. I never doubted it."

VMI kicked off to the Army six-yard line and King returned it 21 yards. On first down (A27), Landry ran straight ahead for two yards. Hall tried to hit George Dunaway with a sideline pass, but the Keydets' defensive back separated the ball from the intended receiver. VMI was called for pass interference. After the defensive back disagreed with the call, he was ejected from the game, and VMI penalized an additional 15 yards.

"There was no question that it was pass interference," said Coach Homer Smith, "It happened right in front of me. The man was coming from behind and hit Dunaway before the ball got there. That's pass interference. It was called on us earlier and it was a good call then. What happened after that I really don't know because I was more concerned about Dunaway because he hurt his wrist on the play. I didn't see whether or not the VMI defender brushed the official."

On first down (V46), Hall's pass attempt for Brundidge was defended and incomplete. Hall completed a twelve-yard pass to Bill Skoda to the left side. On first down (V34), King ran straight ahead for a yard. Hall completed a 16-yard screen pass to the left flat to King, who was knocked out of bounds.

On first down (V17), Merriken ran up the middle for seven yards. Merriken then went eight yards up the middle. On first down (V02), Leamon Hall ran straight ahead for a two-yard touchdown at 6:01. Mike Castelli's extra point kick attempt was wide. Army had a 73 yard scoring drive in eight plays to lead again, 20-14.

"We wanted to go with an off tackle play," said Hall, "but Chuck Johnston, our center, said he could get me across the goal line if we changed the cadence and went on 'get.' So we called it on 'get' and that's just what happened. Chuck blew the defender away and before I realized it, I was in the end zone."

Hargis kicked off to the VMI three-yard line and they returned it 17 yards (Foster). On first down (V27), a quarterback keeper up the middle went six yards (Thomas). VMI went off right tackle for three yards (Mayes, Thomas). On third and one, VMI rushed up the middle when Mayes stripped the ball from the running back and recovered it at 4:39.

"I was lined up inside the guard, in fact a little too inside the guard," said George Mayes, "When the halfback came through I couldn't do very much so I just put my arm out to grab him and ball popped over my head. Then someone said 'get it' and I rolled over and the ball was right there."

On first down (V27), Merriken run up the middle for five yards. Hall on a keeper ran off right guard for two yards. A pitch play to King around the right end gained seven yards. On first down (V13), Merriken went off right guard for two yards. King ran up the middle for five yards. A pitch from Hall to King went out of bounds and lost five yards. On fourth down and six (V11), Mike Castelli attempted a 29-yard field goal that went wide to the left at 2:12.

On first down (V20), a Keydets' pass attempt was defended by Charest and incomplete. VMI plunged up the middle for a yard (Duelge). A quarterback keeper around the left end lost a yard (Schott). On fourth down and ten, VMI was penalized for illegal procedure and lost five yards. On fourth down and 15, a pass attempt was broken up by Dave Charest and incomplete. VMI lost the ball on downs at 1:31.

On first down (V15), King ran three yards off right tackle. Merriken went off right guard for two yards. A pitch to Merriken around the right end went four yards. On fourth down and one (V06), Leamon Hall pitched to Jim Merriken, who went around the right end for a six-yard touchdown at 0:03. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was good. Army made 15 yards in four plays to up the score to 27-14.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the VMI six-yard line and where VMI downed it with no time left on the clock. At the end of game at 4:15 pm, the final score was Army 27, the Virginia Military Institute 14.

Post-Game

"That was a great win for us," said Smith, "We weren't at all surprised at the difficulty we had with VMI. We knew that the [Southern] conference has done against academy teams. William & Mary beat Navy last year and The Citadel beat Air Force."

Army had 22 first downs compared to VMI's 17. The Cadets had a slight advantage in rushing, 162-152 yards. Army completed 11 of 19 passes for 151 yards and two interceptions, while VMI was 7 for 16 for 88 yards and one interception. VMI lost one fumble, while Army lost none. Both sides were each penalized 90 yards.

Hall played the entire game at quarterback and passed for two touchdowns. Skoda caught three receptions for 37 yards, while Brundidge caught two passes for 64 yards, both scoring a touchdown. King caught two passes for 19, Fahnestock two receptions for 10, Dunaway one for 15, and Merriken caught one pass for six yards.

King rushed for 92 yards on 21 carries, while Merriken made 52 yards on 12 attempts with one touchdown. Landry ran twelve yards and Hall had seven with one touchdown run. Whyte punted for a 31.5 yard average on four punts. Merriken returned two punts for 37 yards, while Landry returned one for 12. Landry returned two kickoff returns for 18 yards, and King returned one for 21.

"Offensively, I was pleased to see Greg King running well with the ball," said Homer Smith, "He wasn't really ready last week, but he did a fine job for us against VMI. Looking back, I feel we play really well on offense a certain way, and when we don't play that way and try to do something else, we don't do as well. I believe we may have played a little too conservative at one point. When we came out in the second half with a 14-0 lead, we wanted to be careful in our play selection. We wanted every running play to be a good one and count. On our passing we wanted to keep the ball away from their stunting coverage. Frankly, what we did in the third quarter simply didn't work, but we did some things in the fourth quarter that worked very well."

Bruce Elliott intercepted one pass and returned it three yards. George Mayes recovered one fumble. Total tackles credited – Hilliard (12), Mayes (11), Thomas (10), Ford (9), Schott (8), D'Amico (7), Elliott (6), Charest (5), Macklin (5), and Traylor (5).

"One thing I am proud of is the way our defense holds on," said Smith, "Some people might look at the fourth quarter and say the defense had a lapse, but it didn't. VMI just happened to score in a period of minutes, but I don't feel it was a lapse. Our defense just played super and they had to be super."

"They came in with a pretty good team and a cocky attitude," said Mike Castelli, "We dominated." "A pretty good team at the time," recalled Chuck D'Amico, "I believe they won their conference and ended up being ranked 68 or so in the country at season's end, we ended up 55 or 56 with Navy one spot lower." Bill Duelge said, "I told my sponsor I'd spend the day in the VMI backfield. We beat the heck out of the fake cadets."

Substituting on defense were – ends Swanson, Hayden, and Berry; tackles Traylor, Groller, and Duelge; Turrell and Liebetreu at middle guard; linebackers Berry, Foster, and Miller; Webb, Hayden, and Smith in the secondary, and punters Whyte and Adams.

The offensive squad substitutes were – ends Whyte, Logue, and JT Thomas; tackles McIntyre and Decker; Hodge at guard and center; halfbacks Landry and Pritchard; flankers Fahnestock and Dunaway; Castelli, Avey, and Hargis kicking; and on returns Avey and Hayden.

A total of 48 Cadets played against the Virginia Military Institute and about 72 dressed. Dressing but not playing against VMI were Boucher, Cerv, Clemons, Conz, Hallingstad, Johnson, Klopfenstine, Kullander, Lowrey, Mankosa, Maples, McGlasker, Messner, Mulrane, Perkins, Steenborg, Teising, and Vorenkamp. Also dressing were Beans, Bleyl, Cook, Hill, Kouhia, and Simpson. Dwyer and Kisiel sat out the game due to injury. Duane Fuller (groin pull) and Bob Groller (ankle sprain) hobbled off the field but practiced the next Monday.

Recognitions

Nationally, Jim Merriken ranked 16th in punt returns, averaging 12.3 yards per return. Leamon Hall ranked 8th in passing and 6th in total offense. Leamon Hall and George Mayes were selected for the weekly ECAC all-star squad.

Three game balls were presented by the coaching staff following the VMI game. Junior center Chuck Johnston received the offensive game ball, junior defensive end Chuck Schott received the defensive game ball, and junior return specialist and halfback Jim Merriken received the kicking game ball. "I was not going to allow the Keydets the chance to beat Army at West Point," said Schott.

Army Opponents

Navy (2-0) beat Connecticut 38-7 handily, though quarterback Bob Leszczynski missed on eight of twelve passes and had two intercepted in the first half. The Midshipmen still rolled to a 17-0 lead at halftime. The Mids scored on drives of 70 and 80 yards in the third period. The Huskers scored with 20 seconds left in the game.

Ole Miss led 10-7 over #3 Notre Dame (1-1) at halftime on a hot, humid day. Mississippi blew two scoring chances in the third quarter as the Fighting Irish kicked two field goals to take a 13-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. With four minutes left in the game, the Rebels' third-string quarterback came off the bench to move Mississippi 70 yards in four plays to the Notre Dame ten-yard line. Tim Ellis threw the ball behind his receiver, but it was deflected into his hands for a touchdown catch and the upset win, 13-7, over Notre Dame.

#11 Colorado (2-0) routed Kent State (42-0). Colgate trounced Lafayette (0-2), 38-12. # 16 Pittsburgh (1-1) beat William & Mary, 28-6. Air Force (0-1-1) lost at California (14-24). Boston College (0-2) lost 18-24 at Tennessee. Villanova (1-1) beat Ball State (38-16). Holy Cross (0-2) lost to Rhode Island (0-14). Massachusetts (1-1) blanked Maine (28-0).

Top ranked Michigan beat Duke (21-9) and #2 Southern Cal won at Oregon (17-10). #4 Alabama lost at #14 Nebraska (24-31). #5 Oklahoma crushed visiting Utah (62-24). #6 Ohio State routed Minnesota (38-7). #10 Penn State beat Houston (31-14). The AP poll Top Five after this weekend was Michigan, Southern Cal, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Penn State. The UPI poll Top Five stood at Michigan, Southern California, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Penn State.

Army opponents were ranked after this weekend as – (AP/UPI) Colorado (#8/#8), Notre Dame (#11/#14), and Pittsburgh (unranked/#17).

Post-Script

The Cadets made it two straight with their Blood Victory over VMI, scoring two touchdowns in the final six minutes to snap a 14-14 tie. Leamon Hall passed for two touchdowns in the first half and ran in the winning touchdown in the final period. Greg King sparked a much-improved ground attack that gained 162 yards versus 108 in the win against Massachusetts.

The Blood Brothers had stood and played Blood Loyal in their first rally of the season. Operation Black September had achieved its second goal.

Chapter 11  
Boston College – September 24, 1977

Pre-Game

The Army Football team would travel to Chestnut Hill, MA, to meet the Boston College Eagles (0-2) on Saturday, September 24th. The Eagles returned 29 lettermen and twelve starters from a team that went 8-3 last season, including a 27-10 victory over the Cadets. Boston College was led by tenth-year Coach Joe Yukica (69-43-0). Key players included linebacker Kelly Elias, defensive tackle Bob Moore, defensive tackle Fred Smerlas, linebacker Rich Scudellari, and punter Jim Walton. The Eagles had depth in the offensive backfield and experience on the defensive line; and featured some of the best kickers in the East. Army held a 9-3 advantage in the series.

BC opened the season at Texas, being blown away 0-44, as the team was not able to mount any sustained offensive attacks. This was followed last week by an 18-24 loss at Tennessee, when the Eagles offensive drives were turned away due to costly turnovers. BC had a pair of late scores against the Volunteers, but the come-from-behind effort fell just short at the end. The Eagles would be playing at home for the first time this season.

"Boston College will be better than VMI, but I don't think they will play any more ferociously than VMI did. They will probably play more of a conventional type game. There will be as much stunting or wild formations. VMI just throws the book at you. It is not easy to play BC because they are huge. Their halfback Neil Green is a real fine runner, a sprinter type back. The BC game will demand more of us than we have given thus far. Last year, BC really controlled the game in the second half and I know we simply have to atone for that."

"This is as strong a football team as Army has had since I've been here," said Coach Joe Yukica, "They played a good Massachusetts football team the first week and still marched the ball up and down the field for 423 yards. Not only will we have to play defense, but we will have to be better at our running game to be as competitive as we like."

The starters were expected to be the same as last week. Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Keith Wilson and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Curt Downs and Jim Hollingsworth at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Tony Landry and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Dunaway would replace Bill Skoda, who started the first two games. Offensive guard John Kisiel was medically cleared to practice this week, as did halfback Jon Dwyer, both of whom missed the VMI game.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Stan Ford and Chuck Schott, tackles Duane Fuller and Chuck D'Amico, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Joe LeGasse, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary. Tiki Traylor actually started the BC game at left tackle.

Jimmy the Greek picked Boston College by 11 over Army. Bob Harmon predicted a 27-20 Cadet victory. Herschel Nissenson wrote, "Just realized we haven't given you an Upset Special yet. This is going to be a wild passing duel between Army's Leamon Hall and BC's Ken Smith. And, in the Upset Special of the week... Army 40-28." The Vegas line favored BC by 11 points.

It rained Saturday through Wednesday at West Point, with over an inch on Tuesday and Wednesday, and weekend temperatures dropping from the 80s down to the 60s. At West Point on Saturday, 1.40 inches of rain was recorded.

The Army junior varsity squad also traveled to Boston College to play the JV Eagles at 3 pm on Friday with the sun shining. Corky Messner booted a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter. Early in the second period, BC drove to the Army seven-yard line before stalling and kicking a 24-yard field goal to tie the score at halftime. With 2:23 left in the third quarter, the junior varsity Eagles returned a Bruce Baughman punt 63-yards for a touchdown to take a 3-10 lead.

A fumble by Cadet quarterback Mark Trigsted at the Army 18 led to another Boston College 31-yard field goal that ended Army's chances for a comeback. The Cadets could not generate any ground attack and the passing game was hampered by the pressure from the Eagle's defensive line. Trigsted completed five out of twelve passes for 55 yards, while Cadet Jim Simpson was six of twelve passes for 58 yards. Charlie Conz caught four passes for 63 yards. Baughman punted eight times for a 43.8 yard average.

The Cadets varsity football team departed West Point on Friday about 8 am; bused to Boston; worked out at Alumni Stadium around 4 pm; and stayed overnight at the Boston Marriott Hotel.

Recall that Gene McIntyre approached Leamon Hall saying that there was something going on? Hall and Chuck D'Amico decided that it was probably time for McIntyre to be inducted into Black September that evening before the BC game. McIntyre memory of the event was "Intense 'Black Death' session the night before, wearing black facemasks."

Officials for the game were Tom Elliott (referee), Angelo Fortunato (umpire), John Warner (linesman), Mike Donato (back judge), and Dave Walker (field judge). The team ran out onto the Eagles' field with band aids covering the scar on their right thumbs, and touched their Blood Brother's thumb on the sideline, with no one the wiser, except McIntyre.

It was 55 degrees for the kickoff at 1:30 pm in Boston, with winds from the east at 12 mph, rainy, and cold, according to the scorekeeper, in front of 19,200 hardy fans. The Army Co-Captains touched thumbs on the sideline and proceeded to the middle of the field. It was the first time this season that the Army Co-Captains got to call the coin toss. BC won the toss and elected to receive, with Army defending the north goal.

First Quarter

Mike Hargis kicked off to the BC 15-yard line and it was returned 19 yards (the play-by-play did not include who was credited with the tackle on each play). On first down (BC34), the Eagles rushed for six yards up the middle. BC ran up the middle again, but fumbled, with Boston College recovering the fumble for a loss of a yard. A pass was overthrown for an incompletion. On fourth down (BC39), BC punted 45 yards to Jim Merriken, who returned the football two yards.

On first down (A18), Leamon Hall was sacked for a loss of a yard. A pass attempt to Tony Landry was incomplete. Hall completed a 13-yard pass to Keith Wilson. BC was called for a facemask penalty on the play, and Army took the 15-yard penalty. On first down (A32), Hall was sacked with a loss of eleven yards, but the Eagles were called for being offside and penalized five yards.

On first down and five (A37), Clennie Brundidge caught an 11-yard pass with the rain falling steadily. On first down (A48), Merriken ran eight yards on a draw play. Merriken rushed over left guard for another eight yards. On first down (BC39), Hall completed a six-yard pass to Brundidge. Hall slipped on the artificial turf for a two yard loss. Merriken caught a four yard pass over the middle. On fourth down and two (BC31), Hall was thrown for an 18-yard loss, but a flag was thrown before the play. BC was penalized again for being offside.

On first down (BC26), Hall's pass attempt to Greg McGlasker was incomplete. On second down, Leamon Hall completed a pass to Jim Merriken in the flat and he carried it into the end zone at 8:55 for a 26-yard touchdown. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown kick. The scoring drive was 82 yards in ten plays for a score of 7-0.

Hargis kicked off to the BC four-yard line and it was returned 19 yards. On first down (BC23), the Eagles quarterback fumbled the football on the snap and Bruce Elliott recovered it.

On first down (BC29), Hall completed a nine-yard pass to Brundidge. On a draw play up the middle, Merriken ran eleven yards. On first down (BC08), Hall's pass attempt was incomplete, but BC was called for pass interference. On first down (BC03), Leamon Hall pitched out to Jim Merriken going left who ran over the goal line for a touchdown at 7:20. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was good. The Cadet drive was for 29 yards in three plays for a score of 14-0.

Hargis kicked off to the BC five-yard line and it was returned 24 yards. On first down (BC29), the pass attempt was incomplete. BC completed a 17-yard pass. On first down (BC46), the Eagles carried for a gain of four yards. A pass attempt behind the line of scrimmage on the ground was recovered by Chuck Schott for a BC turnover.

On first down (BC47), Hall completed a four-yard pass to Merriken. A pass attempt to Tony Landry was incomplete. On third down, Hall's pass was intercepted and BC returned it 43 yards for an Army turnover.

On first down (A25), the Eagles carried for a yard, but Boston College was called for holding and penalized 15 yards. On first down and 25 (A40), Ken Smith completed a touchdown pass to Pete LaBoy, who had slipped behind the Cadet secondary, at 4:48. Tim Moorman converted the extra point kick. BC's one-play scoring drive was for 25 yards that led to a score of 14-7.

BC kicked off to the Army 11-yard line and Greg King returned it 14 yards. On first down (A25), Hall completed a 16-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge. On first down (A41), Hall rolled to his left, pumped twice while trying to find an open receiver, and then fired over the middle, landing right in the hands of an Eagles linebacker, who intercepted it and returned it back to the Army 37.

On first down (A37), the Eagles went over left tackle for eight yards. BC ran up the middle for four yards. On first down (A25), the Eagles rushed up the middle for nine yards. BC went over left tackle for five yards. On first down (A11), Ken Smith completed a touchdown pass to Pete LaBoy at 1:55. Tim Moorman made the extra point kick. The Eagles' possession was 37 yards in five plays for a score of 14-14.

BC kicked off to the Army ten-yard line and Merriken returned it 18 yards. On first down (A28), King ran up the middle for three yards. Hall completed a twelve-yard pass to Merriken. On first down (A43), Merriken gained three yards over left guard. Hall was then sacked for an eight-yard loss. King caught a pass for five yards, but the Cadets were called for clipping, losing twelve yards. The clock ran out on the first quarter before the next play could begin. At the end of the quarter, the score was Army 14, Boston College 14.

Second Quarter

On third down and 22 (A31), a pass attempt to Mike Fahnestock was incomplete. Ward Whyte punted 51-yards and the returner lost a yard.

On first down (BC17), the Eagles ran up the middle for a seven yard gain. BC went around the left side for seven yards. On first down (BC33), the Eagles rushed up the middle for three yards. BC completed a pass for twelve yards. On first down (BC48), the Eagles ran for two yards. BC completed a five-yard pass. The Eagles went over left guard for four yards. On first down (A41), BC caught a six-yard pass. Boston College gained two yards on a run. BC rushed for three yards.

On first down (A30), BC's pass attempt into the end zone was incomplete. The Eagles completed a pass for a five-yard loss. Another pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down and 15, Ken Smith completed a 35-yard touchdown pass into the end zone to Paul McCarty on a circus catch at 8:16. Phil Macklin appeared to have intercepted the pass, but the ball slipped from his grasp and McCarty grabbed it before it hit the ground. Tim Moorman converted the point after touchdown kick. BC's scoring drive went for 83 yards in 14 plays for a score of 14-21.

BC kicked off to the Army 13-yard line, Merriken bobbled the catch, and returned it eight yards. On first down (A22), Leamon Hall was sacked and lost seven yards. Hall then completed a five-yard pass to Greg King, who fumbled and lost the football. BC recovered it.

On first down (A22), the Eagles rushed up the middle for five yards. BC ran six yards over right guard. On first down (A11), the Eagles went over right for three yards. Boston College went over left guard for three more yards. BC bucked over left tackle for three yards. On fourth down and one (A02), the Eagles leaped over the left guard. A measurement gave BC the first down. On first down (A01), Dan Conway dove over the right tackle for a one-yard touchdown at 4:07. Tim Moorman kicked the extra point. BC's scoring possession was 22 yards in seven plays to increase the Eagles' lead to 14-28.

BC kicked off to the Army 14-yard line and Jim Merriken returned it 13 yards. On first down (A27), King went three yards on a draw play. Merriken carried for no gain. Hall's pass attempt to King was incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 36 yards and it was returned for an eight yard loss.

On first down (BC26), the Eagles ran for a six yard gain. BC rushed three yards. BC then went seven yards. On first down (BC42), a pitchout was fumbled but recovered by the Eagles for a loss of three yards. Boston College ran five yards. Time ran out before the next play began. At the end of the first half, the score was Boston College 28, Army 14.

Third Quarter

BC kicked off to the Army 18 and Tony Landry returned it nine yards. On first down (A27), Leamon Hall completed a 19-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge. On first down (A46), Hall completed a four-yard pass to Jon Dwyer. Hall ran on a quarterback keeper for two yards. Leamon Hall then completed a 48-yard touchdown pass to Jim Merriken at 13:06. Mike Castelli kicked the extra point. Army's drive took four plays to move 73 yards for a score of 21-28.

Hargis kicked off to the BC 13-yard line and it was returned eight yards. On first down (BC21), the Eagles ran up the middle for four yards. BC completed a 19-yard pass, but the receiver fumbled the ball and Kirk Thomas recovered the football for Army.

On first down (BC44), Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Brundidge. On first down (BC29), Hall pitched to Landry who gained three yards. A pass attempt to Brundidge was incomplete. Hall was hit throwing a pass and it was incomplete. On fourth down and seven (BC26), a screen pass was caught by Merriken for a yard. Army lost the ball on downs.

On first down (BC25), the Eagles completed a five-yard pass. A pass was bobbled and intercepted by Phil Macklin for another BC turnover. Phil Macklin recalled that game, "I think that game was in the rain, I remember their SIZE and their speed. I think I got an interception in that game."

On first down (A32), a pass to Merriken was incomplete. Hall went up the middle for a yard, but the Eagles were called offside for a five-yard penalty. On second down and five (A37), Hall's pass was intercepted and returned to the Army 48 for a Cadet turnover.

On first down (A48), the Eagles went up the middle for five yards. A pass attempt was incomplete. BC completed a nine-yard pass. On first down (A34), the Eagles went over left guard for a yard. A pass was completed for no gain. A pass into the end zone was incomplete. On fourth down and nine (A33), a BC pass was incomplete. The Eagles lost the football on downs.

On first down (A33), Jon Dwyer ran up the middle on a draw play for two yards. Merriken caught a pass for a gain of a yard. Hall ran on a keeper, but BC was penalized for being offside. On third down and two (A41), a Hall pass to Brundidge was tipped and incomplete. Whyte punted 29-yards out of bounds.

On first down (BC30), a pitchout gained a yard. Boston College completed a 27-yard pass. On first down (A42), the Eagles went off left tackle for four yards. BC completed a pass for no gain. BC caught a ten-yard pass. On first down (A28), a BC run off the right side went for three yards. BC completed a 13-yard pass but the receiver fumbled the football; which was recovered by Chuck Schott for an Eagles' turnover.

On first down (A12), Merriken rushed for four yards. Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Merriken. On first down (A31), a Hall to Landry pass fell incomplete. Brundidge caught a 28-yard pass from Hall. On first down (BC41), Landry gained four yards on a draw play. Hall completed a 16-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge. On first down (BC21), a pass reception was fumbled for an incompletion. Hall completed a ten-yard pass to Merriken, but the measurement showed it was just short of the line to gain. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Boston College 28, Army 21.

Fourth Quarter

On third down and one (BC11), Hall ran a quarterback keeper, and the Eagles were called for being offside. On first down and five (BC06), Leamon Hall completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Jon Dwyer at 14:55. Mike Castelli's kick was good. Army's scoring drive was 88 yards in nine plays and this tied the score at 28-28.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the BC eleven and it was returned nine yards. On first down (BC20), the Eagles ran three yards off the right guard. A BC pass was incomplete. The quarterback was sacked by Chuck Schott and lost 13 yards. On fourth down, BC punted 37 yards and Merriken lost a yard on the return.

On first down (A43), a pass attempt to Jon Dwyer was incomplete. A Hall pass to Brundidge was incomplete. Hall completed a four-yard pass to Merriken. On fourth down, Whyte punted 30 yards where it rolled dead.

On first down (BC31), an Eagles pass fell short, as another downpour began. A pitchout run was for no gain. Ken Smith's deep pass was completed for a 69-yard touchdown to Mike Godbolt, who made an over the shoulder catch at the Army thirty-yard line, and then ran it into the end zone at 11:44. Tim Moorman converted the extra point kick. BC's scoring drive took 69 yards in three plays for a score of 28-35.

BC kicked off to the Army 22-yard line and Dwyer returned it nine yards. On first down (A31), Dwyer gained five yards on a draw play. Hall's pass attempt to Wilson was knocked down. Hall was sacked for a loss of eleven yards. On fourth down, Whyte punted 38 yards and it was returned for five yards.

On first down (BC42), the Eagles rushed for eight yards. A run to the right side went a yard. Boston College completed a four yard pass. On first down (A45), the Eagles went five yards off of left tackle. BC ran ten yards off right tackle. On first down (A30), the Eagles rushed for three yards. A BC pass went out of bounds and incomplete. Ken Smith completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Pete LaBoy at the Army two-yard line who carried defensive back Joe LeGasse into the end zone at 6:51. Tim Moorman converted the point after touchdown. Boston College's possession was for 58 yards in eight plays for a score of 28-42.

BC kicked off to the Army 13-yard line and the catch was fumbled. Army's Dave Pritchard recovered the fumble. On first down (A10), Hall ran around the right side for twelve yards. On first down (A22), Dwyer caught an eight-yard pass but lost the football. The Eagles recovered the football for an Army turnover.

On first down (A27), the Eagles rushed for two yards. BC ran off the right side for three yards. Boston College gained seven yards off the right side. On first down (A15), the Eagles gained a yard. A BC pass was incomplete, but Army was called for pass interference. On first down (A01), Jerry Stabile plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 3:55. Tim Moorman's kick for the extra point was good. The Eagles' scoring drive was of 27 yards in five plays that upped the score to 28-49.

BC kicked off to the Army 11-yard line and King returned it 19 yards. On first down (A30), Hall's pass to Merriken was incomplete. Hall was sacked for a loss of 15 yards. Merriken ran around the right side for 19 yards. On fourth down and six, Ward Whyte punted 37 yards and the returner lost four yards. BC was called for clipping and penalized twelve yards.

On first down (BC13), the Eagles carried the football ten yards, but a measurement showed it was short of the line to gain. BC lost a yard on a run. Boston College carried the football for six yards. On first down (BC28), the Eagles ran six yards. BC rushed for eleven yards as time ran out. At the end of the game at 4:11 pm, the score was Boston College 49, Army 28.

Post-Game

"We got beat by a good football team, make no mistake about it," said a disappointed Coach Homer Smith, "They are good athletes. For us, it was a tremendously disappointing loss. We thought this was a game we could win. We believed that all week during practice, believed it at halftime when we were down by two touchdowns, believed it after the third quarter. We had some breakdowns in the fourth quarter which really hurt, but we'll heal this week and prepare for a maximum effort against an excellent football team."

"They were a good team," recalled Mike Fahnestock, "and we played the kind of game that was required." "Weather sucked," said Mike Castelli.

"We switched our defensive scheme during the week of the game," recalled Joe LeGasse, "This was a must win. Safeties got caught flat-footed instinctively using old defense, leaving our corners isolated against quarterback Smith and fast receivers. We got burned one too many times."

Army had 17 first downs, rushed for 44 yards and passed for 268. The Cadets lost two fumbles, had three interceptions, and were penalized for 18 yards. Boston College had 24 first downs, completed 19 of 30 passes for 301 yards and one interception, and rushed for 184 yards. The Eagles lost four fumbles and were penalized 75 yards.

Merriken rushed for 53 yards with a touchdown, Landry for 8, Dwyer had seven with a touchdown, and King had seven yards. Hall lost 31 yards rushing due to sacks and completed 23 of 39 passes for three touchdowns. Merriken caught ten passes for 121 yards with two touchdowns and Brundidge had 119 yards on eight catches. Dwyer caught three passes for 14 yards and a touchdown, while King caught two for 14. Whyte punted six times for a 36.7 yard average. Merriken returned two punts for a yard. Merriken returned three kickoffs for 42 yards, while King returned two for 34, Dwyer one for nine, and Landry one for eight.

Phil Macklin intercepted one pass with no return. Bruce Elliott and Kirk Thomas each recovered one fumble, while Chuck Schott recovered two fumbles. Players with five or more total tackles credited to them were Thomas (13), Hilliard (11), D'Amico (10), Schott (9), Mayes (9), Charest (8), Elliott (7), Ford (7), LeGasse (6), and Fuller (5).

Substitutes on offense were – ends Logue and Whyte; tackle Decker; flankers McGlasker, Skoda, and Fahnestock; halfbacks King, Pritchard, and Dwyer; kickers Castelli and Hargis; and special teams Avey, Clemons, Duelge, Fuller, Groller, Hodge, and Miller. Substitutes on defense were – ends Swanson and Hayden; middle guard Turrell; linebackers Avey, Berry, Miller, and Foster; defensive back Smith; and punters Whyte and Adams. No significant injuries occurred during the game.

A total of 47 Cadets played against Boston College and about 68 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game included Boucher, Cerv, Conz, Hallingstad, Klopfenstine, Kullander, Liebetreu, Lowrey, Mankosa, Maples, McIntyre, Messner, Mulrane, Perkins, Teising, JT Thomas, Vorenkamp, and Webb. Also dressing were Beans, Cook, and Hill.

Recognitions

Leamon Hall shattered the Army career total offense record held by Glenn Davis of 4,129 yards during the 1943-1946 seasons. Hall now held the record with 4,327 yards. Hall also continued to rank 7th nationally in passing and 5th in total offense. Clennie Brundidge was ranked 18th in completions. As a team, Army ranked #6 nationally in passing. Hall and Jim Merriken were both selected to the weekly ECAC all-Star squad.

BC's senior quarterback Ken Smith set a school record for passing for five touchdowns in a game and rallied the Eagles twice to shake off Army's upset threats. This was Smith's second start, his first coming in the prior game against Tennessee.

Army Opponents

Winners this weekend were Massachusetts (2-1) over Harvard (17-0); #8 Colorado (3-0) routed New Mexico, 42-7; Air Force (1-1-1) edged Pacific (15-13); and #17 Pittsburgh (2-1) swamped Temple, 76-0. Losing games this weekend were Villanova (1-2) clipped by Dayton, 17-21; Lafayette (0-3) lost to Columbia, 10-21; Holy Cross (0-3) being edged by Dartmouth, 14-17; and the Virginia Military Institute (1-2) lost by one point to East Carolina, 13-14.

The #11 Notre Dame (2-1) escaped with a win over Purdue, 31-24. The game featured 93 pass attempts, 49 completions, 666 yards passing, and six passing touchdowns in a game that took three hours and 29 minutes. Third-string Irish quarterback Joe Montana and Boilermaker freshman QB Mark Herrmann put on a show.

Navy (2-1) lost by a touchdown to #1 Michigan, 7-14. In Ann Arbor, the Wolverines scored two touchdowns in the second quarter for a 14-0 halftime lead. Navy dominated the third quarter and finally scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Bob Leszczynski to split end Sandy Jones. Michigan drove down the field midway in the final period, but missed a 19-yard field goal attempt to get insurance points. Navy was not able to threaten the remainder of the game.

#2 Southern California routed Texas Christian, 51-0. #3 Oklahoma met #4 Ohio State in Columbus, with the Sooners edging the Buckeyes in a close game, 29-28. #5 Penn State beat Maryland, 27-9. #6 Texas A&M won on the road against #7 Texas Tech, 33-17.

The AP poll Top Five after this weekend was Oklahoma, Southern California, Michigan, Penn State, and Texas A&M. The UPI poll Top Five stood at Southern California, Oklahoma, Michigan, Penn State, and Texas A&M. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #7/#6 Colorado, #14/#15 Notre Dame, and #16/#13 Pittsburgh.

Post-Script

The loss at rain-soaked Alumni Stadium to Boston College extended Army's string of road losses to 19, dating back to 1973. The game was much closer than the final margin might otherwise indicate. Three of the Eagles' touchdowns scored in the first half were due to Cadet turnovers. Army rallied in the third and beginning of the fourth quarter to tie the game, but were unable to upset Boston College.

Operation Black September had its first major test after halftime. The Army defense held the Eagles scoreless in the third quarter. The Blood Rally tied the score at 28 all early in the fourth quarter.

Chapter 12  
Colorado – October 1, 1977

Pre-Game

The Army Football team returned to West Point to host the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, October 1st. The Golden Buffs returned 34 lettermen and 14 starters to a team that went 8-4 last year that included a 10-27 loss to Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. Led by fourth-year Coach Bill Mallory (64-25-0), Colorado traveled to the northeast for the first time since a 1969 game at Penn State.

Colorado was visiting New York after winning three straight games at home to Stanford (27-21), Kent State (42-0), and New Mexico (42-7) and being ranked #6 and #7 in the national polls. Colorado limited New Mexico to 103 yards rushing and 72 passing, with 89 of those yards coming on their opponent's final drive against reserves.

The Buffaloes were led by center Leon White, defensive tackle Ruben Vaughn, quarterback Jeff Knapple, tailback Eddie Walker, and offensive tackle Matt Miller. The offensive line averaged 260 pounds from tackle to tackle. Knapple ranked #12 in total offensive nationally, while fullback James Mayberry ranked #10 in scoring. As a team, the Buffaloes ranked #9 in total offense, #17 in passing yards, 10th in scoring, and #19 in rushing defense. It would be the second time Army met Colorado, the last being a 1947 Cadet victory (47-0).

Homer Smith said this about the next opponent, "Colorado, on paper, is awesome; on film, they are very good. They could be the best team in the country before this season is over, that's how much ability they have. I am impressed with their total program, have watched it grow for years since my coaching days at the Air Force Academy. I am confident, too, that our players will respond to this heavy challenge, for we now have people and weapons who give us a chance to win such a game as this one."

Colorado's Coach Bill Mallory had his concerns, "We have the size and the strength for a good defense, but it's evident that Hall is slippery. We've been concentrating on how to keep him bottle up."

The starters were expected to be the same as last week, except that Jon Dwyer was expected to replace Tony Landry at right halfback. Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Keith Wilson and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Curt Downs and Jim Hollingsworth at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Jon Dwyer and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Greg King started at left halfback instead of Merriken due to an injury during practices.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Stan Ford and Chuck Schott, tackles Chuck D'Amico and either Duane Fuller or Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Joe LeGasse, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary. Fuller started at left tackle. Doug Lowrey or Joe LeGasse started at right cornerback as game day records show both starting.

It rained Saturday through Wednesday at West Point, with over an inch on Sunday and Monday, with temperatures rising during the week into the 70s during the practices before Saturday. It rained a half inch on game day, starting in the second half. The early line from Vegas installed Colorado as a 19 point favorite, and it was 20 points just before the game. The junior varsity (1-1-1) traveled to Columbia to play the Lions on Friday afternoon and won.

The Army Lightweight Football team opened its season against Rutgers at Michie Stadium. It was a successful start for new Head Coach George Storck and the Cadets' seventh straight, despite losing senior quarterback Tod Miller with a dislocated shoulder on the first series. Reserve quarterback Jim Nagy did a fine relief job, directing all five scoring drives and beating the Scarlet Knights, 31-0.

Colorado flew into Stewart Airport from Denver in the afternoon after a three-hour delay, and may or may not have worked out at Howze Field around 3:30 pm. Their first flight from Stapleton Field had to return ten minutes after takeoff due to an overheated engine. The Buffaloes stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn in Newburgh.

For the fourth time of the season, the Blood Brothers took the field with band aids on their right thumbs and touched thumbs along the sideline. Dickie Hall was given the bag with the Blood Ball. The Army Co-Captains touched their thumbs before they walked to the center of the field. For the first time this season, an opponent won the toss and Colorado elected to receive. Army elected to defend the north goal.

At kickoff at 1:35 pm at West Point, it was 68 degrees, high humidity, winds from the south at 10-15 mph, with an 80% chance of rain in front of a near-capacity (36,063) crowd in Michie Stadium.

First Quarter

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Colorado six-yard line and it was returned for 22 yards (Miller, Berry). On first down (C28), the Buffaloes rushed up the middle for five yards (Hilliard). The Colorado quarterback kept around left end for four yards (Elliott). Colorado ran up the middle for three yards (Hilliard, Berry). On first down (C40), a pass attempt was incomplete. The Buffaloes quarterback went around the left end for 38 yards before going out of bounds (Elliott).

On first down (A22), Colorado ran off the right tackle for two yards (Hilliard). Colorado completed a seven-yard pass (Thomas). The Buffaloes rushed off the right guard for two yards (Mayes, Hilliard). On first down (A11), the pass attempt was deflected by Chuck Schott and incomplete. Another pass attempt was incomplete. Colorado went up the middle for three yards (D'Amico). On fourth down and seven (A08), Pete Dadiotis made a 25-yard field goal at 11:01. Colorado's scoring drive took 62 yards in twelve plays to open the scoring at 0-3.

"The problem with Colorado is that we had to keep their option game under control," said Smith, "The option can just cut you up. You just have to be fast enough and be there at the right time when they run the option. When Knapple broke loose on his long run to set up the field goal we had a linebacker who was just a fraction off being there. It was simply a real load on our defense."

Colorado kicked off to the Army twenty-yard line and Ward Whyte returned it 11 yards. On first down (A31), Leamon Hall went around the right end for eight yards. Greg King ran around the right end for eight yards. On first down (A47), King rushed for 12 yards around the right end. On first down (C41), Hall completed an 11-yard pass to Greg McGlasker. On first down (C30), King rushed up the middle for five yards. Jon Dwyer caught a pass on the right side for no gain. Dwyer ran off left guard for nine yards.

On first down (C16), Army was penalized five yards for delay of game. On first down and 15 (C21), Hall pitched to King going wide right for no gain. Hall was sacked for a loss of four yards. Hall was sacked for a loss of eleven yards, pushing Army out of field goal range. On fourth down and 30 (C36), Army set up for a punt but punter Ward Whyte ran up the middle for a loss of eight yards. Army lost the ball on downs at 6:04.

"If we could have gotten to 3-3, it might have been different," said Smith, "We just needed some points."

On first down (C43), the Buffaloes ran up the middle for five yards (Thomas, Hilliard). Colorado went around the left end for a yard (Schott). The Buffaloes completed a 13-yard pass (Charest). On first down (A38), the Buffaloes ran off the right tackle for four yards (Thomas). Colorado went up the middle for four yards (D'Amico). On a pitch play, Colorado rushed around the right end for three yards (Lowrey). On first down (A27), the Buffaloes gained 18 yards off of the left tackle (Macklin).

On first down (A09), the Buffaloes were penalized five yards for illegal procedure. On first down and 14, Colorado ran straight ahead for four yards (Fuller, Mayes). Colorado went around the left end for four yards (Lowrey). A pitch play went around the right end for three yards (Macklin, Thomas). On fourth and three (A03), a pass attempt was incomplete. Colorado lost the football on downs at 1:20.

On first down (A03), King ran off right tackle for six yards. King went wide left for four yards. On first down (A13), King rushed off the right tackle for a yard. The clock ran out before the next play began. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Colorado 3, Army 0.

Second Quarter

On second down and nine (A14), Colorado was called for being offside. On second and four (A19), Dwyer ran two yards off the left tackle. Hall's pass attempt to Dwyer was ruled incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 36 yards and the Buffaloes returned the football for three yards at 12:40 (Groller).

On first down (C46), the Buffaloes went up the middle for nine yards (D'Amico). Colorado ran off the left tackle for five yards (D'Amico). On first down (A40), the Buffaloes rushed around the right side for two yards (Hilliard, Thomas). Colorado went off the left guard for a loss of a yard (Groller, Mayes). Colorado completed a 27-yard pass up the middle (Elliott).

On first down (A12), the Buffaloes ran up the middle for two yards (D'Amico, Hilliard). On a pitch play, Howard Ballage rushed around the left end for a ten-yard touchdown at 10:59. Pete Dadiotis converted the extra point kick. The Buffaloes' scoring play went 54 yards in seven plays for a score of 0-10.

Colorado kicked off to the Army one-yard line and Greg King returned it 25 yards. On first down (A26), Hall completed a ten-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge. On first down (A36), a pitch to Jon Dwyer gained no yards. King went up the middle for four yards. Hall's pass to Dunaway was defended and incomplete. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 23 yards and the Buffaloes caught a fair catch at 8:51.

On first down (C37), the Buffaloes ran up the middle for three yards (Fuller). A pitch around the right side went ten yards (Charest). On first down (50), the Buffaloes completed a 13-yard pass (Hilliard). On first down (A37), the Buffaloes went around the left end for four yards (Lowrey). Colorado completed a nine-yard pass to the right (Smith).

On first down (A24), the Buffaloes ran straight ahead for five yards (Thomas). Colorado rushed straight ahead, but the Buffaloes were called for motion in the backfield and penalized five yards. On second down and 11 (A25), Colorado's pass attempt was incomplete. Colorado threw another pass but it was dropped and incomplete. On fourth down and 11 (A25), a 42-yard field goal attempt by Pete Dadiotis was wide to the left at 6:03.

On first down (A20), King rushed up the middle for nine yards. Hall went up the middle on a quarterback keeper for four yards. On first down (A33), King went wide to the right for three yards. A pitch to Dwyer around the right end gained two yards. Hall completed an 11-yard pass on the left side to King. On first down (A49), King ran up the middle for no gain. Hall completed a pass to McGlasker to the right, and the Buffaloes were called for pass interference.

On first down (C45), Hall completed an 8-yard pass to Brundidge. Hall completed a six-yard pass to Brundidge. On first down (C32), Hall rolled right and was sacked, losing five yards. Hall was sacked again for a loss of eleven yards. Hall completed an 18-yard pass to Whyte. On fourth down and eight (C30), Hall's pass was intercepted and returned four yards at 1:08 (Brundidge, Hollingsworth).

On first down (C25), the Buffaloes went up the middle for five yards (Mayes). Colorado completed a 12-yard pass and the receiver went out of bounds. On first down (C42), the Buffaloes completed a ten-yard pass and went out of bounds. On first down (A48), the Buffaloes completed a three-yard pass and went out of bounds. On second down and seven (A45), Colorado's pass was intercepted by Bruce Elliott, who returned it 26 yards at 0:21.

On first down (A48), Hall's pass attempt to Brundidge was incomplete. Another pass attempt to Brundidge was incomplete. Hall completed a 1-yard pass to King in the left flat as time ran out in the first half. At the end of the second quarter, the score was Colorado 10, Army 0.

Third Quarter

It rained during the second half. The Buffaloes will defend the south goal. Colorado kicked off to the Army six-yard line and Greg King returned the football 22 yards. On first down (A28), King went up the middle for two yards. Leamon Hall's pass attempt to Clennie Brundidge was incomplete. A pass attempt to Mike Fahnestock was incomplete. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 36 yards before it rolled dead at 14:07.

On first down (C34), the Buffaloes ran four yards off right tackle (Thomas). Colorado circled to the left for two yards (Macklin). Colorado went straight ahead for four yards (Schott). On first down (C44), a pitch play around the left went three yards before going out of bounds (Hilliard). Colorado ran to the wide left and lost two yards (Elliott). Colorado completed a nine-yard pass up the middle (Elliott).

On first down (A46), a pass attempt was incomplete and the Buffaloes were penalized 15 yards for a personal foul. On first down and 25 (C41), the quarterback pitched to Howard Ballage, who then rushed 59-yards for a touchdown at 11:23. Pete Dadiotis converted the extra point. Colorado's possession was for 66 yards in six plays for a 0-17 score.

Colorado kicked off to the Army five-yard line and King returned it 19 yards. On first down (A24), Hall was sacked for a loss of eight yards. King went up the middle on a draw play that gained two yards. King ran around the right end for eight yards. On fourth down, Whyte punted 35 yards and Colorado returned it for six yards at 9:50 (Smith).

On first down (C45), the Buffaloes ran wide right for a yard (Berry). Colorado completed an 11-yard pass up the middle (Hilliard). On first down (A43), a pitch play went wide to the left gained two yards (Thomas). Colorado rushed off right tackle for three yards (Thomas, Charest). A Buffaloes' pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down, Colorado punted 38 yards at 7:32. Colorado was called for interference on the play.

On first down (A19), Hall ran around the right end for eight yards. On the next play, Hall's pitch to King was fumbled and recovered by the Buffaloes at 6:39.

On first down (A32), the Buffaloes rushed on the play and fumbled the football (Schott). Chuck Schott recovered the fumble at 6:35.

On first down (A33), King rushed up the middle for 14 yards. On first down (A47), Dwyer went around the left end for four yards. Hall's pass attempt to Dunaway was incomplete. Hall completed a 14-yard pass up the middle to McGlasker. On first down (C35), Dwyer went up the middle for two yards. Hall completed a six-yard pass to the right flat to Brundidge. Hall ran up the middle on a quarterback keeper for two yards. On first down (C25), a pitch play to Dwyer went wide to the left for a two yard gain. Hall completed a pass to the right flat for no gain to Dwyer. Hall completed a 17-yard pass to Brundidge to the right side.

"I really didn't think I was going to catch it," said Brundidge, "I kind of feel one of my weak points is catching the ball high and I have been working at that, even before today's game. On the play, it seemed that I was wide open and I wanted the pass low. But the ball seemed to get away from Leamon (Hall) a little bit and I said to myself, 'oh, no'." "Leamon might have been trying to throw the ball away," quipped Homer Smith, "and Clennie still caught it."

On first down (C06), Landry went up the middle for a yard. A pitch to Dwyer to the wide left lost a yard. A pass attempt to Dwyer was incomplete. On fourth down and goal (C06), Hall's pass attempt was intercepted on the three-yard line by defensive back Mark Haynes, who returned it 97-yards for a touchdown at 2:31. Pete Dadiotis converted the extra point. Colorado's expanded its lead to 0-24.

"If we had scored instead of them scoring, it would have been different," said Smith, "We wanted to be 17-8 and take it from there. But we never got the touchdown."

Colorado kicked off to the Army 28-yard line and Mark Logue returned it for seven yards. On first down (A35), Greg King rushed up the middle for 36 yards. On first down (C29), Jon Dwyer ran off the right tackle for two yards. Leamon Hall's pass attempt to Greg McGlasker was incomplete. Hall was sacked for a loss of 13 yards. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 40 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 0:42.

On first down (C20), the Buffaloes ran straight ahead for five yards (Mayes, Hilliard). Colorado went around the right end for nine yards out of bounds (Charest). On first down (C34), the Buffaloes rushed off left tackle for 13 yards as time ran out (Macklin). At the end of the third quarter, the score was Colorado 24, Army 0.

Fourth Quarter

On first down (C47), Colorado's quarterback was sacked for a loss of 12 yards (D'Amico, Berry). Colorado ran up the middle for 11 yards (Charest). The Buffaloes quarterback rushed up the middle for nine yards (Hilliard, Schott). On fourth down and two (A45), the Buffaloes punted twenty yards and there was no return at 13:23.

On first down (A25), Jon Dwyer went up the middle for six yards. Leamon Hall ran around the right end for five yards. On first down (A36), Hall completed a 24-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge. On first down (C40), Hall completed another 24-yard pass to Brundidge up the middle.

On first down (C16), a pass attempt intended for Greg McGlasker was incomplete. Greg King carried to the right for two yards, but Army was called for illegal procedure and the Buffaloes declined the penalty. On third down and eight (C14), a pass attempt to Brundidge was knocked down and incomplete. Hall's pass attempt to Mike Fahnestock into the end zone was intercepted by Colorado for a touchback at 11:16.

Colorado sent reserve quarterback Pete Cyphers into the game. On first down (C20), the Buffaloes went up the middle for three yards (Mayes). The Colorado quarterback rushed to the right side for 27 yards (Hilliard). On first down (C48), the quarterback ran six yards (LeGasse, Hilliard). Colorado went up the middle for seven yards (D'Amico). On first down (A39), a pitch around the left end gained two yards (Hilliard, LeGasse). A quarterback keeper around the right side gained 19 yards (LeGasse).

On first down (A18), the Buffaloes ran off the right tackle for three yards (Mayes, Thomas). Colorado rushed off the right guard for three yards (Mayes). Colorado went up the middle for seven yards (Fuller, Hilliard). On first down (A05), the Buffaloes ran up the middle for four yards (Schott). On second down and one (A01), fullback Mike Holmes plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 5:55. Pete Dadiotis converted the extra point. Colorado's scoring drive was for 80 yards in 11 plays to up the score to 0-31.

Colorado kickoff to the Army 23-yard line and Mark Logue returned it eight yards. On first down (A31), Hall gained one yard on a keeper. Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Brundidge. On first down (A47), Hall's pass attempt intended for Keith Wilson was intercepted and returned 32 yards at 4:39.

On first down (A23), Colorado was called for holding on a run play. On first down and ten (A38), a pitch play to the left side gained six yards (Macklin). Colorado went wide right for twelve yards (Charest, Macklin). On first down (A20), the Buffaloes went up the middle for nine yards (Groller). A pitch play lost two yards (D'Amico). Colorado ran up the middle, fumbled the ball, and recovered it for a gain of a yard (D'Amico, Hayden). On a pitch play, the runner fumbled the football and it was recovered by Joe LeGasse at 1:54.

Earle Mulrane came in at quarterback for Army. On first down (A15), King gained three yards on a draw play. Mulrane's pass attempt to Dwyer was incomplete. Another pass attempt was tipped and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 56 yards and the Buffaloes returned it four yards at 0:58 (Avey).

On first down (C30), the Buffaloes went off left guard for six yards (Mayes, Thomas). Colorado ran up the middle for six yards (Mayes, Hilliard). On first down (C42), Colorado went off left tackle for no gain (D'Amico) as the clock ran out. At the end of the game at 4:10 pm, the final score was Colorado 31, Army 0.

Post-Game

"That is the best team I have ever watched since I have been standing on the sidelines," said Smith following the game, "Colorado is a beautiful team with exceptional athletes and they beat us. Each time we got close and then didn't score, they came right back and put more points on the board."

"I want to salute Colorado," said Smith, "I don't want to take anything away from our team because they played into that size and speed and did well. I just want to salute Colorado for winning. Time will tell just how good they are. They have an exceptional defensive record and when we got close it was just harder to hold them out. Colorado plays defense very confidently, but they did nothing new."

"These were the biggest people I had ever seen. Goliath won this one," said Bill Duelge. "Big time good team," recalled Mike Fahnestock, "I think they came in ranked #8 in the country and they played every bit of it. I think they were probably the most challenging opponent we played." "Mayberry the tailback for Colorado was a monster, BUT so was our Clennie Brundidge," said Joe LeGasse. "The rainstorm at Michie killed our passing game," recalled Chuck Schott. Mike Castelli was blunt, "Weather sucked, again." "They were huge! Heavy downpour," said Gene McIntyre.

Army had 19 first downs compared to 26 for Colorado. The Buffaloes outrushed the Cadets, 382-121. Army's running backs gained 182 yards, but the net included 61 yards in losses, mostly on six sacks. Army completed 15 of 32 passes for 165 yards and four interceptions. Colorado made 10 of 19 passes for 114 yards with one interception. The Buffaloes lost two fumbles while the Cadets lost one. Army was penalized for five yards and Colorado was assessed seven penalties for 64.

Brundidge caught eight passes for 110 yards, McGlasker had two for 25, King two for 12 yards, Dwyer had two for no gain, and Whyte one reception for 18 yards. King rushed for 119 yards on 18 carries. Dwyer had 28 yards and Landry gained one, while Whyte lost eight and Hall lost 19 yards. Hall completed 15 of 30 passes for 165 yards, while Earle Mulrane attempted two passes with no completions. Whyte punted six times for a 37.7 yard average. King had two kickoff returns for 66 yards, Mark Logue had two for 15, and Whyte returned one for 11 yards.

"I think Greg King gives us a runner who can move with any of them," Coach Smith remarked, "I just like to watch him run because he likes to carry the ball north and south, instead of east and west. And Clennie Brundidge just made some super catches. He had a man mirror him a good part of the time and he still made those catches."

Clennie Brundidge appeared to be hooked up in a duel with Colorado defensive back Mike Davis most of the afternoon. Davis appeared to try to intimidate Brundidge by constantly talking to the Army end. "I really don't know what he said to me," Brundidge remarked after the game, "But I tried to show him I wasn't going to be his bait during the game. There were a couple of times when it was just he and I when I caught the ball and I gave him a good part of my shoulder. I know he didn't like that too much. I know Colorado likes to gang tackle. They really like to lower the boom near the sidelines and on the films we watched, it appeared Stanford was intimidated by it. But I wasn't going to let that happen."

Bruce Elliott intercepted a pass and returned it 22 yards. Joe LeGasse and Chuck Schott recovered one fumble each. Players with five or more total tackles credited to them were – Hilliard (19), Mayes (12), Schott (12), D'Amico (11), Thomas (11), Fuller (9), Berry (7), Elliott (5), and Charest (5).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Berry and Hayden; tackles Traylor, Groller, Duelge, and Swanson; Turrell at middle guard; linebackers Berry and Miller; secondary Webb and Smith; and Whyte at punting.

Substitutes on offense were – ends JT Thomas, Logue, and Whyte; tackles McIntyre and Decker; guards McIntyre and Hodge; Hodge also at center; flankers Hallingstad, McGlasker, Lytwynec, and Fahnestock; halfbacks Landry, Pritchard, and Steenborg; Mulrane and Avey at quarterback; Hargis for kickoffs; and Avey, Foster, and Klopfenstine on special teams.

Halfback Jim Merriken sustained a slight shoulder separation during practice sessions and sat out the Colorado game. Flanker Bill Skoda suffered a shoulder separation during practice on Thursday and also sat out. Offensive guard Curt Downs suffered a fracture during the Colorado game and had corrective surgery on Monday morning and would miss the next four games.

A total of 51 Cadets played against Colorado and about 66 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Adams, Boucher, Castelli, Cerv, Clemons, Conz, Johnson, Kisiel, Kullander, Liebetreu, Mankosa, Maples, Perkins, and Vorenkamp. Also dressing was Jeff Cook.

Recognitions

Clennie Brundidge ranked #2 in receptions nationally. Brundidge was named to the weekly ECAC all-Star squad. Leamon Hall ranked #8 in passing and #10 in total offense.

Army Opponents

#14 Notre Dame (3-1) beat Michigan State, 16-6. #13 Pittsburgh (3-1) routed Boston College (1-3), 45-7, on the road. Massachusetts (3-1) whooped Youngstown State, 54-13. Villanova (1-3) lost at William & Mary, 8-28. Lafayette (1-3) won at Kings Point, 33-6. Air Force (1-2-1) lost at Georgia Tech, 3-30. VMI (1-2) and Holy Cross (0-3) were idle.

Duke scored three touchdowns on a punt return, a blocked punt, and an interception return on Saturday to beat Navy (2-2), 28-16 on Saturday. The Midshipmen were beset by critical penalties and fumbles that dwarfed their comeback efforts in the fourth quarter.

#1 Oklahoma handily beat Kansas, 24-9. #2 Southern California was idle. #3 Michigan routed #5 Texas A&M, 41-3. #4 Penn State was upset 20-24 at Kentucky. #6 Ohio State shut down Southern Methodist on the road, 35-7. #8 Texas stomped the visiting Rice Owls, 72-15.

The AP Top Five were Southern California, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas. The UPI Top Five were Southern California, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #6/#5 Colorado, #11/#13 Notre Dame, and #15/#14 Pittsburgh.

Post-Script

The Cadets moved deep into Colorado's territory four times in the game and came up empty on the scoreboard. Army would face another option team next week when they host Villanova.

The Blood Brothers were tested against one of America's best option teams at the time. Operation Black September had suffered a small setback, but the play on both sides of the ball showed that most had played to the best of their ability.

Chapter 13  
Villanova – October 8, 1977

Pre-Game

Army would next face Villanova University (1-3) at Michie Stadium on Saturday, October 8th. The Wildcats were led by third-year Coach Dick Bedesem (10-11-1). They returned 33 lettermen and 15 starters from a team that went 6-4-1 in the 1976 season. The Wildcats ran the Wishbone offense, so this would be the second week in a row the Cadets would face the option. Junior John Puleo ran the offense and led the team in rushing; having gained 245 yards in 63 carries in their four games. Howie Long was a freshman defensive end and led the team in tackles.

Other key players for Villanova were running back Vince Thompson, center Chuck Lodge (a transfer from North Carolina State tipping the scales at 246 pounds), defensive back Sean Collins, and kicker Gus Fernandez. This would be the 21st meeting between the two teams, with Army holding a 17-3 series record. Villanova won the last meeting in 1975, 10-0.

Villanova began its season with a 10-13 lost to Youngstown State and then rebounded with a win against Ball State, 38-16. Villanova then lost the next two games to Dayton (17-21) and at William & Mary (8-28). In the last game, the Indians held the ball for 40 minutes in the game and put two touchdowns on the board in the final period. The Wildcats intercepted William & Mary twice and recovered a fumble, all in the first half, but failed to capitalize on these scoring opportunities. Their lone score was an 81-yard run by halfback Charlie Gross in the fourth quarter.

"Quite obviously, Dick Bedesem and his staff have done a great recruiting job working very close to home," said Homer Smith, "Since we played them last, two years ago, they have accomplished a great deal. We have watched them enjoy success against the Marylands and the Boston Colleges, and we are indeed impressed with what we see. As someone who has coached the Wishbone, I am somewhat awed with their execution. They practice the same things over and over again, and while they don't throw much, they keep the passing threat for a touchdown constantly before you."

"We're down," said Coach Dick Bedesem about last week's loss to William & Mary, "We've been kicked and battered. We were embarrassed. We have to keep the ball out of their (Cadets') hands so Hall can't pick us apart. What I am expecting from them is that they (Army) will give their coach a good effort. I'm sure if they look at what we have been doing, they feel they should win this one. We certainly look ripe." Bedesem also mentioned that fullback Vince Thompson is back from injury and should see action.

Army lost Curt Downs to a fractured hand during the Colorado game and Downs underwent corrective surgery on Monday. Bill Skoda suffered a shoulder separation at the Thursday practice prior to the Colorado game. Jim Merriken also had a slight shoulder separation during practice. All three missed the Colorado game, but Merriken was expected to return to the starting line-up. Jim Hodge or Gene McIntyre were listed as the potential starters at left guard in place of Downs. Ward Whyte was promoted to start at left end ahead of Keith Wilson.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Jim Hollingsworth and Hodge or McIntyre at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Gene McIntyre actually started at guard, while Greg McGlasker started at flanker. King and Jon Dwyer started at halfback.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Stan Ford and Chuck Schott, tackles Chuck D'Amico and either Duane Fuller or Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Doug Lowrey, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary. Lowrey had moved past Joe LeGasse in starting at the right cornerback position. Fuller and D'Amico actually started at guard.

It rained Saturday and Sunday, and also on Thursday at West Point during the week. Low temperatures started to dip into the upper 30s on Friday and Saturday. There was no Vegas line for the game.

The junior varsity hosted the USMA Prep School and played them on Friday afternoon at Michie Stadium. Halfback Ken Topping plunged three yards over the goal line with just 1:38 gone in the second period to put the Cadets in front. Linebacker Doug Busch picked off a Prepster pass and returned it 57 yards to the Prep three-yard line to set up the touchdown. Corky Messner kicked the extra point to make it 7-0.

Defensive back Drew Harrington blocked a Prep School punt and teammate Mike Beans picked up the loose ball and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown with 6:03 gone in the third period, with Messner making the extra point. The junior varsity offensive squad sputtered much of the game, losing a fumble into the end zone and two fumbles inside the Prep 25-yard line, plus a pass intercepted in the end zone, scoreless in four opportunities. The 14-0 victory upped the junior varsity Cadets record to 2-1-1 after beating Columbia last Friday.

The Lightweight Football team traveled to Ithaca, NY, to play Cornell on Friday evening. Jim Nagy threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lloyd Austin to open the scoring in the second quarter, with Bob Karpiak booting the extra point to make it 7-0. This capped a 48-yard march consuming eight plays. The Cadets took the second half kickoff and marched 83 yards in 15 plays before halfback Doug Boone bolted three yards to pay dirt to make it 14-0 after Karpiak's point after touchdown.

The Big Red scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass to close to 14-6 later in the third period. In the final period, defensive back Harry Tukes picked off a Cornell pass and returned it twelve yards to the Big Red 7. Halfback Dexter Adams scored two plays later from the four, and Karpiak made it 21-6. Another drive ended with a 23-yard field goal by Karpiak. Cornell finished with a 24-yard touchdown pass and a two point conversion to close the game at 24-14. Jim Nagy quarterbacked the Cadets to their eighth straight win, 24-14.

Villanova left Philadelphia on Friday morning and arrived around noon. They planned to practice at Michie Stadium around 1:30 pm. They stayed overnight in the Holiday Inn in Newburgh. Harold F. Igoe of Valley Stream, NY, was welcomed before the game by Army Athletic Director Raymond P. Murphy for attending his 100th consecutive Army Football game.

The Army team ran onto the field with each Blood Brother having a band aid on their right thumb. Thumbs were touched on the sidelines, and anyone noticing it would not know why. The Equipment Manager secured the bag containing the Blood Ball, with Dickie Hall probably wondering what was so special about one football.

The Army Co-Captains touched thumbs before they marched to the Cadet logo for the coin toss. Army won the toss and elected to receive. Villanova elected to defend the south goal. It was the third time an opponent had lost the toss that they called, and maybe Hall and D'Amico smiled a little.

Kickoff was at 1:32 pm in front of 32,046 fans. It was overcast and cold, with the temperature at 53 degrees, winds from the southeast at 15-20 mph, with an 80% chance of rain. Villanova's scorekeeper said it was 45 to 50 degrees and wet.

First Quarter

Villanova kicked off into the end zone and Greg King downed it for a touchback. On first down (A20), Leamon Hall pitched to Jon Dwyer going wide right who gained a yard. Another pitch to Dwyer lost four yards. Dwyer rushed off left tackle for four yards. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 28 yards out of bounds at 13:10.

On first down (A49), the Wildcats went up the middle (Schott, D'Amico), but Villanova was called for illegal procedure. On first down and 15 (V46), the Wildcats ran off the right guard for five yards (Thomas). Villanova's quarterback ran around the left end for twelve yards (Charest). On first down (A37), the fullback went straight ahead for three yards (Mayes). The Wildcats fumbled the next snap and Doug Lowrey recovered the football at 11:37.

On first down (A36), Hall's pass attempt was deflected by one defender and intercepted by the Wildcats with no return at 11:33.

On first down (A38), Villanova's quarterback went around the left end for 14 yards (Macklin). On first down (A24), the fullback ran off the right guard gaining six yards (Hilliard). The fullback plunged off right guard for no gain (Turrell). The quarterback went around the left end for ten yards (Macklin).

On first down (A08), the fullback ran off the right guard for no gain (Traylor). The Wildcats quarterback ran right for seven yards (Traylor, Hilliard). On third down and goal (A01), John Puelo went left for a touchdown at 8:38. Gus Fernandez converted the extra point. Villanova's scoring drive was for 38 yards in seven plays to open the scoring at 0-7.

Villanova kicked off into the end zone where it was downed for a touchback. On first down (A20), Dwyer ran off the left tackle for three yards. Hall's pass attempt to George Dunaway was incomplete as the Wildcats were called for pass interference and penalized 42 yards.

On first down (V35), King ran off the right guard for no gain. King rushed up the middle, but Army was penalized five yards for delay of game. On second down and 15 (V40), King ran up the middle for two yards. Hall's pass attempt to Jim Merriken was broken up and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 38 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 6:31.

On first down (V20), the Villanova fullback ran up the middle for three yards (D'Amico). Villanova went around the right end for four yards (Traylor). The quarterback ran around the left side for 28 yards and apparently fumbled (Schott). The officials determined that there was no fumble on the play. On first down (A45), the Wildcats passed for a 13-yard reception to the right side (Charest). On first down (A32), the fullback rushed up the middle for seven yards (Hilliard, Lowrey). Villanova passed for 18 yards to the right (Elliott).

On first down (A07), the fullback ran off the right guard for three yards (Ford, Hilliard). Villanova went off the left guard for two yards (Mayes). On third down and goal (A02), fullback Vince Thompson went up the middle and scored on a two-yard plunge at 2:39. Gus Hernandez converted the point after touchdown kick. Villanova went 80 yards in nine plays to increase the lead to 0-14.

Villanova kicked off to the Army seven-yard line and Dave Pritchard returned the ball 13 yards. On first down (A20), Jon Dwyer ran up the middle for three yards. Leamon Hall completed a 16-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge to the right side. On first down (A39), Dwyer rushed up the middle gaining nine yards. Hall rushed four yards on a keeper.

On first down (V47), Dwyer ran off the left tackle for four yards. Hall's pass attempt to Mike Fahnestock was incomplete due to the defensive pass interference. Villanova was penalized 36 yards. On first down (V07), Merriken fumbled the ball on a run and the Wildcats recovered it at 0:18.

On first down (V07), the Wildcats quarterback went around the right for a yard (Fuller, Berry). The clock ran out before the next play could be called. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Villanova 14, Army 0.

Second Quarter

On second down and nine (V08), the Wildcats fullback went off left tackle for a yard (Hilliard, Turrell). Villanova ran straight ahead for nine yards (Fuller, Traylor). On first down (V19), a pitch play around the left end gained twelve yards (D'Amico). On first down (V31), Villanova rushed off the right guard for four yards (Traylor). A pitch play around the left end gained a yard (Lowrey). The Wildcats quarterback went around left end for a yard (Thomas). On fourth down, Villanova punted 34 yards and Jim Merriken fair caught the football at 12:25.

On first down (A29), Jon Dwyer went up the middle for three yards. Leamon Hall completed a 20-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge to the right side. On first down (V48), Hall completed a 36-yard pass to George Dunaway along the left sideline. On first down (V12), Greg King ran off right guard for four yards. A pass attempt to Dwyer was incomplete. On third down and six (V08), King rushed up the middle for seven yards, fumbled the football, and the Wildcats recovered the football at 10:30.

On first down (V01), the Wildcats ran off right tackle for five yards (Ford, Mayes). The fullback went up the middle for two yards (Mayes). The fullback ran off the right tackle for five yards (Hilliard, Fuller). On first down (V13), the fullback rushed off the left tackle for two yards (Turrell, Miller). The quarterback went around the left side gaining five yards (Miller). The Villanova quarterback ran around the right end for six yards (Hilliard).

On first down (V26), the Wildcats rushed off the left guard for four yards (Mayes). Army was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul. On first down (V45), the fullback gained two yards off the left guard (D'Amico). A pass attempt was defended by Doug Lowrey and incomplete. Another pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down, the Wildcats punted 35 yards to Jim Merriken who had no return at 6:44.

On first down (A18), Jon Dwyer ran up the middle for no gain. On a draw play, Dwyer lost three yards. Hall completed a four-yard pass to Merriken. On fourth down and nine (A19), Ward Whyte punted 64 yards to the Wildcats with no return (Hayden), but Villanova was penalized for holding before the punt was kicked.

On first down (A33), Greg King ran up the middle for a loss of a yard. Hall's pass attempt to Clennie Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. Another pass to Brundidge was defended and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 38 yards that rolled and was downed at 4:08 (Groller). Villanova was called for holding after the punt. No penalty yards were assessed.

On first down (V30), the Wildcats quarterback ran around the right for a loss of two yards (Hilliard). On the next play, Villanova was called for delay of game. On second down and 17 (V23), the Wildcats ran off left guard for a yard (D'Amico). Villanova rushed off the right guard for three yards (Mayes). On fourth down, the Wildcats punted 33 yards where it rolled dead at 2:02.

On first down (A40), King ran off the right tackle for three yards. Hall completed an 11-yard pass to Keith Wilson to the left side, and the Wildcats were called for a personal foul. On first down (V31), a pass attempt to Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. Hall completed a twelve-yard pass up the middle to Ward Whyte.

On first down (V19), Hall ran around the left side for no gain. Hall rushed around the right end for four yards. A pass attempt to Dwyer was incomplete. On fourth down and six (V15), Leamon Hall completed a six yard pass to Wilson, who fumbled after the catch. Greg King recovered the football for Army.

On first down (V09), Hall pitched to Dwyer who ran around the left end for four yards. On second down and goal (V05), Leamon Hall ran a quarterback keeper around the right side for a touchdown with 0:00 on the clock. Mike Castelli converted the extra point kick. The Army scoring drive was for 60 yards in ten plays. At the end of the first half, the score was Villanova 14, Army 7.

Third Quarter

Villanova will receive and Army will defend the south goal. Mike Hargis kicked off into the end zone and the Wildcats returned it 18 yards (Webb). On first down (V18), the fullback ran off the left guard for three yards (Turrell). The fullback gained nine yards off the right tackle (Elliott).

On first down (V30), the quarterback ran around the left side for six yards (Mayes, Elliott). The quarterback ran around the left side (D'Amico, Thomas). On the play, Villanova was called for holding on the play and penalized twelve yards. On second down and 16 (V24), the quarterback rushed around the right side for a yard (Ford, Fuller). The fullback rushed off left guard for three yards (Mayes). On fourth down, the Wildcats punted 28 yards where the ball rolled dead at 12:10.

On first down (A44), Leamon Hall completed a seven-yard pass to Greg King. King ran off the right tackle for nine yards. On first down (V40), Hall completed a nine-yard pass to Mike Fahnestock on the left side. On the next play, the Wildcats were penalized five yards for illegal procedure.

On first down (V25), King went off the right guard for four yards. King rushed up the middle for three yards. On third down and three (V18), Leamon Hall completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Greg McGlasker at 9:46. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown kick. The Army drive went 56 yards in six plays to tie the score, 14-14.

Mike Hargis kicked into the end zone and the Wildcats returned it 18 yards (Avey). On first down (V18), the Villanova quarterback went around the right end for 25 yards (Mayes). On first down (V43), the fullback ran up the middle for four yards (Fuller). The fullback went off left tackle for four yards (D'Amico). The fullback gained a yard off the right tackle (Hilliard, Fuller). On fourth down and one (A48), the Wildcats fullback rushed off right tackle for four yards (Hilliard).

On first down (A44), the fullback gained another four yards off the right tackle (Hilliard, Charest). The fullback ran off left tackle for three yards (Mayes). The Wildcats quarterback went around the left end for five yards (Macklin). On first down (A32), the fullback ran off left tackle for two yards (D'Amico). The Wildcats fullback gained a yard up the middle (Mayes, Traylor). A rush lost two yards (Berry, Traylor). On fourth down and nine (A31), a 48-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left at 4:10.

On first down (A20), Dwyer gained four yards off the left guard. Hall completed an eight-yard pass to Fahnestock to the right side. On first down (A32), King rushed off the right guard, but Army was penalized for backfield in motion. On first down and 15 (A27), King ran off right guard for nine yards. Hall ran up the middle for eight yards.

On first down (A44), King went off right tackle for six yards. A pass attempt for McGlasker was defended and incomplete. On a pitch play, King went wide around the right for ten yards. On first down (V40), King ran around the right end for seven yards. Hall rushed up the middle for five yards.

On first down (V28), Army was penalized five yards for delay of game. On first down and 15 (V33), Hall completed a 13-yard pass to Brundidge up the middle. King ran off the right tackle for four yards. On first down (V16), Hall completed an eleven-yard pass to Keith Wilson to the left side. The clock ran out before the next play. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Army 14, Villanova 14.

Fourth Quarter

On first down (V05), Leamon Hall completed a five-yard touchdown pass to the right side caught by Clennie Brundidge at 14:57. The extra point kick by Mike Castelli was good. The Cadet drive was 80 yards long in 13 plays, with Army taking the lead, 21-14.

Hargis kicked off to the Villanova one yard line and the Wildcats returned it 24 yards out of bounds. On first down (V25), the fullback ran off the right guard for twelve yards (Elliott). On first down (V37), the Wildcats fullback rushed up the middle for three yards (Mayes, Traylor). Villanova completed a pass for 13 yards (Elliott). On first down (A47), the fullback went off the right tackle for six yards (Elliott). A pass attempt was incomplete. The quarterback ran around the left side for five yards (Schott).

On first down (A36), the quarterback ran around the right end for five yards (Elliott, Mayes). Villanova ran up the middle for six yards (Thomas). On first down (A25), a pitch play went wide to the right for two yards (Charest). Villanova ran off the right guard for seven yards (Mayes). The fullback went off the right guard for two yards (Mayes, Thomas). On first down (A14), the Wildcats fullback ran two yards off the left guard (D'Amico, Mayes).

The quarterback went left for a yard (Thomas, Schott). Villanova completed a ten-yard pass to the right side (Charest). On first down (A01), fullback Vince Thompson plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 9:47. Gus Hernandez added the extra point to tie the game at 21-21. The scoring drive was 15 plays for 75 yards.

Villanova kicked through the end zone for a touchback. On first down (A20), Greg King ran off the right guard for five yards. King rushed around the right end for a yard. Hall was sacked for a loss of twelve yards. Army was called for clipping on the play, but Villanova declined the penalty. On fourth down, Charlie Adams punted 26 yards where the Wildcats fair caught it at 8:32.

On first down (A40), the Wildcats fullback went off right guard for two yards (Fuller). Villanova ran off right tackle for five yards (Mayes). Villanova rushed for three yards off the right tackle (Fuller). On first down (A30), a pitch play went left for no gain (Lowrey). Villanova completed a 16-yard pass up the middle (Elliott).

On first down (A14), the fullback went up the middle for four yards (D'Amico). The quarterback went left and lost a yard (Schott). The quarterback went right and gained a yard (Smith). Wildcat quarterback John Puleo was injured on the play and had gained 130 yards rushing in the game. On fourth down and six (A10), Gus Hernandez converted a 27-yard field goal at 4:29. The Villanova scoring drive was for 30 yards in nine plays to take the lead, 21-24.

Villanova kicked off to the Army four-yard line and Greg King returned it 17 yards. On first down (A21), Leamon Hall completed a 16-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge. On the play, Villanova was called for pass interference, and Army declined the penalty. On first down (A37), Brundidge caught a ten yard pass on the right side.

On first down (A47), Jon Dwyer ran off the left guard for three yards. Hall completed a 19-yard pass up the middle to Brundidge. On first down (V31), Hall's pass attempt to George Dunaway was broken up and incomplete. Hall ran around the right end for six yards. On a pitch play, Greg King went wide right for 14 yards.

On first down (V11), King rushed wide right gaining four yards. Hall ran around the right end for five yards. On third down and one (V02), Leamon Hall plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 1:47. Mike Castelli kicked the extra point. Army's scoring drive was for 79 yards in ten plays to take the lead, 28-24.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Villanova 22-yard line and the Wildcats returned it for 13 yards (Groller). Villanova inserted a new quarterback, freshman Pat O'Brien, in for the injured John Puleo. On first down (V35), a pass attempt was knocked down by Steve Smith. O'Brien was sacked behind the line with a loss of eleven yards (Fuller). A draw play gained two yards. On fourth down and 19 (V26), a pass attempt was knocked down by Smith. Villanova lost the ball on downs at 1:07.

On first down (V26), Jon Dwyer ran off the right tackle for a 26-yard touchdown at 1:00. The extra point kick by Castelli was wide. The winning scoring drive for the Cadets lasted one play and 26 yards, making the score 34-24. Mike Hargis kicked off to the Villanova six-yard line and the Wildcats returned it 13 yards (Groller).

On first down (V19), the Wildcats completed an 18-yard pass to the right side (Hilliard, Charest). On first down (V39), the pass attempt was incomplete. Another pass attempt was incomplete. O'Brien completed an eleven-yard pass to the right flat (Hilliard). On first down (V48), a four-yard pass was caught and the receiver stepped out of bounds. Another pass attempt was incomplete. A 31-pass to the right was caught (Elliott).

On first down (A19), O'Brien completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to McCauley with no time left on the clock. Villanova went for a two point conversion pass attempt, Pat O'Brien to Bernie Hober, which was successful. The Villanova drive was 81 yards in eight plays. The game ended at 4:15 pm and the final score of the game was Army 34, Villanova 32.

Post-Game

"In the second half, our football team had to go out and do what was required," said Coach Smith, "And they did just that in order to win. There wasn't a darn thing easy about it either. I thought the key to our success was the Hall to Brundidge combination. They made some great plays out there. It was not simple either, because Clennie had to slip here and make a move there to get free, and Leamon had to stay alive behind the line and find him open. We had to have those big plays because we weren't going to be able to pick away and get the job done."

Smith continued, "When we were down 24-21 in the fourth quarter and had to move the ball, avoid mistakes and score, we did just that. Nothing could go wrong on that drive or we would have been in trouble. I salute our offensive team for that because they did everything right when they had to, and that was the emotional highlight of the game for me."

"The Villanova Wishbone is well done. They practice it week after week and run the same plays time and time again, and they are good at it. They are heavy and smart, and made it very difficult for us to get the game won," Smith complemented the Wildcats, "The difficulty we had with Villanova can start right with Vince Thompson [120 yards on 32 carries], their all-American candidate at fullback. He had been hobbled by an ankle injury. Our problems on defense started right there because he made Villanova go. Our linebackers couldn't help on the outside because of Thompson's inside running. He is a great team player and an excellent athlete."

"We thought we had it all going for us," said a tearful Villanova Coach Dick Bedesem, "But we just couldn't contain him (Hall). This just makes it tougher. We wanted this one real bad. It was fun coaching out there today. I couldn't ask for any more."

Army was edged in first downs by Villanova 26-27. Villanova also dominated rushing yards, 176-298. Army dominated passing, 221-151. The Wildcats completed 10 for 18 passes with no interceptions and one lost fumble. Army had three turnovers, two interceptions and one lost fumble. Villanova also led in penalty yards, 30-149.

"There have been many times in my coaching career when I have looked at a play-by-play sheet and saw my team get more first downs, more yardage, and more plays, and lose," said Homer Smith after the game, "Well, today Villanova did that. They had more plays (90 to 69), more yardage (448 to 397), and more first downs (27 to 26), but we won the football game." "Villanova was always tough but we persevered," recalled Phil Macklin.

Clennie Brundidge caught seven passes for 99 yards and one touchdown. Keith Wilson had three receptions for 28 yards and Mike Fahnestock caught two passes for 17. The following caught one pass – George Dunaway (36 yards), Greg McGlasker (18 yards and one touchdown), Ward Whyte (12 yards), Greg King (7 yards), and Jim Merriken (4 yards). Leamon Hall completed 17 of 26 passes for 221 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception.

Greg King had 91 yards rushing on 18 carries, while Jon Dwyer carried 14 times for 57 yards and one touchdown and Hall had 28 net yards and two touchdowns. Jim Merriken carried once for no gain. Whyte punted three times for a 34.6 yard average, and Charlie Adams punted once for 26 yards. Merriken returned the only punt for no gain. King returned a kickoff for 17 yards and Dave Pritchard a kickoff for 13 yards.

Doug Lowrey recovered a fumble. Players with five or more total tackles were Mayes (17), Hilliard (15), Schott (12), D'Amico (12), Fuller (10), Thomas (9), Elliott (8), Traylor (8), Macklin (6), and Charest (6).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Berry and Hayden; tackles Traylor, Groller, Duelge, and Swanson; Turrell at middle guard; secondary Webb, LeGasse, and Smith; and Whyte and Adams punting.

Substitutes on offense were – ends Wilson and Logue; tackles McIntyre and Decker; Hodge at guard and at center; flankers Dunaway, Hallingstad, and Fahnestock; halfbacks Landry, Merriken, and Pritchard; Avey at quarterback; Hargis for kickoffs and Castelli for placekicking; and Miller on special teams.

A total of 47 Cadets played against Villanova and about 65 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Boucher, Cerv, Clemons, Conz, Foster, Johnson, Kisiel, Klopfenstine, Kullander, Liebetreu, Lytwynec, Mankosa, Maples, Mulrane, Perkins, JT Thomas, and Vorenkamp. Also dressing was Jeff Cook. Ward Whyte suffered a sprain of his lower left leg during the Villanova game. Curt Downs and Bill Skoda sat out this game. Jim Merriken's play was limited.

Recognitions

Senior quarterback Leamon Hall ranked 6th nationally in passing with 17 completions per game and 7th in total offense (224 yards per game). Tight end Clennie Brundidge ranked second in pass receiving with 6.0 receptions per game behind Harvard's Jim Curry at 6.3. Army was ranked 8th in passing offense with 224 yards per game. Hall was selected for the fourth time this season to the weekly ECAC all-star squad.

Game balls were awarded after the Army victory. Leamon Hall received the offensive ball, defensive back Doug Lowrey received that squad's ball, and deep-snapper Ron Decker received the kicking ball for his nine flawless attempts during the Villanova game.

Army Opponents

Massachusetts (4-1) routed Boston University, 41-16. VMI (2-2) blanked Richmond, 25-0. Boston College (2-3) edged Tulane, 30-28. On the road, Lafayette (2-3) routed Bucknell, 34-7. Holy Cross (0-4) lost to Colgate, 14-31. #14 Pittsburgh (3-1-1) was tied at Florida, 17-17. Notre Dame (3-1) was idle preparing for upcoming games with Army and Southern California.

Air Force traveled to Annapolis to play the Midshipmen on Saturday. Both teams scored a touchdown in the second quarter. It remained tied for almost the remainder of the game. With three minutes left in the game, Navy got the ball on its own 43-yard line. Tailback Joe Gattuso carried 49 yards in two carries to put the Mids inside the Falcon ten-yard line before the drive stalled. With 41 seconds, Bob Tata kicked a 25-yard field goal to lead Navy (3-2) in beating Air Force (1-3-1), 10-7.

#1 Southern California was beaten at home by #7 Alabama, 20-21, as the Tide intercepted a two point conversion pass in the final minute. In the Cotton Bowl at Dallas, #2 Oklahoma met #5 Texas, with the Longhorns winning 13-6. #3 Michigan won 24-14 at Michigan State. #4 Ohio State bombed Purdue, 46-0. #6 Colorado (5-0) beat Oklahoma State, 29-13.

The AP Top Five were Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Alabama, and Ohio State. The UPI Top Five was the same. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #3/#3 Colorado, #11/#12 Notre Dame, and #17/#12 Pittsburgh.

Post-Script

Army scored 27 points in the second half to pull out the 34-32 Blood Victory over Villanova. Quarterback Leamon Hall ran for two touchdowns and threw for two scoring passes to pull off another of his last minute aerial assaults to beat the Wildcats. Hall went to his favorite target, Clennie Brundidge to move the Cadets within range to score in the final minutes. And Hall led Army three times in comebacks, near the end of the first half, at the start of the third period, and in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

Operation Black September created a situation where the Blood Brothers never gave up, played to the best of their abilities, and were Blood Loyal and Blood Accountable to each other.

Chapter 14  
Notre Dame – October 15, 1977

Pre-Game

Army would face the #11 ranked Notre Dame (3-1) for the 43rd time at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ (the Meadowlands) on Saturday, October 15th. The Fighting Irish were led by third-year Coach Dan Devine (140-47-8). Notre Dame returned 37 lettermen and 19 starters from a team that went 9-3 during the 1976 season and beat Penn State in the Gator Bowl (20-9). Top players at the beginning the season were defensive end Ross Browner (last season's Outland Trophy winner), tight end Ken MacAfee, offensive guard Ernie Hughes, defensive back Luther Bradley, center Dave Huffman, defensive end Willie Fry, and linebacker Bob Golic.

Notre Dame began the 1977 season by beating Pittsburgh, 19-9, on the road. The next weekend at Mississippi, the Rebels upset the Irish 13-20. A third straight road game at Purdue ended in a close victory, 31-24. Notre Dame hosted Michigan State on October 1st to another victory, 16-6. The Fighting Irish had a bye last weekend, so had two weeks to prepare for Army, or more likely, get ready for its game next weekend against Southern California.

The Irish had settled on red-shirt junior Joe Montana as their starting quarterback. Montana came off the bench in the third quarter at Purdue to complete nine of 14 passes for 140 yards with a touchdown and rallied Notre Dame with 17 points in the come-from-behind victory. Montana started versus Michigan State and was scheduled to start again against the Cadets. In addition, halfback Jerome Heavens was the leading rusher at 330 yards. MacAfee was ranked 5th nationally with 22 receptions. Placekicker Dave Reeve ranked third nationally in field goals with eight in four games.

Notre Dame held a 30-8-4 series record over Army. This would be Devine's second game against the Cadets, having led Missouri to a 7-3 victory over Army in 1968. It would also be Homer Smith's second against the Irish, the first being a 48-0 loss in 1974.

"Our players have been thinking about Notre Dame for a long time," said Homer Smith, "We asked our squad to write down goals before the season began, and all mentioned Notre Dame. It's a big thing for them, an experience they will remember for a lifetime. We know we have a heavy challenge before us, but we also believe we can correct our mistakes and take the spirit we've got and get the job done. [Ross Browner is] the best defensive end I have ever seen in college football. He can control a game. His is our prime objective. If we can keep him off the quarterback, we move on them. I think that Rockne and Dorais would've been proud of the way Hall and Brundidge work on the forward pass."

"I have this little piece of paper with a cartoon on it," said Army's Chuck D'Amico, "In the cartoon, it shows a Notre Dame football player and a hand reaching down from the sky, sending the next play in. I think it's going to be a Notre Dame crowd. I mean, everybody loves Notre Dame. Everybody kind of looks up to it when they're growing up. I know I did. I used to get psyched in high school just listening to the Notre Dame jingle. When they play it Saturday, I'll still probably get psyched. It's kind of a strange feeling, almost like a dream, playing against Notre Dame."

D'Amico continued, "Everything we do, everything we work on is for Notre Dame. The practice schedules are the same, but everything is more intense. Navy might be the big game, but most of the guys would put this one right up there with it. A lot of us remember the last time they played us. It was at South Bend and Notre Dame had a close game the week before. I was only a freshman working out with the varsity. But I do remember the score was 48-0. They did stuff like keeping the first string in when the game was won."

D'Amico continued, "Some people may think I'm crazy for saying this, but I don't think there's any team we can't put it to, including Notre Dame. They're more vulnerable than people think. But they have an excellent team. They have an excellent passing game. Their line offers very good pass blocking. And they use a lot of play-action stuff. But I'm confident we can get to the quarterback."

"I think we're starting to put things together," said Dan Devine, "We've had some problems scoring – only 19.8 a game. But we're working new people into the system and it takes times. [Regarding Joe Montana] At the beginning of the year he was showing the effects of not having played last year [due to injury]. But now I think he's ready to go."

Offensive guard Curt Downs and flanker Bill Skoda would not play for the third straight week. Halfback Jim Merriken got in a few plays against Villanova after suffering a slight shoulder separation against Boston College and missing the Colorado game. Ward Whyte was slightly injured in the Villanova game. Both Merriken and Whyte would start and play, respectively, against Notre Dame.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Jim Hollingsworth and Gene McIntyre at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jon Dwyer, flanker Mike Fahnestock, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Keith Wilson would actually start instead of Whyte, Jim Merriken for Dwyer, and Greg McGlasker for Fahnestock.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Chuck Schott and Mark Berry or Stan Ford, tackles Chuck D'Amico and Duane Fuller, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Doug Lowrey, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary. Mark Berry started at left end.

It rained on Sunday 1.5 inches at West Point and it was clear during the week until Friday when almost an inch of rain fell. It also rained almost a half inch on Saturday at West Point. High temperatures were in the mid-sixties on Sunday and Monday, but started to fall each day to the mid-50's, with low temperatures in the 40's.

Bob Harmon predicted a 31-7 Irish victory. Joe Wolf said Notre Dame will thump Army. The Dunkel Index declared Army a 17 point underdog. Reno, NV's odds favored Notre Dame by 14. The Vegas odds had the Irish as 24 point favorites.

"The Monday before the Notre Dame game, primarily the starting linemen were sent notices to report to Colonel Anderson (Head of the USMA Department of Physical Education) at various appointment times throughout that day," recalled Chuck D'Amico, "I was first. Colonel Anderson weighed and calipered me, and instructed that I needed to lose ten pounds by that Friday. I was to report back to him to verify that I had complied. Then the next teammate went in."

D'Amico continued, "I went immediately to the Commandant's home and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Bard answered and said, 'Hi Chuck, is something wrong?' I asked if I could see Brigadier General Bard and that 'we had a situation.' I explained to the Commandant what had just occurred with Colonel Anderson and he instructed me to have all my teammates ignore the appointment notices and that he (Bard) would take care of it. I never heard another word from Anderson."

The junior varsity hosted Colgate on Friday afternoon. Halfback T.J. Farrell scored on a touchdown run in the first quarter, and the game was tied, 7-7, at halftime. Colgate scored four times in the second half to win the game, 7-36. The Army junior varsity season record fell to 2-2-1.

The Army Lightweight football team hosted Navy at Michie Stadium on Friday afternoon. The Cadets set up the first Navy touchdown with a bad snap on a punt. Middle guard Mike Stephenson recovered a Middie fumble in the second quarter; which led to a two-yard touchdown dive by Reggie Bassa and extra point by Bob Karpiak, to tie the game, 7-7, at halftime.

Navy scored on a 74-yard punt return and a 30-yard interception return in the second half, plus another interception set up a field goal. Dexter Adams scored on a six-yard run to make the final score, 13-23. The Cadets had six turnovers consisting of three interceptions and three lost fumbles. This snapped the Cadets' eight game winning streak since the start of the 1976 season. It was the first Navy win over Army since 1969.

The Army Football team worked out at West Point on Friday afternoon and then bused down to the Saddle Brook Marriott in northern New Jersey on Friday evening. A few more Blood Brothers were inducted into Black September that night.

Tickets for the game at Giants Stadium were priced at $14, $12, and $10 with Army season ticket holders only paying $8. The Corps of Cadets bused down to the Meadowlands mid-morning on Saturday (or those on weekend leave arrived on their own) and marched into the stadium around 12:25 pm before kickoff. "Sixty miles from West Point; [a home game] and there were not many fans rooting for Army that day," said Chuck Schott.

Also attending the game was long-time Army fan Fred "Sam" Van Tressel, a U.S. Marine veteran of World War II, who started following the Cadets when he was seven years old back in the 1930s, as his dad ran the ferry between Garrison and West Point and took him to the football games. As he grew older, he followed each Army game by radio. "It's been about ten years since I saw a game. When you got seven kids, you just can't afford expenses like that."

His 26-year son decided to get tickets for the Notre Dame game in honor of his dad's birthday, but they were sold out. He then contacted West Point officials to buy tickets. Army sports information director Bob Kinney decided to invite the pair to West Point to give them two tickets at no expense. Also present at the little ceremony was Coach Homer Smith, who stepped into the room and said "We appreciate your support and you're going to see a good game." Van Tressel replied, "In all the games I've gone to, Army has never lost." Smith gripped his hand and said, "Get this man over to that game, we need him."

The Blood Brothers ran onto the Astroturf field with band aids over the scar on their right thumb. While Chuck D'Amico found Dickie Hall to give him the bag containing the Blood Ball, the other players quietly touched each other's thumbs.

76,347 fans were at Giants Stadium, a handful short of the 76,891 tickets reported sold by Meadowlands officials. It was the first sell-out for a college football game at the stadium since it opened last year. The temperature at kickoff was 51 degrees, winds west to northwest 15-20 mph, 20% chance of rain, and described as sunny, breezy, and cold.

The Army Co-Captains touched the thumbs and then walked to the center of the field with no Cadet logo painted on the field. Perhaps one or both were thinking, "I thought this was an Army home game?" Notre Dame won the toss and elected to receive. It was the second visiting opponent to win the toss, the other being Colorado, a bad omen. The Cadets were in their black home jerseys. Army elected to defend the south goal.

First Quarter

Mike Hargis kicked off at 1:33 pm into the end zone for a touchback. On first down (N20), the Fighting Irish went up the middle for three yards (Thomas). Notre Dame ran straight ahead for a yard (D'Amico). Notre Dame completed an 18-yard pass to the left (Hilliard).

On first down (N42), the Fighting Irish went wide to the right for four yards (Berry). Notre Dame rushed straight ahead for two yards (D'Amico, Fuller). Notre Dame completed a 14-yard pass over the middle (Hilliard, Thomas). Army was called for a personal foul on the pass play and penalized 15 yards. On first down (A24), the Fighting Irish ran off the left guard for three yards (Mayes, Hilliard). On the next running play, Bruce Elliott caused a fumble that was recovered by Kirk Thomas at 11:47.

On first down (A15), Jim Merriken ran straight ahead, but the Fighting Irish were penalized five yards for illegal procedure. On first down and five (A20), Greg King went off the right guard for two yards. Jon Dwyer ran wide to the ride for a loss of two yards. Leamon Hall completed an eight-yard pass to Jim Merriken up the middle. On first down (A28), Hall rushed to the left side for two yards. King went off the right guard for no gain. Mike Fahnestock caught a 12-yard pass on the right side.

On first down (A42), Jim Merriken caught an eight-yard pass over the middle. King ran straight ahead for no gain. On the next play, the Cadets were called for delay of game. On third down and seven (A45), the Fighting Irish were penalized five yards for being offside. On third down and two (50), King went wide right for no gain. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 50 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 6:53.

On first down (N20), the Fighting Irish went off the left tackle for five yards (Fuller). Notre Dame ran around the right side for 23 yards (Thomas). On first down (N48), Steve Smith deflected a Joe Montana pass attempt and it was incomplete. Notre Dame rushed straight ahead for 13 yards (Smith), but the Fighting Irish were called for holding. On second down and 25 (N33), the Fighting Irish went wide left for a yard (Schott). Montana's pass attempt was broken up by Smith. On fourth down, the Fighting Irish punted 33 yards and the football rolled dead at 5:02.

On first down (A33), Hall completed a nine-yard pass to the left side to Jim Merriken. A pass attempt intended for Fahnestock was defended and incomplete. Another pass attempt for Clennie Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 37-yards and the Fighting Irish returner was tackled immediately for no gain (Groller) at 4:40.

On first down (N21), the Fighting Irish went wide left for five yards (Schott, Lowrey). Notre Dame ran around the right end for seven yards (Elliott). On first down (N33), the Fighting Irish ran wide right for 14 yards (Smith). On first down (N47), the Fighting Irish ran straight ahead for four yards (Mayes, Thomas). Notre Dame went around the right end for seven yards (Fuller).

On first down (A42), the Fighting Irish rushed off the left guard for three yards (Thomas, D'Amico). Notre Dame ran straight ahead for three yards (Hilliard, Miller). Montana's pass attempt was defended by Miller and incomplete. On fourth down, the Fighting Irish punted 23 yards and Dave Charest returned the punt for four yards at 1:09.

On first down (A17), Jon Dwyer ran off left tackle for four yards. Dwyer rushed off the right guard for seven yards. On first down (A28), Leamon Hall was sacked for a loss of nine yards as the clock ran out. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Army 0, Notre Dame 0.

Second Quarter

On second down and 19 (A19), Jim Merriken ran up the middle for two yards. Hall completed a ten-yard pass to Merriken over the middle. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 16 yards out of bounds at 13:53.

On first down (A47), the Fighting Irish went off right tackle for six yards (Thomas). Notre Dame ran straight ahead for four yards (D'Amico). On first down (A37), the Fighting Irish rushed around the left end for 21 yards (Smith).

On first down (A16), the Fighting Irish went off the right tackle for 13 yards (Charest). On first down (A03), Jerome Heavens ran off the right tackle for a three-yard touchdown at 12:20. Dave Reeve converted the point after touchdown. Notre Dame's drive was 47 yards in five plays to take a 0-7 lead.

"We were concerned about Notre Dame's running backs," said Homer Smith after the game, "They also have great offensive tackles. Notre Dame didn't surprise us with their power-I. We felt we would see the pitch and the sweep. Their running backs were hitting us hard, but I felt our defense hung right in there beautifully."

Notre Dame kicked off to the Army four-yard line and Greg King returned it 27 yards. On first down (A31), King rushed straight ahead and lost a yard. A Leamon Hall pass was deflected by the Fighting Irish and then caught by Jon Hallingstad for 23 yards.

On first down (N47), King went around the right end for nine yards. King ran off the right tackle for two yards. On first down (N36), King lost three yards behind the line. Hall completed a pass to Jim Merriken in the left flat for a loss of a yard. A pass attempt to Clennie Brundidge was overthrown and incomplete. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 35 yards where it was downed at 9:37.

On first down (N05), the Fighting Irish ran straight ahead for three yards (Hilliard). Notre Dame went wide right for five yards (Mayes). Notre Dame rushed around the left end for two yards (Hilliard). On first down (N15), the Fighting Irish ran straight ahead for three yards (Mayes, Hilliard). A Montana pass attempt was tipped by Chuck Schott and intercepted by Dave Charest, who returned it eleven yards at 7:28.

On first down (N21), a Leamon Hall pass attempt to Greg McGlasker was intercepted and returned five yards at 7:21.

On first down (N09), the Fighting Irish ran off the right tackle for three yards (Ford, Mayes). The Notre Dame runner slipped going wide right for a loss of two yards and was called down. Notre Dame went around the left end for a yard (Schott). On fourth down, the Fighting Irish punted 44 yards out of bounds at 5:30.

On first down (A42), Jim Merriken gained three yards around the left end. Leamon Hall completed a six-yard pass to Merriken on the right side. On the next play, the Fighting Irish were called for illegal procedure. On first down (N44), a pitch to Greg King to the left side gained nothing. Army was called for delay of game on the next play. On second down and 15 (N49), Hall completed a nine-yard pass to Merriken up the middle. Jon Dwyer caught a seven yard pass on the right side.

"Our Joe Oliver had an All-American game against first team All-American Ross Browner," recalled Joe LeGasse. "Ross Browner was complaining about being blocked below the waist," recalled Gene McIntyre, "He was afraid of being hurt."

On first down (N33), Hall ran straight ahead for four yards. Clennie Brundidge caught a ten-yard pass over the middle. On first down (N19), a pass attempt to George Dunaway was incomplete. Hall ran straight ahead for four yards. Hall was pressured on a safety blitz and his pass attempt to Merriken was incomplete.

There was much discussion about what to do on fourth down. At first, Mike Castelli was sent in to boot a field goal, but then he was called back as the coaches elected to go for the touchdown instead. On fourth down and six (N15), Leamon Hall was pressured in the backfield and his 15-yard pass was caught in the end zone by Clennie Brundidge, but it was ruled he went past the end line and incomplete (there was no officials' instant replay video review back then). Army lost the ball on downs at 1:29.

"We didn't go for the field goal when we got close because it was a 33-yard attempt into a strong wind and it wasn't a sure bet," said Smith, "We also felt we weren't going to win the game with field goals. We had to score touchdowns. We thought we could get it done then, but it didn't work out that way. It was one of those close decisions you have in a football game. Sometimes they work out and other times they don't."

On first down (N16), the Fighting Irish quarterback ran to the right sideline out of bounds for four yards. Notre Dame completed a 19-yard pass and the receiver went out of bounds. On first down (N39), the Fighting Irish completed a pass for no gain. Another pass attempt was incomplete. A pass was overthrown and incomplete. On fourth down, Notre Dame punted 46 yards. Jim Merriken fumbled the football and Jon Dwyer recovered the football for Army at 0:32.

On first down (A01), Hall ran straight ahead for two yards. King rushed off the right tackle for three yards. Merriken went wide left for six yards. On first down (A12), Hall slipped down and lost two yards. The clock ran out before the next play. At the end of the first half, the score was Notre Dame 7, Army 0.

Third Quarter

Notre Dame will receive and Army will defend the north goal. Mike Hargis kicked off to the Notre Dame 29-yard and it was returned seven yards (Lowrey). On first down (N36), the Fighting Irish ran wide to the left for seven yards (Hilliard). Notre Dame rushed off the left tackle for two yards (Schott, Lowrey). Notre Dame went off the right tackle for three yards (Hilliard).

On first down (N48), a pitch play to the wide right went seven yards (Charest, Elliott). Notre Dame went straight ahead for a yard (Mayes, Fuller). Notre Dame ran straight up the middle for no gain (Schott, Ford). On fourth down, the Fighting Irish were penalized for delay of game. On fourth down and seven (A49), the Fighting Irish punted 44 yards and Jim Merriken called a fair catch at 11:27.

On first down (A05), Merriken lost three yards going wide right. King ran wide left for four yards. King went wide right for a yard. On fourth down, Whyte punted 45 yards and the Fighting Irish returned it 15 yards at 9:38.

On first down (A35), Notre Dame went wide right for 13 yards (Mayes). On first down (A22), the Fighting Irish ran wide left for four yards (Elliott, Ford). Notre Dame went off right tackle for four yards (Thomas, Elliott). Notre Dame rushed off the right tackle for three yards (Hilliard).

On first down (A10), a pitch to the right went two yards (Berry). A run to the wide left gained nothing (Lowrey, Elliott). Joe Montana was sacked by Mark Berry for a loss of three yards (Berry). On fourth down and eleven (A12), Dave Reeve converted a 29-yard field goal at 6:47. Notre Dame's drive took 23 yards and eight plays to extend the score, 0-10.

Notre Dame kicked off into the end zone and King downed it for a touchback. On first down (A20), Hall completed an 11-yard pass to Merriken to the left flat. On first down (A31), Dwyer ran off the left tackle for two yards. Keith Wilson caught a pass on the right side for a gain of 13 yards.

On first down (A46), Hall completed a seven-yard pass to Dwyer in the right flat. A pitch play to Dwyer gained two yards. Hall went straight ahead for two yards. On first down (N43), a pass intended to Brundidge was defended and incomplete. Hall's pass attempt to Dwyer was intercepted with no return at 3:51.

On first down (N40), the Fighting Irish went off the right tackle (Hilliard). Notre Dame was called for holding on the play and penalized 15 yards. On first down and 25 (N25), Notre Dame completed a 20-yard pass to the right sideline out of bounds (Charest). Notre Dame ran off the left tackle for 13 yards (Elliott). On first down (A42), a quarterback keeper went around the right end for eight yards out of bounds (Charest). Notre Dame ran straight ahead for six yards (Mayes).

On first down (A28), a pitch play around the left end gained 15 yards (Charest, Smith). On first down (A13), the Fighting Irish ran off the right tackle for two yards (Elliott). Notre Dame completed an eight-yard pass to the left side (Hilliard). On first down (A03), the Fighting Irish plunged two yards off right tackle (Miller, Fuller). Notre Dame's Terry Eurick plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 0:42. Dave Reeve kicked the extra point. Notre Dame went 60 yards in ten plays to extend their lead, 0-17.

Notre Dame kicked off into the end zone for a touchback. On first down (A20), Leamon Hall completed an 11-yard pass to Tony Landry over the middle. On first down (A31), Hall completed a 21-yard pass over the middle to Clennie Brundidge. The clock ran out before the next play was called. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Notre Dame 17, Army 0.

Fourth Quarter

On first down (N48), Hall's pass intended for Brundidge was defended and incomplete. Brundidge caught a pass over the middle and fell down after gaining 16 yards. On first down (N32), Hall's pass was intercepted by Notre Dame and returned 11 yards at 14:29 (Hollingsworth).

On first down (N38), the Fighting Irish ran wide right out of bounds (Lowrey), but were called for holding and penalized 13 yards. On first down and 23 (N25), they rushed straight ahead for three yards (D'Amico, Mayes). A quarterback keeper went three yards (Fuller). A pass attempt was overthrown. Notre Dame punted 29 yards and it was downed at 12:54.

On first down (A40), Hall was sacked for a loss of twelve yards. A pass attempt intended for Keith Wilson was incomplete. A pass caught by Merriken to the left side was caught but then fumbled. The football was recovered by Keith Wilson for a gain of five yards. On fourth down, Whyte punted 53 yards and the returner was tackled immediately for no gain at 11:30 (Avey).

On first down (N14), a pitch play went wide left for three yards (Hilliard, Lowrey). Notre Dame ran straight ahead for nine yards (Berry, Thomas). On first down (N26), the Fighting Irish ran wide right out of bounds for two yards. A pass attempt was broken up by Phil Macklin and incomplete. Notre Dame ran straight ahead for 16 yards (Berry). On first down (N44), Notre Dame ran off the left tackle and fumbled. Joe LeGasse recovered the fumble at 9:26 ("my most memorable fumble").

"Notre Dame was Big and Fast," recalled Phil Macklin forty years later, "They had Joe Montana at Quarterback. Ross Browner at Defensive End, one of the biggest persons I have ever seen. We played them touch in the Meadowlands."

On first down (N47), Hall's pass intended for Brundidge was incomplete. A pass intended for Wilson was deflected and incomplete. Wilson caught a seven-yard pass over the middle. On fourth down, Hall's pass intended for Merriken was overthrown and incomplete. Army lost the ball on downs at 8:31.

On first down (N40), a pitch play went wide right for three yards (Charest, Miller). Notre Dame ran straight ahead for seven yards (Hilliard). On first down (50), a rush off the right guard went for six yards (Mayes, Miller). Notre Dame lost two yards on a run off left tackle (Traylor). The quarterback (Joe Montana) went around the right end out of bounds for a gain of 11 yards (Hilliard).

On first down (A35), the Fighting Irish ran off right tackle for six yards (Miller, Ford). Notre Dame rushed up the middle for three yards (Traylor, Fuller). The quarterback went straight ahead for three yards (Mayes, Turrell). On first down (A23), the Fighting Irish ran up the middle for two yards (Traylor). A pitch play went wide right for a loss of four yards after the runner slipped. Montana completed an eight-yard pass to the right (Berry, Hilliard). A Notre Dame receiver caught a six-yard pass and slipped down.

On first down (A11), the Fighting Irish ran off left guard (Traylor, D'Amico). Notre Dame was called for holding on the play. On first down and 25 (A25), a pitch play went wide right for five yards (Charest). Montana completed a 16-yard pass over the middle (Charest). Notre Dame ran off right guard for a yard (Thomas, Hayden). On fourth down and three (A03), Terry Eurick ran straight ahead for a touchdown at 1:57. Dave Reeve converted the extra point kick. Notre Dame's final scoring drive was 60 yards in 16 plays for a 0-24 lead.

Notre Dame kicked off to the Army five-yard line, and Greg King fumbled the ball, recovered it, and returned it seven yards. On first down (A12), Army was called for being offside. On first down and 15 (A07), Hall's pass attempt to King was incomplete. Merriken caught a pass in the right flat for a gain of two yards. Merriken caught an eight-yard pass on the right side. On fourth down and five (A17), Ward Whyte punted 40 yards out of bounds at 0:33.

On first down (N43), the Fighting Irish ran straight ahead for nine yards (Hilliard). Reserve quarterback Rusty Lisch completed a 13-yard pass as time ran out. The game ended at 4:10 pm. The final score was Notre Dame 24, Army 0.

"24 point underdogs, [we] played them tough with Notre Dame breaking away late in the fourth quarter to get their spread," recalled Chuck D'Amico, "Notre Dame Coach Devine was so pissed at his team, he called them off the field after the final whistle to their locker room. TOTALLY CLASSLESS."

Post-Game

"Colorado and Notre Dame are just Top Ten teams to us," said Coach Smith, "They both have great personnel, the cream of the crop. I thought we had more scoring opportunities today against Notre Dame then we did against Colorado, but we were playing in a downpour against Colorado in the second half. I still wouldn't want to make too many comparisons. Both are great football teams and it is difficult for us to play them. I'd have to say the strong Notre Dame line in the second half was the difference. That and the fact that we might have run the ball a bit more just to keep their pass rush honest. We will resume our promising rebuilding program this week, which is making progress."

On Jerome Heavens, Smith said "He runs so heavy, he breaks tackles, you think one second he's down, but the next second he's up and still driving. He's definitely the best runner I've seen all year." Heavens rushed for 200 yards on 34 carries to set a Notre Dame single game rushing record.

"Montana was taller than expected, and much more mobile than the scouting report indicated," said Bill Duelge, "McAfee, their tight end, was larger than any player that ever wore an Army uniform." "Our defense held strong for two and a half quarters, but we wore down," said Joe LeGasse, "Little did we know we were playing the best team in the country."

"I congratulate Army," declared Coach Dan Devine, "They're a good, tough, physical football team, probably one of the most physical Army teams in years, which will win more football games this season." Notre Dame had several other scoring opportunities, but saw them vanish through the combined efforts of penalties, fumbles, and Army's defensive aggressiveness.

Army had 15 first downs, 25 yards rushing, and 202 passing. The Cadets had three passes intercepted, no fumbles lost, and were penalized for 29 yards. Notre Dame had 27 first downs, 342 yards rushing, and two fumbles lost. The Irish completed nine out of 18 passes for 122 yards, with one interception and 77 yards penalized.

Jim Merriken caught 11 passes for 75 yards, Brundidge had three for 47, Wilson two for twenty yards, and Dwyer with two catches gaining 14. Three players had one reception each – Hallingstad (23 yards), Fahnestock (12), and Landry (11). Leamon Hall completed 21 out of 37 passes for 202 yards and three interceptions.

King rushed for 15 yards, while Dwyer had 13, Merriken eight, and Hall lost eleven yards. Whyte punted for a 39.4 yard average. Charest returned one punt for four yards, while Merriken had one return that lost 14 yards. King returned two kickoffs for 34 yards.

Kirk Thomas and Joe LeGasse each recovered a fumble and Dave Charest intercepted a pass and returned it eleven yards (or Phil Macklin did, according to Schott). Players with five or more total tackles were Hilliard (17), Mayes (11), Charest (10), Elliott (10), Thomas (10), Fuller (7), D'Amico (7), Miller (7), Lowrey (7), Berry (6), Schott (6), and Traylor (5).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Ford and Hayden; tackles Traylor, Groller, and Swanson; Turrell at middle guard; Miller at linebacker; Webb, LeGasse, Clemons in the secondary, and Smith; and Whyte punting.

Substitutes on offense were – ends Whyte and Logue; tackles McIntyre and Decker; Hodge and Kisiel at guard; Decker and Hodge at center; flankers Fahnestock, Hallingstad, and Dunaway; halfbacks Landry, Dwyer, and Pritchard; Avey at quarterback; and Hargis for kickoffs.

A total of 46 Cadets played against Notre Dame and about 67 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Adams, Boucher, Castelli, Cerv, Conz, Duelge, Foster, Johnson, Klopfenstine, Kullander, Liebetreu, Lytwynec, Mankosa, Maples, Mulrane, Perkins, Skoda, JT Thomas, and Vorenkamp. Also dressing was Jeff Cook and Bobby Vicci.

Both offensive tackle Joe Oliver and middle guard George Mayes suffered ankle sprains in the game against the Irish. Both were limited in practice during the next week but expected to play next weekend.

"Notre Dame is a great football team because it has great personnel," said Homer Smith, "In looking back on Saturday's game, there were things that went on that most people probably didn't see. Everyone talks about Notre Dame's great defensive end Ross Browner, and there is no question he is an excellent football player. But their middle guard, Bob Golic, one of the best college wrestlers in the country, simply drove us crazy. He bothered our inside running game all day. There were things we weren't able to do to balance our runs with our passes because of Golic. And there are others who hurt us. Defensive back Luther Bradley was better than we thought. We felt our receivers could separate from him, but Bradley stayed close to our wide receivers all day."

Recognitions

Clennie Brundidge continued to be ranked second nationally in receptions with a 5.5 average behind Western Carolina's Wayne Tolleson at 6.0. Leamon Hall was ranked seventh nationally in passing with 17.7 completions per game and 6th in total offensive with 218.5 yards per game. Army was ranked tenth nationally in passing offense with 220.3 yards per game.

Army Opponents

Massachusetts (5-1) routed Rhode Island, 37-6. VMI (3-2) handily beat The Citadel, 19-3. Villanova (2-4) beat Delaware, 33-16. Lafayette (2-4) was beaten decisively at Penn, 7-42. Air Force (1-4-1) lost to Arizona State, 14-37.

#12 Pittsburgh (4-1-1) beat Navy (3-3), 34-17, as fullback Elliott Walker rushed for 169 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Panthers piled up a season high of 318 yards rushing and 214 passing before a Homecoming crowd at Pitt Stadium. Pitt's Fred Jacobs, who rushed for 109 yards, ran 13-yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead on their first possession and Walker made it 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Boston College (3-3) won at West Virginia, 28-24, as third-team freshman John Cassidy scored on a pair of touchdowns to overcome a pair of Mountaineer scoring returns to upset the home team. Holy Cross (0-5) was edged by Boston University, 13-14, as the Terriers completed a two point conversion run after the Crusaders were called for being offside on the previous attempt.

#1 Michigan beat #14 Wisconsin, 56-0. #2 Texas won at #7 Arkansas, 13-9. #3 Colorado (5-0-1) was tied at Kansas, 17-17. #4 Alabama beat Tennessee in Birmingham, 24-10. #5 Ohio State beat Iowa, 27-6. #6 Southern California beat Oregon, 33-15.

The AP Top Five were Michigan, Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, and Southern California. The UPI Top Five had Southern California one spot higher than Ohio State. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #7/#7 Colorado, #11/#10 Notre Dame, and #14/#12 Pittsburgh.

Post-Script

Army made life difficult for Notre Dame in the first half and was close to pulling into a tie with them late in the second quarter. In the second half, the Fighting Irish blitzed everyone at Leamon Hall, including both safeties, the linebackers, and as the _Assembly_ described it "the cheerleaders, trainers, Pat O'Brien, and Ronald Reagan."

Notre Dame went on to erupt for 17 points in the second half and the Irish coaching staff failed to play many reserves while safely ahead. In the opinion of many of the Cadets who played, while Notre Dame eventually won the national championship, they ranked third behind Pitt and Colorado on the day they played Army.

Operation Black September drove the Blood Brothers to make it a game for the Cadets that day in the Meadowlands.

Chapter 15  
Lafayette – October 22, 1977

Pre-Game

Lafayette College (2-4) would travel to West Point to meet the Army Football team on Saturday, October 22nd, in Michie Stadium for Homecoming Day. The Leopards were led by seventh-year Coach Neil Putnam (29-36-1). They had 37 returning lettermen and 13 starters that went 5-5 in the 1976 season. Key players at the start of the season were tailback John Orrico and middle guard Tom Padilla. This would be the seventh meeting between the two teams, with Army holding a 5-1 series record, with the last meeting being in 1976 with an Army victory, 16-6, in both team's season opener.

Lafayette had lost its first three games in the 1977 season to Maine (10-12), at Colgate (12-38), and at Columbia (10-21), before winning two games, at Kings Point (33-6) and versus Bucknell (34-7). At Penn last Friday evening, the Leopards were routed, 7-42, under extremely chilly and wet conditions. Lafayette still managed 365 yards total offense, but turned the ball over six times.

"We cannot afford to look past Lafayette this week," said Coach Smith, "We are most worried about their middle guard, Tom Padilla, who had such a good game against us last year. We are also concerned about their quarterback, Rob Stewart. He is bigger than I thought at 6-foot-5. He is a lefthander who had a good day against us last year. If his receivers are open, he gets the ball to them. We are going to have to rush him and stay close to their receivers in order to be successful [on] Saturday."

Joe Oliver and George Mayes suffered ankle sprains in the Notre Dame game and would be limited in practices, but were expected to be in the starting line-ups on Saturday. Offensive guard Curt Downs would sit out another week due to a broken hand. Flanker Bill Skoda, hampered by a shoulder separation before the Colorado game, would finally get some playing time against Lafayette.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Joe Oliver and Tony Dailey or Gene McIntyre, Jim Hollingsworth and Gene McIntyre or Jim Hodge at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jon Dwyer, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Joe Oliver would not play against Lafayette, so Dailey and McIntyre started at tackle and Hodge started at left guard. Jim Merriken started in place of Dwyer.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Chuck Schott and Mark Berry, tackles Chuck D'Amico and Duane Fuller or Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Doug Lowrey, Bruce Elliott, and Steve Smith in the secondary. D'Amico, Mayes, and Lowrey did not play against Lafayette, so Fuller and Traylor stared at defensive tackle, Doug Turrell at middle guard, and Joe LeGasse at right cornerback.

It rained almost an inch each on Monday and Wednesday, with trace amounts on Sunday and Thursday. High temperatures were around 60 degrees until after Thursday went they rose to 72 on Saturday.

The _Associated Press_ predicted a 48-14 Army victory over Lafayette. The Dunkel Index declared Army an 18 point favorite. Bob Harmon picked Army for a 34-10 win. Joe Harris saw it closer, but a 28-14 Cadet victory. There was no Vegas line for the game.

The Army junior varsity hosted Yale on Friday afternoon at Michie Stadium. The Cadets opened the scoring in the first quarter when Corky Messner converted a 21-yard field goal. The Elis rallied in the second period with two 11-yard touchdown passes to take a 3-14 halftime lead. Messner made a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Then the Cadets scored on a Mark Trigsted 11-yard run, but were called for being offside on the play and Trigsted was sacked on the next play. Messner attempted a 39-yard field goal, but it was wide to the left. In the final period, halfback Bobby Shields plunged over the goal yard for a one-yard touchdown. Quarterback Mark Trigsted flipped a two point conversion pass to Charlie Conz to tie the score at 14-14. The deadlock left the Army junior varsity with a 2-2-2 record with three games left in their season.

The Army Lightweight Football team traveled to Philadelphia to play the University of Pennsylvania on Friday evening. John Basilica ran 69-yards for a touchdown in the first quarter to open the scoring. The Cadets romped 32-12 over the Quakers.

Lafayette traveled by bus to West Point on Friday, arriving in the late afternoon. The Leopards planned to work out in Michie Stadium following the end of the Army junior varsity game. They would stay overnight at the Holiday Inn in Newburgh.

"I was shocked that we had to go to two of our three Saturday morning classes the day of a home football game," recalled Kevin Kullander, "My other friends in Division 1 football didn't have to go to Saturday classes."

The Blood Brothers ran out onto the Astroturf with band aids on their right thumbs, reminding each of the Blood Oath they swore to each other. Quietly, without drawing attention, each sought out their Blood Brother and offensive and defensive players touched thumbs. Chuck D'Amico again asked Dickie Hall to secure the bag containing the Blood Ball during the game.

29,060 fans were at Michie Stadium. The temperature at the start of the game was 63 degrees with a high in the low 70's, winds from the west-southwest at 10-15 mph, mostly sunny, with 65% humidity.

The Army Co-Captains touched their thumbs together and went together to the Cadet logo in the center of the field. Lafayette won the toss and elected to receive. Army will defend the south goal. This was a bad omen, as Army's three wins at home had come after the visitor had lost the toss.

First Quarter

Mike Hargis kicked off at 1:36 pm to the Leopards three-yard line and Lafayette returned it 19 yards (Hargis, Traylor). On first down (L22), the Leopards ran off tackle for eight yards (Traylor). Lafayette rushed up the middle for two yards, when Tiki Traylor caused a fumble that was recovered by Duane Fuller at 14:19.

On first down (L32), Leamon Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Ward Whyte over the middle. On first down (L17), King ran around the right end for six yards. Hall faked to Jim Merriken and handed off to Greg King, who rushed around the right end for an eleven-yard touchdown at 13:22. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was no good. Army's scoring drive was 32 yards in three plays to open the scoring, 6-0.

Hargis kicked off to the Leopards twelve-yard line and Lafayette returned it 16 yards (Smith). On first down (L28), the Leopards ran up the middle for four yards (Thomas, Fuller). A quarterback keeper to the left gained a yard (Hilliard). Lafayette completed an eight-yard pass over the middle. On first down (L41), a Leopards rusher was hit by Tiki Traylor and fumbled, and Mark Berry picked up the fumble and returned it for a 41-yard touchdown return at 11:38. Leamon Hall ran in a two point conversion run across the goal line. The score was now 14-0.

"I have never done anything like that in college," said Berry following the game, "We practice our interceptions and even celebrated in the end zone, but it is a different thrill in a game. After I got the ball I saw the quarterback, but Bruce Elliott knocked him down and there wasn't really anyone left after I started running. Actually, I wasn't sure it was an interception. Tike Traylor hit the ball carrier right in the mid-section and he doubled over. The ball rolled down Tiki's back and I picked it up. I'll take it though."

Hargis kicked off to the Lafayette 11-yard line and a Leopard gained 14 yards on the return (Miller). On first down (L25), Lafayette's pass was intercepted by Chuck Schott, who returned it 19-yards at 11:22.

On first down (L12), Jim Merriken ran up the middle for no gain. Merriken went wide left for no gain. Hall was sacked for a loss of four yards. On fourth down and 14 (L16), Army set up for a 34-yard field goal attempt with Mike Castelli kicking. It was a fake kick, and Leamon Hall was tackled, fumbled the football, and recovered it for a loss of 15 yards. Army lost the football on downs at 9:36.

On first down (L31), on a pitch play, the Leopards went wide left for five yards (Hilliard). Lafayette ran off right tackle for three yards (Traylor, Berry). Lafayette rushed around the left end for four yards (LeGasse). On first down (L43), the Leopards ran up the middle for four yards (Turrell). Lafayette completed a ten-yard pass over the middle (Hilliard, Thomas).

On first down (A43), the Leopards caught a nine-yard pass to the right side (Elliott). Lafayette went off the left guard for five yards (Thomas, Miller). On first down (A29), the Leopards ran off the left tackle for six yards (Elliott). A Lafayette pass was broken up by Bruce Elliott and incomplete. Lafayette completed a three-yard pass over the middle (Thomas). On fourth down and one (A20), Lafayette's pass attempt was defended by Steve Smith and incomplete. Lafayette lost the ball on downs at 5:38.

On first down (A20), Jim Merriken ran up the middle for eight yards. Greg King carried over the right tackle for seven yards. On first down (A35), Merriken went off left guard for three yards. Hall completed an eight-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge to the right. On first down (A46), Hall ran up the middle for three yards. Merriken went up the middle for six yards. King ran over the right tackle for two yards.

On first down (L43), Merriken lost two yards off the left tackle. Hall completed a ten-yard pass to King over the middle. King ran wide left for four yards. On first down (L31), Tony Landry ran up the middle for five yards. Hall went right on a keeper for six yards. On first down (L20), King went up the middle for six yards. Jon Dwyer ran off the left guard for two yards. King ran up the middle for four yards as the clock ran out. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Army 14, Lafayette 0.

Second Quarter

On first down (L08), Jon Dwyer ran wide left for three yards. Jim Merriken's option pass attempt to Clennie Brundidge was outside the end zone and incomplete. Leamon Hall pitched to Greg King who ran around the right end for a five-yard touchdown at 14:15. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown. Army's drive lasted 18 plays for 80 yards for a score of 21-0.

Mike Hargis kicked off into the end zone and the Leopards returned it 22 yards, where Dan Webb caused a fumble that was recovered by Joe LeGasse at 14:10.

On first down (L23), Leamon Hall completed a pass to Clennie Brundidge for a 23-yard touchdown at 14:04. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was blocked. Army's drive was one play for 23 yards that extended the score to 27-0.

Hargis kicked off to the Leopards one-yard line where Lafayette fumbled the football, recovered it, and returned it 15 yards (Foster). On first down (L16), the Leopards ran up the middle for a yard (Traylor). Lafayette completed an eight-yard pass to the right (Thomas). The quarterback went straight ahead for three yards (Fuller, Turrell).

On first down (L28), the Leopards ran off the right tackle for three yards (Groller). The quarterback was sacked for a loss of twelve yards (Hilliard). A Leopards pass attempt was deflected by Bruce Elliott and incomplete. On fourth down and 19 (L19), a punt attempt was blocked by Doug Turrell. The football rolled across the goal line, was hit by Bruce Elliott and Kurt Thomas trying to down it for a touchdown, and it went across the back line of the end zone for a Safety at 11:12. The score was now 29-0.

Lafayette took a free kick at its 20-yard line and Kevin Kullander caught it and returned the football for four yards. On first down (A49), Jon Dwyer ran off the left tackle for a loss of three yards. Leamon Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Greg King to the left flat out of bounds. On first down (L39), Jim Merriken's option pass attempt to Greg McGlasker was incomplete. Army was called for a personal foul on the play and penalized 15 yards.

On first down and 25 (A46), Merriken ran on a draw play up the middle for three yards. Hall rushed on a keeper up the middle for six yards, but Army was called for a personal foul. On third down and 31 (A40), Hall ran on a keeper for eight yards. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 24 yards where the football rolled dead at 8:41.

On first down (L28), the Leopards quarterback ran to the right for three yards (Miller). They rushed up the middle for five yards (Miller, Hilliard). Lafayette completed a 15-yard pass to the right (Webb). On first down (A49), they caught a twelve-yard pass and went out of bounds (LeGasse).

On first down (A37), a rush up the middle gained a yard (Turrell). A pass attempt was incomplete. The Leopards quarterback was sacked for a loss of four yards (Turrell, Duelge). On fourth down and 13 (A40), Lafayette punted 40 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 5:35.

On first down (A20), King ran up the middle for 14 yards. On first down (A34), Hall's pass attempt intended for McGlasker was deflected and incomplete. Hall rushed on a keeper that lost two yards. Hall completed a one-yard pass to Merriken to the right flat. On fourth down, Whyte punted 43 yards where Lafayette fair caught the football at 3:35.

On first down (L24), the Leopards ran up the middle for three yards (Turrell). Their quarterback ran right and lost two yards (Berry). Lafayette completed a 15-yard pass over the middle (Smith). On first down (L40), a pitch play to the wide right lost three yards (Fuller, Berry). A Leopards pass attempt was knocked down by Bill Duelge and incomplete.

On third down and 13 (L37), a Leopards pass attempt was intercepted by Joe LeGasse and returned 58 yards for a touchdown at 1:33, with LeGasse raising his right hand after going into the end zone ("I didn't know how to act after scoring"). Army set up for an extra point kick by Mike Castelli. The holder, Leamon Hall, attempted a two point pass attempt to Tony Landry that was incomplete. The score was now 35-0.

"I had never intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown until today," said LeGasse during the post-game press conference, "But it wasn't difficult because it seemed all eleven of their men were on the ground after the blocks."

"I was excited for our defensive team today," said Coach Smith afterwards, "They practice running back pass interceptions in practice, even in celebrating the touchdown. Today, they got their chances and that's why I was excited for them. Mark Berry got his touchdown almost without needing a block. And Joe LeGasse got his touchdown after the interception with a lot of blocks, and he needed them. It was also a great run and both of those players will remember today for a long time."

Hargis kicked off into the end zone where it was downed for a touchback. On first down (L20), Lafayette ran up the middle for two yards (Thomas, Hilliard). Lafayette rushed off the right tackle for three yards (Turrell, Thomas). The clock ran out before the next play could be called. At the end of the first half, the score was Army 35, Lafayette 0.

Third Quarter

Army will receive and defend the north goal. Lafayette kicked off to the Army twelve-yard line and Jon Dwyer returned it twenty yards. On first down (A32), Dwyer ran up the middle for four yards. Dwyer went off the left tackle for five yards. King ran off the right tackle for two yards. On first down (A43), Hall completed a 23-yard pass to Whyte, who lost the football after the catch, and the Leopards recovered the fumble at 13:24.

On first down (L34), the Leopards ran up the middle for three yards (Thomas). A pitch play around the right end went 13 yards (Turrell). On first down (50), the Leopards ran off the right tackle for two yards (Fuller). Lafayette completed a seven-yard pass over the middle (Hilliard). A pitch play to the wide right gained nothing (Thomas). On fourth down and one (A41), the quarterback gained two yards and went out of bounds.

On first down (A39), both Army and Lafayette were called for illegal procedure. On first down and ten (A38), the Leopards ran off the right tackle for four yards (Thomas). A Leopards pass attempt was tipped by John Hilliard and incomplete. Lafayette completed a twelve-yard pass to the left side (Smith). On first down (A23), the Leopards ran up the middle for four yards (Hilliard). A Leopards pass attempt was incomplete. Lafayette completed a ten-yard pass to the left side (Hilliard, Schott).

On first down (A09), Lafayette completed a seven yard pass to the right side and went out of bounds (Hilliard). Lafayette ran up the middle for a yard (Groller, Webb). On third down (A01), the quarterback Rob Stewart went straight ahead for a touchdown at 7:05. Stewart's two point pass attempt was incomplete. Lafayette's drive took 66 yards in 15 plays for a score of 35-6.

Lafayette kicked off to the Army 24-yard line and Kevin Kullander returned it eight yards. On first down (A32), King ran off the left guard for three yards. Hall ran right for four yards. Landry went up the middle for 13 yards. On first down (L48), Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Brundidge over the middle. On first down (L33), King ran around the right end for ten yards.

On first down (L23), Landry ran off the left tackle for four yards. King ran around the left end for eight yards. On first down (L11), Hall was sacked for a loss of eight yards. Hall completed a pass to King over the middle, but Army was called for an ineligible receiver down field. On second down and 33 (L34), Hall's intended pass to Brundidge was knocked down and incomplete. Hall's pass attempt for King was incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 34 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 2:53.

On first down (L20), a pitch play to the wide right gained three yards (Fuller). Lafayette completed a two-yard pass to the left (Clemons). Lafayette completed another two-yard pass to the left side (LeGasse). On fourth down, the Leopards punt was partly blocked by Duane Fuller and went out of bounds after going six yards at 1:30.

On first down (L33), Dwyer ran wide left for a yard. Dwyer rushed up the middle for four yards. On a draw play, King run up the middle for eight yards. On first down (L20), Dwyer ran up the middle for four yards as the time ran out. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Army 35, Lafayette 6.

Fourth Quarter

On second down and six (L16), a pitch play to Jon Dwyer to the wide right went a yard. Hall completed an 11-yard pass to Greg King over the middle. On first down (L04), King went around the right end for two yards. Jim Merriken ran off the left tackle for a two-yard touchdown at 13:25. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was good. Army's drive was 67 yards in 8 plays for a score of 42-6.

"The very first game I coached my team was ahead 40-13 at halftime," said Homer Smith, "And I told one of my assistant coaches we wouldn't try to run up the score in the second half. Well, we won the game 40-34 and had to control the ball for the last five minutes to preserve the win. So, I wasn't comfortable today against Lafayette until we got our 42nd point on the board."

Hargis kicked off to the Leopards 8-yard line and Lafayette returned it for 17 yards (Webb). On first down (L25), a pitch play to wide right went two yards (Harrington). A Leopards pass attempt was knocked down by Miller and incomplete. Another Leopards pass attempt was defended by Harrington and incomplete. On fourth down, the Leopards punted for 40 yards to Jim Merriken who stepped out of bounds immediately for no gain at 12:28.

Earle Mulrane came into the game at quarterback for Army. On first down (A32), Dave Pritchard ran wide right for three yards. Merriken ran two yards off the left guard. Mulrane was sacked for a loss of seven yards. Charlie Adams punted 34 yards and the Leopards returned it seven yards (Johnston) at 10:41.

On first down (L43), the Leopards ran up the middle for nine yards (Webb). A pitch play around the left end gained six yards (Harrington). On first down (A42), the Leopards ran up the middle for a yard (Miller). A Leopards pass attempt was defended by Clemons and incomplete. Lafayette completed a 16-yard pass over the middle (Webb). On first down (A25), a pitch play wide to the left gained nothing (Clemons). Lafayette completed a 13-yard pass to the right side where the receiver was forced out of bounds (Webb).

On first down (A12), a quarterback keeper went a yard to the left side (Foster). A pitch play was fumbled and recovered by the Leopards for a loss of three yards. A Lafayette pass attempt was defended by Clemons and incomplete. On fourth down and 12 (A14), a Leopards pass attempt was knocked down by Clemons and incomplete. Lafayette lost the ball on downs at 6:39.

On first down (A14), Landry ran off the right tackle for 14 yards. On first down (A28), Landry rushed off the right tackle for eight yards. Landry went up the middle for three yards. On first down (A39), Landry ran up the middle for three yards. Mulrane completed a six-yard pass to Pritchard over the middle. Mulrane went up the middle for five yards.

On first down (L47), Mulrane was sacked for a loss of eight yards. Mulrane completed a pass to the left flat to Landry, but Army was called for clipping. On second down and 33 (A30), on a draw play, Pritchard ran up the middle for eight yards. Landry went off the right tackle for 15 yards. On fourth down and ten (L47), Adams punted 35 yards and the Leopards fair caught it at 1:47.

Scott Sautter came in at quarterback for Lafayette. On first down (L12), a quarterback keeper to the left went four yards (Swanson). A Leopards pass attempt was broken up by Webb and incomplete. A Lafayette pass attempt was tipped by the Leopards and intercepted by Duane Fuller and returned two yards at 0:59.

On first down (L24), Mulrane went up the middle for two yards. Pritchard ran up the middle for five yards. Pritchard rushed up the middle for six yards. On first down (L11), Pritchard ran three yards up the middle as the clock ran out at 4 pm. At the end of the game, the final score was Army 42, Lafayette 6.

Post-Game

"Overall, I thought the defense played very well," said Coach Smith, "We kept things under control and when they were driving they were doing it against some of our players who were seeing game action for the first time. We simply have a better football team than Lafayette. It was a difficult game for them. But I think this is the first time we had anything on ice like this going back to 1975. We should beat a Lafayette team simply because our progress is more advanced. I really feel good about our team. We are always improving. And I am still looking for a game that will rank us with the best around. I feel we are capable."

Army led in first downs, 22-15, and rushing 216-98, but Lafayette had slightly more passing yards, 126-149. The Leopards completed 16 of 32 passes with three interceptions. Army had no interceptions and lost one fumble, while Lafayette lost three fumbles. Army was penalized 60 yards against no penalties for the Leopards.

Greg King led the rushing attack with 92 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns, followed by Tony Landry with 65 yards on eight attempts. Dave Prichard made 25 yards, Jon Dwyer 21, Jim Merriken 22 yards and a touchdown, Leamon Hall lost one yard, and Earle Mulrane lost eight yards.

Clennie Brundidge caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown, King gained 36 on three catches, Ward Whyte caught two for 38, Pritchard gained six yards on one reception, and Merriken had a yard on one catch. Hall completed nine of 12 passes for 120 yards and one touchdown, Mulrane was one for one for six yards, and Merriken attempted one pass that went incomplete.

Whyte punted three times for a 33.7 yard average and Charlie Adams punted twice for 34.5 yards per punt. Kevin Kullander returned two kickoffs for twelve yards and Dwyer returned one for twenty. Doug Turrell returned a punt for 19 yards while Merriken lost a yard on his punt return.

Joe LeGasse returned an interception 58 yards for a touchdown. Chuck Schott returned an interception for 19 yards, while Duane Foster returned an interception for two yards. Mark Berry returned a fumbled pitch he intercepted for forty yards and a touchdown. Duane Fuller and Joe LeGasse also recovered fumbles, thanks to hits by Tiki Traylor and Dan Webb, who knocked the ball out of their opponents' possession. Doug Turrell blocked a punt that rolled in and then squirted out of the end zone for a safety. Players with five or more total tackles were Thomas (12), Turrell (9), Hilliard (9), Webb (6), Miller (6), Fuller (5), and LeGasse (5).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Ford and Hayden; tackles Duelge, Groller, Mankosa, and Swanson; Liebetreu at middle guard; Miller and Foster at linebacker; Webb, Clemons, Macklin, and Harrington in the secondary; and Whyte and Adams punting. "It was a hard fought win," recalled Phil Macklin.

Substitutes on offense were – ends Wilson and Kullander; tackles Klopfenstine and Decker; Boucher at guard; Perkins and Maple at center; flankers Fahnestock, Hallingstad, Lytwynec, McGlasker and Skoda; halfbacks Landry, Dwyer, Pritchard, and Cerv; Mulrane and Avey at quarterback; Hargis for kickoffs; and Castelli for placekicking.

A total of 56 Cadets played against Lafayette and about 64 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Conz, Johnson, Kisiel, Logue, JT Thomas, Triplett, and Vorenkamp. Also dressing was Jeff Cook. Joe Oliver, George Mayes, Curt Downs, Chuck D'Amico, Doug Lowrey, and Bob Avey were injured and missed the game.

Recognitions

Clennie Brundidge set the Army career record for pass receiving yardage, surpassing the old record of 1,239 yards set by Terry Young during the 1965-1967 seasons. Brundidge now had 1,279 yards in receptions.

Leamon Hall was 6th in passing with an average of 16.4 completions per game and 8th in total offense (204.3 yards per game). Brundidge was 8th nationally with 5.1 receptions per game. Jim Merriken is 25th with 4.2 receptions per game. Army ranked 14th in passing offensive. Greg King and Joe LeGasse were named to the weekly ECAC all-Star squad. King received the offensive game ball, Doug Turrell the defensive ball, and Mike Hargis the kicking ball.

Army Opponents

Massachusetts (6-1) won at Connecticut, 10-0. VMI (3-3) lost at Lehigh, 20-30. Boston College (4-3) beat Villanova (2-5), 30-28. #7 Colorado (5-1-1) lost at Nebraska, 15-33. Holy Cross (0-6) was thumped by Brown, 13-44.

Air Force (1-5-1) was handily beaten at Baylor, 7-38. The Bears took a 17-0 lead into halftime. The Baylor defense survived a relentless passing attack by Falcon quarterback Dave Ziebart, which led to three interceptions by one defensive back. Air Force scored with two minutes left in the third quarter on a 34-yard touchdown pass.

#12 Pittsburgh (5-1-1) edged Syracuse, 28-21. The Orangemen were leading 21-14 at the start of the fourth quarter. A short pass from Pitt quarterback Matt Cavanaugh to halfback Fred Jacobs turned into a 58-yard touchdown with less than ten minutes left in the game. In the final minutes, Pitt moved to the one-yard line due to a 45-yard pass to Gordon Jones. Cavanaugh then plunged over the goal line for the winning score with 1:04 left in the game to rally Pittsburgh to victory.

Navy (4-3) routed William & Mary, 42-17. Halfback Joe Gattuso had 251 yards rushing and flipped a 20-yard scoring pass to Phil McConkey as the Middies won their Homecoming game. Quarterback Bob Leszczynski ran for one touchdown and passed for two. Gattuso set the Navy single game rushing record for his efforts.

#1 Michigan was shut out at Minnesota, 0-16. #2 Texas won 30-14 at Southern Methodist. #3 Alabama beat Louisville, 55-6. #4 Ohio State won 35-15 at Northwestern. #10 Notre Dame (5-1) wore green jerseys for the first time in decades and routed #5 Southern Cal, 49-19. #7 Oklahoma beat #16 Iowa State 35-16.

The AP Top Five was Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame. The UPI Top Five was Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #5/#5 Notre Dame, #13/#12 Pittsburgh, and #15/#14 Colorado.

Post-Script

The Cadets climbed over the 0.500 level again on Saturday before a Homecoming crowd at Michie Stadium, capitalizing on several Lafayette miscues to register a convincing 42-6 victory. It was a solid rushing day for Army, near perfect passing, and an aggressive defense that scored on two long returns, resulted in six turnovers by Lafayette, and the only safety scored by Army during the season.

Operation Black September continued, with the fourth home victory out of five games in the confines of friendly Michie Stadium.

Chapter 16  
Holy Cross – October 29, 1977

Pre-Game

The College of the Holy Cross (0-6) would travel to West Point on Saturday, October 29th to meet the Cadets (4-3). The Crusaders were led by second-year Coach Neil Wheelwright (44-51-2). The 1976 squad went 3-8, including a 26-24 loss to Army. Holy Cross returned 28 lettermen and 18 starters. Key players at the start of the season were running back Brian Doherty, quarterback Bob Morton, and center Jack McGovern. Holy Cross had begun the season running the wishbone offense, but switched to the I-formation. The two teams would meet for the twelfth time, with Army holding a 9-1-1 series record.

Holy Cross had lost seven straight since its season ending loss to Boston College last season (6-59). It had lost two games in the final minute of play. The Crusaders losses were at New Hampshire (14-27), at Rhode Island (0-14), at Dartmouth (14-17), Colgate (14-31), Boston University (13-14), and Brown (13-44). The young team had suffered injuries and turnovers in its games, but generally mounted a consistent offense.

"A record often belies what has happened with a football team," said Homer Smith, "Holy Cross' record this fall in no way indicates how well they have played. We have watched them on film, play some fine teams such as Colgate and Dartmouth, and play well. We remember last year, remember being down 24-6 in the fourth quarter, remember the strength of their linemen and the speed of their backs. We aren't forgetting those things. They have changed their offense, and any team that does this will have a period of time when it is necessary to do everything required to win. We believe Holy Cross has had that time, and is pointing to us."

"We have not done the job offensively, whether the offense was Wishbone or I-formation," said Coach Wheelwright, "The frustrating thing is that for a part of every game, we execute and move the ball with poise and precision. The things that stop us offensively are penalties and broken assignments, rarely by the same individuals. Until we can play consistent and poised on offensive, taking advantage of the turnovers forced by our defense, we will not win football games. We are not jinxed, we are very simply not playing good enough football on offense to win."

Sophomore Dave Nangle was the leading rusher for the Crusaders, with 447 yards on 106 carries. He also had scored four touchdowns to lead the team. Co-Captain Steve Hunts had 316 yards rushing on 52 carries. Quarterback Pete Colombo had completed 25 of 48 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns. The leading receiver was Pat Kelly with 18 receptions for 244 yards.

All five starters who missed the Lafayette game were in excellent condition to work out during the week, according to the Army training room on Monday morning. The players included defensive tackle Chuck D'Amico (knee sprain), middle guard George Mayes (ankle sprain), defensive back Doug Lowrey (groin pull), offensive guard Curt Downs (fractured hand), and offensive tackle Joe Oliver (ankle sprain). Only D'Amico would start against Holy Cross and Mayes would play. Bob Avey, injured before the Lafayette game, would also play against the Crusaders.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Gene McIntyre, Jim Hollingsworth and Jim Hodge at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Chuck Schott and Mark Berry, tackles Chuck D'Amico and Duane Fuller or Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Kirk Thomas, and Dave Charest, Doug Lowrey, Bruce Elliott, and Steve Smith in the secondary. Fuller would start at left tackle, while Doug Turrell and Joe LeGasse would start at middle guard and right cornerback instead of Mayes and Lowrey.

It rained only a tenth of an inch on Wednesday and high temperatures were in the mid-60s for much of the week. It did get below freezing on Tuesday morning. Army was installed an early 21 point favorite by Las Vegas odds makers. Jimmy the Greek favored Army by 29, than he dropped it down to 20 later in the week. Bob Harmon predicted a 35-7 Cadet victory.

The Army junior varsity hosted West Chester State on Friday afternoon. Defensive tackle Stan March recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the end zone on a bad snap to the punter mid-way through the first period. Corky Messner converted the extra point kick. Halfback Jim Hill bolted 11-yards for a touchdown run near the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Messner made a 34-yard field goal for a 17-0 halftime lead. Mark Trigsted completed a short pass on the Army 48-yard line to Ron Osborn, who then ran all the way for a 60-yard touchdown in the third period. The Army junior varsity (3-2-2) won 32-0.

The Lightweight Football team would travel to play Princeton on Friday evening. The Tigers opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 23-yard field goal. Early in the second quarter, Princeton capped an 82-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass. The game ended with the 0-9 loss for the Cadets. Army (3-2), ended the season tied with Princeton for second in the Eastern Intercollegiate Lightweight Football League (EILF). Navy went undefeated to wind up with the national championship.

Cadets named to the first-team EILF All-Star team were fullback John Basilica, tight end Terry Collins, and linebacker Sandy Sanders. Second-team selections were running back Reggie Bassa, offensive tackle Ron Bonesteel, defensive end Tom Bostick, and defensive tackle John Drew.

Holy Cross would travel from Worcester to West Point on Friday. The Crusaders planned to work out in Michie Stadium around 1-2 pm. They would stay overnight at the Holiday Inn in Newburgh.

I suspect that a few more players were inducted into Black September on Friday evening. The Blood Brothers put their band aid on their right thumbs in the locker room and ran out onto the field to the cheers of the Corps of Cadets and other fans. Each found their Blood Brother and discretely touched thumbs along the sideline.

A sellout crowd of 41,376 fans were at Michie Stadium for a sunny, cool, and clear game with the temperature at kickoff of 55 degrees. Winds were from the northeast at 10-20 mph. Temperatures would rise to the low 60's during the game.

D'Amico and Hall touched their right thumbs together, and marched out to the Cadet logo for the coin toss. Army won the toss and elected to receive. Holy Cross would defend the north goal. Four out of the six visitors to West Point had now lost the toss to Army, and all four had lost the game. A good omen, maybe.

First Quarter

Holy Cross kicked off at 1:37 pm to the Army six-yard line where Jim Merriken returned it 19 yards. On first down (A25), Leamon Hall completed a 17-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge on the right. This pass completion put Hall over 5,000 yards. The game was stopped, and Leamon Hall received the game ball. K.C. Scull recalled that "Leamon asked the coaching staff on the sidelines if he was sacked ten yards on the next play, would he have to give the football back?"

On first down (A42), Hall completed a nine-yard pass to Bill Skoda on the left. Hall ran straight ahead for six yards. On first down (H43), Hall rushed to the right for nine yards. Merriken went off left tackle for 15 yards. On first down (H19), Greg King rushed off the right tackle for two yards. Hall completed a 16-yard pass to Brundidge over the middle. On first down (H01), Leamon Hall plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 11:54. Mike Castelli converted the extra point kick. Army's drive was for 75 yards in eight plays that opened the scoring at 7-0.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Crusaders three-yard line and Holy Cross returned it 28 yards (Hargis). Holy Cross opened in a Wishbone offense. On first down (H31), a pitch play went around the right end for seven yards (D'Amico). Another pitch play lost two yards around the left end as the runner fumbled the ball, but recovered it (Hilliard, Fuller). Holy Cross ran around the right end for no gain (Smith). On fourth down, the Crusaders punted 49 yards where it rolled dead at 10:29.

On first down (A15), Hall ran around the right end for three yards. Merriken rushed off the left tackle for 13 yards. On first down (A31), Hall completed an eight-yard pass to Merriken to the right flat. King went off the right tackle for four yards. On first down (A43), Hall's pass attempt to Merriken was defended and incomplete. Hall was pressured and his pass attempt to George Dunaway was tipped and incomplete. Hall was sacked for a 13-yard loss. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 50 yards where it rolled dead at 8:29.

On first down (H20), the Crusaders ran off the right tackle for four yards (Thomas). The Holy Cross quarterback ran up the middle for ten yards (Berry). On first down (H34), a pitch play went around the left end for nine yards (Thomas, LeGasse, and Fuller). The fullback rushed up the middle for four yards (D'Amico, Turrell).

On first down (H47), a pitch play around the right end gained five yards out of bounds (Charest). Another pitch play around the left end went for a yard (Miller). Holy Cross ran off the left tackle for three yards (Fuller, Thomas). On fourth down and one (A44), the Crusaders rushed off the left tackle for three yards (Fuller).

On first down (A41), the Crusaders completed a 24-yard pass over the middle (LeGasse). On first down (A17), the quarterback went straight ahead for two yards (Turrell, D'Amico). A pass attempt was broken up by Charest and incomplete. Holy Cross ran off the left tackle for four yards (Schott). On fourth down and four (A11), the Crusaders ran around the right end for six yards (Thomas).

On first down (A05), the Crusaders ran off the right guard for three yards (D'Amico). Tailback Brian Doherty ran two yards off the right guard for a touchdown at 2:28. Matt Michaud converted the point after touchdown kick. Holy Cross' scoring drive was for 80 yards in 15 plays that tied the score at 7-7.

Holy Cross kicked off into the end zone and Merriken returned it 18 yards. On the kickoff, Holy Cross was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul. On first down (A33), King ran off the right tackle for five yards. King rushed off the right tackle for 13 yards. On first down (H49), Hall was sacked for a loss of six yards. Hall ran straight ahead for four yards. A pass attempt intended for Brundidge was defended and incomplete. On fourth down, Whyte punted 47 yards and the Crusaders returned it 12 yards at 0:16 (Duelge).

On first down (H16), the Crusaders' fullback ran straight ahead for five yards (Hilliard). Before the next play could be called, the clock ran out. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Army 7, Holy Cross 7.

Second Quarter

On second down and five (H21), the fullback ran off right tackle for 16 yards (Smith). On first down (H37), another fullback rushed straight ahead for three yards (Thomas). Holy Cross went around the right end for two yards (Schott). The Crusaders quarterback ran up the middle for seven yards (D'Amico, Hilliard).

On first down (H49), the Crusaders completed an 11-yard pass to the left side (LeGasse). On first down (A40), a pitch play went wide to the right for a yard (Mayes). A Crusaders pass attempt was defended by LeGasse and incomplete. On third down and nine (A39), a Crusaders pass attempt was intercepted by John Hilliard and returned five yards at 12:08.

On first down (A35), King ran off the right tackle for eleven yards. On first down (A46), King went around the right end for two yards. On second down and eight (A48), Jim Merriken rushed up the middle for a 52-yard touchdown at 11:10. Mike Castelli made the extra point kick. Army's drive was for 65 yards that lasted three plays to extend the score to 14-7.

Hargis kicked off into the end zone and was downed for a touchback. Holy Cross put Peter Colombo in at quarterback. On first down (H20), the Crusaders ran off the left tackle for four yards (Schott, Fuller). Holy Cross rushed up the middle for four yards (Fuller, Elliott). Holy Cross went off the right tackle for two yards (Mayes).

On first down (H30), the Crusaders ran around the right end for five yards out of bounds (Charest). The fullback ran straight ahead for two yards (Hilliard). Holy Cross completed an eight-yard pass over the middle (Hilliard). On first down (H45), a pitch play went wide right for three yards (Hilliard, Thomas, and D'Amico). Another pitch play went around the left end (Fuller, Thomas), but the Crusaders were penalized five yards for illegal procedure.

On second down and twelve (H43), the Crusaders completed a 15-yard pass to the right side (Ford). On first down (A42), a pitch play to the wide right was called back for illegal procedure by Holy Cross (Smith). On first down and 15 (A47), the Crusaders completed a seven-yard pass to the left side. A pass attempt was overthrown and incomplete. On third down and eight (A40), a Holy Cross pass was intercepted by John Hilliard and returned for 40 yards at 6:52.

On first down (H29), a Leamon Hall pass attempt for Clennie Brundidge was incomplete. Hall completed a five-yard pass to Ward Whyte to the left side. A pitch play to Tony Landry went wide right for three yards. On fourth down and two (H21), the Crusaders was called for being offside and penalized five yards.

On first down (H16), Merriken ran up the middle for five yards. King rushed off the right tackle for two yards. Hall's pass attempt intended for Skoda was defended and incomplete. On fourth down and three (H09), Mike Castelli converted a 27-yard field goal at 4:21. The Cadet scoring drive was 20 yards in seven plays for a score of 17-7.

Hargis kicked off to the goal line and the Crusaders returned it eight yards (Groller). Holy Cross put Bob Morton back in at quarterback. On first down (H08), the Crusaders ran off the left tackle for six yards (Schott). Holy Cross went around the left end for three yards (Traylor). Holy Cross rushed up the middle for two yards (Traylor). On first down (H19), a Crusaders pass bounced off the receiver's hands and was intercepted by Dave Charest, who returned it for 20 yards at 1:42.

On first down (H09), Merriken ran off the left guard for three yards. A pitch play to King went wide left for a yard. Hall was sacked for a loss of ten yards. On fourth down and 15 (H15), Mike Castelli's 32-yard field goal was good at 1:20. Army's scoring drive was four plays that lost six yards to up the score to 20-7.

Hargis kicked off out of bounds at the Holy Cross 27-yard line. On the kickoff, Army was called for illegal procedure, but the Crusaders declined the penalty. On first down (H27), the Holy Cross quarterback went up the middle for nine yards (Miller). The quarterback went around the right end for seven yards (Charest, Macklin).

On first down (H43), the fullback ran straight up the middle for five yards (Turrell). The fullback rushed straight ahead for a yard (Traylor). A Crusaders pass attempt was defended by Charest and incomplete. On fourth down and four (H49), Holy Cross punted for 33 yards out of bounds as the clock ran out. At the end of the first half, the score was Army 20, Holy Cross 7.

Halftime

Army honored its three Heisman Trophy winners, Felix "Doc" Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946), and Pete Dawkins (1958), at a halftime ceremony. On that day, only two other schools, Notre Dame (6) and Ohio State (5), boasted more Heisman winners than Army. "It was something meeting Army Heisman legends Mr. Inside, Mr. Outside, and Pete Dawkins before the Homecoming game," recalled Joe LeGasse.

Third Quarter

Holy Cross will receive and defend the south goal. Mike Hargis kicked off to the Crusaders eight-yard line and it was returned 18 yards (Traylor). Bob Morton was in at quarterback for Holy Cross. On first down (H27), the quarterback ran four yards (Turrell, Traylor). The fullback went off right tackle for three yards (Turrell, Miller). Holy Cross ran off the right tackle for seven yards (Miller, Macklin).

On first down (H41), the quarterback ran to the left side for four yards (Schott, Thomas). The fullback ran off the right tackle for four yards (Turrell, Miller). Holy Cross went wide right for four yards (D'Amico, Thomas). On first down (A47), the Crusaders quarterback ran to the left side for two yards (Traylor). Holy Cross went around the right tackle for a yard (D'Amico). The quarterback was sacked with a loss of ten yards (D'Amico). On fourth down and 17 (H46), Holy Cross punted 28 yards and the football rolled dead at 10:30.

On first down (A26), Greg King went off left tackle for twelve yards. On first down (A38), King ran up the middle for eight yards, and the Crusaders were called for a personal foul. On first down (H39), Leamon Hall's pass attempt to Greg McGlasker was defended and incomplete. Jim Merriken ran off left tackle for a loss of two yards. A pass attempt intended for Ward Whyte was broken up and incomplete. On fourth down and 12 (H41), Whyte punted 41 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 9:14.

On first down (H20), the Holy Cross fullback went off the right guard for four yards (Miller, Turrell). The fullback ran straight ahead for three yards (Traylor, Turrell). Holy Cross rushed off the right guard for three yards (Turrell, Mayes). On first down (H30), a pitch play around the left end went nine yards (Traylor). The Crusaders quarterback went up the middle for four yards (Schott).

On first down (H43), a pitch play went wide right for three yards (Ford). The fullback ran straight ahead for five yards (Turrell, Thomas). Holy Cross ran off the left tackle for three yards (Schott). On first down (A46), the quarterback ran up the middle for seven yards (Traylor, Hilliard). On second down and three (A39), a Crusaders pass was intercepted by Dave Charest with no return at 4:40.

On first down (A03), Greg King ran off the left guard for a 97-yard touchdown at 4:26. Mike Castelli's extra point kick was good. Army's drive was for 97 yards in one play that extended the score to 27-7.

"It is a play designed to go up the middle," said King after the game, "Before the play, I was trying to decide whether to go inside or outside once I was through the hole. Well, our center Chuck Johnston, was supposed to block the linebacker outside, but the Holy Cross defender lined up differently and Chuck took him to the inside. So, I cut to the outside when I was through. Then in the corner of my eye I saw Billy Skoda coming across and I slowed up slightly and followed his great block. Then I went to the outside and there was nothing ahead of me but the end zone."

"Well, Clennie and I talked about scoring and then doing a little dance," said King, "But when I scored I ran out of the end zone and had to wait for my teammates to celebrate. Well, when I saw Clennie after he had just run 97 yards to the end zone, he looked tired, so I didn't do that dance."

Hargis kicked off to the Crusaders six-yard line and Holy Cross returned it 22 yards (Macklin). On the kickoff, Holy Cross was called for clipping and penalized half the distance to the goal line. On first down (H13), the Crusaders quarterback ran two yards (D'Amico). Holy Cross carried for a yard off the left guard (Turrell). The quarterback went left for a yard (Thomas, Miller). On fourth down and six (H17), the Crusaders punt was blocked by Dave Charest at 2:51.

On first down (H16), Merriken ran up the middle for seven yards. Merriken rushed for two yards off the right guard. Hall went straight ahead for six yards. On first down (H01), Leamon Hall plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 1:24. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown kick. Army's scoring drive was for 16 yards in four plays that increased the Cadet lead to 34-7.

Hargis kicked off to the Crusaders six-yard line and Holy Cross returned it 18 yards (Traylor). Holy Cross put freshman Joe LeMay in at quarterback. On first down (H24), the Crusaders went around the right end for four yards (Charest, Thomas). On second down and six (H28), the Crusaders running back rushed for no gain and fumbled, with Stan Ford recovering the fumble at 0:39.

On first down (H28), Hall completed an 18-yard pass to Merriken on the right side. On first down (H10), on a pass play into the end zone, Army was called for offensive interference in the end zone and lost possession at 0:28.

On first down (H20), the fullback ran straight ahead for a three yard gain (Turrell). The fullback rushed straight ahead for four yards as the clock ran out (Schott, Thomas). At the end of the third quarter, the score was Army 34, Holy Cross 7.

Fourth Quarter

On third down and three (H27), the Crusaders ran off the left tackle for five yards (Schott). On first down (H32), the fullback rushed off the left tackle for five yards (Thomas, Schott). Holy Cross completed a six-yard pass over the middle (Miller).

On first down (H43), a Crusaders pass attempt was deflected by Chuck D'Amico and incomplete. Holy Cross went around the left end for two yards (Traylor, Hilliard). A Crusaders pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down and eight (H45), the Crusaders punted 39 yards to Merriken who returned the football three yards. Army was called for a substitution infraction and penalized 15 yards.

On first down (A40), the Crusaders ran up the middle for 13 yards (Macklin). On first down (A27), the Crusaders rushed off the right tackle for a yard (D'Amico). The quarterback was sacked for a loss of nine yards (Traylor). A Crusaders pass attempt was deflected by Tiki Traylor and incomplete. On fourth down and 18 (A35), Holy Cross punted 35 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 10:49.

On first down (A20), Hall's pass attempt for Merriken was overthrown and incomplete. Brundidge caught a nine-yard pass on the right side. Hall ran straight up the middle for two yards. On first down (A31), Hall completed a 24-yard pass to Brundidge.

On first down (H45), Merriken ran up the middle for five yards. Merriken gained three yards up the middle. King ran off the right tackle for 15 yards. On first down (H22), Merriken rushed six yards off the left tackle. On second down and four (H16), Jim Merriken ran 16-yards up the middle for a touchdown at 7:42. Mike Castelli kicked the extra point. Army's drive was 80 yards in nine plays that made the score, 41-7.

Hargis kicked off to the Crusaders 18-yard line and Holy Cross returned the football ten yards (Turrell). Bob Morton came in at quarterback for Holy Cross. On first down (H28), the fullback ran straight ahead for two yards (Fuller). A pitch play was fumbled out of bounds for a loss of nine yards. A draw play by the fullback lost a yard (Miller). On fourth down and 18 (H20), Holy Cross punted 30 yards where Phil Macklin fair caught it at 6:37.

On first down (50), Greg King ran off the right guard for four yards. Earle Mulrane came in at quarterback for Army. King went up the middle for eleven yards. On first down (H35), Tony Landry rushed off the right tackle for three yards. King ran straight ahead for three yards. King went up the middle for no gain. On fourth down and four (H29), Mulrane completed an 11-yard pass to Keith Wilson on the left side.

On first down (H18), King ran off left tackle for seven yards. King went straight ahead for a loss of a yard. Mulrane's pass attempt to Kullander was incomplete. On fourth down and four (H12), the Crusaders were called for pass interference. On first down (H01), Mulrane ran straight ahead for no gain. On second down and goal (A01), Dave Pritchard plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 2:12. Corky Messner converted the point after touchdown kick. Army's drive was 50 yards in 11 plays to make the score 48-7.

Hargis kicked off to the Holy Cross 17-yard line and the Crusaders returned it five yards (Avey). On first down (H22), the fullback ran up the middle for two yards (Miller). On the play, Army was called for a personal foul. On first down (H39), the Crusaders rushed straight ahead for three yards (Miller). Holy Cross went off the right tackle for three yards (Swanson). The quarterback ran straight ahead for six yards (Groller). On first down (A49), the fullback ran straight ahead for a yard. The clock ran out before the next play could be called at 4:13 pm. At the end of the game, the final score was Army 48, Holy Cross 7.

Possibly referring to the way the Notre Dame coaching staff rushed their team off the field after the game last weekend without shaking hands, Homer Smith remarked, "You know, when you lose, coaches are always upset. I've been upset many times. But Holy Cross came right across the field after the game to congratulate our team and that is tough. We do it every time we play. I think that is the way it should be, that show of sportsmanship. I don't like it when two teams play and split up right after the game, never to see each other again. Their fine tailback, Larry Ewald, a boy we tried to recruit, came up to me to chat after the game. And I think that is good and I salute Holy Cross for that because it is not an easy thing to do.

Post-Game

"That was not an easy game out there today," said Homer Smith, "Even though the scoreboard seems to indicate that. When we went in at halftime, we were extremely worried because Holy Cross was moving the ball. They were getting their first downs. And there was tension right on through the third quarter. Holy Cross did surprise us. We didn't expect to see as much of the Wishbone as we did. We were also surprised they used (Bob) Morton at quarterback. They had announced they were going to start the freshman, Joe LeMay. We remembered Morton because he played well against us before. "

"Defensively, Holy Cross gambled a great deal in trying to stop our passing attack. They saw the success Lafayette had, but it cost them the long runs. They would put the safety on the tight end at times and that opened up the long runs. Early in the game they sat back in their zone and we moved right down the field and scored with our passing attack working well. Then they started to exert pressure with the blitzes and the stunts, but we hurt them with the run."

Army had 22 first downs, rushed for 331 yards and passed for 117, had no turnovers, and was penalized for 40 yards. Holy Cross had 23 first downs, 247 yards rushing and 71 passing, had four passes intercepted and lost a fumble, and was penalized for 56 yards.

Greg King had 212 yards rushing with two touchdowns, while Jim Merriken ran 109 yards on eleven attempts with one touchdown. Tony Landry had six yards, Hall three with two touchdowns, and Pritchard a one-yard touchdown run in his only carry.

Clennie Brundidge caught four passes for 66 yards, while Merriken had two receptions for 26 yards. Keith Wilson (11 yards), Bill Skoda (9), and Ward Whyte (5) each caught one pass. Leamon Hall completed eight of 17 passes for 106 yards while Earle Mulrane made one of two passes for 11 yards. Whyte punted three times for a 46.0 yard average. Dave Charest returned one punt for one yard. Merriken returned two kickoffs for 37 yards.

John Hilliard intercepted two passes and returned them 45 yards, while Dave Charest also intercepted two passes, returning them for a total of 20 yards, with all four leading to Army scores. Stan Ford recovered a fumble. Charest also blocked a punt to set up a Cadet scoring opportunity. Players with five or more total tackles were Thomas (15), Miller (14), D'Amico (14), Traylor (14), Schott (14), Turrell (12), Fuller (9), Hilliard (7), LeGasse (6), Macklin (6), Charest (5),

Substitutes on defense were – ends Ford and Hayden; tackles Traylor, Duelge, Groller, Mankosa, and Swanson; Mayes at middle guard; Miller and Foster at linebacker; secondary Webb, Clemons, Macklin, and Harrington; and Whyte punting.

Substitutes on offense were – ends Wilson and Kullander; tackles Klopfenstine and Decker; Boucher at guard; Perkins, Maple, and Ledeboer at center; flankers Fahnestock, Hallingstad, McGlasker, Skoda, and Johnson; halfbacks Landry and Pritchard; Mulrane and Avey at quarterback; Hargis for kickoffs; and Castelli and Messner for placekicking.

A total of 56 Cadets played against Holy Cross and about 67 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Adams, Cerv, Conz, Kisiel, Liebetreu, Logue, Lytwynec, JT Thomas, Triplett, and Vorenkamp. Also dressing was Jeff Cook.

Joe Oliver (ankle sprain), Doug Lowrey (groin pull), and Curt Downs (hand) did not play. Safety Steve Smith suffered a hand injury during the Holy Cross game. Jon Dwyer, who continued to nurse a shoulder sprain, did not dress against the Crusaders.

Recognitions

Greg King's 97-yard touchdown run broke the Army record of 95 yards held by George Smythe, who set it against Lebanon Valley during the 1923 season. King's 212 yards rushing on 19 carries in the game was the fourth-best single game effort in Cadet Football history.

"Actually, I thought the day started off a little slowly for me," said King, still sporting that wide grin, "But before I go any further, I would like to say a word on behalf of my offensive linemen. Those players, like Tony Dailey, Jim Hollingsworth, Chuck Johnston, Gene McIntyre, and Jim Hodge, all played a good game. Holy Cross did a lot of stunting, and that's a difficult job for a lineman who is blocking. But they did the job. All I can say about that 212 yards is what a way to go out, playing my last home game at Michie Stadium. It really felt great, but I would like to celebrate it with my offensive linemen."

Leamon Hall joined a select group of college quarterbacks who had passed for over 5,000 yards in their careers with his first reception of the game to Clennie Brundidge of the game.

"I am thrilled for Greg King for his day," said a smiling Smith following the victory, "He got his record. I'm also happy about Leamon (Hall) for going over the 5,000-yard mark in passing. I didn't know about that until right before the start of the game, but I am happy for him. I am happy for Jim Merriken for going over 100 yards and getting his 52-yard touchdown run. And I'm glad for Mike Castelli's toe, and couldn't be happier for Dave Charest. Dave had an excellent day with two interceptions and a blocked punt. Earlier in the season he received some bad publicity which wasn't really accurate or fair, and I'm glad he had such a good day.

Clennie Brundidge was ranked 8th nationally in receptions with a 5.0 average. Leamon Hall was ranked sixth nationally in passing with 15.4 completions per game and 8th in total offensive with 192.4 yards per game. Army was ranked 17th nationally in passing offense with 195.6 yards per game.

Dave Charest and Greg King were named to the ECAC weekly all-Star squad. Charest was also named ECAC "Defensive Player of the Week." King was selected as the _Associated Press_ "Offensive Player of the Week" and the _United Press International_ "Backfield of the Week." The Army coaching staff awarded the offensive game ball to Jim Merriken, defensive ball to Dave Charest, and kicking ball to Mike Castelli.

Army Opponents

The Virginia Military Institute (4-3) beat Davidson, 21-0. Visiting Boston College (5-3) defeated Air Force (1-6-1), 36-14. #14 Colorado (5-2-1) lost to Missouri, 14-24. Villanova (3-5) won at West Virginia, 41-36. Lafayette (3-5) handily beat Gettysburg, 22-3. #12 Pittsburgh (6-1-1) swamped Tulane, 48-0. Massachusetts (6-1) was idle.

#5 Notre Dame (6-1) thumped Navy (4-4), 43-10. The Irish dominated the Middies in the first half, but had trouble scoring. In the first quarter, two Irish drives ended in in a missed field goal and a dropped pass on fourth down. On the next possession, Jerome Heavens broke through with a 49-yard touchdown run. Three more drives resulted in field goals. Notre Dame led at halftime, 16-0, rushing for 264 yards against Navy's 43. Notre Dame then scored on the opening kickoff return, a Joe Montana 48-yard pass, a Montana one yard run, and a 56-yard run in the second half. Navy scored on a 36-yard field goal and reserve quarterback Bob Powers completed a seven-yard touchdown pass to Phil McConkey.

#1 Texas beat visiting #14 Texas Tech, 26-0. #2 Alabama defeated Mississippi State, 37-7, in Jackson. #3 Ohio State thumped Wisconsin, 42-0. #4 Oklahoma won 42-7 at Kansas State. The AP and UPI Top Five were Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #5/#5 Notre Dame and #12/#9 Pittsburgh. Colorado had dropped out of the polls with its second straight defeat of the season.

Post-Script

"I feel good about our development," said Coach Smith, "Although I still feel there is a game in us we have not played as yet. But this team has risen to the occasion in all types of situations. There is a great deal of spirit, more than I have seen at the other schools where I have coached. These kids really play hard in every quarter of every game and it is a credit to our Co-Captains Leamon Hall and Chuck D'Amico that they can help get this team up for every game. They are ready to play."

Operation Black September had secretly achieved what Coach Smith was talking about. The Blood Brothers were rolling at home, but could they achieve similar success on the road in the thin atmosphere of Falcon Stadium?

Chapter 17  
Air Force – November 5, 1977

Pre-Game

The United States Air Force Academy (1-6-1) would host Army (5-3) on Saturday, November 5th at Falcons Stadium. It would be the first of two games Army would play on grass during the season. The Falcons were led by 20th-year Coach Ben Martin (101-114-10). Air Force returned 36 lettermen and 16 starters from the team that had gone 4-7 in the 1976 season. Key players at the beginning of the season included defensive end Dave Scott, split end Paul Williams, offensive guard Jim Weidmann, and linebacker Jack Kucera.

This would be the twelfth meeting between the two academies, with the series tied 5-5-1. The Cadets had not won at Air Force since their only victory in 1967. Since the start of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition in 1972, Army had a 3-2 record against the Falcons. A victory by Army over Air Force would set up the winner of the Army-Navy game to take the Trophy.

Air Force began its 1977 season with a 0-0 tie at Wyoming and then a loss at California, 14-24. The Falcons beat Pacific University, 15-13, in their first home game of the season. Since then, Air Force had suffered five straight defeats – at Georgia Tech (3-30), at Navy (7-10), Arizona State (14-37), at Baylor (7-38), and Boston College (14-36). The Falcons had lost the services of five defensive starters for the BC game.

"When you go out there to play Air Force," said Homer Smith, "They show you everything imaginable in the way of defenses. In fact, they have some defenses we haven't made up names for yet. But we are looking forward to playing Air Force. They are tough to beat anywhere, and they are tougher to beat on their home field. They have had a difficult season, but they have played well against some strong football teams."

Smith continued, "Offensively, Ben Martin has utilized more passing than he has done before. They have a fine quarterback in Dave Ziebart, who runs right or left, scrambles, and throws well. He is quick afoot and accurate with his arm. This is one of our key games, primarily because it is against another service academy. I don't think one realizes the significance of such an encounter unless you live at West Point and see every student and every teacher up for one game. I know we will have to be at our best in order to win, and I am confident our players will be at their best."

Offensive guard Curt Downs (fractured hand), offensive tackle Joe Oliver (ankle sprain), and defensive back Doug Lowrey (groin pull) did not play against Holy Cross, but were expected to dress for the Air Force game. Questionable were safety Steve Smith and halfback Jon Dwyer. Smith suffered a hand injury against Holy Cross. Dwyer was still nursing a shoulder sprain.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Chuck Schott and Mark Berry, tackles Chuck D'Amico and Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Steve Miller, and Dave Charest, Joe LeGasse, Bruce Elliott, and Steve Smith in the secondary. Kirk Thomas started instead of Miller and Phil Macklin started for Smith.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Jim Hollingsworth and Curt Downs at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Mike Fahnestock and Bill Skoda may have started instead of Whyte and Dunaway, according to conflicting records in the press box. I gave each of the four a start.

Starting for the Falcon offense were split end Paul Williams, tackles Pat Meagher and Russ Glover, guards Mike Evers and Jim Weidmann, center Gerry Smith, full back David Thomas, tailback Shelby Ball, tight end Linden Torchia, flanker Steve Hoog, and quarterback Dave Ziebart.

The Air Force defensive starters were ends Dave Scott and Linwood Mason, tackles Ryan Williams and Tom Morris, middle guard Bill Travnick, linebackers Jack Kucera and Tom Foertsch, rover Mark McCollum, cornerbacks L.C. Crowe and Ron Pointer, and safety Tim Hoy. The punter was Scott Schafer with Terry Harris and Scott Jensen kicking.

Army was favored by two points by the Vegas odds. Jimmy the Greek also favored Army over the Falcons by two.

The junior varsity hosted the Cornell freshmen on Friday afternoon. The Cadets took the lead with a Corky Messner 32-yard field goal and a Jim Hill one-yard touchdown run in the first period to make it, 9-0. The Big Red rallied with two touchdown passes in the second period for a halftime lead of 9-13.

Hill scored a touchdown on a five-yard run in the third quarter to retake the lead, 16-13. In the final period, quarterback Mark Trigsted hit Ron Osborn on a 15-yard touchdown pass, 23-13. Ken Topping scored on a one-yard run minutes later. Messner closed the scoring at 32-13 with an 18-yard field goal. The Army junior varsity squad's season record now stood at 4-2-2.

The weather at West Point was clear during the week, with no rain until Friday and temperatures in the mid-60s. The team left West Point on Friday morning, after a send-off from the Rabble Rousers, and flew a United Airlines charter from Stewart to Denver, arriving around 11 am local time.

After having lunch at the historic Broadmoor Hotel (and a tour followed by an imagined night club set by Pritchard on piano, Johnston imagining a trumpet, and Mulrane tending the drums), the Cadets would work out in Falcon Stadium around 2:30 pm (and then practice breathing from an oxygen tank). The team stayed at the Holiday Inn North in Colorado Springs, and a few more players were inducted into Black September.

"In an attempt to class us up, they took us to the Broadmoor Hotel for a team meal," recalled Bill Duelge, "We ate in a private room that had a band stand with instruments on it. Chuck Johnston led a group of players in an impromptu music session while the coaches were out of the room. I am also pretty sure that this was where Kirk Thomas got busted by Homer while he was doing a spot-on imitation of Homer."

At the Air Force Academy, there was snow on the ground on Saturday morning, and the offensive line threw snowballs during pre-game workouts (according to Gene McIntyre). The Blood Brothers put their band aid on their right thumbs, and ran out onto the field to the cheers of the several hundred Cadets who made the trip, led by First Captain Jim Hoffman. D'Amico handed the bag with the Blood Ball to Equipment Manager Dickie Hall, while other Blood Brothers quietly touched thumbs.

The temperature was partly cloudy, 70 degrees, with variable winds coming out of the southeast up to 15 mph. Hall and D'Amico both touched right thumbs and walked to the center of the field to meet their service academy opponents. Army won the toss and elected to receive. Air Force would defend the south goal. There were 34,228 fans in attendance.

First Quarter

Air Force's Jensen kicked off at 12:48 pm local time into the end zone for a touchback. On first down (A20), Leamon Hall rushed off the left guard for five yards (Foertsch). Jim Merriken ran off left guard for two yards (Ryan Williams). Hall completed a screen pass to Greg King for no gain (Travnick). On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 37 yards and the Falcons Hoy returned it four yards at 13:11 (Duelge).

On first down (F40), Ziebart went around the left end 13 yards (Kirk Thomas). On first down (A47), Ziebart was sacked for a loss of nine yards (Berry). Ziebart completed a ten-yard pass to Ball (Hilliard). A pass attempt to Paul Williams was defended by Kirk Thomas and incomplete. On fourth down, Schafer punted 46 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 11:34.

On first down (A20), King ran off the right tackle for a yard (Kucera). Hall's pass attempt to Clennie Brundidge was incomplete (Crowe). Merriken rushed off left tackle for six yards (Ryan Williams). On fourth down, Whyte punted 52 yards and Hoy returned it 22 yards at 10:15 (Mayes).

On first down (F43), Ball ran off the left guard for four yards (Kirk Thomas). Ziebart went around the right end for 13 yards (Hilliard). On first down (A40), Ball rushed off the left tackle for six yards (LeGasse). Fullback Mike Webb ran up the middle for five yards (Kirk Thomas). On first down (A29), Ziebart completed a ten-yard pass to Hoog (Charest). On first down (A19), the Falcons were called for illegal procedure.

On first down and 15 (A24), Webb ran off the left guard for five yards (Kirk Thomas). On a pitch play, tailback Mark Bushell went around the left end for a yard (Schott). A pass attempt to Hoog was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete. On fourth down and nine (A18), Terry Harris converted a 35-yard field goal at 7:00. The Air Force scoring drive was 57 yards in nine plays to make the score, 0-3.

Jensen kicked off to the Army 11-yard line and Dave Pritchard returned it 25 yards (Mark Cerise). On first down (A36), Hall completed a 15-yard pass to Brundidge (Hoy). On first down (F48), Hall ran for no gain (Ryan Williams). King went off the left tackle for ten yards (Crowe). On first down (F38), Merriken ran off the right guard for 11 yards (Crowe). On first down (F27), Merriken rushed off left tackle for no gain (Travnick). On a trap play, King went left for a yard (Foertsch). Mike Fahnestock caught a 17-yard pass (Hoy).

On first down (F09), King ran off the left guard for two yards (Ryan Williams). Merriken rushed off the left guard for a yard (Foertsch). Hall's pass for Bill Skoda was defended and incomplete (Pointer). On fourth down and goal (F06), Mike Castelli's 24-yard field goal kick was good at 2:24. The Army drive was 64 yards in 11 plays to tie the score at 3-3.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Air Force five-yard line and Mike Fortson returned it twenty yards (Hargis). On first down (F25), Ball ran off the left guard for three yards (Traylor). A pass attempt to Ball was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete. Ziebart ran six yards on a keeper (Traylor). On fourth down, Schafer punted 59 yards and Jim Merriken returned it eight yards at 0:51 (Joe Bunecke).

On first down (A20), King ran off the left guard for twelve yards (Hoy). On first down (A32), Merriken rushed off the left tackle for no gain (Pointer). The clock ran out before the next play could be called. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Army 3, Air Force 3.

Second Quarter

On second down and ten (A32), Leamon Hall's pass to George Dunaway was overthrown and incomplete (Hoy). On the play, the Falcons were called for pass interference. On first down (A43), Greg King ran a reverse for no gain (Scott). A pass attempt over the middle to Jim Merriken was defended and incomplete (Kucera). Another pass attempt to Ward Whyte was defended and incomplete (Pointer). On fourth down, Whyte punted 57 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 14:04.

On first down (F20), Bushell ran off the right guard for three yards (D'Amico). A pass attempt to Bushell was defended by Bruce Elliott and incomplete. On a draw play, Bushell gained a yard (Fuller). On fourth down, Schafer punted 22 yards where it was downed at 12:42.

On first down (F46), Hall's pass to Merriken was defended and incomplete (Crowe). On second down and ten (F46), Merriken rushed for six yards off the left guard and fumbled while trying to extend the play, with L.C. Crowe recovering the football for Air Force at 12:30.

On first down (F37), Ziebart completed an eight-yard pass to Bushell (Hilliard). David Thomas ran off the right tackle for five yards (Berry). On first down (50), David Thomas rushed off the right guard for five yards (Steve Miller). Ziebart completed a five-yard pass to Bushell (Charest). On first down (A40), David Thomas ran off the right tackle for seven yards (Charest). On the play, Army was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and penalized 15 yards.

On first down (A18), Bushell rushed off the left guard for four yards (Steve Miller). Bushell went around the left end for two yards (LeGasse). David Thomas ran off the right tackle for three yards (Berry). On fourth down and one (A09), Ziebart gained a yard on a quarterback keeper (Mayes).

On first down (A08), Bushell ran off the right tackle for two yards (Charest). Ziebart completed a pass to Webb for no gain (Kirk Thomas). Another pass to Paul Williams was defended by Joe LeGasse and incomplete. On fourth down and goal (A06), Terry Harris' 22-yard field goal attempt was good at 8:54. Air Force's scoring drive was 63 yards in 13 plays to take the lead, 3-6.

Air Force was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty while the ball was dead, and was required to kick off from the Air Force 25-yard line. Jensen kicked off to the Army 36-yard line and Greg King returned the football two yards (Deacon Winters). On first down (A38), Merriken ran off the left guard for six yards (Ryan Williams). King rushed over the middle for three yards (Ryan Williams). Hall went around the left end for three yards (Foertsch).

On first down (A49), King went off right tackle for seven yards (Kucera). On second down and three (F44), Leamon Hall pitched to King, with Jim Merriken throwing a key block, and Greg King ran 44-yards for a touchdown at 6:30. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown kick. Army's drive was 62 yards in five plays and the Cadets took the lead, 10-6.

Hargis kicked off into the end zone and Bushell returned the football 17 yards (Avey). On first down (F17), Ziebart went around the right end for nine yards (Macklin). Ziebart ran around the right end for six yards (unknown). On first down (F32), Ball ran off the left guard for seven yards (Hilliard). David Thomas rushed off the left tackle for five yards (Schott).

On first down (F44), Ball ran off right tackle for a yard (Steve Miller). Ziebart kept for three yards (D'Amico). Ziebart ran for a gain of two yards (D'Amico). On fourth down, Schafer punted 30 yards to Merriken for no return at 2:34.

On first down (A20), Greg King ran 16-yards and lost the football, trying to extend the play. Mack McCollum recovered the fumble for Air Force at 2:28.

On first down (A39), Ziebart completed a 16-yard pass to Torchia (Macklin). On first down (A23), Bushell ran off the left tackle for ten yards (Elliott). On first down (A13), a pass attempt to the corner of the end zone to tight end Scott Jensen was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete. On second down and ten (A13), tailback Mark Bushell ran off the left tackle for a yard, fumbled, and Phil Macklin recovered the football at 1:53.

On first down (A12), Greg King ran over the middle for six yards (Crowe). Leamon Hall ran for a gain of three yards (Foertsch). Hall was sacked for a four-yard loss (Morris). On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 44 yards and Hoy returned it 13 yards at 0:17 (unknown).

On first down (A48), a Ziebart pass to Hoog was defended by Bruce Elliott and incomplete. A pass attempt to Paul Williams was intercepted by Phil Macklin and returned 13 yards to the Army 23-yard line as time ran out (Paul Williams). At the end of the first half, the score was Army 10, Air Force 6.

Third Quarter

Air Force will receive and defend the south goal. Mike Hargis kicked off through the end zone for a touchback. On first down (F20), Webb ran off the right guard for three yards (Traylor). Bushell rushed off the right guard for three yards (Schott). Ziebart completed a screen pass to Bushell that gained two yards (Traylor). On fourth down, Schafer punted 39 yards to Jim Merriken, who lost five yards on the return at 13:05 (Gerry Smith).

On first down (A28), Merriken ran around the left end for 15 yards (Hoy). On first down (A43), Greg King ran off the left guard for two yards (Foertsch). King rushed off the left tackle for three yards (Travnick). Tony Landry went around the left end for five yards (Mason). On first down (F47), Leamon Hall lost a yard (Scott). King ran off the left guard for two yards (Scott). Merriken caught a pass for a gain of four yards (McCollum), but Air Force was called offside. On third down and four (F41), a pitch play to Merriken gained nine yards (Pointer).

On first down (F32), Merriken ran off the left tackle for five yards (Foertsch). Landry rushed off the left guard for two yards (Kucera). Landry went off right tackle for 13 yards (Hoy). On first down (F12), Merriken ran around the left end for a loss of a yard (Foertsch). A pass attempt intended for Clennie Brundidge was defended and incomplete (McCollum). Hall completed a twelve-yard screen pass to Merriken (Hoy). On first and goal (F01), Leamon Hall plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 7:32. Mike Castelli made the extra point kick. Army's drive was 72 yards in 14 plays that raised the score to 17-6.

Hargis kicked off through the end zone for a touchback. On first down (F20), Bushell rushed off the left guard for four yards (D'Amico). Ziebart completed a seven-yard pass to Bushell (Elliott). On first down (F31), David Thomas ran off the left guard for six yards (Hilliard). David Thomas went off the right guard for five yards (Mayes).

On first down (F42), David Thomas went off right guard for three yards (Fuller). Flanker Willie Jones gained six yards on a reverse run (Hilliard). David Thomas ran off the right tackle for three yards (D'Amico). On first down (A46), Ziebart kept for a gain of six yards (Fuller). On the play, Air Force was called for illegal motion and lost five yards. On first down and 15 (F49), Ziebart scrambled and completed a 19-yard pass to Hoog (Elliott).

On first down (A32), Webb ran off the right guard for five yards (Hilliard). A swing pass to Bushell gained five yards (Charest). On first down (A16), Webb ran off the right tackle for four yards (D'Amico). Bushell rushed off the right guard for five yards (D'Amico). On the play, the Falcons were penalized five yards for illegal motion. On second down and 11 (A17), a Dave Ziebart pass intended for Paul Williams was intercepted in the end zone by Phil Macklin for a touchback at 2:26.

On first down (A20), King ran off the left guard for four yards (Kucera). King rushed off the left guard for two yards (Scott). King caught a pass from Hall in the flat for a gain of twelve yards (Pointer). On first down (A38), Merriken went around the left side on a pitch play for five yards (Kucera). On a counter play, King ran around the left side for two yards (Foertsch). A pass attempt intended for Brundidge was defended and incomplete (Crowe). On fourth down, Whyte punted 55 yards into the end zone for a touchback at 0:12.

On first down (F20), David Thomas ran off the left guard for three yards as the clock ran out (Hilliard). At the end of the third quarter, the score was Army 17, Air Force 6.

Fourth Quarter

On second down and seven (F23), Ziebart completed a nine-yard pass to Ball (Hilliard). On first down (F32), Ball went around the right end on a pitch play for three yards (Kirk Thomas). A pass attempt to Hoog was defended by Joe LeGasse and incomplete. Ziebart completed a five-yard pass to Paul Williams along the right sideline (Charest). On fourth down, Schafer punted 60 yards through the end zone for a touchback at 13:44.

On first down (A20), Greg King went around the right end on a pitch play for nine yards (Hoy). King ran off left guard for no gain (Scott). Leamon Hall sneaked and gained a yard (Travnick). On the play, Army was penalized for illegal procedure. On third down and six (A24), a pitch play to King went around the left end for 11 yards (Dale Reed). On first down (A35), King ran off the left guard for eight yards (Crowe). Tony Landry rushed off the left tackle for three yards (Foertsch).

On first down (A46), Hall completed a 25-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge (Crowe). On first down (F29), a pass attempt to George Dunaway down the sideline was defended and incomplete (Pointer). A screen pass to Jim Merriken gained nine yards (Kelly Miller). King ran off the left guard for five yards (Scott). On first down (F15), a pitch play to Greg King, with Merriken throwing a key block, went around the right end for a 15-yard touchdown at 10:29. Mike Castelli's point after touchdown kick was good. Army's drive was for 80 yards in ten plays to up the score to 24-6.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Air Force 14-yard line where Bushell fumbled the football. He recovered the football at his twenty-yard line. On first down (F20), Ziebart completed a 14-yard pass to Paul Williams (LeGasse). On first down (F34), another pass was completed to Ball gaining eight yards (Steve Miller). On second down and two (F42), Ziebart ran for three yards, fumbled the football, and Ed Clemons recovered it at 9:23.

On first down (F45), Merriken ran around the left end for three yards (Mason). Merriken went off the left guard for two yards (Ryan Williams). Whyte caught a Hall pass for a gain of twelve yards (Hoy). On first down (F28), Landry went over center for two yards (Ryan Williams). Hall went around the right end for six yards (Foertsch). On a pitch play, Merriken went around the left end for nine yards (Hoy).

On first down (F11), Merriken ran off the right guard for a yard (Ryan Williams). On a pitch play, Landry went around the right end for five yards (Kelly Miller). On third down and four (F05), Leamon Hall completed a five-yard touchdown pass to Ward Whyte at 5:13. Mike Castelli converted the extra point kick. Army's drive was 45 yards in nine plays to extend their lead to 31-6.

Hargis kicked off to the Air Force 14-yard line and Fortson returned it seven yards (Steve Miller). On first down (F21), Ziebart completed a nine-yard pass to Paul Williams (Steve Miller). Ball ran off the right tackle for eight yards (Webb). On first down (F39), Ziebart was sacked for a loss of 14 yards (Duelge). A pass attempt to Jones was broken up by Stan Ford and incomplete. Another pass attempt to Hoog was defended by Dan Webb and incomplete. On fourth down, Schafer punted 55 yards to Jim Merriken, who returned it 14 yards at 3:26 (Stephen Drewnowski).

Earl Mulrane went in at quarterback for Army. On first down (A34), Dave Pritchard ran up the middle for a yard (Foertsch). Pritchard went around the right end for a yard (Scott). A pass attempt to Kevin Kullander was defended and incomplete (Kelly Miller). On fourth down, Charlie Adams punted 16 yards to midfield where it was downed at 2:04.

On first down (50), Ziebart completed a pass to Hoog and he went out of bounds for no gain (Webb). On a pitch play, Fortson went around the left end for 14 yards before fumbling the football. Doug Lowrey recovered the fumble for Army at 1:48.

On first down (50), Joe Cerv rushed for two yards (Travnick). Mulrane's pass attempt to Bill Skoda was defended and incomplete (Pointer). Another pass attempt to Mike Fahnestock was defended and incomplete (Pointer). On fourth down, Adams punted 40 yards where the football was downed at 1:00.

On first down (F08), a quick Dave Ziebart pass attempt to Bushell was incomplete. On a draw play, Bushell gained six yards (Foster). Ziebart completed an eight-yard pass to Jones (Clemons). On first down (F22), Ziebart completed a pass over the middle to Michael Koepke for 26 yards (Harrington).

On first down (F48), Ziebart completed a 24-yard pass over the middle to Joe Bunecke (Harrington). On first down (A28), a pass attempt to Bushell was defended by Doug Lowrey and incomplete. Another pass attempt to Paul Williams was incomplete as time ran out at 3:43 pm. At the end of the game, the final score was Army 31, Air Force 6. Jim Merriken planted the 10th Cavalry Regiment flag, a unit from nearby Fort Carson, into the field at the end of the game.

Post-Game

"Naturally, we are tremendously thrilled on our victory," said a smiling Homer Smith following perhaps the biggest victory of the 1977 season, "It is unfortunate, though, the only story comes from me though, standing here talking to reporters. The real story is our players; they are a remarkable, coming together of many individuals. They generate their own spirit, tend to their own personnel problems, and work extremely hard to get the job done as a team."

"We were extremely surprised that they [Air Force] did not pressure us," said the Army Coach, "We were expecting everything but the kitchen sink from their many defenses, but instead they seemed intent on stopping our short passing game. That left the door open for our running. We tried to go with our delays and our screens, but they were all covered. Their pass defense against us was well-conceived. They clamped down on our bread-and-butter pass plays and the runs simply were indicated."

"Air Force has had a tough road to go down this year and they have played a series of games which left them physically worn," said Smith after the game, "Defensively, we knew we had to control their quarterback Dave Ziebart. I believe we had a fair amount of success in doing that, although I don't believe you can really rush Ziebart or he will break loose and run. Looking across the field it was difficult for me seeing Ben Martin in this situation. I loved coaching with Ben while an assistant here. He was my main man. I was with him when he built up the program here, built it up to the very top. I also caught some of the days of the collapse. But Ben built the program right back up to the top, and people shouldn't forget that."

"Excellent team effort," recalled Mike Fahnestock, "In fact, the last Army team to win at Air Force this century." "Felt good to take two in a row," said Joe LeGasse. "Beating Air Force at Air Force," agreed Chuck Schott, "Big win for the team." "One of the best wins Army has had at Air Force," added Mike Castelli.

Army had 19 first downs, rushed for 288 yards and passed for 108, with no interceptions and two lost fumbles, and 43 yards in penalties. Air Force had 20 first downs, rushed for 189 yards, completed 18 of 32 passes for 191 yards and two interceptions, lost three fumbles, and were penalized for 44 yards.

Greg King had 165 yards on 23 attempts with two touchdowns, while Jim Merriken had 85 yards in 18 carries. Tony Landry rushed for 30 yards, Leamon Hall had seven with a touchdown run, and Joe Cerv had two yards, while Dave Pritchard gained nothing on two carries. Merriken and Landry were cited after the game for their key blocks, as well as the offensive line of Oliver, Hollingsworth, Johnston, Downs, Dailey, Hodge, and McIntyre.

Clennie Brundidge caught two passes gaining 41 yards, Merriken two catches for 21 yards, Ward Whyte two receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown, King two catches for twelve, and Mike Fahnestock 17 yards on a reception. Hall completed nine of 17 passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. Earle Mulrane made three pass attempts with no completions.

Ward Whyte punted five times for a 49.0 yard average, while Charlie Adams punted twice for a 28.0 yard average. Pritchard returned a kickoff for 25 yards, while King returned one for a yard. Merriken returned two punts for three yards.

Phil Macklin intercepted two passes and returned them for 13 yards. Phil Macklin, Ed Clemons, and Doug Lowrey each recovered a Falcon fumble. Players with five or more total tackles were Kirk Thomas (12), D'Amico (11), Hilliard (11), Mayes (9), Charest (6), Steve Miller (5), and Traylor (5).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Ford and Hayden; tackles Swanson, Fuller, Duelge, and Groller; Turrell at middle guard; Miller and Foster at linebacker; defensive backs Harrington, Webb, Clemons, and Lowrey; and Whyte and Adams punting.

Substitutes on offense were – ends Kullander and Wilson; tackles Klopfenstine McIntyre, and Triplett; Boucher and Hodge at guard; Maples, Decker, and Perkins at center; flankers McGlasker and Hallingstad; halfbacks Landry, Cerv, and Pritchard; Mulrane and Avey at quarterback; Hargis for kickoffs; and Castelli for placekicking.

A total of 57 Cadets played against Air Force and about 61 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Johnson and Liebetreu. Also dressing were Mike Bristol and Bobby Vicci. Jon Dwyer and Steve Smith were injured prior to the game and did not play. Chuck Johnston (thigh contusion) and Greg King (slight hamstring pull) suffered injuries during the Air Force game.

Recognitions

Tight end Clennie Brundidge broke one Army record and tied another in the Air Force game. Brundidge 41 yards receiving enabled him to pass Joe Albano's record of 669 yards made during the 1970 season. Brundidge now had 675 yards with two games to go. He also tied the career reception record of 94 catches set by Terry Young during the 1965-1967 seasons. Greg King was now ranked 10th on the all-time Army season rushing list with a total of 817 yards after his second straight game over 100 yards rushing. Ward Whyte set a single-game punting record with 49.0 yards per punt against Air Force.

Leamon Hall was 7th nationally in passing with 1,651 yards and 17.7 completions per game. Hall was also 12th in total offense with 183.8 yards per game. Clennie Brundidge was 14th nationally in receptions (4.7 per game).

Greg King and Phil Macklin were named to the weekly ECAC all-Star squad. Jim Hollingsworth was awarded the offensive game ball by the coaches, while Ward Whyte received the kicking ball and Chuck D'Amico received the defensive football.

"Chuck has been in the running for game balls before this," said Coach Smith, "But it is almost as if the coaches saved Chuck for the big one, that well-deserved victory over Air Force. He did an outstanding job for us, not only on the field, but in assisting the coaching staff in making sure the Army team was prepared for this service academy clash."

"We value Chuck much more than for his talents as a defensive player," said defensive line Coach John Wade, "As Co-Captain, he has been both a leader and inspiration to the entire squad. He encourages the offense and defense while he is on the sidelines during a game and keeps this team mentally prepared for all of the challenges it faces. Frankly, I feel very fortunate to have worked with this young man. Any coach would."

"During team warmups [before the start of the Air Force game], I developed some kind of leg muscle spasm, which literally crippled me," recalled D'Amico forty years later, "I was carried back to the locker room and the team physician, Colonel (Dr.) Protzman, diagnosed it and said the only fix would be to give a shot (don't know of what) directly into my leg muscle. He said it would either work quickly OR I wouldn't be able to walk again for hours. Got the shot, twenty minutes later I was on the field in time for kick-off."

Army Opponents

Massachusetts (7-1) defeated Holy Cross (0-8), 28-6. The Virginia Military Institute (5-3) won at Virginia, 30-6. Colorado (6-2-1) finally won at Iowa State, 12-7. Villanova (3-6) lost at Maryland, 13-19. Lafayette (4-5) beat Fordham, 41-23. Boston College (5-3) was idle.

Navy (4-5) lost to Syracuse, 34-45. Navy scored first on a 67-yard Phil McConkey punt return in the first period. Syracuse and Navy then had long touchdown scoring drives for a 14-7 lead after the first quarter. Both teams made field goals early in the next quarter. Midway through the second quarter, Syracuse tied the game. Two minutes later, the Orangemen intercepted a Bob Leszczynski pass and then scored three plays later. Navy kicked another field goal, but Syracuse scored another touchdown with three seconds left in the half to lead 31-20. A third quarter touchdown by Syracuse proved to the winning score. Joe Gattuso and Larry Klawinski both scored touchdowns to close to 38-34, but Syracuse replied with a long drive and a final touchdown pass.

#9 Pittsburgh (7-1-1) won at West Virginia, 44-3. The Mountaineers scored in the first quarter with a 45-yard field goal. Matt Cavanaugh led the Panthers back to score 44 straight points in a hard-hitting victory over their bitter neighborhood rivals.

#1 Texas won 35-21 at Houston. #2 Alabama embarrassed #18 Louisiana State, 24-3. #3 Oklahoma won at Oklahoma State, 61-28. #4 Ohio State won 35-0 at Illinois. #5 Notre Dame (7-1) routed Georgia Tech, 69-14. The AP and UPI Top Five were Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #5/#5 Notre Dame, #10/#9 Pittsburgh, and not ranked/#15 Colorado.

Post-Script

Army snapped a 20-game losing streak on the road with its Blood Victory over Air Force. The win was Army's third straight and assured the Cadets of their first winning season since 1972. The 31 points scored by Army was the most ever scored against Air Force in the series that began in 1959, and the first time ever the Falcons had failed to score a touchdown against West Point. It was also the first time Army had beaten the Falcons in back-to-back seasons. Every player got a silver star on their gray jacket, seniors earning their second (or third).

Operation Black September had achieved a road win, a winning season, and the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition. The Blood Brothers began to open up in the third quarter after a close first half.

Beat Air Force in every game in every sport we play them.

Chapter 18  
Pittsburgh – November 12, 1977

Pre-Game

Army (6-3) would meet the defending national champions, the University of Pittsburgh (7-1-1), at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands on Saturday, November 12th. The Panthers were led by first-year Coach Jackie Sherrill (10-9-1). Pitt returned 31 lettermen and eleven starters from a team that went 12-0 during the 1976 season. Key players were quarterback Matt Cavanaugh, defensive tackle Randy Holloway, defensive back Bob Jury, offensive guard Tom Brzoza, fullback Elliott Walker, linebacker Jeff Delaney, and split end Gordon Jones. This would be the 21st meeting between the two teams, with Pitt holding a 12-6-2 record in the series.

Pittsburgh opened the season with a 9-19 lost against Notre Dame. The Panthers then won three straight – William & Mary (28-6), at Temple (76-0), and at Boston College (45-7) – before being tied at Florida, 17-17. Pitt had won their last four games – Navy (34-17), Syracuse (28-21), Tulane (48-0), and at West Virginia (44-3).

"I think Pittsburgh plays better now than they did before when they even had Tony Dorsett," said Coach Smith, "They give you so many problems to deal with you can't keep track of them all. With Matt Cavanaugh, they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country, although we feel we have one of the best quarterbacks around in Leamon Hall. Cavanaugh, though, is the guy who destroyed us last year, coming off the bench to get Pitt moving. If he had not been hurt in the season opener against Notre Dame, I feel Pitt would probably be sitting in the No. 1 position and undoubtedly undefeated. That is how important this young man is to the Pitt football team."

"Pitt's defense is one of the best and perhaps the quickest in the country," continued Smith, "Randy Holloway is an outstanding football player who is extremely quick and very tough to handle. Some scouts have said Pitt's defensive secondary could go to a professional team right now. That's how good they are, so we know we are going to have our hands full Saturday."

Junior safety Steve Smith would miss his second straight game with a bone fracture in his right hand. Junior center Chuck Johnston (thigh contusion) and senior halfback Greg King (slight hamstring pull) might miss some practice time this week, but were expected to start. Sophomore halfback Jon Dwyer had missed two games due to a shoulder sprain, but was expected to play this week.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Chuck Schott and Mark Berry, tackles Chuck D'Amico and Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Steve Miller, and Dave Charest, Joe LeGasse, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Jim Hollingsworth and Curt Downs at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback. Jim Hodge would actually start at center for Johnston.

Army was a 25 point underdog against Pittsburgh. Jimmy the Greek pegged Pitt by 28 points. Pat Livingston, sports writer for The Pittsburgh Press, predicted a Panther letdown but still a victory over the Cadets.

The junior varsity would play its final game of the season in Michie Stadium hosting Princeton. I could not find what the result of that game was.

It rained every day this week through Friday, with four inches of rain on Tuesday. High temperatures were in the mid-50s, then rose to the 60s on Thursday and Friday, and dropped to a high of 45 and low of 30 on Saturday at West Point.

The team left West Point on Friday evening and bused down to the Saddle Brook Marriott where they stayed overnight. I'm sure Black September inducted a few more players that evening. The Corps of Cadets left West Point on Saturday morning and marched on into Giants Stadium around 12:25 pm before the game. Blood Brothers ran onto the artificial turf with band aids and discretely touched thumbs.

It was clear, partly sunny, and cool, with a temperature at 43 degrees at kickoff, with winds 10-20 mph. The high temperature would be in the mid 40's during the game. In front of a disappointing turnout of 35,387 fans in Giants Stadium, visiting Pittsburgh won the toss and elected to receive. Army will defend the south goal.

First Quarter

Mike Hargis kicked off at 1:30 pm to the Pittsburgh five-yard line and the Panthers returned the football 31 yards before being forced out of bounds (Berry). Matt Cavanaugh was in at quarterback for Pittsburgh. On first down (P36), the Panthers ran straight ahead for one yard (Mayes). Pitt rushed off the left tackle for 13 yards (Berry, Macklin). On first down (50), the quarterback went to the left for seven yards (LeGasse). On second down and three (A43), the Panthers ran six yards when Chuck D'Amico caused a fumble that was recovered by Steve Miller at 13:17.

Leamon Hall was in at quarterback for Army. On first down (A37), Jim Merriken went up the middle for no gain. On a pitch play, Merriken fumbled the football and Ward Whyte recovered it for a loss of two yards. Leamon Hall completed a 22-yard pass to Merriken on the right side. On first down (P43), Greg King ran straight ahead for three yards. Hall's pass attempt to Bill Skoda was defended and incomplete. Clennie Brundidge caught a 15-yard pass over the middle.

On first down (P25), Merriken ran off the right guard for two yards. King went around the right end for three yards. On the next play, the Panthers were called for being offside. On first down and 10 (P15), Merriken went seven yards on a pitch play around the left side. Merriken ran off the right guard for two yards. Hall ran straight ahead for three yards. On first down (P03), King fumbled the football on a run play and the Panthers recovered it at 8:10.

"We needed to score on that first drive when we fumbled on the three," said Smith after the game, "It was simply a case of a player not being practiced enough. Greg King did not practice all week because of a hamstring pull. We called a play and the timing just wasn't there. Consequently, the fumble and a lost opportunity. But I would still start King again even though he hadn't practiced all week, because he is the best we have."

On first down (P07), a pitch play wide around the right went twelve yards out of bounds (Elliott). On first down (P19), a pass attempt was defended by Dave Charest and incomplete. Pittsburgh completed a 19-yard pass (Miller). On first down (P38), the Panthers went up the middle for six yards (Mayes). Pitt completed a 5-yard pass to the right flat (Elliott).

On first down (P49), the quarterback went to the right for six yards (D'Amico). Pittsburgh ran up the middle for three yards (Mayes). The quarterback rushed straight ahead for four yards (Miller, D'Amico). On first down (A38), Matt Cavanaugh completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Willie Taylor at 4:44. Mark Schubert converted the extra point kick. The Panthers scoring drive was for 93 yards in 9 plays to open the scoring, 0-7.

Pitt kicked off to the Army one-yard line and Merriken returned it 18 yards. On first down (A19), King ran up the middle for no gain. Hall's pass attempt to Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. A pass attempt to Merriken was defended and incomplete. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 51 yards where the football rolled dead at 3:30.

On first down (P30), the Pitt quarterback completed a pass to the left side, but the Panthers were penalized 15 yards for holding. On first down and 25 (P15), a pass attempt was dropped and incomplete. Pittsburgh ran up the middle for four yards (D'Amico). The quarterback was pressured by Mark Berry and the pass attempt was incomplete. On the play, the Panthers were called for an ineligible receiver downfield. On third down and 30 (P10), Chuck D'Amico pressured the quarterback and the pass attempt was incomplete. On fourth down, Pittsburgh punted 40 yards to Tony Landry who returned it two yards at 2:16.

On first down (P48), Greg King went around the right end for six yards. King ran off the right guard for four yards. On first down (P38), Leamon Hall completed an 11-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge to the right. On first down (P27), Tony Landry ran off the left tackle for two yards. A pass attempt intended for Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. Another pass attempt to King was incomplete. On fourth down and eight (P25), Mike Castelli attempted a 42-yard field goal that was wide left at 0:53.

On first down (P20), the Pitt quarterback ran for five yards (D'Amico). The quarterback rushed 31-yards to the right (Clemons). The clock ran out before the next play could be called. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Pittsburgh 7, Army 0.

Second Quarter

On first down (A44), the Panthers ran off the right tackle for 11 yards (Schott). On first down (A33), Pitt completed a 13-yard pass to the right side (Charest). On first down (A20), the Panthers ran three yards on a pitch play to the left before being forced out of bounds (LeGasse). Pittsburgh completed a ten-yard pass over the middle (Clemons).

On first down (A07), a pitch play going right gained no yards (Charest). The quarterback lost one yard (Hilliard). A pass was deflected by Steve Miller and incomplete. On fourth down and eight (A08), Mark Schubert completed a 24-yard field goal attempt at 12:38. Pittsburgh's scoring drive was 80 yards in ten plays to extend their lead to 0-10.

Pitt kicked off to the Army seven-yard line and Tony Landry returned it 14 yards. On first down (A21), Greg King ran off the right tackle for a yard. Leamon Hall's pass attempt to Keith Wilson was intercepted by the Panthers, who returned it 24 yards at 11:17 (Dailey).

On first down (A14), Elliott Walker ran up the middle for a touchdown at 11:12. Mark Schubert converted the point after touchdown. Pittsburgh's drive was 14 yards in one play to extend their lead to 0-17.

Pitt kicked off into the end zone where Landry downed it for a touchback. On first down (A20), King fumbled on a running play and recovered it for no gain. Hall lost one yard. A screen pass to King to the left flat gained a yard. On fourth down, Whyte punted 47 yards and the Panthers returned it 54 yards. On the play, Army was called for a face mask and penalized six yards.

On first down (A07), a pass attempt was incomplete. On second down and goal (A07), a pitch play from Matt Cavanaugh to Larry Sims went wide left for a touchdown at 8:58. Mark Schubert kicked the extra point. Pittsburgh's drive was seven yards in two plays to make the score, 0-24.

Pitt kicked off to the Army 13-yard line and Dave Pritchard returned it 13 yards. On first down (A26), Jim Merriken went wide left for eight yards. Merriken ran straight ahead for a yard. Merriken rushed straight ahead for two yards. On first down (A37), Leamon Hall completed an 18-yard pass over the middle to Clennie Brundidge.

On first down (P45), Hall completed an eight-yard pass to Merriken to the right. Greg King lost five yards on a run play. A pass attempt intended for King was broken up and incomplete. On fourth down (P42), Ward Whyte on a fake punt attempted to pass but lost 11 yards. Army lost the ball on downs at 6:16.

On first down (A47), the Pitt quarterback completed a 26-yard pass to the left where the receiver was forced out of bounds (Lowrey). On first down (A21), Matt Cavanaugh completed a 21-yard pass to Randy Reutershan on the right side for a touchdown at 5:44. Mark Schubert made the point after touchdown kick. Pittsburgh's drive was 47 yards in two plays to make the score, 0-31.

Pitt kicked off into the end zone where Tony Landry downed it for a touchback. On first down (A20), Merriken went wide left for eight yards. King ran straight ahead for five yards. On first down (A33), Hall's pass attempt to Greg McGlasker was broken up and incomplete. Merriken went wide left for a yard. Hall's pass attempt to George Dunaway was incomplete, but the Panthers were called for pass interference and penalized 15 yards.

On first down (A49), King run up the middle for four yards. Hall was sacked for a loss of seven yards. A pass attempt to Brundidge was incomplete. On fourth down and 13 (A46), Whyte punted 30 yards and the football rolled out of bounds at 2:18.

On first down (P24), a pitch play went wide right (Hilliard). Pittsburgh was called for clipping on the play and lost ten yards. On first down and 20 (P14), Pitt completed a 22-yard pass over the middle (Charest). On first down (P36), the Panthers completed a seven-yard pass to the left sideline that went out of bounds. Pittsburgh completed another pass over the middle (LeGasse). Army was called for a face mask penalty on the play.

On first down (A25), the Panthers ran off the left side for six yards. On second down and four (A19), Matt Cavanaugh completed a 19-yard pass to Willie Taylor for a touchdown at 1:19. Dave Trout converted the extra point kick. Pitt's scoring play was 76 yards in five plays and the score was 0-38.

Pittsburgh kicked off into the end zone and Tony Landry downed it for a touchback. On first down (A20), Jim Merriken ran up the middle on a draw play for nine yards. Merriken run straight ahead for four yards. On first down (A33), Leamon Hall's pass attempt to Merriken was broken up and incomplete. Hall completed a five-yard pass to Merriken to the right. Merriken caught an eight-yard pass for a first down as time ran out. At the end of the first half, the score was Pittsburgh 38, Army 0.

Third Quarter

Army will receive and Pitt will defend the south goal. Pittsburgh kicked off to the goal line and Tony Landry returned the football 26 yards. On first down (A26), Greg King went around the right end for seven yards. Landry ran up the middle for a yard. Landry rushed off the left tackle for four yards.

On first down (A38), Leamon Hall completed a pass over the middle to Clennie Brundidge, but on the play Army was called for backfield in motion and penalized five yards. On first down and 15 (A33), King lost two yards up the middle. King ran up the middle on a draw play for ten yards. Hall completed a 13-yard pass to Mike Fahnestock on the left side.

On first down (P46), Jon Dwyer went wide left for six yards. King ran wide right for three yards. Hall plunged ahead for two yards. On first down (P35), a pass attempt intended for Dwyer was broken up and incomplete. A pass attempt to Brundidge was incomplete. Hall completed a six-yard pass to King to the left. On fourth down and four (P29), Hall was sacked for a loss of eight yards. Army lost the football on downs at 9:49.

On first down (P37), the Panthers ran off the right tackle for three yards (Berry). Pittsburgh rushed off the right guard for four yards (Traylor). A pitch play went right out of bounds (Berry), but the Panthers were called for clipping. On third down and 13 (P34), a pass attempt was incomplete. Pitt was called for offensive interference on the pass play. On fourth down, the Panthers were called for illegal procedure. On fourth down and 33 (P14), the Panthers punted 45 yards where Tony Landry returned it seven yards at 8:06.

On first down (A48), King ran off the right tackle for three yards. Hall's pass attempt for Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. Hall completed a four-yard pass caught by Landry to the left. On fourth down, Hall completed an 18-yard pass to Brundidge over the middle. On first down (P27), Landry went wide left for three yards. Hall lost one yard on a keeper. Brundidge caught a 17-yard pass over the middle.

On first down (P08), King went wide right for seven yards. King ran off the right guard for no gain. On third down and goal (P01), Leamon Hall plunged over the goal line for a touchdown at 4:04. Leamon Hall completed a two point conversion pass to Clennie Brundidge. Army's scoring drive was 52 yards in ten plays to close the score to 8-38.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Pittsburgh 27-yard line where the Panthers returned it two yards (Berry). Rick Trocano went in at quarterback for Pittsburgh. On first down (P29), the Panthers ran up the middle for three yards (Fuller). On a pitch play, Pittsburgh went wide left for six yards before being forced out of bounds (Hilliard). The quarterback ran straight ahead for three yards (Hilliard, Mayes).

On first down (P41), the quarterback ran on a keeper to the right for eight yards (D'Amico). Pitt ran off the right guard for a yard (Mayes). The quarterback ran straight ahead for two yards (Hilliard, Mayes). On first down (A48), the Panthers completed an 18-yard pass to the left (Macklin). On first down (A31), the quarterback went on a keeper to the right for four yards (D'Amico, Miller). The quarterback ran again to the right for five yards (Hilliard). Before the next play could be called, the clock ran out. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Pittsburgh 38, Army 8.

Fourth Quarter

On third down and one (A22), the quarterback ran straight ahead for three yards (Fuller, Hilliard). On first down (A19), the Panthers rushed straight ahead for a loss of a yard (Turrell). The quarterback rushed to the left for six yards (Fuller). The quarterback ran to the right for three yards (Fuller, Hilliard). On fourth down and two (A11), the quarterback rushed to the left for nine yards (Miller).

On first down (A02), the Panthers ran off the right guard for a yard (Turrell, Miller). On second and goal (A01), Rick Trocano completed a pass to Benjy Pryor for a touchdown at 11:23. Dave Trout converted the extra point kick. Pittsburgh's drive was 71 yards in 16 plays to make the score, 8-45.

Pitt kicked off to the Army 19-yard line and Joe Cerv returned it one yard. On first down (A20), Hall completed a 28-yard pass to Jon Dwyer on the right. On first down (A48), Leamon Hall completed a 52-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge on the right for a touchdown at 10:49. A two point pass conversion was caught by Greg McGlasker out of bounds and no good. Army's scoring drive was 80 yards in two plays to make the score, 14-45.

Hargis kicked off to the Pittsburgh 17-yard line and the Panthers returner fumbled the football, recovered it, and returned it six yards (Foster). On first down (P23), the Pitt quarterback went around the left end on a keeper for 15 yards before being forced out of bounds (Fuller, Macklin). On first down (P38), the Panthers ran off the right guard for four yards (Hilliard, Miller). A pass attempt was incomplete. Pittsburgh completed a 31-yard pass to the right (Macklin). On first down (A27), a pitch play was fumbled by Pittsburgh and recovered by Steve Miller at 9:19.

Earle Mulrane went in at quarterback for Army. On first down (A27), Mulrane completed a 14-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge over the middle. On first down (A37), Mulrane was sacked for a loss of seven yards. On the next play, Mulrane was sacked for a loss of six yards. On fourth down, Ward Whyte punted 47 yards where the Panthers fumbled the football, recovered the football, and then Steve Miller caused another fumble that was recovered by Duane Fuller at 6:50.

On first down (P30), Jon Dwyer went wide right for a 30-yard touchdown run at 6:42. Earle Mulrane's two point pass conversion to Clennie Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. The Army drive was 30 yards in one play to make the score, 20-45.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Pittsburgh seven-yard line and Gordon Jones fumbled, recovered the football, and returned it 93-yards for a touchdown at 6:29. Dave Trout kicked the extra point. The score was now 20-52.

Pittsburgh kicked off into the end zone where Tony Landry downed it for a touchback. On first down (A20), Mulrane completed an 18-yard pass to Clennie Brundidge over the middle. On first down (A38), a pass attempt to Jon Hallingstad was incomplete. Another pass intended for Bill Skoda was incomplete. Jon Dwyer went wide right for six yards. On fourth down, Whyte punted 33 yards where the Panthers returned it two yards at 5:15 (Groller).

Jeff Delaney went in at quarterback for Pittsburgh. On first down (P25), the quarterback ran a keeper for seven yards and fumbled the football (D'Amico). Joe LeGasse recovered the football at 5:08.

On first down (P32), Mulrane completed a four-yard pass over the middle to Brundidge. Bill Skoda caught an 18-yard pass on the left side. On first down (P10), a pass attempt to Mike Fahnestock was incomplete. On second and goal (A10), Earl Mulrane rolled to the right to pass, saw no one open, and ran on a keeper for a ten-yard touchdown at 3:50. Earl Mulrane's two point pass conversion to Mike Fahnestock was broken up and incomplete. The Army scoring drive was 32 yards in four plays to make the score, 26-52.

Hargis kicked off to the Pittsburgh one-yard line and the Panthers fumbled the football, recovered it, and returned it 13 yards (Avey). On first down (P14), the Panthers ran off the right tackle for two yards (Fuller). On a pitch play, the Panthers lost eight yards (Turrell). On a quarterback keeper to the left, the Panthers gained six yards (Turrell). On fourth down, the Panthers punted 34 yards where the football rolled dead at 1:41.

On first down (P48), Jon Dwyer went wide left for seven yards. Dwyer handed off to George Dunaway for a two-yard gain. Mulrane ran straight ahead for two yards. On first down (P38), a pass attempt for Brundidge was broken up and incomplete. Another pass attempt for Keith Wilson was incomplete. Mulrane's pass attempt for Brundidge was intercepted and returned 15 yards at 0:24 (Landry).

On first down (P34), the Panthers ran straight ahead for four yards (Traylor) when the clock ran out at 4:18 pm. At the end of the game, the score was Pittsburgh 52, Army 26.

Post-Game

"That was a difficult game for us," said Coach Homer Smith after the game, "We let it get out of control in the second quarter and that was disastrous. We felt we would have our opportunities over 60 minutes, but we let it get out of control. We made two critical mistakes in our kicking game, that Jones kickoff return and the punt. Those two mistakes hurt us a great deal."

"Pittsburgh is a team of great ability," continued Smith, "We knew that last year when we played them. Gordon Jones is simply a sensational football player with extraordinary speed. Matt Cavanaugh is also a marvelous quarterback, and I feel Pitt would have been undefeated if he hadn't been hurt." "Gordon Jones was harder to tackle on special teams than anyone, including Tony Dorsett the year before at Pitt," said Bill Duelge.

"It's hard to be better than last year, but we do a lot more difficult things. We mix things up," said Pittsburgh Coach Jackie Sherrill after the game.

Army had an edge in first downs, 25-24, and in passing yardage, 280-246. Pitt rushed for 232 yards compared to the Cadets running for 128 yards. Pittsburgh completed 14 of 21 passes with no interceptions, lost four fumbles, and 99 yards in penalties. Army was 19 for 38 passes with two interceptions, one lost fumble, and 26 yards in penalties.

Jon Dwyer had 49 yards rushing with a touchdown, Greg King and Jim Merriken both gained 42 yards, Tony Landry had ten yards, George Dunaway gained two, Earle Mulrane lost two yards with a touchdown, Ward Whyte lost eleven, and Leamon Hall lost 15 yards with a touchdown.

Clennie Brundidge caught nine passes for 167 yards with a touchdown. Merriken caught four receptions gaining 43 yards and King caught two passes for seven yards. Dwyer (28 yards), Bill Skoda (18), Mike Fahnestock (13), and Landry (4) each caught a pass. Hall completed 15 of 28 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Mulrane completed four of ten passes for 54 yards and one interception.

Ward Whyte punted five times for a 41.6 yard average. Landry returned one punt for two yards. Landry returned three kickoffs for 47 yards, while Merriken (18 yards), Dave Pritchard (13), and Joe Cerv (1) each returned one kickoff.

Steve Miller recovered two fumbles. Duane Fuller and Joe LeGasse each recovered a fumble. Chuck D'Amico and Steve Miller each caused two lost fumbles. Players with five or more total tackles were Hilliard (12), D'Amico (11), Turrell (8), Miller (8), Mayes (6), and Fuller (6).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Ford and Hayden; tackles Fuller, Duelge, and Groller; Turrell at middle guard; Kirk Thomas and Foster at linebacker; secondary Lowrey and Clemons; and Whyte punting.

Substitutes on offense were – ends Wilson and Kullander; Decker at tackle; flankers Fahnestock, Hallingstad, McGlasker and Skoda; halfbacks Landry, Dwyer, Pritchard, and Cerv; Mulrane and Avey at quarterback; Hargis for kickoffs; and Castelli for placekicking.

A total of 48 Cadets played against Pittsburgh and about 66 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Adams, Boucher, Conz, Harrington, Johnson, Kisiel, Liebetreu, Logue, Mankosa, Maples, McIntyre, Perkins, Swanson, JT Thomas, Vorenkamp, and Webb. Also dressing were Mike Bristol and Jeff Cook. Steve Smith and Chuck Johnston were injured prior to the game and did not play. Dave Charest suffered a torn medial collateral ligament to his left knee during the second half and had surgery on Monday afternoon.

Recognitions

Quarterback Leamon Hall was ranked 7th in passing with 14.7 completions per game. Hall was also ranked 11th nationally in total offense with 186.5 yards per game. Tight end Clennie Brundidge was ranked 7th in pass receiving with 5.1 receptions per game. Brundidge was also selected for the weekly ECAC all-Star squad.

During the Pittsburgh game, Clennie Brundidge caught nine passes for a single-game school record of 167 yards, beating the old record of 166 yards held by Joe Albano in 1970. Leamon Hall tied his season record set last year with 15 touchdown passes thrown in the season.

Army Opponents

Massachusetts (8-1) won at New Hampshire, 19-6. VMI (6-3) won at Furman, 31-28. Boston College (5-4) lost at Syracuse, 3-20. Villanova (4-6) won at Holy Cross (0-9), 24-0. Lafayette (5-5) edged Davidson, 20-18. Air Force (2-7-1) edged Vanderbilt, 34-28.

President Jimmy Carter watched his alma mater, Navy (5-5) beat Georgia Tech, 20-16, another school he attended. Trying to be non-partisan, he cheered for both teams, sitting with Tech fans in the first half and his Annapolis classmates in the second. He jumped to his feet on several runs by Navy's Bob Leszyzynski and Joe Gattuso and Tech's Eddie Lee Ivory. It was the first football game since becoming President he had been able to attend.

#1 Texas rolled over Texas Christian, 44-14. #2 Alabama thumped the Miami Hurricanes, 36-0. #3 Oklahoma routed #15 Colorado (6-3-1), 52-14. #4 Ohio State soundly beat Indiana, 35-7. #5 Notre Dame (8-1) won at #15 Clemson, 21-17. #6 Michigan handily won at Purdue, 40-7. The AP and UPI Top Five were Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Michigan. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #6/#6 Notre Dame and #10/#9 Pittsburgh. Colorado was unranked.

Post-Script

Army had two scoring chances in a tight first quarter that ended with the Cadets down by only a touchdown. The scoring of four touchdowns in a span of ten minutes in the second quarter was decisive for the Panthers. The Blood Brothers battled back by scoring four touchdowns in the second half, and the 26 points were the most Pittsburgh had given up all season. The Pitt victory ended Army's three-game win streak. The regular season for Army was now over, and up next was Navy.

Chapter 19  
Preparation & Planning – Navy Weeks

Navy Week 1 – Bowl Game?

The weather during the week saw temperatures rise from the low 40's over the weekend to the upper 50's by mid-week, with some rain on Thursday and Friday.

With two weeks before the Navy game, the Army team began its final preparations. During the first week, some were watching the Bowl bids that would be officially extended on Saturday, November 19th. And rumors and some newspapers were reporting that at least one Bowl Game had some interest in inviting the Cadets.

In 1977, Army had never went to a bowl game. Navy had been to five bowl games, beginning with the Rose Bowl in 1924, the 1955 Sugar Bowl, the 1958 Cotton Bowl, the 1961 Orange Bowl, and the 1964 Cotton Bowl. Even Air Force had been to three bowl games, the 1959 Cotton Bowl, the 1963 Gator Bowl, and 1971 Sugar Bowl.

Over the years, bowl committees had expressed interest in Army attending, with the Rose Bowl one of the more serious near the end of the 1945 season. But head coach Red Blaik did not think much of post-season bowls, and the USMA administration was concerned about the Cadets loss of class time, so Army stayed home after interest was raised during the 1946, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, and 1958 seasons.

Head coach Paul Dietzel felt that attending a bowl game would accelerate recruiting efforts and offer a reward to the Cadets for an outstanding season. So there was some bowl interest during the 1962 and 1963 seasons, but losses to Navy ended any serious interest.

During the 1967 season, with Army having a 7-1 record; the Sugar, Cotton, Orange, and Gator bowl committees expressed interest to West Point officials, and for the first time, the interest was mutual. In mid-November, the Sugar Bowl issued a formal invitation, and USMA accepted it. However, the next day the Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff declined the invitation because "it was not consistent with the basic mission of the academy." The other reason given for the Army overruling West Point was that the Army was heavily involved in the Vietnam War.

As for the 1977 season, a newspaper report on November 12th stated that the Tangerine Bowl had Army on their short list. The Army fan base, the local drawing power of Florida natives Leamon Hall and Clennie Brundidge, plus the retired military population in the Orlando area were cited as reasons for interest in Army, plus their 6-3 record.

"[There were] lots of rumors about going to the Garden State Bowl to play Rutgers, but post-season was still verboten by Department of the Army," recalled one of the football players.

On November 18th, several newspapers reported interest by the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA. The reports said that East Carolina (8-3), Colgate (10-0), Louisville (6-3-1), and Army (6-4) were candidates to play Southland Conference champion Louisiana Tech (7-0-2).

Shreveport mayor Calhoun Allen, who was the chairman of the bowl selection committee, said, "We've been thinking about Army for a long time. The only thing that's new is that it's known in the press. Army would be quite an attraction, especially if Army beats Navy. And I'm a Navy man."

The newspaper also cited the national reputation of USMA and the military population at Barksdale Air Force Base as being factors for inviting the Cadets. The bowl committee planned to meet on Sunday, December 20th, and could decide to wait until after the Army-Navy game to officially invite Army. A quote from an Army spokesman said, "We have heard nothing about it."

Colgate and East Carolina were other candidates besides Army. But Colgate lost on Saturday to Delaware (3-12) and East Carolina could not put together a television package for their viewing area.

Contact with West Point came through committee member Dean Pryor, of Arkansas State, with Arkansas businessman, Hank Foldberg, the former Army All-American during the 1940's. Army had indicated that they could not make a decision until after Tuesday and would not go under any circumstances if it lost to Navy on Saturday.

"After the Pittsburgh game, our record stood at 6-4, a Winning Season with one to go," recalled Chuck D'Amico, "Leamon and I were called into a meeting with Coach Smith, the athletic director General Murphy, and the Supe. We were told that we were invited to a post-season bowl, the Independence Bowl versus Louisiana Tech. However, the Academy declined the invitation since we were Cadets first."

D'Amico continues, "We always suspected that the administration felt if we did not beat Navy, a 6-5 would not be worthy of a bowl. Just conjecture on our part. But regardless, NO Bowl Game for the '77 Team. To this day, I have no idea why Leamon and I would be called to a meeting to let us know we were invited to a Bowl game but we were not going."

The selection committee said later that they could not wait any longer for the Navy game and voted unanimously for Louisville (7-3-1) to the bowl. The call to the Louisville athletic director came at halftime during their Indiana State game on Sunday, and the Cardinals went on to win, 27-16. Louisville would play Louisiana Tech in the bowl game on Saturday, December 17th in Shreveport, LA. Tech won the game, 24-14.

"The Academy would not let us accept the Bowl invite we received," recalled Kevin Kullander, "This was without a doubt the greatest disappointment of my college athletic career (note – I earned ten varsity letters at West Point in football, indoor track, and outdoor track, so there were lots of opportunities for things to go wrong). "The Department of the Army turned down a bowl game," said Joe LeGasse.

Navy Week 1 – Army Opponents

Massachusetts (8-2) lost at Boston College (6-4), 7-34. The Virginia Military Institute (7-3) beat Rhode Island, 20-7. Colorado (7-3-1) beat Kansas State, 23-0. Villanova (4-7) lost to Temple, 15-38. Lafayette (5-6) lost at Lehigh, 17-35. Holy Cross (1-9) won its first game of the season at Connecticut, 14-3. Pittsburgh (9-1-1) and Navy (5-5) was both idle.

#1 Texas beat Baylor, 29-7. #2 Alabama and #3 Oklahoma were idle. #5 Michigan beat #4 Ohio State, 14-6, for the Big Ten Conference championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. #6 Notre Dame (9-1) beat Air Force (2-8-1), 49-0. The AP Top Five were Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Notre Dame. The UPI Top five were Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Michigan, and Notre Dame. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #5/#5 Notre Dame and #10/#9 Pittsburgh.

Navy Week 2

Army (6-4) would meet Navy (5-5) at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia on Saturday, November 26th. The Midshipmen were led by fifth-year Coach George Welsh (24-29). Navy returned 31 lettermen and 16 starters from a team that went 4-7 during the 1976 season. Leading players at the beginning of the season were tailback Joe Gattuso, defensive back Mike Galpin, defensive back John Sturges, center Ray Fritsch, and quarterback Bob Leszczynski.

Navy opened the season with two straight wins over The Citadel (21-2) and Connecticut (38-7). The Middies then lost two games on the road at Michigan (7-14) and at Duke (16-28). Navy beat Air Force, 10-7, to set up the winner of the Army-Navy game to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Navy lost at Pittsburgh (17-34), and then beat William & Mary (42-17). The Midshipmen lost at Notre Dame (10-43) and to Syracuse (34-45) before beating Georgia Tech (20-16). This would be the 78th game in the series, with Army holding a 36-35-6 series lead; and the 33rd straight game of the series played in Philadelphia's Municipal/Philadelphia/John F. Kennedy Stadium.

"I think this team felt they could win eight games, in fact, I know they were talking about winning eight games and going to a bowl, during preseason," said George Welsh, "But it just didn't happen. Let's face it, the team did not play well enough to win eight games. We should have no excuses. Things just didn't work out the way the team felt they could. I don't think we should have any regrets that teams with 7-4 records are going to bowl games. It isn't as if we lost a couple of games that we should have won. We have nobody to blame but ourselves for the games we lost. We can't be upset about not going to a bowl. We are 5-5 now and we won't have a winning season unless we beat Army [on] Saturday."

"I guess if I hadn't beaten Army in four years I'd be more motivated," admitted Welsh, "I do not expect my Middies to be overconfident. They have seen on films that this is the best Army team of the last four seasons. There is no way we're going to win on our record in the games of the last four years. We weren't that much better than Army anyway. It just happened. Every year is different, but I think this year's team wants very badly to beat Army. This game will be the most evenly matched and one that probably will not be decided until the fourth quarter. This is the toughest Army team since I've been here."

"We are older, stronger, and better," said Homer Smith, "We come eager for the game and we come eager to play, and we come with a better team. My team is eager and feels the involvement, but this time it is relaxed. I've let them know it's not a matter of live or die. We have played a lot of good football teams this season, but Navy has the most sophisticated offense we have seen. It's not so much what they can do, but it's that they can do so many things. We have to be prepared for anything against them. We are worried about Navy's defense. They aren't as big and strong as some of the teams we have played, but they are tough and make you work for everything you get. We're definitely a better team than we were last year."

Navy was averaging 201.5 rushing yards per game compared to Army's defensive average of 230.4 ypg. The Midshipmen averaged 149.9 ypg passing compared to Army's pass defense of 149.0 ypg. Navy averaged 21.5 points per game compared to Army's defense of 23.1 ppg. Navy had lost nine fumbles and 16 passes were intercepted. Army had intercepted 16 passes and recovered 24 fumbles.

Army was averaging 27.0 ppg compared to Navy's defensive average of 21.3 ppg. The Cadets had rushed for 159.9 ypg compared to the Middies run defense of 192.8 ypg. Army averaged 195.3 ypg passing compared to Navy's pass defense of 135.6 ypg. Army had lost nine fumbles and been intercepted 18 times. Navy's defense had recovered 16 fumbles and intercepted 15 passes.

Leamon Hall had completed 147 out of 258 passes for 1,877 yards with 15 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Reserve quarterback Earle Mulrane had completed seven out of 20 passes for 76 yards and one interception. Clennie Brundidge had 842 yards on 51 receptions with four receptions. Jim Merriken had 304 yards on 33 catches with two touchdowns, while Mike Fahnestock had 149 yards with three touchdowns, Bill Skoda had 133 yards with a touchdown, Greg King had 107 yards, Keith Wilson and Ward Whyte each had 90 yards and a touchdown, and Jon Dwyer had 77 with a touchdown.

Greg King has gained 870 yards on 134 carries with six touchdowns. Jim Merriken had 384 yards with four touchdowns, while Jon Dwyer had 206 yards with two touchdowns, and Tony Landry with 151 yards. Hall led Army in scoring with 44 points, followed by King (36), Merriken (36), and Mike Castelli (33). Castelli had converted 24 out of 30 extra point attempts and three out of four field goal attempts. Ward Whyte was averaging 40.0 yards per punt.

Tailback Joe Gattuso led Navy in rushing with 1,167 yards on 242 carries. Fullback Larry Klawinski has 407 yards, tailback Steve Callahan has 242, and wingback John Kurowski has 67 yards. Bob Leszczynski had completed 102 out of 204 passes for 1,376 yards, seven touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Substitute quarterbacks Bob Powers and Randy Farley had thrown for three completions out of 16 passes for 53 yards, one interception, and one touchdown. Joe Gattuso had thrown three out of five passes from the halfback option for 70 yards and one touchdown.

The leading receiver was Phil McConkey, with 495 yards on 29 receptions with four touchdowns. Joe Gattuso had caught 21 passes for 163 yards, while John Kurowski had 230 yards on 17 catches with one touchdown. Sandy Jones had twelve receptions for 242 yards with one touchdown. Placekicker Bob Tata was the leading scorer with 51 points, followed by McConkey (32), Gattuso (30), and Leszczynski (30). Tata had converted nine of 13 field goal attempts and all 24 extra point attempts. Art Ohanian averaged 36.4 yards per punt.

Navy had been in possession of the Commander-in-Chief's (CIC) Trophy since winning it the first time after beating both Air Force and Army in 1973. In 1974, Navy beat Army, Army beat Air Force, and Air Force beat Navy for a CIC tie, with the Midshipmen keeping the trophy. Navy beat both service academy rivals during the 1975 season. Last season, all three academies beat one and lost to the other, with Navy maintaining the trophy. Navy would win the trophy with a victory over Army, or maintain ownership if the two teams tied.

"It's really hard to explain the feeling," Chuck D'Amico said, "I've been starting for two years now, this'll be my third start against Navy, and it's getting frustrating. The Army-Navy game has always been something big. Now I'm a part of it. I'd like to be on the wining end for once. There are so many things that generate your emotions in a game like this. You got to know everybody in the school, and everybody's behind you, and it becomes really important to beat Navy. It's more than just a game. It's more emotional than physical."

"[On last year's game] you can't believe it," continued D'Amico, "You try to replay in your mind what you could have done. You put your heart in a game and you come up empty-handed like that, it's, well, I just hope that's something we can avoid this year. You just get tired of losing and losing and losing. You don't want to go out with stigma (of never beating Navy) on you. You know personnel wise they're no better than us. It's just going to be a question who's more mentally prepared for the game. It's going to be a bloodbath. Navy realizes that as much as Army does. It's just going to be a question of who's going to put their chin in and drive."

"Our record speaks for itself," said Leamon Hall, "If any Army team has a shot, it is going to be this year. There are guys who have played two or three years and grown up together. Basically, we're the same team which lost to Navy last year. I think we're an exciting football team. In fact, I think this is the best Army team in a lot of years. I feel Saturday's winner will be the one which can stop the other's offense."

"It's not just another game," continued Hall, "Maybe it would be if you could play it on a desert island. But with so much hoopla going on, it becomes bigger. Sure, there's pressure because you're playing for Army and it means so much for so many people. Heck, a lot of Army people think it's the only game we play. But once it begins, it's just another backyard game. I don't want to be one of those who lost all of their games to Navy. We have to lay it on the line in this game. I want to go out a winner. It's our whole Army Football career."

"It will take a supreme effort," admitted D'Amico, "But for the most part, I think our defense has done a good job this year. We've been called on to the field in some really tough situations and more than not, we've responded. We know what we have to do against Navy and I think we can do it. I know I'm proud of every guy on the defensive unit. We're really working together now. It helps build a mutual sense of commitment and coordination. To beat Navy, it will take a supreme effort."

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the NCAA and its schools were worried about the effect of televising football games on attendance at the games. The NCAA decided to have a contract with only one broadcast network for regular season games. ABC-TV won the contract in 1966 and kept it through 1981.

The contract in force for the 1977 season allowed ABC-TV to typically broadcast one national game each weekend with additional regional games on about seven weekends, with a few instances of national double hitters. ABC-TV broadcast 17 national and 28 regional games during the entire 1977 regular season.

The NCAA also had restrictions as to how many games a team could be televised, originally limited a team to only one game a season. This kept Army (or Navy) games with national opponents like Notre Dame or Pittsburgh from being televised as the service academies reserved their slot for the Army-Navy game. Even so, there were a handful of teams on TV for three games, and Army opponents Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, and Massachusetts had two games televised by ABC-TV. Some teams, like Notre Dame and Boston College, had games shown as replays on Saturday evenings or Sundays on local television stations.

ABC-TV would broadcast the game nationally this season as the second game of a doubleheader at 4 pm. This was scheduled before the season began. ABC-TV had shifted the Pitt-Penn State game from November 19th to November 26th to complete the doubleheader. The two service academies had a choice of which time slot (12:30 or 4 pm), and decided that more people would watch the later game, plus it allowed fans attending the game to leave later in the morning. During the week before the game, ABC-TV announced it would telecast the Grambling State – Southern University football game on four stations in Louisiana and Arkansas, pre-empting the Army-Navy game.

Steve Belichick, Navy's defensive assistant who in previous seasons had scouted in-person every Army game, was not allowed to do that during the 1977 season due to a change in NCAA rules, so his scouting was limited to film study of all Cadet Football games. During the Tuesday news conference before the Army-Navy game, Belichick decided to make some accusations about the Army team.

"It's amazing to me how few penalties they [Army] get, absolutely amazing," said Belichick, "Homer Smith said that he coaches so that his team doesn't get many penalties. Well, I don't know anybody who does coach to get penalties. They have many offensive alignments that are illegal, they block downfield on passes when they shouldn't and their offensive linemen lead the country in holding. They coach some things that are illegal. At least seven times this season, Army has violated a rule against downfield blocking by offensive players when a pass is thrown beyond the line of scrimmage. I'm not sure they (the players) know the rule or that anyone has ever told them what the rule is. Hell, there's some rules I know they don't know."

Belichick continued, "They are not the only team that does it, but they're more flagrant. Officiating is part of the ball game. There are good ones and there are bad ones. I will make a statement that one of their tackles should be their leading tackler. He just grabs everybody. Most of the teams Army has played have worn white jerseys, so this guy puts white tape from his hands to his shoulders so the official won't see him holding. That's an old trick, though. It has been going on for years, but we are not going to let them get away with it.

When told about Belichick's charge, a shocked Homer Smith said, "I don't have the vaguest idea what he's talking about. I'm insulted to have him say we teach illegal maneuvers. He has made quite a statement against me as a coach if he said that. I know what a lineman downfield is. I'm not sure what else he's talking about. Officials are exceptionally well trained. They miss some things, but they don't miss much. I haven't had one complaint against officiating this year. They don't always call them the way I would like, but if they did, I would never lose a game."

The next day, Smith deliberately responded to Belichick's charges. "We absolutely do not teach illegal things. We work harder on rule things than any group of coaches I know. Homer Smith does not teach illegal maneuvers. Officials have been what they always have been. They're fair and they work hard at it. We try to learn from officials. My God, when you break the rules, you get the flag thrown at you. We spend a great deal of time on having our players understand the rules. We have explanations written out in terms of what a player has to do to obey them."

"We've got to be careful in managing the game of college football or we will become bankrupt in the area of relationships between schools. The relationship between the three (service) academies should be a model. We should be extremely careful. Sometimes I worry about how we recruit between the academies. We should care about each other, even though I know all's not always fair in love, war, and recruiting. But I have worried about it. I'll tell the players that the game of football is entrusted to us. We must, when our turn is over, hand it over to someone in at least as good shape as it was given to us. We have played without rancor and played within the rules as we understand them. We will continue to obey the spirit as well as the letter of the rules."

Navy's head coach George Welsh responded that the charges and counter-charges "were much ado about nothing. Everybody is making a mountain out of a mole hill. I am sure Army does some illegal things, but so do a lot of other teams. We probably do some illegal things too."

Junior safety Steve Smith (hand fracture) and junior center Chuck Johnston (thigh contusion), who both sat out the Pittsburgh game, were expected to return to the starting line-up against the Midshipmen. Sophomore cornerback Dave Charest suffered a torn medial collateral ligament to his left knee in the second half against Pitt and underwent surgery on November 14th. Charest would not play against Navy.

Scheduled to start on defense were – ends Chuck Schott and Mark Berry, tackles Chuck D'Amico and Tiki Traylor, George Mayes at middle guard, linebackers John Hilliard and Steve Miller or Kirk Thomas, and Joe LeGasse, Doug Lowrey, Bruce Elliott, and Steve Smith or Phil Macklin in the secondary. Steve Miller started at linebacker. Ed Clemons and Steve Smith would actually start for Elliott and Macklin at safety.

Scheduled to start on offense were – ends Ward Whyte and Clennie Brundidge, tackles Tony Dailey and Joe Oliver, Jim Hollingsworth and Curt Downs at guard, center Chuck Johnston, halfbacks Greg King and Jim Merriken, flanker George Dunaway, and Leamon Hall at quarterback.

"I think it was the Colorado game when the left guard, Curt Downs, broke his hand, and I replaced him," Jim Hodge recalled, "I relished the opportunity I'd been given to be able to contribute again. I started at left guard until the Air Force game when Curt recovered and returned as a starter. Fortunately for me, the center, Chuck Johnston, pulled his hamstrings and I started the Pitt game at center [and played 33 minutes]. In the following two weeks leading up to the Army-Navy game, Chuck's hamstrings healed and he returned to the line-up. That left me on the bench (just like the season started) for the biggest game of the year and my final opportunity to put on an Army uniform. Emotionally, it couldn't have been much worse and even now [forty years later], it pains me to think about."

Navy was a 2.5 point favorite in the Dunkel Ratings early in the week. Bob Harmon predicted a 24-20 Midshipmen victory. John Tkach in the _Poughkeepsie Journal_ had Army by four points. _Associated Press_ sports writer Fred Rothenberg predicted that "The Cadets, 6-4, save Smith and sink the Midshipmen for the first time in five years – Army 24, Navy 21." The Vegas line had Navy by seven points prior to the game.

The Navy game would be the final collegiate contest for 17 seniors – Mark Berry, Mike Castelli, Joe Cerv, Tony Dailey, Chuck D'Amico, Curt Downs, George Dunaway, Stan Ford, Leamon Hall, Mike Hargis, Jim Hodge, Jim Hollingsworth, Greg King, Greg McGlasker, Steve Miller, Gus Steenborg, and Keith Wilson.

The Army Football team left West Point by bus on Thursday around 5 pm and traveled to the Stouffers Valley Forge Hotel in King of Prussia, PA, to stay through Saturday morning. Army practiced on Friday morning at the Valley Forge Military Academy before traveling to JFK Stadium for a photo session around 2:30 pm. The team found the field covered with a tarp. A final group of players were inducted into Black September that evening.

"Up until this Navy game, Army facemasks were gray in color," recalled Chuck D'Amico, "Several upper classmen, Curt Downs, Mark Berry, and four or five others, decided to paint their facemasks Black the day before the game. Once the Co-Captains became aware of this, we (at least I) became pretty upset. Realizing that the team needed to be unified in all respects, the only available option was to paint all masks black. I found our equipment manager, Dickie Hall, explained the situation, and asked him to find ten or so cans of black spray paint. He did so, and that night, with the support of Team Head Manager Clint Horn and his staff, all facemasks were painted black. From that game forward and through to today, the facemask of every Army Football player has been the color Black."

The temperatures remained in the mid-40s during the week with some rain each day between Monday and Thursday and 1.5 inches of rain on Saturday at West Point. "The National Weather Service has predicted blanket-bundling, hot-toddy-drinking weather in Philadelphia. Windy and cold with scattered snow flurries. Temperatures around freezing at kickoff dropping into the low or mid-20s by the end of the game. Blustery northwest winds 30 to 40 miles an hour and gusty."

The Brigade of Midshipmen marched first on the field of John F. Kennedy Stadium around 2:25 pm. The Corps of Cadets marched on about thirty minutes later. Her Majesty's Scots and Grenadier Guards provided entertainment to the stadium after the march-on by the two student bodies. Miss America 1978, Miss Susan Perkins, and the Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps of Reading, PA, provided halftime entertainment.

Amtrak ran three special trains direct to the stadium, from New York City, Washington, and Harrisburg, PA. Penn Central and Reading commuter lines added extra cars to their regular runs. SEPTA has seven extra trains scheduled to stop at the Broad Street Subway station. The game was not a sellout, and a ticket could be purchased from _Ticketron_ locations for $9.

Chapter 20  
Navy – November 26, 1977

It was partly cloudy, 33 degrees, with the winds at kickoff from the west-northwest at 17 mph, gusting to 34 mph. There was an 80 percent chance of precipitation. Actual and wind chill temperatures dropped steadily during the game. 81,091 frosted fans ended up refusing to leave their seats despite wind chill temperatures of ten to negative one degrees during the game.

The stadium crew had put new sod in about a month before the game. The television announcers made comments throughout the game that the grass field was not solid and players were losing their footing. The field had been covered on Friday with a canvas tarp due to heavy downpours. Some parts of the field were slippery, probably due to water spilling on the field when the tarp was rolled up.

ABC-TV broadcasted the game with Keith Jackson doing the play-by-play and Ara Parseghian doing the color commentary. The broadcast was seen by the largest television audience of the 1977 collegiate football season (13.6 million homes). It was also the first time the game was played entirely under the lights. The combined USMA and USNA Glee Clubs sang the national anthem.

The Blood Brothers of the 1977 Army Football team ran out onto the field for their last game of the season. Chuck D'Amico brought the Blood Ball in a plastic bag and gave it to Dickie Hall for safe keeping. Quietly, each player touched thumbs with their Blood Brother, recalling the Blood Oath that each had sworn to their teammates.

Game officials were Thomas Elliot (referee), Angelo Fortunato (umpire), Albert Benson (linesman), Philip Lospitalier (line judge), John Joyce (back judge), and Eugene Steratore (field judge). The Army Co-Captains touched their own right thumbs together along the sideline, and then marched to the center to greet the visiting Midshipmen. Navy was the designated visiting team, and called the toss. For the sixth time this season, Army won the toss and elected to receive. Navy elected to defend the south goal and would have the wind in their faces during the first quarter.

First Quarter

Bob Tata kicked off to the Army 17-yard line at 4:45 pm and Tony Landry returned the football 14 yards (tackled by Glenn Flanagan). On first down (A31), Greg King went straight ahead for two yards (Charlie Meyers). Leamon Hall dropped back to pass, did not find anyone open, and went to the right side on a keeper for one yard (Pfunandre, Redvict). Hall dropped back to pass and then ran up the middle for six yards (John Merrill). On fourth down and one (A40), Ward Whyte punted 41 yards to Phil McConkey, who returned the football eleven yards at 12:45 (Bob Avey).

On first down (N30), Joe Gattuso went up the middle for one yard (Tiki Traylor). Gattuso rushed up the middle for 38 yards (Doug Lowrey). On first down (A31), Larry Klawinski rushed straight ahead for one yard (Traylor). Quarterback Bob Leszczynski dropped back to pass and was sacked, losing two yards (George Mayes, Traylor). On a pitch play, Gattuso went wide left gaining one yard (Chuck Schott, Ed Clemons). On fourth down and ten (A31), Bob Tata attempted a 47-yard field goal into the wind. The kick was short. Navy lost the football on downs at 9:54.

On first down (A20), King ran wide right for two yards (Otto Bulich). King rushed up the middle for six yards (Bulich). King went straight up the middle for eight yards (Mike Galpin, Bulich). On first down (A36), King went around the right end for three yards (Meyers). King ran off the right tackle for three yards (Bob DeStafney). Hall completed a 39-yard pass to Jim Merriken on the right side before he was knocked out of bounds (John Sturges).

On first down (N19), Leamon Hall ran three yards on a keeper (Charlie Thornton). Tony Landry ran straight up the middle for six yards (Meyers). On a pitch play to the left, Jim Merriken lost two yards (Thornton). On fourth down and three (N12), Mike Castelli attempted a 29-yard field goal with Greg McGlasker holding. The kick was wide to the left and no good. Army lost the football on downs at 4:53.

On first down (N20), Gattuso went off the right tackle for five yards (John Hilliard). Klawinski ran straight ahead for four yards (Mayes, Hilliard). On a pitch play, Gattuso ran wide right for two yards (Steve Miller). On first down and ten (N31), a Leszczynski pass attempt for Klawinski was intercepted by Ed Clemons at the Navy 34-yard line. Clemons lateraled to John Hilliard, who returned the football 19 yards at 3:04 (Ray Fritsch).

"The intended receiver just touched the ball," said John Hilliard after the game, "It hit Ed [Clemons] and then bounced into my hands." The official play-by-play described the bounce between the two Army players as a lateral pass.

On first down (N15), King ran straight ahead for 13 yards (Sturges). On first down (N02), Hall gained nothing on a keeper (Meyers, Reg Trass). King rushed up the middle for one yard (Merrill). On third down and goal (N01), Leamon Hall plunged over the goal line for a one-yard touchdown at 1:36. Mike Castelli converted the point after touchdown kick. Army's drive was 15 yards in four plays to open the scoring at 7-0.

Mike Hargis' kickoff went out of bounds and Army was penalized five yards for illegal procedure and had to re-kick. Hargis kick was high but not deep to the Navy 19-yard line where Gattuso returned it three yards (Bob Groller). On first down (N22), Klawinski ran up the middle for three yards (Chuck D'Amico). On a reverse, John Kurowski went around the right end for seven yards (Joe LeGasse). On first down (N32), Leszczynski's pass attempt for Gattuso was intercepted by John Hilliard on the Navy 43-yard line with no return at 0:17 (Gattuso).

"I was in between the two Navy receivers," said Hilliard, "They never had a chance."

On first down (N43), King ran straight ahead for three yards (Merrill). The clock ran out before the next play could be called. At the end of the first quarter, the score was Army 7, Navy 0.

The first quarter statistics were first downs (3 for Army, 3 for Navy), rushing yards (56/60), passing yards (39/0), total yards (95/61), turnovers (0/2), and time of possession (9:01/5:59).

Second Quarter

On second down and seven (N40), Jim Merriken ran straight up the middle for six yards (Meyers). King rushed straight up the middle for three yards (Ed Reid). On first down (N31), off a fake to King, Leamon Hall completed a seven-yard pass to Jim Merriken on the right side (Meyers, Sturges). King ran off the right tackle for three yards (Meyers, Reid).

On first down (N21), King rushed straight ahead for two yards (Merrill). Merriken went wide left for one yard (Gregg Milo). Calling an audible, Hall went right on an option run, pitching to King, who went around the right end for six yards and was forced out of bounds (Galpin). Navy called their first time out of the half just before the next play. On fourth down and one (N12), Merriken ran straight ahead for two yards (Reid).

On first down (N10), Hall ran a quarterback sneak straight ahead for two yards (Meyers). King ran up the middle for five yards (Merrill). Army called its first time out of the half. Hall's pass attempt for Clennie Brundidge was overthrown and incomplete. On fourth down and goal (N03), Mike Castelli attempted a 21-yard field goal with Greg McGlasker holding. The kick was good at 9:52. Army's drive was 40 yards in 13 plays to extend the score to 10-0.

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Navy three-yard line, where Joe Gattuso fumbled the kick, recovered the football, and returned it 22 yards (LeGasse). On first down (N25), Larry Klawinski ran straight ahead for one yard (Mayes, Steve Miller). On an option run by Bob Leszczynski, Steve Miller tackled the quarterback as he pitched it to Gattuso, who then gained two yards, and fumbled the football. Navy's Rick Bott recovered the ball for a gain of ten yards on the play. On first down (N36), Bob Leszczynski completed a 19-yard pass to Phil McConkey over the middle (LeGasse).

On first down (A45), Leszczynski completed a 23-yard pass to Phil McConkey over the middle (LeGasse). A time out was called after the play. On first down (A22), Gattuso ran up the middle for three yards (Steve Miller). Gattuso rushed up the middle for one yard (Mayes). Navy called a time out after the play. A pass attempt for John Kurowski was defended by Steve Smith and incomplete.

On fourth down and six (A18), Bob Leszczynski dropped back, had about 12 seconds to find a receiver, and completed an 18-yard pass to John Kurowski for a touchdown at 6:58. The diving touchdown catch by John Kurowski almost looked like it had touched the ground, but the official ruled otherwise. Bob Tata kicked the extra point kick with John Kurowski holding. Navy's drive was 75 yards in eight plays to close the score to 10-7.

Bob Tata kicked off to the Army 16-yard line where Dave Pritchard fumbled the catch, fumbled the football, and then recovered the ball (Flanagan). On first down (A20), Jim Merriken ran around the left end for five yards (Sturges). Leamon Hall completed a six-yard pass to Greg King over the middle (Redvict). On first down (A31), King went up the middle for five yards (DeStafney). Merriken ran off the right guard for four yards (Merrill). Merriken rushed off the left guard for three yards (Bulich).

On first down (A43), Hall dropped back to pass, avoided a sack by Ed Reid, and completed a 15-yard pass over the middle to Bill Skoda (Sturges). On first down (N42), Merriken went around the left end for 11 yards (Galpin). On first down (N31), Merriken ran straight up the middle for three yards (Nick Mygas).

On a counter play, Merriken rushed around the left end, broke a tackle by John Sturges, and gained 17 yards (Thornton). On first down (N11), Merriken ran straight up the middle for three yards (Redvict). Hall's pass attempt for Ward Whyte in the end zone was defended by Nick Mygas and incomplete, but Navy was called for pass interference for tripping the receiver.

On first down and goal (N01), Jim Merriken rushed straight ahead trying to go over the linemen for no gain (Reid). Merriken ran straight ahead for no gain (Reid, Redvict). Army called a time out before the next play. On third down and goal (N01), Greg King ran off the right tackle for a touchdown at 1:09. Mike Castell converted the extra point kick with Greg McGlasker holding. Army's drive was 80 yards in 13 plays to extend the score to 17-7.

"I was sure I was going to make it," said King after the game, "We got excellent blocking from everyone on the right side of the line, Jim Hollingsworth, Joe Oliver, and Clennie Brundidge. They really moved out and I made up my mind I was going over. I know I made it by more than a foot."

Mike Hargis kicked off to the Navy four-yard line and Joe Gattuso returned it 21 yards (Steve Miller). On first down (N25), Bob Leszczynski dropped back for a pass and was sacked, losing two yards (Traylor). Gattuso ran straight ahead for four yards (Mayes, Kirk Thomas). Navy let the last twenty seconds of the first half run off the clock. At the end of the first half, the score was Army 17, Navy 7.

The second quarter statistics were first downs (9 for Army, 4 for Navy), rushing yards (82/9), passing yards (28/60), total yards (110/69), turnovers (0/0), and time of possession (10:56/4:04). The halftime statistics were first downs (12/7), rushing yards (138/69), passing yards (67/60), total yards (205/129), turnovers (0/2), and time of possession (19:57/10:03).

Third Quarter

Navy will receive and Army will defend the north goal with the wind in the Midshipmen's faces. The wind chill temperature was reported at minus eight degrees on television. Hargis kicked off to the Navy 13-yard line and Joe Gattuso returned it ten yards (Landry).

On first down (N23), John Kurowski went around the right end for four yards (Hilliard). Gattuso ran off the left tackle for 15 yards (LeGasse, Clemons). On first down (N42), Gattuso went wide right for four yards (D'Amico, Mark Berry). Larry Klawinski ran off the right guard for three yards (D'Amico, Mayes). Bob Leszczynski dropped back on a pass, was able to avoid being sacked by Tiki Traylor, and completed a six-yard pass to Gattuso on the right side (Steve Miller).

On first down (A45), Gattuso ran off the left tackle for two yards (Traylor). Gattuso faked a handoff to McConkey, who was running a reverse, and went to the left for five yards (Clemons). Army called a time out before the next play. Gattuso rushed off the right guard for no gain (Mayes, D'Amico). On fourth down and three (A38), Art Ohanian punted 31 yards where it rolled dead at 10:10.

On first down (A07), Jim Merriken ran off the left tackle for five yards (Thornton). Greg King rushed off the right tackle for six yards (Milo). On first down (A18), King ran off the right tackle for three yards (Reid). Hall ran right on an option play, pitched to King, who went wide right for three yards (Sturges). Leamon Hall ran to the left on a passing play, pumped on the run, and lost three yards (Redvict). On fourth down and seven (A21), Ward Whyte punted 34 yards, slipping and falling while kicking, and Mike Galpin returned it 26 yards at 7:16.

On first down (A29), Gattuso went up the middle for no gain (Mayes, D'Amico). Leszczynski faked a pass, started to run, and pitched the football to Gattuso, who ran six yards (Mayes). Gattuso rushed up the middle for two yards (Traylor). On fourth down and two (A22), Leszczynski faked a handoff to Gattuso, then ran right on an option run, avoiding a tackle by Duane Fuller before pitching the football to Klawinski, who went around the right end for 18 yards (Traylor).

On first down (A04), Klawinski ran up the middle for two yards (Schott, Clemons). Klawinski rushed up the middle for no gain. On third down and goal (A02), Bob Leszczynski on an option run pitched to Joe Gattuso, who went around the left end for a touchdown at 4:19. Bob Tata kicked the point after touchdown with John Kurowski holding. Navy's drive went 29 yards in seven plays to close the score to 17-14.

Roland Ellis kicked off to the Army six-yard line where Jim Merriken returned it 19 yards. On first down (A25), Leamon Hall's pass attempt intended for Clennie Brundidge was knocked down by Tom Paulk and incomplete. Jim Merriken gained three yards on a draw play up the middle (Paulk). Hall dropped back to pass and was sacked for a loss of seven yards (A.B. Miller, Merrill). On fourth down, Ward Whyte slipped again and almost fell, punted the football 22 yards where John Sturges fair caught it at 2:55.

On first down (A43), Bob Leszczynski dropped back on a pass attempt, saw no open receivers, and ran the left end for seven yards (Mayes). Leszczynski missed a handoff to a running back and, on a broken play, ran around the right end for six yards (Duane Fuller).

On first down (A30), Leszczynski dropped back to pass and then went right before being sacked by Chuck D'Amico for a loss of one yards (D'Amico). Leszczynski completed an eight-yard pass over the middle to Sandy Jones (Clemons). On third down and three (A23), Leszczynski, on an option run to the right, pitched the ball high to Joe Gattuso. Ed Clemons forced a fumble and then recovered the football at 0:05. Navy had its third turnover in the game. On first down (A26), Merriken ran straight ahead for four yards (DeStafney) as time ran out. At the end of the third quarter, the score was Army 17, Navy 14.

The third quarter statistics were first downs (1 for Army, 4 for Navy), rushing yards (14/75), passing yards (0/14), total yards (14/89), turnovers (0/1), and time of possession (4:23/10:37). Through the third quarter, the statistics were first downs (13/11), rushing yards (152/144), passing yards (67/74), total yards (219/218), turnovers (0/3), and time of possession (20:20/20:40).

Fourth Quarter

The Cadet's now had the wind in their faces. On second down and six (A30), Greg King ran off the right tackle for four yards (Bart Nixon). On an option run to the right, Leamon Hall pitched the football to King who then went around the right end for one yard (Galpin). On fourth down and one (A35), Ward Whyte punted 38 yards on a low line drive where the ball rolled dead at 13:36.

On first down (N27), Joe Gattuso went around the left end for ten yards (Clemons). On first down (N37), Bob Leszczynski dropped back to pass, was sacked, and lost a yard (Traylor, Mayes). Leszczynski was sacked for a loss of seven yards (Mayes). Leszczynski dropped back to pass, was pressured by Duane Fuller, and his attempted screen pass for Dave Walker was overthrown and incomplete. On fourth down and 18 (N29), Art Ohanian punted for 26 yards where it rolled dead at 11:22.

On first down (A45), Greg King ran off the right guard for two yards (Reid). King hobbled off the field with a sprained left ankle. Hall's pass attempt for Bill Skoda was slightly high, defended by Gregg Milo, and incomplete. Hall dropped back for a pass and was sacked for a loss of eleven yards (Reid, A.B. Miller). John Sturges held Clennie Brundidge on the play but the officials did not call it. On fourth down and 19 (A36), Whyte punted for 34 yards where the ball rolled dead at 9:53, as Navy failed to block the punt.

On first down (N30), Larry Klawinski ran straight ahead for three yards (D'Amico). Leszczynski quick pitched to Joe Gattuso who went around the left end for five yards (Mayes, Clemons). Ed Clemons was shaken up on the play, dislocated his shoulder, and left the game. Another quick pitch to Gattuso around the left end gained two yards (LeGasse).

On first down (N40), Gattuso ran straight up the middle for two yards (Mayes, Fuller). Bob Leszczynski's pass attempt for Gattuso was thrown into the ground in front of the receiver and incomplete. Leszczynski's pass attempt for Jones was almost intercepted by Steve Smith and incomplete. On fourth down and eight (N42), Art Ohanian punted for 31 yards where it rolled dead at 7:16.

On first down (A27), Jim Merriken ran up the middle for four yards (Merrill). Jon Dwyer ran up the middle for five yards (Redvict). Navy's middle guard A.B. Miller was hurt on the play and immediately left the field. Navy asked the officials for a measurement, which stopped the clock. Leamon Hall went straight ahead on a quarterback keeper, plunging over the line of scrimmage for two yards (Redvict).

On first down (A38), Dwyer rushed straight up the middle for five yards (DeStafney). Merriken rushed off the right guard for two yards (Reid). Merriken ran off the right tackle for two yards (Milo). On fourth down and one (A47), Ward Whyte punted 17 yards into the wind where the football rolled dead at 4:04.

On first down (N36), Bob Leszczynski was sacked for a loss of ten yards (Mayes, Traylor). On a draw play, Gattuso lost two yards (Mayes).

"I just felt I was going to have a super game," said George Mayes after the game as he almost stopped Navy's final drive before it started, "I grabbed the quarterback by the arm, spinning him around, and dumping him for a loss. I then knocked Gattuso down on the next play. I have been hurt the last three games. I sprained it [his right ankle] in the Notre Dame game. I re-sprained it in the Pitt game. I cannot walk without tape on it. I stayed out of practice three days ago. I would've played on one foot."

Leszczynski completed a low 15-yard pass to Phil McConkey on the right sideline where he stepped out of bounds. A time out was called after the play. On fourth down and seven (N39) with the clock at 2:35, Leszczynski completed a 17-yard pass over the middle to Phil McConkey (LeGasse).

On first down (A44), Leszczynski's pass attempt for McConkey was initially caught, then broken up by Joe LeGasse, and incomplete. Leszczynski's pass attempt for McConkey was defended by LeGasse, overthrown, and incomplete at 2:05. Leszczynski dropped back, was pressured by George Mayes and Duane Fuller, and threw a screen pass to Gattuso that was incomplete at 2:01. On fourth down and ten (A44), Bob Leszczynski completed a 27-yard pass on the left side to a wide open Phil McConkey who went out of bounds at 1:35 (LeGasse).

On first down (A17), Leszczynski's dropped back, was pressured by Chuck D'Amico, and his pass attempt for Sandy Jones along the left sideline in the end zone was incomplete at 1:29. Leszczynski's pass attempt intended for John Kurowski at the Army one-yard line along the left sideline was knocked down by Chuck Schott and incomplete at 1:20. On a draw play, Joe Gattuso ran up the middle for eight yards (Hilliard). Navy called a time out with 1:07 left in the game.

George Welsh eschewed an almost certain field goal that would have given the sailors "only" a tie in the winner-take-all contest and ordered running star Joe Gattuso to attempt a halfback option pass to Phil McConkey. The television sideline reporter overheard the Navy coaches calling for the "Left 48 Sweep" play.

"I was just watching the sidelines to see what George Welsh would do," said a Homer Smith, "I didn't think he would go for the tie and he didn't. In that same situation we would have gone for the touchdown as well. You only go for the tie when there is more time on the clock."

On fourth down and two (A09), Leszczynski quick pitched to Joe Gattuso on the Army 15-yard line, who stopped for a split second, ran left for a couple yards, stopped, and threw a pass to Phil McConkey who appeared open. McConkey was cutting along the left sideline in the end zone, with Joe LeGasse, Kirk Thomas, and Steve Smith trailing him. Gattuso's option pass was high, tipped by McConkey, bounced high past the end line, and incomplete. Navy lost the football on downs at 1:00.

Navy's Coach Welsh didn't count on the defensive work of the Cadet defensive squad. As a result of such pressure, Gattuso's pass missed its mark and the final Navy threat of the year thudded against JFK's tundra. "I could never live with myself if we had gone for a tie," said Welsh following his first loss to Army after four straight wins, "I would make the same call again."

"I didn't know how to feel," said Smith, "I only hoped we would do what we had done on the practice field all week. We had prepared for that play and it is not an easy one to defend. It is tough on the defensive back to try and decide to come up for the run or hang back. Joe LeGasse did his job, just the way he did it on the practice field. It was a tough call, but I figured he would throw the ball. That's the way Navy has played it this year."

"Still, it was a gutsy play. You just don't tie in an academy game, you win it," Leamon Hall said, "I've got to celebrate Coach Welsh for his guts."

"I thought it was a bad call and bad execution," claimed George Mayes, "I rushed the middle, looking for a draw, and then went outside when I saw Gattuso sprinting out. I though he was going to run, he only had one man between him [Chuck Schott] and a first down and possible touchdown. But when he passed, I knew that it would be incomplete. I knew our coverage was good [allowing only eight completions on 15 pass attempts in the game]. I knew that our defense would be good enough to win this game. I knew that even if we didn't score another point in the second half, we could win the game."

Army and Navy had two time outs left. On first down (A09), Jon Dwyer ran up the middle for no gain (Bulich). Navy called a time out at 0:28. Jim Merriken lost four yards (Reid). Navy called its final time out at 0:18. On third down and 14 (A05), Leamon Hall rolled to the right along the front of the goal line on a keeper and was tackled for a three-yard loss (Reid). The final seconds ticked down as the clock ran out at 6:49 pm. At the end of the 78th Army-Navy Classic in 1977, the final score was Army 17, Navy 14. The Corps of Cadets rushed the field and tore down the goal posts in the celebration.

Jim Hodge, who found himself sitting on the bench at the start of the game and being emotionally down for not being able to contribute in the biggest game of the year, commented forty years later by saying, "But as fate would have it, Curt [Downs] reinjured his hand in the second quarter and I replaced him for the remainder of the game. The offense was on the field when the clock ran out, and I have that great picture [of himself being lifted up by Cadets storming the field] to relive the moment."

The fourth quarter statistics were first downs (1 for Army, 4 for Navy), rushing yards (9/10), passing yards (0/59), total yards (9/69), turnovers (0/0), and time of possession (7:05/7:55).

Post-Game

"Did it really happen?" said Homer Smith, "Will I wake up and find we still have to play? It was the greatest victory in my coaching experience. I don't' think a writer could write a more dramatic script. Linebacker John Hilliard's two first-half pass interceptions were the key to the victory by the Cadets as they set up ten points. They (Navy) almost did it. I had not thought about my job in any of the preparations for the Navy game. Preparing for this game is all consuming for everyone. We won this game with players who refused to give up, people who came back from a layoff and found themselves, [and] second-team players who hung in there. We did it with character."

Hall said, "We may have bogged down in the second half [Hall had no completions on two pass attempts], but we didn't have any interceptions or turnovers and that was our plan. It was turnovers that cost Navy the victory."

Smith continued, "It was the wind that stopped us from passing. We threw a couple up that were almost intercepted. They threw some up that were intercepted. You go with what's working [referring to the running game]. Sure, we played a little close to the vest, but I wanted to keep the clock running. We had the lead and we wanted to hold it. Not to play that way against a very good offensive team like Navy is very tough. Navy's defense in the second half was so good that it seemed as if they had 13 players on the field, with nine of them in the defensive backfield. But I'm not accusing Navy of illicit maneuvers."

"We figured that if Navy couldn't score, it couldn't win," admitted defensive back Ed Clemons, making his first start of the season; who suffered a dislocated left shoulder during the second half and had to watch the final Navy possession from the sideline. "We knew we had to be tough on defense because of the weather," said Chuck D'Amico, "We wanted to be extra tough and we were."

"The Army game is important, but not all important," said Navy Coach Welsh, "It is not our whole season. We played ten other games and they were important, too. We still won five games and we have something to be proud of. It isn't as if the whole season went down the drain. Army's defense played very well. They handled us up front during the first half. We won the second half, but we didn't get enough points."

Fortunately, while Navy did win the third quarter battles, they lost the important fourth quarter battles, failed to score, and lost the game. And do you really believe a former Navy quarterback now the head football coach saying that the Army game was not important? Not me.

"The story in this game is recruiting," said Smith, "This has been very hard for us. I have seen all of my coaches frustrated at one time or another after a disappointment. But we believe in total professionalism and in positive thinking. That has always been our strong suit. Catching Navy in four years is the real accomplishment. Those last four games were far from toss-ups against Navy. It came down to the realities of football. They had better tackles and more speed from their spread receivers. These are the realities. I remember working harder than I have ever worked in my life the year before last on recruiting. But that is the accomplishment, catching Navy."

After the game, ABC-TV announced that the Army-Navy game, which only a few years ago appeared destined to be dropped from the network's schedule, would be televised in future seasons. "We'll be tuned in again next year, same time, same station," the _Assembly_ reported.

Army made 14 first downs, rushed for 161 yards, and passed for 67, with no turnovers and 5 yards penalized. Navy had 15 first downs, rushed for 154 yards, and passed for 133 yards, with two interceptions, one lost fumble, and seven yards in penalties.

Greg King rushed for 91 yards on 23 carries with one touchdown, while Jim Merriken had 63 on 19 attempts. Jon Dwyer had ten yards rushing, Tony Landry (6), and Leamon Hall (-9) with one touchdown. Merriken caught two passes for 46 yards, while Bill Skoda (15 yards) and King (6) each had one reception. Leamon Hall completed four of seven passes for 67 yards with no touchdowns.

Ward Whyte punted six times for a 31.0 yard average. Merriken (19 yards) and Landry (14 yards) each returned one kickoff. There were no punts returned. Mike Castelli completed two extra point attempts and one of two field goal attempts.

John Hilliard returned two interceptions for 19 yards. Ed Clemons forced one fumble, which he also recovered, and was credited with an interception that bounced to Hilliard. Players with five or more tackles were Mayes (18), Traylor (10), Steve Miller (8), D'Amico (7), LeGasse (7), Clemons (7), and Hilliard (6).

Substitutes on defense were – ends Stan Ford, Tom Hayden, and Charlie Swanson; tackles Duane Fuller, Bill Duelge, and Bob Groller; Doug Turrell at middle guard; Kirk Thomas and Dusty Foster at linebacker; Dan Webb, Drew Harrington, Bruce Elliott, and Phil Macklin in the secondary; Ward Whyte punting; and Bob Avey, Kevin Kullander, Glen Ledeboer, and JT Thomas on special teams.

Substitutes on offense were – Keith Wilson at end; Gene McIntyre and Ron Decker at tackle; Jim Hodge and Chuck Boucher at guard; centers Ed Perkins and Dave Maples; flankers Mike Fahnestock, Greg McGlasker, Bill Skoda, and Jon Hallingstad; halfbacks Tony Landry, Jon Dwyer, and Dave Pritchard; Mike Hargis for kickoffs; and Mike Castelli for placekicking.

A total of 55 Cadets played against Navy and about 62 dressed for the game. Dressing but not playing in the game were – Charlie Adams, Joe Cerv, Dave Liebetreu, Mitch Mankosa, and Earle Mulrane. Also dressing were Mike Bristol and Jim Hill. Dave Charest suffered a torn medial collateral ligament to his left knee during the Pittsburgh game and did not play against the Midshipmen. Greg King and Ed Clemons were injured during the second half of the Navy game.

Recognitions

George Mayes was named by the ABC-TV announcers as the Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Game. Joe Gattuso was named the offensive player of the game.

On Friday, December 2nd, the Commandant of Midshipmen, Rear Admiral James Winnefeld, left Annapolis early in the morning with his wife. They drove up to West Point with important baggage in the back of their station wagon. They arrived shortly before the noon meal at Washington Hall in West Point.

The Commandant of Cadets, Brigadier General John Bard, and his wife, met and greeted the Winnefeld's as aides shuffled the baggage into the Cadet Mess Hall through the kitchen and near the Poop Deck. The visitors from Navy watched as the Corps of Cadets arrived through the multiple entrances and gathered at their tables for Take Seats. The guests then sat with their hosts for lunch.

After attention to orders, the Commandant spoke briefly and introduced his guests to the Corps. Admiral Winnefeld then spoke about the real value of the service classic when he lauded the clean play and sportsmanship that was evident in the annual clash in Philadelphia. He then presented the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the Commandant. General Bard called upon First Captain Jim Hoffman and Army Football Co-Captains Leamon Hall and Chuck D'Amico to take possession of the trophy. Hall and D'Amico then mounted the trophy on a table and rolled it about the Mess Hall, with Cadets cheering. Following lunch, the Winnefeld's said goodbye to their hosts, got into their car, and drove to New London, CT, for a weekend retreat.

Army Opponents

Massachusetts (8-3) lost to Lehigh, 23-30, in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Virginia Military Institute (7-4) lost at Virginia Tech, 7-27. #9 Pittsburgh (9-2-1) lost to #8 Penn State, 13-15. #5 Notre Dame (10-1) would beat Miami, Florida, on the road, 48-10, on December 3rd and go to the Cotton Bowl to meet #1 Texas. Colorado (7-3-1), Villanova (4-7), Lafayette (5-6), and Air Force (2-8-1) seasons were over.

The Crusaders of the College of the Holy Cross deserve some mention. Having lost nine out of ten, Holy Cross (2-9) was a five-touchdown underdog against Boston College. They came from behind twice, scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, and beat Boston College (6-5), 35-20. It reminded _Sports Illustrated_ of their 1942 game, when Holy Cross was a 28 point underdog to #1 ranked Boston College and beat the Eagles, 55-12.

#3 Oklahoma beat #11 Nebraska, 38-7. #1 Texas won 57-28 at #12 Texas A&M, and a trip to the Cotton Bowl. #2 Alabama beat Auburn, 48-21. #4 Michigan had completed its season. The AP and UPI Top Five were Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Michigan, and Notre Dame. Army opponents ranked (AP/UPI) were #5/#5 Notre Dame and #10/#9 Pittsburgh.

Player Thoughts Forty Years Later

"Nothing compares to a victory over Navy. Brutal cold that day. We had to cut our shoestrings after the game because they were frozen together." – Kevin Kullander

"Beating them!!! All I remember!" - Phil Macklin

"We were closely matched. The Senior leadership proved invaluable in that game. It was very cold and all of us felt it, on both sides of the field. I think the Seniors having not beaten Navy in their three years as players incited in the entire team an attitude that it is a close game; score wise, but we have to find a way to dig just a little deeper within ourselves on every play. As that game wore down, that proved itself so very true. The game ends with us having the ball the last play or two after Navy had gone for it on fourth down." – Mike Fahnestock

"The weather was abysmal, colder than Penn State in '76. Defense pulled off an interception and Castelli was money. No one has ever ended an Army Football career on a better note than Mike Castelli. It was epic." – Bill Duelge

"Heavy, freezing rain." – Gene McIntyre

"This was John Hilliard's, Ed Clemons', and George Mayes' game. Cold, wet, and an amazing crowd – heard it was the most watched game of the 1977 regular season. Navy showed courage in going for a Win. Sprained my back in the third quarter, but we had no back-ups as Doug Lowrey went out earlier." – Joe LeGasse

"Team and Corps needed a win to cap the season." – Chuck Schott

"The Navy victory ended a couple ugly streaks... 4 straight losses to Navy and 4 losing seasons. I left the program extremely proud of both our team's accomplishments and my contributions. That day, I felt like a winner and I've felt like a winner ever since. That feeling can never be taken away from me and although it may seem silly, I believe it significantly contributed to a successful Army career [Hodge was promoted to Major General]." – Jim Hodge

"One of the greatest moments of my life. We finally put them away. Eight point underdogs, freezing weather. As a kicker, the wind was bad and it seemed like it was always in my face. On the field goal I made, the ref commented to me about the "Kentucky Windage" I used to get it through. Homer gave everyone a piece of the game ball and rightfully so. It was a team win!!" - Mike Castelli

"Shortly after the Army Victory over Navy, my company Tac, Major Eller, called me to his office to congratulate me on being selected as the next detail's Cadet Battalion Commander. I was shocked, and said 'Sir... I can't. I've struggled academically for three and a half years. I'll flunk something if I have to this.' He showed me a note from the Commandant, Brigadier General Bard, asking how Cadet D'Amico was going to be rewarded after displaying such great leadership as Army Football Co-Captain. Eller said if I didn't want Battalion Commander, then I needed to write an explanation to the Commandant. I did just that. That next detail, I was Company Assistant Athletic Sergeant." – Chuck D'Amico

Our classmate, Jim Nalepa, adds an alleged quote from Chuck, "I could have been a Rhodes Scholar except for my grades."

Post-Script

Despite having a better season record, Army was a seven point underdog against Navy. On paper, the Cadets' defense looked much weaker compared to the running and passing attack of the Midshipmen. Both teams faced gusty winds during alternate quarters and a poor and swampy field in freezing conditions. Army's rushing offense clearly dominated in the first half on the scoreboard aided by two interceptions. Army's gritty defense held Navy to only one touchdown on several Middle drives in the second half, ultimately winning the game near the goal line in the last minutes of the game.

Army won its first game over Navy since 1972 and took possession of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy with victories over the Mids and Air Force. It was the most wins since the 1968 season and Army would not have another winning season or beat Navy until the 1984 campaign.

The team accomplished the goals set on Black September. The Blood Door on the visitor's locker room entry door was an omen to visiting teams that the Cadets would give their blood, as well as their best effort, to be a winner this season. "This really worked, but perfect," said D'Amico after the Navy game, "It did what it had to do. Everyone made their vows and they really opened up their hearts. Maybe it helped us to know each other better."

Reporter Steve Amedio wrote after the victory over Navy, "That common bond of Black September, the team togetherness formed that night, wouldn't let this Army team fall to the Middies for the fifth straight year. The Cadets will always remember the dark night in September at the beginning of this season. It was Black September that made [this] Saturday a black day in navy history and one of the brightest ever for Army."

Chapter 21  
Post-Season – The 1977 Football Season

Comments

"Army celebrated its first winning record in six years, won back the coveted Commander-in-Chief's Trophy (which the Cadets had won at its inception in 1972), earned Smith at least another year's employment on The Plain and selection as the Eastern major college 'Coach of the Year,' and was represented on a slew of all-star teams by some of USMA's finest gridiron talent in nearly a decade," reported Pete Wevurski in the his "Down the Field" article in the March 1978 edition of the _Assembly_.

"We fully recognize the accomplishments of the past season and congratulate Coach Smith, his staff, and the team. The fine performance and dedication of our Cadets, the football victory over Navy, the selection of two more Rhodes Scholars from our ranks – these are all indicators of an institution still moving proudly forward, stepping off into its 177th year with confidence in itself and guided by the undying principles of Duty, Honor, Country," said USMA Superintendent Lieutenant General A.J. Goodpaster in the March 1978 edition of the _Assembly_.

Team Participation

Forty-three member of the Army Football team lettered during the 1977 team – Bob Avey, Mark Berry, Clennie Brundidge, Mike Castelli, Ed Clemons, Dave Charest, Tony Dailey, Chuck D'Amico, Ron Decker, Curt Downs, George Dunaway, Jon Dwyer, Bruce Elliott, Mike Fahnestock, Stan Ford, Duane Fuller, Bob Groller, Leamon Hall, Mike Hargis, Tom Hayden, John Hilliard, Jim Hodge, Jim Hollingsworth, Chuck Johnston, Greg King, Tony Landry, Joe LeGasse, Doug Lowrey, Phil Macklin, George Mayes, Greg McGlasker, Gene McIntyre, Jim Merriken, Steve Miller, Joe Oliver, Chuck Schott, Bill Skoda, Steve Smith, Kirk Thomas, Tiki Traylor, Doug Turrell, Ward Whyte, and Keith Wilson.

Together, these forty-three individuals started in 244 games (100% of all starts) and played in 439 games for a total of 6,926 minutes (95% of the playing time). Six players started all 11 games – Clennie Brundidge, Tony Dailey, Leamon Hall, John Hilliard, Jim Hollingsworth, and Chuck Schott. Eleven more Cadets started at least eight games.

Additionally, 20 other players played in every game during the 1977 season – Berry, Decker, Elliott, Fahnestock, Ford, Fuller, Groller, Hargis, Hayden, Hodge, King, Landry, LeGasse, Macklin, Pritchard, Thomas, Traylor, Turrell, Whyte, and Wilson. 15 more Cadets played in eight to ten games.

The following Cadets played in at least one game during the 1977 season but did not letter – Charlie Adams, Chuck Boucher, Joe Cerv, Charlie Conz, Bill Duelge, Dusty Foster, Jon Hallingstad, Drew Harrington, Greg Johnson, John Kisiel, Barron Klopfenstine, Kevin Kullander, Glen Ledeboer, Dave Liebetreu, Mark Logue, John Lytwynec, Mitch Mankosa, Dave Maples, Corky Messner, Earle Mulrane, Ed Perkins, Dave Pritchard, Gus Steenborg, Charlie Swanson, Scott Teising, JT Thomas, Clif Triplett, Dick Vorenkamp, and Dan Webb.

Junior defensive end Hall Burton was lost for the entire 1977 season due to a chronic knee injury. Junior offensive tackle Hobie Murnane did not play in 1977 due to his rehabilitation for a prior season knee injury.

About 72 Cadets would spend the 1977 season with the combined junior varsity/plebe football squad. Twenty of these men would become Army Football lettermen and about thirty others would play with the varsity in future seasons.

At least 14 members of the junior varsity/plebe squad dressed for one or more varsity games during the 1977 season but did not play in any varsity game – juniors #65 Tsu Kreidler (offensive guard & tackle) and #27 Carlous Pettus (linebacker); sophomores #31 Mike Beans (secondary), #46 Glenn Kouhia (secondary), #54 Tom Robertson (linebacker), and #38 Henry Turner (secondary); and plebes #14 Jim Bagwell (quarterback), #60 Steve Bleyl (center & offensive guard), #64 Mike Bristol (offensive tackle & guard), #21 Jeff Cook (secondary), #47 Jim Hill (halfback), Terry O'Sullivan (tight end), Jim Simpson (quarterback), and #32 Bobby Vicci (quarterback).

The other 58 Cadets who were on the junior varsity/plebe football team during the 1977 season were – seniors Dan Sartin and Ward Silvola; juniors Joel Anderson and Doug Busch; sophomores Mark Davis, Alex Dornstauder, TJ Farrell, Gary Gulyas, Bob Hunter, Ernie Jones, Mike Knapp, Jeff Kubacki, Doug Lenhoff, and Larry Trumbore; and plebes Bruce Baughman, Mike Beery, Bill Bowman, Chris Boylan, Steve Carter, Bill Dauer, Archie Davis, TD Decker, Greg Dewalt, Brian Doak, Tim Dolan, Andy Evans, Daryl Harris, Matt Herholtz, Chris Jackson, Charlie Lane, Brian Magerkurth, Stan March, Al Mazyck, Eugene McCall, Mark McKearn, Bob McLeod, Steve McLocklin, Greg Metry, Barry Muth, Jim Nichol, Mark O'Gara, Al Orio, Ron Osborn, John Sankovitch, Len Sbroco, Mark Schreder, Bobby Shields, Dan Sperduti, Scott Stangle, Kevin Streets, Ken Topping, Mark Trigsted, Chris Vanslager, Scott Wagner, John Wharton, Bill Wilhelm, Dan Wood, and Ned Woolfolk.

Season Statistics

On defense, here were the 1977 statistics: Total Tackles – Hilliard (129), Thomas (107), Mayes (101), D'Amico (96), Schott (89), Fuller (65), Charest (57), Miller (56), Elliott (54), Traylor (54), Berry (48), Macklin (42), Turrell (40), LeGasse (36), Ford (35), Smith (19), Groller (18), Avey (17), Lowrey (14), Clemons (14), Foster (14), Hayden (12), Webb (11), Swanson (10), Duelge (6), Johnston (5), Harrington (4), Hargis (4), Whyte (1), and Mankosa (1); Passes Deflected – Elliott (4), Smith (4), Clemons (3), Hilliard (2), Schott (2), Charest (2), Miller (2), Macklin (2), LeGasse (2), Webb (2), Thomas (1), D'Amico (1), Traylor (1), Ford (1), Lowrey (1), Hayden (1), and Duelge (1).

Interceptions – Hilliard (5), Charest (3), Macklin (3), Elliott (2), LeGasse (2), Foster (1), Schott (1), and Smith (1); Fumbles Caused – Mayes (2), D'Amico (2), Miller (2), Traylor (2), Hilliard (1), Thomas (1), Elliott (1), Turrell (1), LeGasse (1), Clemons (1), Hayden (1), Webb (1), and Duelge (1); Fumbles Recovered – Schott (5), LeGasse (4), Thomas (2), Fuller (2), Miller (2), Lowrey (2), Clemons (2), Mayes (1), D'Amico (1), Elliott (1), Berry (1), Macklin (1), and Ford (1); Tackles Behind the Line – Mayes (8), Traylor (7), Berry (6), D'Amico (6), Hilliard (6), Fuller (4), Schott (4), Turrell (3), Duelge (2), Elliott (2), Charest (1), Ford (1), Groller (1), Miller (1), Swanson (1), and Thomas (1); Kicks Blocked – Charest (1), Fuller (1), and Turrell (1).

Minutes Played – Hilliard (310), Schott (304), Charest (274), D'Amico (272), Mayes (262), Macklin (248), Elliott (245), Thomas (237), Fuller (233), LeGasse (233), Berry (181), Ford (173), Traylor (127), Turrell (124), Miller (118), Lowrey (108), Smith (94), Clemons (62), Hayden (62), Groller (59), Webb (45), Duelge (32), Foster (27), Swanson (22), Avey (16), Harrington (13), Liebetreu (11), Mankosa (8), Triplett (?), and Vorenkamp (?).

On offense, here were the 1977 statistics: Rushing Yards – King (961), Merriken (447), Dwyer (216), Landry (157), Pritchard (28), Dunaway (2), Cerv (-1), Mulrane (-10), Whyte (-19), and Hall (-21); Carries – King (177), Hall (102), Merriken (99), Dwyer (55), Landry (38), Pritchard (9), Mulrane (9), Cerv (2), Whyte (2), and Dunaway (1); Rushing Touchdowns – Hall (8), King (7), Merriken (4), Dwyer (2), Pritchard (1), and Mulrane (1).

Passing – Hall (151 completions of 265 passes for 1,944 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions); Mulrane (7 completions of 20 passes for 76 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception); Merriken (0 completion of 1 pass).

Receptions – Brundidge (51), Merriken (35), King (15), Dwyer (11), Fahnestock (10), Skoda (8), Wilson (8), Whyte (7), Landry (6), McGlasker (3), Dunaway (2), Hallingstad (1), and Pritchard (1); Receiving Yards – Brundidge (842), Merriken (350), Fahnestock (149), Skoda (148), King (113), Wilson (90), Whyte (90), Dwyer (77), Dunaway (51), McGlasker (43), Landry (38), Hallingstad (23), and Pritchard (6); Receiving Touchdowns – Brundidge (4), Fahnestock (3), Merriken (2), Dwyer (1), Skoda (1), Wilson (1), Whyte (1), Landry (1), and McGlasker (1).

Scoring – Hall (50), King (42), Castelli (38), Merriken (36), Brundidge (26), Dwyer (20), Fahnestock (18), Wilson (6), Landry (6), Skoda (6), McGlasker (6), Berry (6, on a fumble return), LeGasse (6, on an interception return), Pritchard (6), Whyte (6), Mulrane (6), Team (2, on a safety), Messner (1).

Minutes Played – Dailey (283), Hollingsworth (274), Hall (268), Johnston (243), Brundidge (241), Oliver (239), King (230), Downs (174), Merriken (164), Whyte (144), Landry (132), Hodge (130), Wilson (118), Fahnestock (106), Dwyer (99), McIntyre (81), Dunaway (76), McGlasker (75), Skoda (56), Hallingstad (37), Decker (30), Pritchard (24), Mulrane (24), Klopfenstine (20), Perkins (17), Kullander (14), Boucher (13), Hargis (12), Castelli (9), Maples (6), Adams (5), Cerv (5), Logue (5), JT Thomas (4), Johnson (3), Lytwynec (3), Conz (2), Kisiel (1), Messner (1), Steenborg (1), Teising (1), and Ledeboer (?).

Ward Whyte punted 53 times for a 38.9 yard average, with his longest being 57 yards, while Charlie Adams punted five times for a 30.2 yard average, with his longest being 40 yards. Mike Castelli kicked 26 out 32 extra point attempts plus made four out of seven field goal attempts. Corky Messner made his one extra point kick.

Clennie Brundidge, Jon Dwyer, and Leamon Hall each converted one two point conversion. Mike Hargis kicked off 56 times during the season, with six touchbacks or no returns. Hargis averaged kicking off to the eight-yard line. Opponents returned kickoffs for an average of 16.5 yards, with only one returned for a touchdown (93 yards). Hargis also was credited with four tackles on kickoffs.

Greg King returned 11 kickoffs for an average of 17.4 yards (longest was 27). Jim Merriken returned 9 kickoffs for an average of 17.2 yards (longest was 22). Tony Landry returned 6 kickoffs for an average of 13.3 yards (longest was 26). Dave Pritchard returned 4 kickoffs for an average of 12.8 yards (longest was 25). Others returning kickoffs included Jon Dwyer (two returns of 20 and 9), Mark Logue (two returns of 8 and 7), Kevin Kullander (two returns of 8 and -2), Ward Whyte (one return of 11 yards), and Joe Cerv (one return of one yard).

Jim Merriken returned 12 punts for a 4.3 average (longest was 27). Tony Landry returned four punts for a 6.5 yard average (longest 12). Dave Charest returned two punts for 4 and 1 yards. Doug Turrell returned one punt for 19 yards. No touchdowns were scored on any kickoff or punt returns.

Overall, the 1977 Army Football team gained 227 first downs, averaged 344 yards in total offense, 160 yards rushing per game, 184 yards passing per game, completed 158 of 286 passes, had 18 intercepted, lost 9 of 19 fumbles, averaged 38 yards punting, averaged 5.4 yards returning punts, averaged 14.3 yards returning kickoffs, and scored 287 points (26th in the nation).

Defensively, Army allowed 238 first downs, averaged 371 yards in total offense, 224 yards rushing per game, allowed 122 completions of 244 passes for 147 yards per game, intercepted 18 passes, recovered 25 of 41 opponent fumbles, and allowed 245 total points. Many of these statistics were improvements over the 1976 season.

Recognitions

Clennie Brundidge received national recognition by being named second-team All-American at tight end by the _United Press International_ for the second year in a row. He was also named honorable mention All-American by the _Associated Press_ and named to AP All-East, and All-ECAC first teams, plus UPI All-East second team.

Leamon Hall was named honorable mention to the AP All-American and UPI All-American teams and named to the AP All-East, UPI All-East, and All-ECAC first team teams. Chuck Schott was named third-team AP All-American and AP All-East and All-ECAC first teams.

Joe Oliver and John Hilliard were named to the AP All-East second team. George Mayes was named to the All-ECAC first team. Jim Hollingsworth, Chuck Johnston, Greg King, Chuck D'Amico, and Dave Charest were named to the AP All-East honorable mention team. Ward Whyte received the All-East Punter Award.

Chuck D'Amico was all named to the 1977 Preseason All-Italian American team. D'Amico was also recognized by the players on the 1977 Massachusetts Football Team by being named to their All-Opponent Team, which also included Clennie Brundidge and George Mayes. Each received a letter from the UMass head coach Dick MacPherson in a tradition that he had revived. Chuck told me that this recognition by his opponents was one of his highest honors.

Offensive guard Curt Downs was one of 11 college football players named a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete and qualified for a $1,000 fellowship if he choose to pursue graduate study. Downs was the sixth Cadet to be so honored for this award.

Leamon Hall finished ranked 12th nationally in pass completions at 13.7 per game and 18th in total offense with 174.8 yards per game. Clennie Brundidge finished 17th nationally in receptions with 4.6 per game.

The following Army records were set in games during the 1977 season – Leamon Hall, most touchdown passes (5), Massachusetts; Clennie Brundidge, most yards receiving (167), Pittsburgh; Mike Fahnestock, most touchdowns caught (3), Massachusetts (tied with two others); Ward Whyte, highest punting average (49.0), Air Force; Greg King, longest run from scrimmage (97), Holy Cross; defense, most touchdown passes (7), Boston College; defense, most yards penalized (149), Villanova; offense, most touchdowns passing (5), Massachusetts (tied with 1949 game); and offense, most first downs by penalty (5), VMI and Villanova.

The 1977 Army team set the following season records – Leamon Hall, most touchdowns passing (15, tied with his record from 1976); Clennie Brundidge, most yards receiving (842); defense, most fumbles recovered (25); offense, most first downs from penalty (25); and offense, most first downs (227).

The following individuals set Army records for their career: Leamon Hall – passes attempted (878), passes completed (426), passes intercepted (67), yards passing (5,502), touchdown passes (38), total plays (1,172), and total yards gained (5,524); and Clennie Brundidge (with another year to play) – passes caught (103) and yards receiving (1,553). Hall set 20 Academy football records during his career.

When the Army Football team finished the 1977 season, several individuals ranked in the top ten individual game performances all-time for Army: Rushing Yards – #4 Greg King (212 against Holy Cross); Passing Yards \- #3 Leamon Hall (310 versus Massachusetts) and #6 Hall (268 against Boston College); Completions \- #3 Hall (23 versus Boston College), #6 Hall (21 against Notre Dame), and #9 Hall (19 versus Massachusetts); Receptions \- #2 Jim Merriken (11 against Notre Dame), #3 Merriken (10 versus Boston College), #7 Clennie Brundidge (9 against Holy Cross), and #7 Brundidge (9 versus Pittsburgh); Receiving Yards \- #1 Brundidge (167 versus Pittsburgh); Total Offense Yards \- #2 Hall (330 against Massachusetts).

Members of the 1977 team finished in the top ten individual season performance all-time for Army: Rushing Yards \- #5 Greg King (961); Passing Yards – #2 Leamon Hall (1,944); Passing Completions \- #2 Hall (151); Receptions \- #2 Clennie Brundidge (51) and #9 Jim Merriken (35); Receiving Yards \- #1 Brundidge (842); and Total Offense Yards \- #2 Hall (1,923).

Greg King finished his career ranked #4 in Rushing with 1,992 yards. Leamon Hall finished his career ranked #1 in passing yards (5,502), completions (426), and total offense (5,524 yards). Clennie Brundidge finished his junior year ranked #1 in receptions (103) and receiving yards (1,553), with a senior season to come.

During the season, the Army Co-Captains received letters, telegrams, and Army electronic messages from many fans, wishing them well for an upcoming game. Frequent senders were Lieutenant General Edward M. Flanagan, Jr. (USMA January '43), commanding general of the United States Sixth Army in San Francisco; Lieutenant General Thomas M. Rienzi (USMA '42), a director of the NATO communications agency; and Lieutenant General Sidney B. Berry, the former USMA Superintendent and commanding general of V Corps in Frankfurt, West Germany.

At the annual USMA Awards Convocation during the 1978 June Week ceremonies, several Army Football players were recognized for their efforts. Leamon Hall was presented with the Thruston Hughes Memorial Award as the most valuable player on the team. Hall also received the General Creighton W. Abrams Memorial Award as the Co-Captain of the team.

Chuck D'Amico received the Abrams award as a Co-Captain, plus the Colonel James B. Gillespie Award for performance, dedication, and contribution to the football team. Joe Oliver received the Thomas West Hammond Memorial Award as the outstanding lineman on the football team. Curt Downs received the Major William C. Whitehead, Jr. Memorial Award as a letterman in football with the highest academic standing, with a 3.65 grade point average in Civil Engineering, and two other awards.

Greg King's 97-yard touchdown run against Holy Cross inspired Mrs. George W. Smythe, widow of Major General Smythe, to fund an athletic award. She wrote the Superintendent about funding a football award after reading about King's accomplishment, but no football awards were available, but she agreed to fund the baseball team captain award instead. Patrick Landry of the Class of 1978 received the first award in June 1978. General Smyth was captain of the 1924 Army baseball team and received nine varsity letters in baseball, football, and basketball while a Cadet. His finest day in football came in 1923 against Lebanon Valley College, where he rushed only five times and scored five touchdowns on runs of 90, 85, 45, 95, and 80 (a total of 395 yards rushing).

All-Star Games

Army had two players selected to attend all-star games, Leamon Hall and Jim Hollingsworth. On December 2nd, Hall was added to the East squad to play in the 53rd East-West Shrine Game on December 31st at Stanford Stadium. On December 12th, it was announced that Hall and Boston College's Ken Smith would be the quarterbacks on the East squad for the 32nd Hula Bowl Classic to be played on January 7th in Hawai'i. . On December 18th, Hollingsworth was selected to play on the Blue squad for the Blue-Gray Classic on December 30th in Montgomery, AL.

Boston College's head coach Joe Yucika would lead the Blue squad while Miami's head coach Lou Saban headed the Gray squad. Practice began on Saturday, December 24th. Offensive guards did not get much press, but we do know that the Blue squad defeated the Gray squad, 20-16. After a Gray touchdown, the Blue squad scored on a touchdown pass in the second quarter. The Blue squad scored on rushing touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter for a 20-7 lead before a late Gray touchdown and safety.

Meanwhile, Hall was selected with Kentucky's Derrick Ramsey to be the two quarterbacks for the East squad. Hall arrived on December 22nd for practice for the East-West Shrine game. He also startled the press by advocating that the Army should let him pursue a pro career. "It seems to me they'd be shooting themselves in the foot, if the Army administration turns down his proposal," Hall said, "Pro players are looked up to by the public like no one else, especially by young people. They couldn't buy the kind of publicity they'd get if I were to make it. Look what Roger Staubach has done for the Navy." Homer Smith supported Hall's idea, saying it would help recruiting.

As the day of the Shrine game approached, East head coach George Welsh had to decide who his starting quarterback was going to be. While West head coach Eddie Robinson selected his Grambling quarterback Doug Williams over Nevada-Reno's Jeff Tisdel, Welsh decided to flip a coin, "the two were so close I couldn't make a choice. Derrick Ramsey won the toss and will start, but Hall will play his share."

The West squad went out to a 10-0 first quarter lead on a Doug Williams touchdown pass and a field goal. Leamon Hall came in during the second quarter and threw a 51-yard pass to Vanderbilt's Martin Cox that set up a 28-yard field goal by Jim Curry of Harvard for a 10-3 score. The West squad went on to win the game, 23-3. Hall's performance was described as solid but not sensational. He completed 11 of 26 passes for 174 yards, but he was not satisfied. "I had receivers open on some plays but didn't hit them," said Hall, "We didn't have our timing down. We could have used a couple more days of practice."

Army Coach Homer Smith and his wife Kathryn traveled to San Francisco for their 26th wedding anniversary and watched Hall, their future son-in-law, play in the Shrine game. The Smith's then traveled to Hawai'i to see Hall play in the Hula Bowl and see the sights of the island.

Hall left California on January 1st with a small group of fellow Shrine Game participants for Hawai'i. Hall would play quarterback on the East squad, led by Notre Dame's Dan Devine, along with Missouri's Pete Woods and Boston College's Ken Smith.

On Saturday, January 8th, the East squad opened the game with Woods passing for one touchdown, and then Hall first completed a 23-yard pass and then a 16-yard pass, both to Notre Dame's Ken MacAfee, before lobbing a two-yard touchdown pass to MacAfee in the end zone to go up, 14-0.

Hula Bowl rules allowed the team losing to choose whether to receive or kickoff, and the West squad took advantage of this in the second quarter, with 33 plays and 19 points versus only six offensive plays by the East. The East had three interceptions and lost two fumbles on their possessions in the second period. Hall did connect with Penn State's Jim Cefalo for a 60-yard completion, but then was intercepted in the end zone.

The West squad scored 42 unanswered points before the East recovered the football in the end zone for a final score, losing 42-22. Leamon Hall completed four out of 12 passes for 96 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Dan Devine said playing three quarterbacks did not allow for any of them to develop a rhythm on the offense, but fans wanted to see everyone play.

Smith

Homer Smith talked openly during the season that he was in the last year of his four-year contract with Army, and felt he was under the gun to win seven games and beat Navy. After Princeton fired their head coach, rumors were in the press that Smith, a 1954 Princeton graduate and star football player, would be a leading candidate for the job.

On December 3rd, a Philadelphia newspaper reported that Smith interviewed for the vacant job at Princeton, though it was also reported he had been offered a two-year extension by Army. On December 14th, Army announced that Homer Smith had signed a one-year contract. "This already excellent Army team is eager to see how much better it can get," said the satisfied Smith.

Smith's name was again mentioned in January for the head coaching position at the University of North Carolina. Smith indicated he was contacted on his interest after Bill Dooley left Carolina to become head coach at Virginia Tech. Dick Crum was hired at North Carolina.

On December 23rd, the Football Writers Association of New York named Homer Smith eastern coach of the year, with Lehigh's John Whitehead receiving the Division II coach of the year. Smith would receive the Joseph M. Sheehan Memorial Trophy at the annual writer's reception in New York City on January 26th.

At the reception, Smith said, "It was a no matter what season. The coaching staff made a commitment to go through the season working as hard as we could no matter what. The ultimatum was never off my mind. It forced us to get a philosophical game plan for the season as well as a technical game plan. And that philosophical game plan was work. If there was something we did successfully, it was to keep from getting tight. Naturally, because of the ultimatum, we were afraid they'd all be tight, but at no time were the players tight. That was a coaching success and a leadership success."

"It was never mentioned by me, except one time when I slipped at halftime of the Boston College game and mentioned how much the game meant to me. [Regarding only getting a one-year contract that Army is putting him under the gun] No, I'm only on the line in the sense that all kinds of coaches are on the line. But it's not the same as last year, and I'm not worried. I'm thrilled to be at Army and I'm not concerned with a one-year contract. It's not as though the work of the staff wasn't being recognized."

Army Opponents

Six Army opponents finished the 1977 season with winning records, and three went to bowl games. Villanova (4-7), Lafayette (5-6), Holy Cross (2-9), Air Force (2-8-1), and Navy (5-6) had losing records. Massachusetts (8-3), the Virginia Military Institute (7-4), Boston College (6-5), and Colorado (7-3-1) had winning records without attending a bowl game. Army's 7-4 record was seventh among major independents, behind Notre Dame, Penn State, Florida State, North Texas, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers.

Colorado was ranked #12 in the preseason poll, moved up steadily to #3 over five weeks, before being tied by Kansas (17-17), then falling to the bottom of the Top Twenty after losing to the #18 Nebraska (15-33) and Missouri (14-24), then falling out of the rankings for the remainder of the season after losing to Oklahoma (14-52).

Pittsburgh was ranked every week during the season, from a high of #7 to a low of #17, losing two games to then #3 Notre Dame (9-19) and then #9 Penn State (13-15), with a tie to then #20 Florida (17-17). The Panthers finished the season ranked #9 and #10 in the two national polls. Pittsburgh was invited to the Gator Bowl, where they played then #10/#11 Clemson, decisively beating the Tigers, 34-3. The Panthers finished with a 9-2-1 record and a #7 ranking.

Notre Dame was ranked at #3 in the preseason poll. In the second week of the season, the Fighting Irish lost to unranked Mississippi, 13-20, and dropped to #11 in the rankings. After beating Army, Notre Dame moved up to #10, and continued to rise to #5 at the end of the regular season. The Irish were selected to play #1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

On January 2nd, #2 Oklahoma lost to #6 Arkansas (6-31), #3 Alabama beat #9 Ohio State (35-6), and #4 Michigan lost to #13 Washington (20-27) in the Orange, Sugar, and Rose Bowls. In Dallas, Notre Dame beat Texas 38-10. Both national polls picked Notre Dame (11-1) ahead of Alabama (11-1) and three other 11-1 teams (Arkansas, Texas, and Penn State) and two 10-1 teams (Kentucky and San Diego State) for its seventh national championship.

Army played against seven first-team AP All-Americans in games against Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, three individuals who finished in the top ten voting for the Heisman Trophy (3rd Notre Dame's Ken MacAfee, 5th Notre Dame's Ross Browner, and 7th Pittsburgh's Matt Cavanaugh), and the recipients of the Maxwell (Browner), Camp (MacAfee), and Lombardi (Browner) awards.

Army played against several of the individual national leaders – #3 in passing, #7 in all-purpose, #3 & #10 in punt returns, and #2 & #4 in interceptions. Army also played against several teams nationally ranked at the end of the season – #5 Notre Dame (total offense), #3 Notre Dame (rushing defense), #5 Pittsburgh (scoring offense), and #6 Notre Dame (scoring offense).

Survey of Players and Coaches

I surveyed the players and coaches of the 1977 team that I had email addresses for, in order to capture comments about this season, past or future seasons, and how it might have impacted them. Chuck D'Amico and Leamon Hall helped me refine the questions. I received replies from 17 players and one Coach, and here are their responses to four core questions.

What did being on the team mean to me?

"It was an honor as a Plebe to be a cog in a wheel that had a defined direction. The Coaches worked to have us ready for games and feel that we played to our potential in most cases. We had a great group of upperclassmen with the Seniors accepting their role as leaders of the program. This example proved invaluable to the success enjoyed by the 1977 Army Football team. I enjoyed the experience and was so fortunate to be a part of that team." – Mike Fahnestock

"Being on the team kept me at West Point. Without football (and then track) and the friendships with all levels of Cadets, I do not know if I would have come back after Christmas break." – Kevin Kullander

"This was the best team of the decade. Very well motivated, led, and coached. Full of heroes and bad asses. My first real life example of what a great team looked like." – Bill Duelge

"I appreciated being a small part of what was a much better group of athletics that made up a great team." – Bill Skoda

"Yes, it was a football team, but thanks to Coach Smith, I felt like I was part of something bigger. It was more than a team or a sport." – Charlie Conz

"The privilege to play with some phenomenal guys was priceless." – A football player on the team

"It was a great sense of pride. It was wonderful to get to know my teammates. Some great athletes and personalities. I learned a lot from the upper classmen. It was quite different from normal Cadet life. It really pushed me to be better and shaped the rest of my life in the meaning of team and the importance of each and every person." – Clif Triplett

"These guys still are among my best friends. We still get together every year." – Gene McIntyre

"Having been cut 9-10 times my plebe year and not being Coach Smith's favorite player (understatement), I was humbled ten years later when one of the guys a year behind me said Coach Smith used the "Joe LeGasse" story as motivation for perseverance – not sure how to take that." – Joe LeGasse

"It meant everything and still does. I look at my teammates as brothers and we are still in contact today. We are true band of brothers." – Mike Castelli

We finally came together as a team. Teammates gave everything they had. It was the most fun I had playing football. We did not always win, but we were good. We earned the respect of the teams we played. Guys played with heart and mental toughness. We fought for one another. – Jim Hollingsworth

"It has been life impacting. Michie Stadium is Home. I feel it every time I visit. Shortly before his death, Coach Homer Smith and I met for a meal. He asked how did I do it. #6 from the bottom in the class ranking... never failed a class... never went to Summer School... Cut-off man in three separate courses and playing Division 1 Football? My answer was simple... Coach, I would never have made it through West Point without Army Football. I wanted to play and contribute so bad, I knew the only way I could was to pass academically and stay out of trouble as a Cadet. So I found a way to do it. Wasn't easy... But it worked." – Chuck D'Amico

Why was Army Football important to me?

"I dreamed of playing college football as a five-year old. Although I played for Army and not the University of Arkansas, I fulfilled those dreams. There is a special bond developed playing together. Especially week in and week out when you are losing more than winning. At the end of every practice or game, we had to trudge back down the hill and put on our Cadet uniforms. Many times it was my teammates encouragement to keep after it that kept me playing and in the Corps." – Kevin Kullander

"Made me a part of something greater than myself. Performing with fellow teammates was invaluable, the bonds we created extended far beyond football." – Mike Fahnestock

"Gave me an outlet for the frustration of the discipline that comes with Cadet life. Not sure I would have coped without it. And the guys." – Bill Duelge

"Well, with Coach Smith I felt like football was part of something 'bigger.' It was more than a sport, a community, a mission, making yourself better which made the team better. And for those three years, I was primarily a second or third string player. But I bought into Coach Smith's vision. My senior year, Coach Saban was the new Coach. Candidly to Coach Saban, Army Football was nothing more than a 'business.' I did not play my senior year due to injuries. Upon graduation, Army Football did not have a good 'taste' in my mouth. But as the years have passed, I reflect on the years of Coach Smith and 1977 was the peak." – Charlie Conz

"It provided a place to be yourself, a place to release stress, and be with great individuals with similar values about being part of a team." – Clif Triplett

"There were shared struggles and hardships. I knew that my team mates were there if I ever needed them." – Gene McIntyre

"Perseverance." – Chuck Schott

"Taught me how to be humble in victory and re-dedicated after defeat. Taught me how to judge talent and prioritize performance over perception. Too many people on the team were just happy being on team and didn't bring their all to practices or games. But the ones that did, like Clennie Brundidge or George Mayes, were inspirational as they had all the natural talent but were dedicated to improving. It helped me recognize the soldiers from the warriors during my 15 years in hostile environments and combat zones." – Joe LeGasse

"Lifelong relationships, brotherhood. Learning how to handle the sting of losing and the thrill of winning. Work ethic, warrior ethic, leadership.... I can go on and on." – Mike Castelli

"It helped me through the arduous maze of Graduating from a Top School in the Country. It made my Family Proud, my Classmates and it gave me discipline for doing things that were important in Life! I learned to study more effectively, because I always studied tired – physically. My Philosophy Degree in Chemistry from Penn State in two years and 10 months can be attributed to my football experience because I learned that Excuses Don't Count – results do. It gave me a foundation for a better life and processes for Success!" - Phil Macklin

What life lessons were learned as a result of being on this team?

"The greatest success comes from working as a team. Answering the bell when needed and getting up after being knocked down." – Mike Fahnestock

"You are never out of the game no matter what the experts say. We were underdogs in most of our games. We ended up winning seven of those games." – Kevin Kullander

"You do not have to be the biggest or fastest or strongest to win, you just need talented teammates who care about each other." – Bill Duelge

"Discipline." – A football player on the team

"A bunch, far too many for me to type. The most important... 'roles'... how do you fit, what can I contribute, how do I measure success?" - Charlie Conz

"Every position is important. No one can do it by themselves. It takes a team working together to win. You must practice as you will compete, and you must hone your individual skills, but must be able to apply them as part of the team." – Clif Triplett

"Elite leader and performers are humble, dedicated, and team oriented. There is always room for improvement." – Joe LeGasse

"Since leaving West Point and being blessed with a successful 20-year Military Career, I entered Corporate America and my discipline and awareness gained from Army Football and West Point discipline, sharpened my performance. It also kept me focused on the importance of health and wellness to perform; now that I do a health and wellness business helping others – the fundamentals that I learned in staying in shape for Football have helped me know that we ALL should stay in shape for Life! Health is One of our Greatest forms of Wealth!" - Phil Macklin

"Discipline, hard work, and togetherness were paramount. As Patton once stated, "you fight like you train." – Another football player on the team

"I guess that it not only had an influence on me. That influence carried over to two sons that played Army Football and one running Track (my kid has the gift of being able to run long distances really fast!!)." – Mike Castelli

Anything else you want to say about being on the 1977 Army Football team?

"I am still shocked at the number of academic credit hours we maintained while playing Football." – Kevin Kullander

"As a football player, other Cadets often would say were "Getting Over." No parades, Corps Squad dining tables, no class on many Saturdays, and PMI inspections. You almost start to believe it. The second semester, senior year is upon you and no football. What an eye opening! It was like being on vacation. Free time I was unaccustomed to. It was shocking and made me reflect on what my Cadet life would have been like without football, but I would not have traded away the experience." – Clif Triplett

"As a Plebe it was an honor to be a part of that team." – Mike Fahnestock

"Playing for Coach Smith was amazing. He was a wonderful Coach, hard but fair, and he surrounded himself with superior Coaches. We were very fortunate as athletes to play for him." – Kevin Kullander

"I really enjoyed being around those guys. And whenever our paths crossed after graduation, it was always a pleasurable experience." – Charlie Conz

"I am very proud to say I was on the team." – Clif Triplett

"D'Amico was a great leader." - A football player on the team

"Great Senior Leadership." – Another football player on the team

"If not for Chuck D'Amico's leadership, I doubt we would have had a winning season! Go Army!" - Joe LeGasse

"A tremendous collection of talent and exceptional personalities." – Gene McIntyre

"Chuck D'Amico was a great captain. He rallied the defense." – Chuck Schott

"Go Army, Beat Navy. The 70's weren't too kind to Army. However, our class was the shining spot and deserves some recognition." – Mike Castelli

Post-Script

After winning only ten games over the previous four seasons, the 1977 Army Football team was able to win seven, including victories over service academy rivals Air Force and Navy, and win for the second time the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. It was competitive in games against three nationally ranked teams. The head coach of the national championship team kept his first-string in against the Cadets the entire game because of its scoring potential and defensive capability.

This team started with one of the nation's best passing attacks, but to have a winning season, began to emphasize its rushing attack to win games. The defensive squad kept Army in almost every game and set the stage for each victory. It had a coaching staff and trainers who put the Cadets in the best position and opportunity to win every game. The two Co-Captains, Hall and D'Amico, invoked an unusual method to drive everyone to be accountable, everyone to play for each other, and everyone to do their best on every play. It worked. It was clearly the best Cadet team of the seventies, and would be considered in anyone's top ten of Army Football teams in the last fifty years. Finally, as all Army teams in every sport and in every activity are measured, it BEAT NAVY.

Chapter 22  
Post-Script 1 – The 1978-1981 Seasons

The 1978 Army Football Team

As the 1977 football season ended, life continued for the Army coaching staff. Eight out of 16 members of the 1977 coaching staff continued for the 1978 season under Homer Smith – Mike Mikolayunas (offensive coordinator), Steve Axman (offensive line), K.C. Scull (tight ends), Bernie Wall (receivers), Larry Lock (linebackers), Ronnie Joe Barnes (defensive ends), John Roth (head junior varsity coach), and Fred Borman (junior varsity offensive line).

Continuing also were Ed Pillings (trainer) and Dick Hall (equipment manager). Gone were Dick Bowman, Steve Axman, Bruce Tarbox, John Stiegman, John Wade, Frank Gibson, Bob Ivany, and Rance Sopko. Clennie Brundidge and Chuck Schott were elected Co-Captains for the 1978 football season.

Spring practice began in April and finished with the annual Black and Gold Game at Michie Stadium on May 7th. About 107 Cadets participated in the game. In the middle of the first quarter, quarterback Earle Mulrane scored a touchdown on a one-yard keeper, with Corky Messner converting the extra point to put the Gold team up, 7-0. Ward Whyte caught a twelve-yard touchdown pass from Mulrane that bounced off of linebacker John Hilliard to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Ken Topping plunged over the goal line from the one-yard line to put the Black squad on the scoreboard, 14-7, midway through the second quarter. Bobby Vicci scored on a ten-yard run early in the fourth quarter for the Gold team. The final score was 20-7, Gold. Mulrane completed 14 out of 22 passes for 102 yards. Jim Merriken rushed for 36 yards on 11 carries.

In the June 1978 edition of the _Assembly_ , Lieutenant General Goodpaster said "Coach Smith has added a number of new coaches to his staff, and the spirit at spring football practice is one of enthusiasm and optimism. Some of the plebes look particularly good, and there's enough contact at the scrimmages to satisfy any of our old grads! We're looking forward to the fall season, and we hope to see many of you at West Point for the home games." In the September 1978 edition of the _Assembly_ , Goodpaster's letter was straight forward "I look forward to welcoming you back at West Point this fall for Homecoming – and another winning football season!"

In June or July 1978, the 1977 football team members of the Class of 1978 graduated – Mark Berry, Mike Castelli, Joe Cerv, Tony Dailey, Chuck D'Amico, Curt Downs, George Dunaway, Stan Ford, Leamon Hall, Jim Hodge, Jim Hollingsworth, Greg King, Steve Miller, Gus Steenborg, and Keith Wilson.

1977 team members projected to start on offense for the 1978 season were ends Clennie Brundidge and Ward Whyte, tackles Joe Oliver and Bill Duelge, Dave Liebetreu at guard, center Chuck Johnston, quarterback Earle Mulrane, Jim Merriken at halfback, and Bill Skoda at flanker. Expected to start on defense were ends Tom Hayden and Chuck Schott, tackles Doug Turrell and Duane Fuller, middle guard George Mayes, linebackers Kirk Thomas and John Hilliard, and Dan Webb, Bruce Elliott, Phil Macklin, and Jon Hallingstad in the secondary.

Other 1977 members on the 1978 team were Charles Adams, Bob Avey, Chuck Boucher, Dave Charest, Ed Clemons, Charlie Conz, Ron Decker, Mike Fahnestock, Bob Groller, Drew Harrington, Greg Johnson, Barron Klopfenstine, Doug Lowrey, Dave Maples, Gene McIntyre, Corky Messner, Ed Perkins, Steve Smith, Charlie Swanson, Scott Teising, Tiki Traylor, and Clif Triplett. Joe LeGasse was forced to sit out most of his senior season due to a medical problem, but did play briefly against Holy Cross, Florida, Colgate, and Air Force.

"I loved the summer training," recalled Joe LeGasse, "Being able to spend time with the Superintendent after my disciplinary hearings was enlightening. So many warrior leaders among the [USMA] staff, such as Major Taylor, Major George Crocker, Lieutenant Colonel Garrett Hall, and Captain Peter Dencker. Major Taylor helped set up Blue Light. Dencker spent two and a half years in Vietnam, but no one knew as he coached Physical Education and never wore a uniform. I invited him to a mess hall dinner and he showed up with a row of medals, believe the Distinguished Service Cross on the top, and Ranger Regiment Combat Patch. I got hurt during summer training overseas, started on the roster, but had to leave the team for medical reasons."

Gene McIntyre had decided to go to Ranger School during the summer. He was so physically beat down by the military training he was able to start in only two games during the 1978 season.

Cadets leaving USMA between the two football seasons were seniors Mike Hargis and Greg McGlasker, juniors Mark Logue and JT Thomas, sophomores Jon Dwyer, Dusty Foster, and Tony Landry, and plebes Dave Pritchard and Dick Vorenkamp. Not playing but still remaining at USMA as Cadets were juniors John Lytwynec and Mitch Mankosa, sophomores John Kisiel and Glen Ledeboer, and plebe Kevin Kullander ("I missed this season with an injury"). Kisiel and Kullander would return to play on the 1979 football team.

Members of the 1977 junior varsity/plebe team that were on the 1978 varsity squad were – Joel Anderson, Mike Beans, Mike Beery, Bill Bowman, Mike Bristol, Doug Busch, Steve Carter, Jeff Cook, Bill Dauer, Archie Davis, T.D. Decker, Brian Doak, Tim Dolan, Alex Dornstauder, Andy Evans, Darryl Harris, Matt Herholtz, Jimmy Hill, Chris Jackson, Glenn Kouhia, Charlie Lane, Doug Lenhoff, Brian Magerkurth, Stan March, Al Mazyck, Mark McKearn, Jim Nichol, Tom Robertson, Len Sbroco, Bobby Shields, Scott Stangle, Kevin Streets, Ken Topping, Mark Trigsted, Larry Trumbore, Henry Turner, Chris Vanslager, Bobby Vicci, Bill Wilhelm, and Ned Woolfolk.

The _1978 Army Football Guide_ prospectus was entitled "We expect to be a better Football Team." The team had 13 starters from the Army-Navy game and 26 lettermen returning for the season. "I firmly believe we will be a better team than we were in 1977," said Smith, "We wanted our players to feel that way by the close of spring drills, and I believe we accomplished that. I will make no predictions on numbers, but we expect to be a better football team this fall."

Season predictions in newspapers included Jimmy the Greek's assessment "How to replace Leamon Hall, the greatest Army passer in recent memory, is the question. Earl Mulrane will get the nod. If he's as good as I think he is, Army will improve on its 7-4 record of last year." An _Associated Press_ article was more blunt, "Neither Army, Navy, or Rutgers figures to show much improvement over last season. Finding a quarterback is the perplexing problem facing Coach Homer Smith at Army." Another article mentioned the loss of Hall and Greg King, but felt the eight starters back on the Cadet defense would offer hope.

The 1978 schedule for Army looked promising at the beginning of the season with the _Assembly_ expecting at least eight wins, if not more. It started with three straight home games – Lafayette (with a 5-6 record in 1977), Virginia (1-9-1), and Washington State (6-5); before an away game in Knoxville with Tennessee (4-7). The Cadets would then host Holy Cross (2-9) before traveling to Gainesville to meet the Florida Gators (6-4-1); followed by three straight home games – Colgate (10-1), Air Force (2-8-1), and Boston College (6-5), before traveling to meet preseason #14 Pittsburgh (9-2-1) followed by the Navy (5-6) game.

On September 16th against Lafayette, Corky Messner opened the season with a 30-yard field goal, but Jim Merriken went down on his fourth rushing attempt with a sprained ankle while Earl Mulrane was battling an ankle sprain that limited calling option plays. George Mayes caused a fumble recovered by Kirk Thomas that led to an eight-yard touchdown pass from Mulrane to Clennie Brundidge for a halftime lead of 10-7.

Mulrane's one-yard sneak in the third quarter made the score 17-7, but a Leopard 57-yard kickoff return and a personal foul put the ball on the Army 13-yard line, and Lafayette closed the score to 17-13 a minute later. A sustained drive starting with six minutes left in the game ended with a two-yard touchdown plunge and a Cadet 24-14 victory. Lafayette would finish the season with a 4-7 record. Clennie Brundidge and George Mayes were named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

The Cadets failed to take advantage of a John Hilliard interception on Virginia's first possession on September 23rd as Corky Messner missed a 35-yard field goal attempt. Army then scored on their next possessions to take a 14-0 lead, the second one due to a Kirk Thomas interception. A fumble on a punt return by Phil Macklin led to the first Virginia score. Dan Webb intercepted another Cavalier pass that led to a first and goal late in the second quarter, but it only resulted in a Messner 19-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead at halftime. Virginia was able to rally and mount a sustained drive for a pair of touchdowns in the second half for a 17-21 victory. Virginia would finish the season with a 2-9 record.

Washington State came to Michie Stadium on September 30th with a 3-0 record, but Coach Smith asked Red Blaik to do a pre-game prep talk to the team. Blaik ended with "All I am going to say is that when you come off that field this afternoon, I want each and every one of you to say to yourself, 'I played to the best of my ability.' If you do that, the score will take care of itself. Good luck." Co-Captain Chuck Schott said the entire squad was mesmerized and applauded the former coach after the morning talk.

Army opened the scoring against Washington State early in the second quarter with a five yard touchdown run on a 47-yard nine play drive due to a nifty 18-yard punt return by Phil Macklin. Heisman Trophy candidate Jack Thompson then led the Cougars to three straight touchdowns and a 7-21 halftime lead.

The 17 point underdog Cadets rallied, with Phil Macklin picking off two Thompson passes and Jon Hallingstad intercepting one, while the defense forced two fumbles. "Big and Fast," recalled Phil Macklin forty years later, "Jack Thompson was their Quarterback who was a Heisman candidate, until we intercepted him five times. They were supposed to kill us by a large margin. I got two interceptions in that game on a Heisman candidate. We tied them that year, right?"

Mid-way through the third quarter, defensive back Steve Smith came in as the reserve quarterback, and his option running loosened the Cougar pass-oriented defense. Army was able to turn two turnovers into two touchdowns in the second half. A 50-yard field goal attempt by Corky Messner into the wind fell just short in the final seconds for a 21-21 tie. Washington State would finish the season with a 3-7-1 record. Phil Macklin was named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

Unfortunately, injuries were depleting the starting line-up. Even though Tennessee was 0-2-1 under Johnny Majors, the Cadets were two touchdown underdogs for the game on October 7th. The Volunteers quickly scored a touchdown and then a field goal. Army drove 64 yards into the red zone late in the first quarter, but Earl Mulrane was intercepted. On the next possession, the Cadets marched 71 yards in seven plays to score for a 7-10 halftime deficit.

While the Army defense held the Tennessee quarterback in check in the first half, he was able to score two touchdowns in the third quarter that broke the game open. A Mulrane pass was intercepted and returned 31-yards for a touchdown a minute later. Army was able to march 84-yards in the final period for a score. Army outgained Tennessee and Kirk Thomas had another interception, for a 13-31 loss. Tennessee would finish the season 4-7. Kirk Thomas was named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

On the next weekend at Michie Stadium on October 14th, unbeaten Holy Cross (4-0) came off a bye week to meet the Cadets. Tom Hayden was lost for the season with a knee injury suffered at Tennessee. Injured and not playing against Holy Cross included Earl Mulrane, John Hilliard, Doug Turrell, and Jim Merriken, with George Mayes, Duane Fuller, and Kirk Thomas playing with injuries.

The Crusaders turned two Army fumbles into first half touchdowns and prevented a Cadet score by recovering another fumble for a 0-17 halftime lead. Holy Cross drove 79-yards on its opening second half possession to make it 0-24. Plebe quarterback Jerryl Bennett was substituted for reserve Steve Smith, completing eight of 17 passes for 148 yards in the second half. Army had six turnovers and lost 0-31 on a rainy and miserable day. Holy Cross would finish the season with a 7-4 record. Jon Hallingstad was named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

For the third straight weekend, an Army opponent scored 31 points, as Army traveled down to the Swamp to meet Florida (1-3) for their Homecoming Game on October 21st. Army entered Gators territory twice each half and got as far as the Florida 29-yard line. Ward Whyte punted nine times for a 46.9 yard average, including four punts going more than 50 yards. Army scored in the second quarter on a 23-yard return after blocking a Gator punt to tie the game at 7-7, but Florida intercepted an Earle Mulrane pass and scored on a 44-yard touchdown pass with a minute left in the half. Army's record fell to 1-4-1, losing 7-31. Florida would finish the season with a 6-4-1 record. Ward Whyte was named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

Superintendent Goodpaster described in his December 1978 letter to graduates, "the weather was cool and crisp, and the football team's win over Colgate (1-5) made it a perfect weekend for all of us." Coach Smith decided to start plebe quarterback Jerryl Bennett (#16) instead of Steve Smith (Mulrane had injured his elbow against Florida).

The Homecoming crowd of 30,673 saw Jerryl Bennett complete 17 of 33 passes for 214 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and Jim Merriken run untouched for a 49-yard touchdown. Steve Smith made a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Clennie Brundidge caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, his 12th in his career tying an Army record. Phil Macklin had one of the four Cadet interceptions and recovered a fumble. Coach Smith also called all the offensive plays from the press box during the game. The Cadets won in a rout, 28-3. Colgate would finish the season with a 3-8 record.

Air Force (3-5) entered Michie Stadium on November 4th determined to avenge two straight losses to West Point and potentially tie for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy (Navy had beat the Falcons earlier, 7-37). The Falcons recovered a fumble on the Army ten-yard line early in the first quarter and gained eight yards on the first rushing play. Three straight times Air Force tried to cross the goal line and were stopped by the Army defense. Army responded late in the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown run for the only score in the first half.

Army fumbled on its opening possession, and Air Force kicked a field goal to close to 7-3 early in the third quarter. Coach Smith decided to call on Earl Mulrane to relieve his plebe quarterback. A crowd of 40,115 welcomed Earl Mulrane's return as he hit Jim Merriken on the right flat and high-stepped it 65 yards to the Air Force two-yard line to set up the second touchdown four plays later. Air Force hit a long field goal to make it 14-6 midway in the third period.

After the Falcon kickoff into the end zone, Mulrane hit Clennie Brundidge on the Army 35, and he ran it for an 80-yard touchdown reception for a career Army record. The Falcons scored late in the fourth to close to 21-14. An attempted onside kick did not go ten yards, and Army took over. Mulrane ran 32 yards, Merriken picked up two, and then Mulrane ran 15 yards for a touchdown with 37 seconds left in the game to close out the scoring, 28-14. Air Force would finish the season with a 3-8 record. Clennie Brundidge and Bob Avey were named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

A winless Boston College team (0-6) came to West Point on November 11th, and the Eagles played perhaps their best game of the season. Army was able to rally after being down 7-24 early in the third period, including a 47-yard pass to Jim Merriken to set up a score; a recovered fumble on the kickoff by Doug Lowrey; a touchdown pass to Clennie Brundidge; a failed Eagles field goal attempt; and then a 75-yard march in 11 plays that ended with a Merriken touchdown run six seconds into the fourth quarter for a 29-24 Cadet lead.

Steve Smith and Phil Macklin intercepted Boston College on subsequent drives, and Chuck Schott recovered a fumble at the Army 18-yard line with 1:25 to play. With less than 35 seconds left, the Eagles forced Earl Mulrane out of bounds and stopped the clock. Coach Smith decided to take a safety rather than risk a blocked punt. Mulrane ran out the back of the end zone, but there were still 23 seconds left. After the free kick, BC completed a 38-yard pass to the Army 10, then stopped the clock by throwing the ball out of bounds. The Eagles field goal attempt went wide with three seconds left.

Army won 29-26 for its third straight victory and a 4-2-1 home record and 4-4-1 overall. Coach Smith called it "one of the greatest comebacks in our collective coaching careers at West Point." Boston College would finish the season with a 0-11 record. Jim Merriken was named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team.

The Cadets traveled to play #18 Pittsburgh (7-2) on November 18th. Army took a 7-0 lead on an 80-yard drive with Earl Mulrane flipping a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jim Merriken. Corky Messner's kickoff was mishandled by the Panthers and Army recovered it on the Pitt 28. A pass to Ward Whyte, a penalty, and a run by Merriken made it first down on the Panthers one-yard line. An almost sure touchdown disappeared on the first play when a fumble was recovered in mid-air and returned 99 yards for a Pitt touchdown, making it 7-7. Later in the first quarter, Mulrane was picked off and the Panthers scored one play later for a 7-14 lead. The Cadet defense held Pitt on a goal line stand in the second period and it was 7-14 at halftime.

Pitt scored on a long drive in the third quarter. Army immediately responded with an 80-yard march in 11 plays, with Merriken throwing a six-yard touchdown pass to Mike Fahnestock to make it 14-21 early in the fourth quarter. The defense held, and Army marched down to the Pitt 19 where Messner kicked a 36-yard field goal to cut the margin to 17-21.

The Panthers responded with two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game. Army battled all day in a close contest, losing 17-35. Pittsburgh would finish the season unranked with an 8-4 record, having lost to North Carolina State, 17-30, in the Tangerine Bowl. Mike Fahnestock was named to the weekly ECAC All-Star team. Years later, Fahnestock would recall, "I honestly felt we failed as players to perform to our skill level."

Navy had a 7-0 record and a #11 ranking in both polls before losing its final three games to Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Florida State and its ranking before facing Army. The Middies had been invited to a bowl game after the loss to the Seminoles and were a 10 point favorite over the Cadets. With both teams beating Air Force, the victor would win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

On an unusually balmy afternoon with the game starting at 4 pm on December 2nd, the Midshipmen scored on their first two possessions. The Cadets drove near the goal line twice, but were unable to score and suffered six turnovers. The Middies bobbled a snap on a field goal attempt early in the third quarter, and then on the same play threw a touchdown pass. Army lost, 0-28. Navy would finish the season 9-3, ranked #17 in the UPI poll, and beat Brigham Young, 23-16, in the Holiday Bowl. Chuck Schott was recognized by ABC-TV as the Army Most Valuable Player of the Game.

"After the game, I told the team this would be the biggest disappointment they have lived through, considering all the sacrifices they have made during the season," said Coach Homer Smith, "I told them I feel very much responsible for the loss. It is not so much what I didn't do today or yesterday, but some things along the way. Navy has a very fine football team." Homer Smith told reporters three weeks later that he resigned on December 3rd when the team bus returning to West Point stopped for lunch.

The Army Athletic Board met on Sunday or Monday following the Navy game and recommended to the USMA Superintendent to not renew the head coaching contract of Homer Smith. Lieutenant General Goodpaster approved the recommendation on Monday morning. The actual public announcement was delayed until Wednesday as Smith had left West Point on Sunday after his brother was killed in an automobile accident in Omaha. The search for a new coach began immediately.

Chuck Schott was named third-team All American defensive end as well as first-team All-East. Clennie Brundidge was named honorable mention All-American, selected first-team All-East, and named to play in both the Hula Bowl and the Japan Bowl all-star games. "I can still recall specific plays about each Army game," recalled Schott forty years later. Chuck Johnston, George Mayes, and Joe Oliver were named to the All-East first-team.

Thirty-three members of the 1977 team lettered for the 1978 season. On offense were – Chuck Boucher, Clennie Brundidge, Mike Fahnestock, Chuck Johnston, Dave Liebetreu, Dave Maples, Gene McIntyre, Jim Merriken, Corky Messner, Earle Mulrane, Joe Oliver, Bill Skoda, and Ward Whyte.

Lettering on defense were – Bob Avey, Dave Charest, Ed Clemons, Bill Duelge, Bruce Elliott, Duane Fuller, Bob Groller, Jon Hallingstad, Drew Harrington, Tom Hayden, John Hilliard, Doug Lowrey, Phil Macklin, George Mayes, Chuck Schott, Steve Smith, Kirk Thomas, Tiki Traylor, Doug Turrell, and Dan Webb.

Playing on the 1978 team but not lettering were Charlie Adams, Charlie Conz, Ron Decker, Greg Johnson, Barron Klopfenstine, Ed Perkins, Charlie Swanson, Scott Teising, and Clif Triplett. Joe LeGasse and George Mayes missed significant portions of the season due to injuries, while Jon Hallingstad broke his forearm in the Air Force game.

The 1977 players dominated the starting line-ups (83%) during the 1978 season – Boucher (5 games), Brundidge (11), Duelge (9), Fahnestock (11), Johnston (11), Liebetreu (3), McIntyre (2), Merriken (9), Mulrane (8), Oliver (11), Smith (3), Whyte (11), Avey (6), Charest (5), Elliott (8), Fuller (3), Groller (7), Hallingstad (7), Hayden (4), Hilliard (9), Lowrey (1), Macklin (11), Mayes (6), Schott (11), Thomas (10), Traylor (10), Turrell (6), and Web (6).

"Moving to left tackle to replace Tony Dailey," recalled Bill Duelge, "then getting every top pass rusher on the schedule, including Fred Smells and Hugh Green, plus the two SEC guys from Tennessee and Florida. I have never been hit as hard as Hugh Green hit me on the head."

A few of the 1978 statistics: Interceptions – Macklin (4), Smith (3), Hallingstad (3), Thomas (3), Clemons (1), Hilliard (1), and Web (1); Tackles – Hilliard (123), Thomas (113); Rushing Yards – Merriken (427), Smith (74), Brundidge (27), Skoda (3), and Mulrane (-68); Carries – Merriken (108), Mulrane (77), Smith (20), Brundidge (6), and Skoda (1); Rushing Touchdowns – Mulrane (3) and Merriken (2); Passing – Mulrane (103 completions of 222 passes for 1,419 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions), Smith (8 completions of 14 passes for 115 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions), and Merriken (1 completion of 3 passes for 6 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions); Receptions – Brundidge (44), Fahnestock (21), Merriken (19), Whyte (18), Skoda (3), and Conz (1); Receiving Yards – Brundidge (726), Fahnestock (357), Whyte (259), Merriken (208), Skoda (56), and Conz (20); and Receiving Touchdowns – Brundidge (4), Fahnestock (1), Merriken (1), and Skoda (1).

On December 20th, Homer Smith, in an exclusive interview with the _Associated Press_ , leveled charges that USMA was violating NCAA recruiting and other rules. The charges mostly related to how West Point treated the visits of USMA Prep School recruits, in not counting them with the allowed 95 visits. Other charges involved the use of civilian prep scholarship money only for athletes, payments for recruit meals, use of alumni in recruiting, and having more coaching assistants than authorized. Also cited by Smith was that he had spoken on these concerns with his superiors, that USMA conducted an investigation that identified these issues back in December 1977, and that West Point decided to cover them up and not report them to the NCAA.

Lieutenant General Goodpaster immediately appointed the head of the USMA Law Department, Colonel Robert W. Berry, to investigate the charges of recruiting violations in the athletic program. The Public Affairs Officer said "Apparently there were some problems with the sophistication of our accounting procedures concerning the recruiting program and we took corrective action where it was needed. But I think we're probably in super shape as far as the NCAA goes. There were partial mistakes made, but none that constituted an advantage over another school. I don't think we're in any violation of NCAA rules." Colonel Berry completed his investigation and a report was submitted to the NCAA in late April 1979.

The 1979 Army Football Team

Army conducted a national search for its next head football coach, claiming it had received hundreds of applications or recommendations. Emory Bellard, the former Texas A&M head coach and developer of the Wishbone formation, was among those interviewed. On January 3rd, USMA announced the hiring of Lou Saban, who was the athletic director and head football coach at the University of Miami, Florida for the last two seasons, as the 28th Army Head Football Coach.

Saban, 57, had coached for 26 years at colleges (head coach at Case Western, Northwestern, Western Illinois, Maryland, and Miami) and for professional teams (head coach for the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills). Saban was the captain and most valuable player on the 1942 Indiana University football team. During World War II, he served as an Army Chinese interpreter in the Burma Theater. After the war, he played professional football for four years with the Cleveland Browns.

"We have engaged a man with what we believe to be the right qualities to direct the Army team to meet our expectations," said Lieutenant General Goodpaster in the March 1979 edition of the _Assembly_ , "He has the experience, the leadership, and the technical expertise to bring the squad and the 'twelfth man' to the fullest realization of ability. A word about our expectations – we will continue to play some teams from all across the nation and we will retain our traditional eastern rivals. We will schedule some schools whose programs are commensurate with ours and we will take on some of the national powers. The Cadets are always enthusiastic about competing with the national leaders. And, most important, we intend to stay competitive with our sister academies."

Goodpaster continued, "Coaching by itself cannot provide the full solution to reconstituting Army's football fortunes and affording the proper environment for the Cadet activities to reach the highest extent of their abilities. The demands of the curriculum as well as West Point's military regime impose tight limits – particularly in regard to time – that weigh heavily on the development of intercollegiate athletic programs. But we believe room for improvement can be found, and are exploring the practical possibilities of giving varsity squads an additional margin of practice time. You can be sure, however, that in this endeavor we will carefully hold to the dictum that every Cadet will fully meet every requirement for graduation."

Saban quickly began assembling his coaching staff by announcing six members on January 20th. He brought Ed Cavanaugh and Jerry Anderson from his staff at Miami. He retained only Ed Wilson, Dick Bumpas, and Clarence Shelmon from Homer Smith's staff. He hired Wally Neel who coached at Indiana last season. He later added Gene Epley from Virginia and Johnny Burnett from Pacific. Meanwhile, the NCAA announced that they were investigating USMA's athletic program.

Saban had a reputation for rebuilding football programs. He stated in interviews that the most important thing to improve Army's football program was stability. He said he had never stepped into a successful program, always taking over programs which have been down. He recognized that rebuilding is a very difficult task, yet a rewarding one. Saban was also know in the coaching business as much-traveled, moving after a few years to a new challenge.

In March, Saban told the West Point community at a buffet luncheon, "Recruiting is the basis for any college in building a good football team. We've got to go out and promote the program, get five to seven blue-chippers every year. I wish I didn't have to talk about our schedule. We play (among others) Stanford, Penn State, Pitt, North Carolina, and a team from the Naval Academy. [Regarding the offense] we'll do the best we can with what we've got." He said that this would be his last head coaching job [he would go on to coach at ten more colleges and a high school after Army]. He also mentioned he instituted an off-season program of weight-lifting and calisthenics for returning Army players.

George Mayes was elected captain of the 1979 Army Football team. More than 140 Cadets reported for spring drills on April 5th on Daly Field. Army had 26 lettermen returning for the 1979 season. The defense had only three starters returning and eleven other lettermen. The offense returned five starters, with depth and experience at quarterback, running backs, linemen, and receivers. "We're not very deep," said Saban, "and we don't have much speed. But we are going to be aggressive. We started hitting the first day we got on the post. We feel that you can't teach football unless you scrimmage and teach basics. So we started out with the ball on the two-yard line and we told them to go at it."

At the June Week Awards Convocation, several 1977 football players received recognition. Clennie Brundidge received the AAA Trophy, for the Cadet of the First Class who has rendered the most valuable service to athletics during his career as a Cadet. Brundidge lettered four times each in football and basketball. Brundidge held five Army Football records at the time of his graduation – yards receiving in one game (167), yards receiving in a season (842), yards receiving in a career (2,279), career receptions (147), and career touchdown passes caught (14). He also shared the record for touchdown passes caught in a season (6).

Chuck Schott received the ECAC Merit Medal, to the Cadet of the First Class excelling in athletics and scholarship. Schott was also the recipient of the Major William C. Whitehead, Jr. Memorial Award presented to the Cadet in the graduating class acknowledged as a lettermen in football with the highest academic standing. Brundidge and Schott also received the General Creighton W. Abrams Memorial Award as football Co-Captains.

Chuck Johnston received the Colonel Thurston Hughes Memorial Award as the most valuable player on the football team. Joe Oliver received the Thomas West Hammond Memorial Award as the outstanding lineman on the football team. Phil Macklin received the Colonel James B. Gillespie Memorial Award for performance, dedication, and contribution to the football team.

In June or December 1979, the following 1977 football team members of the Class of 1979 graduated – Bob Avey, Clennie Brundidge, Ed Clemons, Duane Fuller, Bob Groller, Tom Hayden, Greg Johnson, Chuck Johnston, Joe LeGasse, John Lytwynec, Phil Macklin, Mitch Mankosa, Gene McIntyre, Jim Merriken, Corky Messner, Joe Oliver, Chuck Schott, Steve Smith, Kirk Thomas, Tiki Traylor, Doug Turrell, and Ward Whyte.

In a highly unusual move, Lieutenant General Goodpaster decided to let Coach Saban write a letter on his Superintendent letterhead to USMA graduates in the September 1979 edition of the _Assembly_. Saban asked everyone to sell West Point to the public as he and his coaches had found that "most of the people in our country are very unaware of the facts about West Point." He also asked the graduates to identify football talent in their area and outlined how to report this information, promising all leads will be acknowledged.

Finally, Saban outlined the efforts to increase strength, agility, as well as physical and mental toughness. He reminded everyone that rebuilding a football team takes time, but promised a team that they can be proud of. Elsewhere in the _Assembly_ , it was reported that USMA accepted more than 40 football recruits into the new Class of 1983.

The 1979 Army Football schedule was a challenging one and would open with a home game against Connecticut (with a 4-7 record last season) followed by a trip to preseason #13 Stanford (8-4). The Cadets would host North Carolina (5-6) and Duke (4-7) before traveling to preseason #5 Penn State (11-1). Two home games, Baylor (3-8) and Boston College (0-11), would occur followed by two away games at Air Force (3-8) and Rutgers (9-3). Preseason #17 Pittsburgh (8-4) would be the final home game at Michie Stadium with the Navy (9-3) game two weeks later.

The schedule included five teams that went to bowls last season – Rutgers, Navy, Pittsburgh, Stanford, and Penn State, with the #1 Nittany Lions losing to #2 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, 7-14. All opponents were in the highest or I-A division, except Connecticut (I-AA). Four opponents would go to bowl games after the 1979 season and only four would have losing records.

The 1977 team members projected to start on offense were receivers Mike Fahnestock and Bill Skoda, lineman Chuck Boucher, and quarterback Earl Mulrane, who would be challenged by sophomore Jerryl Bennett. On defense, linebacker John Hilliard, cornerback Bruce Elliott, middle guard George Mayes, and Jon Hallingstad, Dan Webb, Drew Harrington, and Dave Charest in the secondary.

Other 1977 members on the 1979 team included Charlie Adams, Charlie Conz, Duane Fuller, John Kisiel, Barron Klopfenstine, Kevin Kullander, Ed Perkins, Charlie Swanson, and Clif Triplett. Ron Decker left USMA between the 1978-1979 seasons. Not playing but remaining at USMA as Cadets were Bill Duelge, Dave Liebetreu, Doug Lowrey, Dave Maples, and Scott Teising.

Members of the 1977 junior varsity/plebe team that were on the 1979 varsity squad were – Mike Beans, Mike Bristol, Steve Carter, Jeff Cook, Bill Dauer, T.D. Decker, Brian Doak, Tim Dolan, Matt Herholtz, Jimmy Hill, Chris Jackson, Ernie Jones, Charlie Lane, Doug Lenhoff, Stan March, Al Mazyck, Mark McKearn, Jim Nichol, Len Sbroco, Bobby Shields, Scott Stangle, Kevin Streets, Ken Topping, Mark Trigsted, Larry Trumbore, Henry Turner, Chris Vanslager, Bobby Vicci, Bill Wilhelm, and Ned Woolfolk.

Army hosted the University of Connecticut (0-0) at West Point on September 15th. The Cadets led 9-3 at halftime. Earl Mulrane completed touchdown passes to Bill Skoda and Mike Fahnestock, passing for 102 yards and two interceptions, and running the option for 51 yards, with the Cadets rushing for 241. John Hilliard returned an interception for a touchdown. Each team turned the ball over four times, with the Huskies failing to capitalize and Army converting three into scores. Army won, 24-10. Connecticut would finish the season with a 3-6-2 record. Army won its 79th of 90 season openers.

Army traveled to Palo Alto, CA, to face unranked Stanford (0-1) on September 22nd. The Cardinals had lost 10-33 to Tulane on the previous weekend. The Cadets were a 17 point underdog. Army fumbled on its ten-yard line on the first play and the Cardinals then scored a touchdown. Army scored on a touchdown run and converted a field goal for a 10-7 halftime lead. After the Cardinals scored a touchdown, plebe Gerald Walker dashed 71-yards for a touchdown in the final period to provide a 17-13 upset victory. The Cadet defense dropped the Cardinals quarterback for minus 56 yards and held Stanford without scoring on three possessions inside the Army 10. Stanford would finish the season with a 5-5-1 record.

"Winning our first two games (upsetting Stanford in Palo Alto) under Head Coach Lou Saban was an amazing start," recalled Kevin Kullander, "The year went downhill from there."

#20 North Carolina (2-0) came to Michie Stadium on September 29th and piled up 553 yards in total offense thanks to Amos Lawrence rushing for 209 yards and scoring two touchdowns. The Tar Heels put the game out of reach early in the third quarter and the Cadets suffered several key injuries in losing, 3-41. Army's only score was a record 47-yard field goal. Starters Earl Mulrane, Gerald Walker, John Hilliard, and several other Cadets suffered injuries in the game. North Carolina would finish with an 8-3-1 record and a #14 ranking, including a 17-15 win over Michigan in the Gator Bowl.

The visiting Duke (1-2) team on October 6th capitalized on an interception and a short punt to take a 0-10 halftime lead over Army at West Point. Army responded with an Army record 50-yard field goal by Dave Aucoin and a touchdown pass to tie it in the third quarter. After a Blue Devil touchdown early in the final period, the Cadets rallied with Mike Fahnestock catching a touchdown pass with five minutes left to tie it, 17-17. Army outgained the Blue Devils, 387 to 230 yards. Duke would finish the season with a 2-8-1 record.

Army traveled to University Park, PA, on October 13th as 24 point underdogs to meet unranked Penn State (2-2) on Homecoming Day on October 13th. The Cadets played creditably, missing a potential touchdown off the initial kickoff return and were on the Penn State one-yard line as time ran out in the half, losing 0-17. Army managed a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter and threatened the Nittany Lions goal line several times. Army lost, 3-24. Penn State would finish the season with at 8-4 record and a #18 ranking with a 9-6 victory over Tulane in the Liberty Bowl.

Baylor (4-2) came to West Point on October 20th as 13 point favorites and was the biggest and most physical team the Cadets met that season. The Bears used a balanced attack to put the game out of sight quickly, 0-34 at halftime, and the Cadet offense could not get on track. Army had eight turnovers that Baylor converted into four touchdowns. The Cadets were routed, 0-55. Baylor would finish the season with an 8-4 record and a #14 ranking with a 24-18 victory over #18 Clemson in the Peach Bowl.

At Homecoming on October 27th, the Cadets hosted Boston College (1-5) with Army being a three point underdog. Cadet fumbles and interceptions accounted for most of the Eagles scoring. After two Boston College touchdowns, Earle Mulrane hit Mike Fahnestock on two passes and then Kevin Kullander for a six-yard touchdown pass to make it 6-12 at halftime. The Eagles outscored the Cadets in the third quarter, 3-10, and broke the game open. Bill Skoda caught a Mulrane pass for a touchdown in the final period and then BC scored on a 48-yard run. Army lost 16-29. Boston College would finish the season with a 5-6 record.

Army (2-4-1) traveled to Colorado Springs on November 3rd to meet the winless Falcons (0-8). The Falcons opened the scoring in the second quarter with a touchdown on a quarterback reverse, then Earle Mulrane hit Kevin Kullander for a 25-yard touchdown pass to tie it. A few minutes later, Air Force scored on a short pass to take a 7-14 lead at halftime. Army only had one first down in the second half, and the Falcons scored twice in the final period. Army lost 7-28. Air Force finished with a 2-9 record.

The Cadets traveled to the Meadowlands to meet Rutgers (6-2) at Giants Stadium on November 10th before 28,163 fans. The Scarlet Knights scored on a touchdown run in the first period and made a field goal for a 0-10 halftime lead. Rutgers repeated this scoring in the second half. Army lost 0-20. It was the first win by the Scarlet Knights over Army in twelve games since their initial win over the Cadets in 1891. Rutgers was under consideration for both the Garden State Bowl and the Hall of Fame Bowl, but did not get selected for either. Rutgers would finish the season with an 8-3 record.

The former Army head coach, Tom Cahill, was let go from his head football job at Union College. Cahill had led the Dutchman to a 3-5 record during the 1979 season and an overall 11-20-1 record in four seasons. It would be Cahill's last coaching job.

#11 Pittsburgh (8-1), heavily favored by 26 points, traveled to Michie Stadium on November 17th to meet Army (2-6-1). The Panthers scored in every period behind the passing of freshman quarterback Dan Marino. It was 0-15 after the first quarter, and 0-28 at halftime. The Cadets never moved past the Pitt 40. Army lost, 0-40. Pittsburgh finished the season with an 11-1 record and a #6 ranking after beating Arizona, 16-10, in the Fiesta Bowl.

Prior to the Navy game, newspapers were speculating that Coach Saban was ready to depart his latest coaching job. 17 starters had missed games due to injuries during the season. During the annual Army-Navy press conference, Saban admitted he did not understand all the importance to just one game.

Earl Mulrane said "I guess it's hard for any coach, or any person to come into the academy and understand the tradition here, and understand the service academy rivalry. It's hard to understand how everyone can get overly riled up for just one game. Coach Saban can't understand why we can't get riled up like this for every game." Bill Duelge was blunt about his head coach, "Coach Saban deliberately destroyed the senior leadership on the team."

Army (2-7-1) met Navy (6-4) on December 1st for their last game at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. Navy was favored by 18 points. Saban decided to start T.D. Decker at quarterback, who played most of the season with the junior varsity, as Earle Mulrane underwent knee surgery three days before.

Navy went out for a 0-17 lead before fumbling the ball on their own 16-yard line, and Army scored with two minutes left in the first half. The Middies scored a touchdown each quarter in the second half. Navy gained 418 yards to the Cadets 150 as Navy's Eddie Meyer ran 279 yards on 43 carries with three touchdowns to set two records. Army lost 7-31. Navy finished the season with a 7-4 record, won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, and evened the series record, 37-37-6, for the first time since 1921.

Defensive statistics for the 1979 season involving members of the 1977 team were: Starts – Charest (11), Mayes (10), Hallingstad (9), Hilliard (6), Webb (5), Elliott (3), Harrington (1), and Swanson (1); Tackles – Mayes (115), Charest (79), Hallingstad (77), Hilliard (51), Swanson (35), Webb (27), Elliott (17), and Harrington (13); Passes Deflected – Charest (7), Hallingstad (7), Elliott (2), and Webb (1); Fumbles Caused – Mayes (2), Webb (2), and Swanson (1); Fumbles Recovered – none; Tackles Behind the Line – Mayes (23), Hilliard (7), Swanson (7), and Charest (3); Interceptions – Hallingstad (3), Hilliard (2), Charest (1), and Elliott (1).

1977 players offensive statistics for the 1979 season were: Starts – Boucher (11), Mulrane (8), Perkins (8), Fahnestock (8), Triplett (4), Skoda (2), and Kullander (1); Carries – Mulrane (33); Rushing Yards – Mulrane (29); Rushing Touchdowns – none; Passing – Mulrane (63 completions of 160 passes for 656 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions); Receptions – Fahnestock (19), Kullander (11), Skoda (9), and Mulrane (1); Receiving Yards – Fahnestock (283), Kullander (201), Skoda (129), and Mulrane (0); Receiving Touchdowns – Fahnestock (2), Kullander (2), and Skoda (1); and Scoring – Fahnestock (12), Kullander (12), Skoda (6), and Hilliard (6, on an interception return).

On special teams, 1977 players statistics were: Kickoff Returns – Elliott (5) and Kullander (2); Kickoff Return Average – Elliott (18.2) and Kullander (9.0); Punt Return Average – Hallingstad (3.4); Punting – Adams (88 punts averaging 39.2 yards per punt, with a long of 56 yards).

Sixteen members of the 1977 team lettered for the 1979 season. On offense were – Chuck Boucher, Mike Fahnestock, Kevin Kullander, Earle Mulrane, Ed Perkins, and Bill Skoda. Lettering on defense were – Charlie Adams, Dave Charest, Bruce Elliott, Duane Fuller, Jon Hallingstad, Drew Harrington, John Hilliard, George Mayes, Charlie Swanson, Clif Triplett, and Dan Webb. Also playing but not lettering were Charlie Conz, John Kisiel, and Barron Klopfenstine.

George Mayes was named to the third-team All-American team by the _Associated Press_. Mayes was also selected ECAC "defensive player of the year." Mayes was named and played in the East-West Shrine Game. Army reported that several professional teams approached Mayes, but he decided to pursue an Army career. Mayes was also selected for AP, New York Teams, and ECAC All-East first teams. Mayes was also named twice by ABC-TV as Army's outstanding player of the Army-Navy game. Defensive back Dave Charest was selected to play in the Hula Bowl. He tied a bowl record by intercepting a pass and returning it 58-yards, setting up the winning touchdown.

The 1980 Army Football Season

In December 1978, the USMA Superintendent appointed Colonel Stanley Reinhart, head of the USMA Electrical Engineering department, to chair a working group with the mission of conducting a comprehensive review of the current football program and procedures to determine if they are adequate and essential to achieving excellence in Army Football. An initial report was provided to graduates in the June 1980 issue of the _Assembly_. Lieutenant General Goodpaster complimented graduates in their response to recruiting outstanding talent for the football team.

The report from the working group determined that "the way in which college football is played in this country has changed on us.... Football is of exceptional importance to the image of West Point and the Army; and to the physical development and morale of the Corps of Cadets." Three proposals were considered but tabled at this time – the matter of the pro option after graduation; the effect of the lack of an academic major on recruiting; and the heavy academic workload on student-athletes.

Other proposals which USMA began working on were scheduling future opponents that have a stronger academic scholarship; scheduling using home/away and early/late in the season factors versus the difficulty of opponents; conducting year-round weight training; having year-round diet/nutrition tables; avoiding summer training assignments that impact strength and weight; making assignments that allow groups of athletes to assemble for strength development; addressing strength and weight loss during Beast Barracks; scheduling taxing physical education courses in the off-season semester; scheduling time-consuming academic courses in the off-season semester; increasing personal interfaces between staff, faculty, coaches, and athletes; and easing the complexities of the admissions process for recruited athletes.

A year-round strength development program was instituted after the 1979 season to ensure that the football players will no longer give away that advantage. The Commandant, Brigadier General Joseph P. Franklin, reported that results in size, strength, and speed improvement are very promising. Meanwhile recruiting efforts to focus on the top 180 high school prospects led to the admission of about 50 athletes directly to USMA or the USMA Prep School in the summer of 1979.

The March 1980 edition of the _Assembly_ reported that "new initiatives developed to ensure the excellence and competitiveness of Army Football began at the end of the season. They are designed to attract a sufficient number of high-caliber athletes to come to West Point and to make the training environment here one which will enable them to compete with teams they face on a more even basis. The initiatives being considered are more subtle then radical refinements and are matters which will preserve very carefully the mission of USMA."

The Secretary of the Army approved changes in April "to USMA Regulations that allowed certain Cadets beginning with the 1980 first semester to redistribute their academic load in order for them to perform better. For Corps Squad (varsity) athletes, the under-loading program is further intended to relieve the overall physical and mental stress associated with keeping up with academics while participating in-season in intercollegiate athletics. The program offered great advantages to Cadets whose performance have been or are likely to be marginal because of poor academic preparation, or the cost to them in time and energy of their special contributions to West Point, or a combination of both." These Cadets would make up their academic load mostly through summer school attendance.

On May 14th, the Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation announced the election of Ed Pillings to the Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame. Pillings would be inducted with four others at the national convention in Philadelphia on June 8-11. Pillings was outstanding in football and track at Washington State and graduated in 1949. He earned a Master's degree in education from Columbia University. Pillings was an Army Officer in World War II and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves in 1973. He began his athletic trainer career at Eastern Washington in 1950, moved to New Mexico in 1953, and came to USMA in 1957. He was one of 27 host trainers during the XIII Winter Olympics at Lake Placid.

At the annual Awards Convocation, George Mayes received the AAA Trophy presented to the member of the graduating class who provided the most valuable service to men's athletics during his four years at West Point. Mayes also received the Colonel Thruston Hughes Memorial Award as the most valuable player on the football team and the General Creighton W. Abrams Memorial Award as its captain.

Ed Perkins, starting center on the football team, received the Colonel Thomas West Hammond Memorial Award as the outstanding linemen. He also received the Colonel James B. Gillespie Memoria Award for performance, dedication, and contribution to the football team, and the Major William C. Whitehead, Jr. Memorial Award as the letterman with the highest academic standing.

In May 1980, the 1977 football team members of the Class of 1980 graduated – Charlie Adams, Chuck Boucher, Dave Charest, Charlie Conz, Bill Duelge, Drew Harrington, John Hilliard, John Kisiel, Glen Ledeboer, Dave Liebetreu, Doug Lowrey, George Mayes, Earle Mulrane, Ed Perkins, Bill Skoda, Scott Teising, and Clif Triplett.

"Captain Cox let some of us football and lacrosse players start the Culture Society," recalled Joe LeGasse, "Our first recruits were as many as the female Cadets as we could. The females in the first class [1980] were amazing in the face of adversity. I learned so much about leadership from them and observing how they were treated by other Cadets."

In June, Brigadier General Charles W. Bagnal, the Deputy Superintendent, was reassigned to the U.S. Army Military Personnel Center in Washington. Brigadier General Art Brown arrived shortly to become the new Deputy Superintendent.

In July, Major General Raymond P. Murphy, USMA athletic director, retired after serving three years in the position, which was his second stint in the job. He previously held the position from 1963 to 1966. Murphy captained Red Blaik's first football team in 1941. During his tenure, he increased the number of intercollegiate squads by 25%, introduced women's varsity athletics, and led a multi-million dollar growth in athletic facilities. Carl Ullrich would be appointed on September 1st as West Point's new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and athletic director.

On July 17th, Lou Saban suddenly resigned as head football coach. It was said that Saban was unhappy with USMA's unwillingness to invest more in its football program. Lieutenant General Goodpaster immediately appointed Ed Cavanaugh, Army's offensive line coach last season, as head football coach to replace Saban immediately. "West Point is most fortunate to have a man of Ed Cavanaugh's background and exceptional ability to take charge of the football program at this critical time; I am confident he will continue the efforts underway to restore winning football at West Point." The immediate appointment was made to reduce the disruption of the head coach's departure. "New Coach, third one in my first three years," said Kevin Kullander.

Cavanaugh was a 1951 graduate of Duke University where he was a widely acclaimed two-way lineman and then served as a Naval Officer. He served as an assistant at Kansas State, Arizona, Utah State, and Miami, plus head football coach at Idaho State from 1968-1971. Cavanaugh also had served as special teams coach for the Buffalo Bills from 1972-1976. All assistant coaches remained on the staff, with Cavanaugh appointing Eddie Wilson the offensive coordinator and Gene Epley being the defensive coordinator.

There were only three members of the 1977 team who played during the 1980 season – Mike Fahnestock (starting split end), Kevin Kullander (reserve flanker), and Charlie Swanson (reserve linebacker). Dan Webb had left USMA sometime between the 1979 and 1980 seasons. A number of members of the 1977 junior varsity/plebe team were now seniors on the 1980 team – Steve Carter, Jeff Cook, T.D. Decker, Brian Doak, Tim Dolan, Andy Evans, Matt Herholtz, Jimmy Hill, Stan March, Al Mazyck, Mark McKearn, Scott Stangle, Kevin Streets, Chris Vanslager, Bobby Vicci, and Bill Wilhelm. Stan March was elected captain of the 1980 Army Football team.

32 lettermen returned for the 1980 season. Cavanaugh's immediate assessment was an offense that can move the ball, a defense that needs major work, and a kicking game that should be above average. There was little depth behind the starting offensive line. The current Plebe class of 53 recruits contains 20 offensive linemen.

The 1980 schedule was a challenging one, with national powers California, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh. Army started with two home games (Holy Cross and California), then a road game at Washington State, two home games (Harvard and Lehigh), two away games at Notre Dame and Boston College, three home games (Rutgers, Air Force, and Pitt), and then the Navy game in Philadelphia.

Army hosted Holy Cross (1-0) on September 13th, achieving its 80th season opening victory. Holy Cross opened a week earlier with a victory over Rhode Island. The Cadets scored a touchdown in each quarter and had 429 yards total offense. Mike Fahnestock hauled in ten receptions for 149 yards, with two touchdowns. Army won, 28-7. Holy Cross finished the season with a 3-8 record.

Army was a two touchdown underdog to visiting California (0-1) on September 20th. The lead changed four times during the game. The Cadets opened to a 9-6 lead in the first quarter with a safety and touchdown run, but the Bears responded to tie it at halftime, 16-16. Army's goal line defense prevented California from scoring from the one-yard line in both the second and third quarters. A Bear field goal gave them a 16-19 lead in the third quarter. Army scored ten points on a touchdown pass and a field goal to win, 26-19. California finished the season with a 3-8 record.

Army traveled to Pullman, WA, for its first appearance in the Pacific Northwest to face the Cougars (0-2) on September 27th. Washington State scored two touchdowns in the first quarter and another in the second before the Cadets got on the scoreboard, with Mike Fahnestock catching a 15-yard touchdown pass. Another Cadet drive to the Cougar one-yard line ended with a converted field goal and a 10-21 halftime score. Six Army turnovers helped the Cougars keep the lead, though Army had 415 yards in total offense. Army lost, 18-31. Washington State finished the season with a 4-7 record.

Army was a 12 point favorite as it hosted Harvard (2-0) on October 4th before 38,479 fans. Army's turnovers kept the Cadets scoreless in the first half and the Crimson scored only a field goal. Six Army turnovers in 14 possessions, five in Harvard territory, halted any potential scores. At the end of the third quarter, it was 3-15 on two runs by the Harvard quarterback, one being 67 yards, and a 22-yard field goal. Army scored on a touchdown run with three minutes left in the game. Then the Cadets drove down the field in the final minutes to the Harvard 21-yard line, but failed to convert a fourth down with 50 seconds left. Army lost its second game, 10-15. Harvard finished the season with a 7-3 record after losing to Yale, 0-14.

A strong, undefeated Lehigh squad (3-0-1) came to West Point on October 11th. Army had a 7-3 lead after the first period on Gerald Walker's 63-yard touchdown run, but the Engineers scored a touchdown for a 7-10 halftime lead. After a scoreless third quarter, both sides put on an offensive show. Mike Fahnestock completed seven receptions for 186 yards, all in the second half, including a pair of 25- and 65-yard touchdowns.

Army was driving in the final minutes, down 21-24. After a sack, Coach Cavanaugh elected to go with a field goal rather than attempt a winning touchdown. Dave Aucoin converted an Army record 52-yard field goal with no time left on the clock for a tie, 24-24. Lehigh finished the season with a 9-1-2 record, losing to Eastern Kentucky in the Division I-AA Semifinals, 20-23.

On October 15th, the NCAA announced that they had found recruitment and coaching violations at West Point and declared "the U.S. Military Academy shall be publicly reprimanded, censured, and admonished to avoid an occurrence of similar violations in the future." The NCAA investigation confirmed allegations made by former head football coach Homer Smith made in December 1978.

The NCAA determined that West Point had taken corrective actions and the violations were not the result of an organized effort to circumvent NCAA legislation, but resulted from an inadequate review of athletic department policies in light of NCAA requirements. USMA acknowledged the findings of the NCAA and accepted the sanction, stating that the investigation by the NCAA was considered thorough, comprehensive, and fair. The sanction did not affect Army's eligibility in post season play or NCAA television appearances.

The 26 point underdog Cadets (2-2-1) traveled to South Bend to meet the #5 ranked Fighting Irish (4-0) on October 18th. Army lost fumbles on its first two possessions, but it was still scoreless into the second quarter. After a Notre Dame touchdown, Army drove into Irish territory, but a field goal attempt was blocked. In the final 1:30 of the first half, Notre Dame scored ten points for a 0-17 halftime lead.

Notre Dame failed to complete a pass in the second half, but rushed for 344 yards in the game. Army had five turnovers and only made a 41-yard field goal, losing 3-30. Notre Dame finished the season with a 9-2-1 record and lost to #1 Georgia, 10-17 in the Sugar Bowl, finishing with a #9 ranking.

On a very rainy day in Chestnut Hill, MA, Army was a 13 point underdog to Boston College (2-4) on October 25th. The Cadets opened the scoring with a 36-yard field goal for the only scoring in the first quarter. BC scored on a touchdown run and field goal, before another Army 28-yard field goal. The Eagles responded with another touchdown run and field goal to take a 6-20 halftime lead. BC scored ten points in the third period before Bobby Vicci made a touchdown reception and Mike Fahnestock caught the two point pass conversion. Army lost, 14-30. Boston College finished the season with a 7-4 record.

On November 1st, the Cadets (2-4-1) hosted Rutgers (4-3) on Homecoming at Michie Stadium in an exciting game in front of 34,441 fans. After a scoreless first period, Army scored on a touchdown run and the Scarlet Knights responded for a 7-7 tie at halftime. Rutgers returned the second half kickoff 97-yards for a touchdown.

Then Mike Fahnestock caught a 77-yard touchdown pass to tie it, 14-14, who returned after missing much of the last three games due to an ankle sprain. The Scarlet Knights went ahead on a touchdown pass, but Army responded on a touchdown run to again knot up the score at 21-21. Rutgers kicked a field goal for a 21-24 lead going into the final period. Two more field goals, the last aided by an Army fumble, pushed the Rutgers lead to 21-30. Army lost, 21-37. Rutgers finished the season with a 7-4 record.

Army (2-5-1) broke a mid-season slump by thumping visiting Air Force (1-6-1) on November 8th, 47-24, the most points scored in the series between the two teams. Army opened the game with a short touchdown run. The Falcons recovered a fumble and converted a field goal. Gerald Walker scored his second touchdown on a 50-yard run and a 13-3 first quarter lead. The Cadets made a 37-yard field goal after a Falcon fumble. Army scored on another touchdown run for a 23-3 halftime lead.

Another Air Force fumble led to an Army 22-yard field goal. A touchdown pass extended the score 33-3 in the third quarter. The Falcons scored on a touchdown run, and then Mike Fahnestock had a 35-yard touchdown reception for a 40-10 lead going into the final period. Air Force finished the season with a 2-9-1 record.

In their final home game of the 1980 season, Army hosted #8 ranked Pittsburgh (8-1). Pitt scored four touchdowns in the opening period and another one before Gerald Walker scampered 85 yards for a touchdown, for a 7-35 halftime lead. Army defenders intercepted the Panthers seven times. Army lost, 7-45. Pittsburgh finished the season with an 11-1 record and a #2 ranking after beating #18 South Carolina, 37-9, in the Gator Bowl.

Playing for the first time in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Army (3-6-1) met Navy (7-3) on November 29th before 70,338 fans. The Midshipmen scored on a field goal and touchdown in each of the first three quarters, taking a 0-20 halftime lead, and it was 0-23 before Army scored on a 28-yard touchdown run. Navy dominated the Cadets with 301 yards rushing and won, 6-33. The Midshipmen retained possession of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy as each service academy beat one and lost to the other. Navy now led the series with Army, 38-37-6. Navy finished the season with an 8-4 record, but lost to Houston, 0-35, in the Garden State Bowl.

Mike Fahnestock set the Army season receiving records of 937 yards, 7 receiving touchdowns, and the most 100-yard receiving games (5). Fahnestock also set the record for the most receiving yards in a game (186) against Lehigh. Fahnestock's season and career averages of 19.9 and 17.8 yards per catch set new Army records. He still holds these Army records as of the beginning of the 2017 season. Most of these broke records set by Clennie Brundidge. Fahnestock was also selected to participate post-season in the Blue-Gray Classic in Montgomery, AL.

"1980 was my best year as a player," said Fahnestock forty years later, "but as I said before, we failed as a team to reach our level of skill we were capable of reaching. The experience of Army Football was invaluable to me as an athlete and as a person. I am and was thankful to be a part of that [1977] team." "With the exception of Beating Air Force," recalled Kevin Kullander, "this year was 1978 and 1979 all over again. We just couldn't sustain momentum."

Charlie Swanson was credited with 26 tackles during the 1980 season and one pass deflection. Kevin Kullander returned two kickoffs for an 11.5 yard average, with his longest being 13 yards. Mike Fahnestock returned two punts for a 10.0 yard average, with his longest being 14 yards. Fahnestock caught 47 passes and was second on the team with 44 points. Fahnestock started all eleven games, while Swanson started four. Fahnestock, Kullander, and Swanson received Army letters for the 1980 football season.

The 1981 Army Football Season

Ed Cavanaugh entered his second year as Army's head football coach with the most experienced squad West Point has had in recent years. Thirty-five lettermen returned from the squad that went 3-7-1. The Army Football team returned seven offensive and eight defensive starters from last season. Cavanaugh still faced some major problems as depth on both lines was very thin and the needed to replace Mike Fahnestock's production at receiver.

During spring drills, the offense drilled in employing multiple sets to keep the defenses balanced. The passing game was expected to be much more wide open than last year. Cavanaugh switched several players' positions in order to add depth to the lines. Army's weight training program was progressing and might alleviate the depth problem somewhat, and the staff expected a quicker, stronger, and less injury-prone team.

In May 1981, the 1977 football team members of the Class of 1981 graduated – Mike Fahnestock, Jon Hallingstad, and Dave Maples. Mike Fahnestock was recognized with four graduation awards for valuable service to athletics; as the most valuable player on the football team; for performance, dedication, and contribution to the football team; and as the outstanding graduate on the track team.

Stan March was recognized with seven graduation awards – with the Pershing Award for being First Captain; as the Cadet who best exemplifies the traditions of USMA and the U.S. Army; as recipient of a NCAA scholarship; as recipient of a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame scholarship; with the Knox Trophy as the Cadet having the highest ranking in military efficiency; as captain of the football team; and as the outstanding lineman of the football team.

On June 30th, Lieutenant General Andrew J. Goodpaster (USMA '39) stepped down as USMA Superintendent and reverted to retired status in the grade of General. Lieutenant General Willard W. Scott, Jr. (USMA '48), the commanding general of V Corps in Europe, became the 52nd USMA Superintendent.

On August 1st, Edward J. Pillings retired as West Point's head athletic trainer after serving for more than two decades. He directed an eight-person staff that supported 40 teams in 32 different sports. "I would be kidding myself if I said I won't miss West Point and the wonderful people here." Pillings planned to move back to his native Washington state.

In the September 1981 edition of the _Assembly_ , the new USMA Superintendent Lieutenant General Scott wrote "Within two weeks of your reading this letter, we will open our football season with an away game against the University of Missouri. We look forward to playing an exciting brand of football which our fans and graduates will be proud. One of the high priorities at West Point is to return the image of our athletic program to that of being winners; not just in football, but in our overall intercollegiate program. I firmly believe that winning athletic teams benefit the Corps, the Military Academy, and the Army as well."

Scott continued, "Overall, our Cadet teams win two contests out of every three they enter. Unfortunately, recent performance in the high exposure / high media-interest sports of football and basketball has not been up to our standards. As a result of my brief exposure, I feel confident we have fine direction and leadership in these programs. With continued institutional commitment and support, I believe we will achieve success and proper recognition in the near future. We need your continued faith and support and, specifically, your identification of promising student-athletes in your area. All referrals should be made to our Director of Intercollegiate Athletics."

Only two members of the 1977 football team played on the 1981 team – Kevin Kullander (split end) and Charlie Swanson (defensive end).

The 1981 football schedule would again be challenging. Army opened on the road against a Missouri team that some considered should be ranked. The Cadets would return home for games with the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and Brown University. Army would face Harvard in Cambridge, MA, followed by three straight home games against Rutgers, Princeton, and Boston College. The Cadets would travel to Colorado Springs to meet Air Force, return to host Holy Cross, and travel to play a likely ranked Pittsburgh squad, before ending the season with its annual game against Navy on November 28th.

On September 2nd, Army traveled to Columbia, MO, to meet the University of Missouri (0-0). The Tigers were three touchdown favorites. Missouri intercepted an Army pass and converted a field goal in the first period. The Tigers recovered their quarterback's fumble in the end zone for a touchdown for a 0-10 halftime lead. Army outplayed the Tigers in the third period, intercepting a pass and scoring on a touchdown run. Early in the fourth period, the Cadets made a 43-yard field goal to tie the score. The Tigers then scored two touchdowns to win the game, 10-24. Missouri would rise to #8 in the college polls six weeks later, but then had two straight losses to drop from the rankings. Missouri finished the season with an 8-4 record and ranked #19 after beating #15 Southern Mississippi, 19-17, in the Tangerine Bowl.

Army was favored by 13 points as they hosted the Virginia Military Institute (1-0) on September 19th before 29,970 fans. The Cadets had beaten the Keydets in all nine games played since 1917. Someone kidnapped the Army Mule, Spartacus, on Friday and the mascot reappeared on Saturday painted in VMI red, white, and yellow.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Keydets scored on a plunge over the goal line with five minutes left in the first half. The Cadets responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass with 1:41 on the clock, but VMI countered with a touchdown pass with six seconds left for a 7-14 halftime lead. Late in the game, Army tried to rally, but a fourth down pass was incomplete in the end zone. A tough VMI defense plus a balanced running and passing attack let to the Army defeat, 7-14. The Virginia Military Institute would finish the season with a 6-3-1 record.

Brown University (0-1) traveled to West Point in front of a crowd of 31,859 on September 26th. Army opened with a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter. In the second period, the Cadets scored on a touchdown pass and a field goal for a 16-3 halftime lead. Early in the fourth quarter, the Bruins used option pitches and passes to close the score to 16-10. Army intercepted a pass and scored on a 26-yard touchdown run with five minutes left. The Bruins had a touchdown pass in the closing minutes. Army won, 23-17. Brown would finish the season with a 3-7 record.

The favored Cadets (1-2) traveled on October 3rd to Cambridge, MA, to meet Harvard (1-1). The Crimson scored on a touchdown run in the first period. In the second period, the Cadets scored on a touchdown run and a 47-yard field goal for a 10-6 halftime lead.

Harvard went ahead 10-13 on a touchdown pass early in the third quarter. The Cadets tied it on a 33-yard field goal three minutes later. Army was on its 21-yard line when the Cadets completed a 73-yard pass and run to set up a touchdown run and a 20-13 lead with 33 seconds before the fourth period. Army marched 60-yards for a touchdown with less than three minutes left for a 27-13 victory. Harvard would finish the season with a 5-4-1 record.

Rutgers (4-1) visited Michie Stadium before a 40,567 sellout crowd on October 10th. After a first quarter field goal, the Scarlet Knights scored two touchdowns in the second period for a 0-17 halftime lead. The Cadets only offensive thrust was in the final period on a 61-yard drive where a completed touchdown pass was nullified by an illegal procedure call, and Army missed a 25-yard field goal attempt. Army lost, 0-17, its first shutout loss in 17 games. Rutgers would not win another game and finished the season with a 5-6 record.

On October 11th, newspapers reported that USMA had banned the Princeton Band from performing at halftime of the upcoming Army Football game. The band had some outlandish performances in the past. It would be the first time the band had not performed at a Princeton football game in many years.

Carl Ullrich wrote in the December issue of the _Assembly_ "the incident with regard to the Princeton Band was blown way out of proportion in the media. It is a privilege, not a right, for ANY group to come to Michie Stadium (or any other stadium) to perform. All evidence indicated this group did not merit such a privilege, and I simply informed the University that with a ticket they could enter the stadium, but they would not be allowed on the field. Bad taste, poor manners, and derision of our people and what we stand for just won't be tolerated – not where we can control it!"

On October 14th, it was announced that USMA and USNA were informed earlier by ABC-TV that they were unable to televise the annual contest on the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day as originally scheduled (November 28th). The two service academies were faced with either changing the schedule or not having the game televised. They decided to move the game to December 5th, the next Saturday, so that millions of fans could see the annual classic. This did cause some inconvenience to many fans planning to attend the game.

Two-touchdown favorite Army (2-3) hosted Princeton (2-2) on October 17th in front of 39,515 fans. The Cadets took a 10-0 halftime lead on a first period touchdown run and a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter. Army scored on a touchdown pass in the third period. The Cadets scored 17 points in the final period, including a 53-yard touchdown pass for a 34-0 victory, the first Army shutout in 123 games. Princeton would finish the season with a 5-4-1 record.

Boston College (1-4) was a 2.5 point favorite as it traveled to West Point on October 24th before 39,357 fans. Freshman quarterback Doug Flutie led the Eagles to ten points in the first, 17 in the second period, and a touchdown each in the third and fourth quarters, including three touchdown passes. The Cadets scored on a 79-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth period, losing, 6-41. Boston College would finish the season with a 5-6 record.

Lieutenant General Scott wrote in the December edition of the _Assembly_ , "Our sports program is another of the areas which requires our concern and constant attention. After the first seven games, the football results have been disappointing; our football team is still struggling. We are rebuilding, but rebuilding is a slow process and not done overnight. The last two years have brought good results in our effort to attract quality student-athletes, and we hope the next years will be even better. Don't for a moment think that Army athletes believe in anything but winning; they know how to give a maximum effort."

Army (3-4) traveled to Colorado to meet the Air Force (2-5) on October 31st. The Falcons had been beaten earlier in the season by Navy, but were six point favorites before 31,535 fans at home in Falcon Stadium. Air Force dominated the first half but squandered numerous scoring opportunities in the first half. Army converted a 37-yard field goal just before halftime for a 3-0 lead. Late in the third quarter, an Army punt returner was hit almost immediately and fumbled at midfield. The Falcons scored after a ten-play drive to take a 3-7 lead. Two Army drives ended due to interceptions, the last on the Falcon goal line in front of a Cadet open receiver on the final play of the game. Air Force would finish the season with a 4-7 record.

In the final home game of the season, Army hosted the College of the Holy Cross (5-3) before 33,642 fans at Michie Stadium on November 7th. After a scoreless first period, Army scored on 21 and 39-yard touchdown runs to take a 13-0 lead. Two Cadet lost fumbles let the Crusaders score two touchdowns late in the first half for a 13-14 lead at the break. Holy Cross scored in each quarter of the second half to beat Army, 13-28. Holy Cross would finish the season with a 6-5 record.

Army (3-6) was a 38 point underdog to #1 ranked Pittsburgh (8-0) on November 14th in front of 53,225 Panther fans in Pitt Stadium. The Panthers scored on two touchdown runs in the first period and a Dan Marino pass in the second for a 0-21 halftime lead. Marino then completed three more touchdown passes in the third period. Army lost, 0-48. Pittsburgh would finish the season with an 11-1 record, beating #2 Georgia, 24-20 in the Sugar Bowl and finishing with the #2 (UPI) and #4 (AP) rankings.

Army (3-7) faced a heavily-favored (20 points) and Liberty Bowl bound Navy (7-2) at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia on December 5th. Before 60,470 fans and a national television audience, the Cadets put on a superlative defensive effort and a remarkable punting performance by Joe Sartiano that kept the Midshipmen in the hole. Sartiano set an NCAA record punting for a 57.6 yard average and his 79-yard punt set both Army and Army-Navy game records. The only scoring came on a Navy 35-yard field goal in the second quarter and an Army 27-yard field goal in the third quarter. Critical turnovers deep in Navy territory hampered the Cadet's ability to score. The _1982 Howitzer_ says it all, "Navy Loses to Army, 3-3."

"We played extremely hard against a fine Navy team," said Ed Cavanaugh after the game, "That tells me we are making improvement with our program. We don't like settling for a tie, but that means Navy did not win the game either. That is a step in the right direction for us." Navy would finish the season with a 7-4-1 record after losing to then #14 Ohio State, 28-31, in the Liberty Bowl. The Middies also won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy by its victories over Air Force and tie with Army.

"I have receive many phone calls and letters about this year's Navy game," wrote Lieutenant General Scott in the March edition of the _Assembly_ , "General Westmoreland best summed up the situation when he said, '3-3 tie; Army won!' Although we didn't gain the score of victory, this year's game indicated that Army's football program is on the resurgence.... The Army Football team and the Corps of Cadets made us justifiably proud of the Military Academy that day. That game will help us return the image of Army athletics to the level it truly deserves."

Both Kevin Kullander and Charlie Swanson lettered for the 1981 Army Football team. In December 1981, Swanson graduated with the Class of 1981. In May 1982, Kevin Kullander, the final 1977 football team member at West Point, graduated with the Class of 1982.

Ed Cavanaugh would be the head coach at Army for the 1982 season. Army would win three home games to Lafayette, Harvard, and Columbia and an away game at Princeton. The Cadets would lose at Missouri, at #10 North Carolina, versus Rutgers in the Meadowlands, and three straight defeats at home to Boston College, Air Force, and #7 Pittsburgh, before getting routed by Navy, 7-24, for a 4-7 season record. In January 1983, Army hired Jim Young as the next Army head football coach.

Chapter 23  
Post-Script 2 – Life after Football (or USMA)

The following provides information on the players, coaches, and others involved with the 1977 Army Football team after their time at West Point, mostly based upon information the individual provided to the Association of Graduates. At the time of writing this, most of the players were in their late 50's or early 60's and many have retired from military and/or civilian jobs.

Deceased Varsity Players

**George Dunaway** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch. He served initially at Fort Knox and at the Infantry School and earned the Meritorious Service Medal. He served for about seven years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He pursued a graduate degree and worked in the automotive industry. George suddenly passed away in July 2015 in Texas at the age of 59 and is buried at the Crestview Memorial Park. His obituary, well-written by my classmate Joe Barto, is available on the Association of Graduates web site at Link1

**Drew Harrington** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch and served initially at Fort Benning and at Fort Lewis. He made a Combat Jump during Operation Urgent Fury into Grenada in 1983. He was promoted to Captain. In December 1984, Drew was killed at the age of 26 when a mortar round landed off target during a live-fire training exercise in Honduras, with three other solders injured. He is buried at Strong Memorial Gardens in Georgia. Drew Field is a ballpark in northwest Moultrie, GA, that is named in his honor. An obituary is available on the Find a Grave website at  Link2

**Ward Whyte** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and served initially at Fort Jackson. He completed Special Operations training at Fort Bragg and served with Special Forces operational units in Panama and with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. He earned the Master of Science degree. He served about twelve years on active duty and was promoted to Major. He was a coach and athlete at his military assignments and during his civilian career. Ward passed away in February 2009 in Virginia at the age of 51 and is buried in Williamsburg Memorial Park. His obituary is available on the Association of Graduates web site at Link3

Deceased Junior Varsity/Plebe Players

**Jeff Cook** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981. He played football for four seasons as a defensive back and lettered in the 1978, 1979, and 1980 seasons. He went into the Infantry branch and initially served with the 2nd Armored Division in Germany. He was on the staff & faculty at West Point. He served in Operation Desert Storm. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Jeff passed away in January 2012 in Georgia at the age of 53. He is buried at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Missouri.

**Tim Dolan** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981. He played football for four seasons as a defensive lineman and lettered in the 1980 season. He was in the Field Artillery Corps and initially served in Germany. He served on active duty for about six years and was promoted to Captain. He earned the Master in Business Administration degree. He then worked in the chemical industry. Tim passed away in August 2001 in Belgium at the age of 42 and is buried at Saint Marks Cemetery in Pennsylvania. An obituary is available on the Find a Grave website at  Link4

**Tsu Kreidler** was a member of the USMA Class of 1979 and did not graduate. He lettered with the 1976 Army Football team as an offensive guard and played three seasons before leaving West Point. He graduated from Midwestern State University and later earned the Master in Business Administration degree and the Juris Doctor (law) degree. He served in the federal government as a lawyer and was active in civic affairs. Tsu passed away in February 2004 in Oklahoma at the age of 47. An obituary is available on the Find a Grave website at  Link5

**Barry Muth** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981. He played football at linebacker for one season at West Point. He was in the Armor branch and initially served with armored units at Fort Carson and Fort Knox. He retired from active duty as a Major. Barry passed away in September 2017 in Texas at the age of 59 and is buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

**Carlous Pettus** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979. He played football for three seasons and lettered in the 1976 season at linebacker. He completed the Basic Flight Program at Fort Rucker as a Cadet. He was in the Armor branch and initially served at Fort Knox. He received the Army Commendation Medal. He served on active duty for about four years and was promoted to Captain. He worked in the pharmaceutical industry. He passed away in December 1996 in Texas at the age of 39. His obituary is available on the Association of Graduates web site at Link6

Seniors / First Classmen / USMA Class of 1978

**Mark Berry** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 24th Infantry Division. He served on activity duty for about five years, received the Army Commendation Medal, and was promoted to Captain. He then entered the U.S. Army Reserve. He has earned the Master of Art degree and the Master in Business Administration degree and worked in the financial services industry.

**Mike Castelli** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Transportation Corps. He attended the Aviation School and transferred to the Aviation branch. He then served in aviation units in Germany and Fort Campbell. He retired from active duty as a Major.

"The West Point experience has followed me throughout my entire life, in my military career, civilian career, and family," said Castelli, "After I retired from the military, I realized how much the West Point experience meant to me. I am still working and I realize how screwed up our society and corporate sector really are. West Point not only taught me how to be a leader, more importantly, it taught me how to be a person of character. It, along with my religion, gives you a conscience. You know what is right and what is wrong. You know how to treat people and how your people are your top priority. It also teaches you how to maintain focus on the mission and not let the bullshit bog you down."

**Joe Cerv** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood. He received the Army Commendation Medal. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain. He has earned the Master of Science degree and worked in the food services industry.

**Tony Dailey** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood. He served about two years on active duty.

**Chuck D'Amico** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch and served at Fort Benning and with the 509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team in Italy. While at Fort Benning, he coached the Doughboys football team for two seasons. He was head coach for the 509th Geronimos football team in Italy and led them in winning the 1982 North Italian Football League Championship with a perfect record. He served on active duty for about six years and was promoted to Captain.

**Curt Downs** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Corps of Engineers and served initially with the 62nd Engineer Battalion at Fort Hood and then at the Engineering School. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain. He worked in a number of industries as an engineer and executive.

**Stan Ford** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch. He served initially with the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany, the 70th Training Division in Michigan, V Corps in Germany, and 8th Infantry Division in Germany and earned two Meritorious Service Medals and the Army Commendation Medal. He retired from active duty as a Major.

**Leamon Hall** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Field Artillery branch and served initially at Fort Benning and then coached at West Point. He earned the Army Commendation Medal. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain. He has worked in the financial services industry as an executive.

At Fort Benning, Hall found that he could continue playing football as part of the post football team, the Doughboys, from the fall of 1978 through the fall of 1981. The team would practice in the evenings (with military duties from early morning light to dusk) and played mostly junior varsity college squads, like the University of Central Florida, Auburn, Livingston, Jacksonville State, The Citadel, the University of Florida, Clemson, and Alabama.

During the summers of 1980, 1981, and 1982, Hall spent his two-week military leave (vacation) doing two-a-day drills at the Dallas Cowboy's training camp. He hoped to follow in the footsteps of Roger Staubach and had signed a free agent contract in 1980. However, as he got closer to his June 1983 release date from active duty, he saw that the Cowboys were set at quarterback for the future. In late 1982, he started thinking about the United States Football League (USFL), so he petitioned the Army for an early release and received their approval.

Hall began talking to the USFL Arizona Wranglers, but found his contract with the Cowboys ran for two more years. He asked Dallas to release him, which they eventually did, and he signed a two-year contract with the Wranglers. He was waived eleven days later. Two days later, the USFL New Jersey Generals picked him up, but he never played a down. Two months later, the Generals picked up another quarterback and waived Hall.

Hall worked on the Army coaching staff during the 1982 and 1983 seasons and then began working in New York City for a financial service firm. Three years later, the Navy allowed Napoleon McCallum to be in the active duty Navy during part of the day, commute to practice, and be off on Saturday and Sunday in order to play with the Los Angeles Raiders. Some say that Hall's efforts with the Cowboys and the USFL led the Department of the Navy to allow McCallum to play in the NFL. It would take decades before the Department of the Army saw the light.

**Mike Hargis** was a member of the USMA Class of 1978 and did not graduate. He played football as a kicker for four seasons and lettered his junior and senior season. He left West Point during his senior year.

**Jim Hodge** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Transportation Corps and served initially with transportation units. He earned two Master of Science degrees and graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and the Army War College. He also graduated from the Operations Research / System Analysis Military Applications Course (the ranger school of the mind) and the Defense Language Institute.

Hodge served for more than thirty years on active duty, including wartime positions as the division support commander for the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq and the commanding general of the Army Material Command Southwest Asia in Kuwait. He received the Distinguished Service Medal, four Legion of Merit awards, the Bronze Star Medal, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, six Meritorious Service Medals, and three Army Commendation Medals. He retired from active duty as a Major General.

**Jim Hollingsworth** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Quartermaster Corps and served initially with the 2nd Support Command in Germany. He served on active duty for about eleven years and was promoted to Captain.

**Greg King** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 3rd Ranger Company at Fort Benning and at Fort Wainwright in Alaska. He then branch transferred to the Corps of Engineers and served in engineering units at Fort Riley, then at Fort Monroe, at the Engineering School, and with the 94th Engineer Battalion in Germany. He received two Meritorious Service Medals and three Army Commendation Medals. He retired from active duty as a Major.

**Steve Miller** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Quartermaster Corps and served initially with the 2nd Support Command in Germany and then at Fort Meade. He served about five years on active duty and was promoted to Captain.

**Greg McGlasker** was a member of the USMA Classes of 1977 and 1978 and did not graduate. He played football for five seasons and lettered three times (1974, 1976, and 1977). He initially played quarterback and then became a wide receiver. He left West Point during his senior year.

**Gus Steenborg** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Armor branch and served initially at Fort Knox. He later served with the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, in Korea, and with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood. He served on active duty for about eleven years and was promoted to Captain.

**Keith Wilson** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Quartermaster Corps and initially served with the 21st Support Command in Germany and then at the Quartermaster School. He retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Juniors / Second Classmen / USMA Class of 1979

**Bob Avey** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and initially served with the 193rd Infantry Brigade in Panama. He served about six years on active and was promoted to Captain.

**Clennie Brundidge** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and initially served at Fort Benning. He served about five years on active duty and was promoted to Captain.

**Ed Clemons** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps. He served initially with air defense units at Fort Hood, in Germany, and at Fort Riley. He served on active duty for about seven years and was promoted to Captain. He continued to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve.

**Duane Fuller** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 24th Infantry Division at Fort Stewart. He served on active duty for about seven years and was promoted to Captain.

**Bob Groller** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Armor branch and served initially with armored units at Fort Knox, in Korea, and in Germany. He was promoted to Colonel and received the Meritorious Service Medal and four Army Commendation Medals.

**Tom Hayden** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps and served initially with air defense units in Germany. He transferred to the Infantry branch and served in several infantry units. He was a Tactical Officer at USMA, earned the Master of Science degree, and graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College. He was promoted to Colonel.

**Greg Johnson** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 2nd Armored Division, 3rd Infantry Division, and 1st Infantry Division. He earned the Master in Business Administration degree and graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and the NATO Defense College. He served in several NATO positions and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

**Charles Johnston** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Signal Corps and initially served with signal units at Fort Hood.

**Joe LeGasse** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Military Police Corps and initially served with the VII Corps in Germany. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain.

**Mark Logue** was a member of the USMA Class of 1979 and did not graduate. He played football for three seasons at tight end and lettered in the 1976 season. He left West Point during his junior year.

**John Lytwynec** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Transportation Corps and initially served with the 7th Transportation Group at Fort Eustis. He was promoted to Captain.

**Phil Macklin** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps and served initially with air defense units at Fort Stewart. He earned the Doctor in Philosophy degree and served in the USMA Chemistry Department. He also served as the Extended Air Defense Testbed Production Manager. He received the Army Commendation Medal. He retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel. He has been involved in the health and wellness business.

**Mitch Mankosa** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Armor branch and initially served at Fort Polk. He then transferred to the Medical Service Corps and served with the 34th General Hospital in Germany, receiving the Meritorious Service Medal. He served on active duty for about seven years and was promoted to Captain. He worked in the beverage industry as a plant manager and executive.

**Gene McIntyre** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Field Artillery Corps and he served initially with field artillery units in Germany and then with a Recruiting Battalion in Boston. He then served in the USMA Directorate of Intercollegiate Athletics. He earned the Master of Science degree. He received two Meritorious Service Medals and the Army Commendation Medal. He served on active duty for about 13 years and was promoted to Major. He has worked for a number of years at West Point including serving as an Associate Athletic Director and was head coach for the Army Sprint Football team for about seven seasons. He recalled, "Reuniting with teammates at every post and location. Coming to a unit with the label of 'Army Football Player' was special. I felt that I had to represent and give maximum effort."

**Jim Merriken** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Signal Corps initially serving with signal units at Fort Bragg. He was promoted to Captain.

**Corky Messner** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany. He served about five years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He earned his Juris Doctor (law) degree and has worked as an attorney.

**Joe Oliver** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and initially served at Fort Leonard Wood and with air defense units in Germany. He served for about five years on active and was promoted to Captain.

**Chuck Schott** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Corps of Engineers and initially served with the 130th Engineer Brigade in Germany. He received two Meritorious Service Medals. He served for about five years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He earned the Master in Business Administration degree. He has worked in business.

**Steve Smith** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Field Artillery Corps and initially served with field artillery units at Fort Sill and then in Hawai'i. He received the Meritorious Service Medal and two Army Commendation Medals. He served about eight years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He worked in the computer industry as an executive.

**James (JT) Thomas** was a member of the USMA Class of 1979 and did not graduate. He played football at tight end for two seasons (1975, 1977) and was injured and did not play in 1976. He left West Point during his junior year.

**Kirk Thomas** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Field Artillery Corps and initially served with field artillery units in Germany and multiple units including the 4th Infantry Division. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and was the Professor of Military Science at Presbyterian College. He received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, and the Army Commendation Medal. He retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Tiki Traylor** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps and served initially with air defense units in Germany. He was promoted to Captain.

**Doug Turrell** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch and served initially at Fort Jackson, in Korea, at Fort Bragg, and at Fort Sam Houston. He earned the Master in Arts degree. He received a Meritorious Service Medal and two Army Commendation Medals. He served on active duty for about nine years and was promoted to Captain. He worked in the telecommunications industry as a manager and executive.

Sophomores / Third Classmen / USMA Class of 1980

**Charlie Adams** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Corps of Engineers and initially served with engineering units at Fort Riley and at Fort Bragg. He then served with the 5th and 7th Special Forces Groups at Fort Bragg. He received two Army Commendation Medals. He served for about five years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He continued to serve in the Alabama Army National Guard.

**Charlie Boucher** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch with his initial assignment in Germany. He served about five years and was promoted to Captain.

**Dave Charest** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps and served initially with field artillery units at Fort Carson and in Germany. He graduated from the Canadian Land Forces Staff College and served on the faculty at McNeese State University. He served on active duty for about ten years and was promoted to Captain.

**Charlie Conz** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps and served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and with the 39th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Bragg. He served about six years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He earned the Master in Business Administration degree from Harvard and has worked for various corporations.

**Ron Decker** was a member of the USMA Class of 1980 and did not graduate. He played football at center and offensive tackle for three seasons, lettering in the 1976 and 1977 seasons. He left West Point during his junior year.

**Bill Duelge** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps and initially served with air defense units in Germany and at Fort Hood. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain. He has worked in several corporations in management and executive positions.

**Jon Dwyer** was a member of the USMA Class of 1980 and did not graduate. He played football for two seasons at halfback (1976-1977), lettering in each season, and left West Point before his junior season. He played football for Kent State University for two seasons at fullback and then tailback (1979-1980), being the team captain and lettering during his senior season. He received the Kent State Scholar-Athlete Award and was named to the 1980 Academic All-Mid-American Conference football team. After graduating from Kent State in 1981, he worked in the home furnishings industry.

**Bruce Elliott** was a member of the USMA Classes of 1980 and 1981 and did not graduate. He played football for four seasons at defensive back and lettered each season. He left West Point in 1981 and graduated from Hampton Institute in 1983.

**Dusty Foster** was a member of the USMA Classes of 1980 and 1981 and did not graduate. He played football for two seasons (1976-1977) at linebacker and left West Point during his sophomore year. He graduated from Mt. San Antonio College in California and received an athletic scholarship to San Diego State University. He played football and lettered for the Aztecs during the 1980 season.

**John Hilliard** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Armor branch and initially served with 5th Infantry Division at Fort Polk. He transferred to the Aviation branch in 1985 and then served in aviation units at Fort Sill and Fort Drum. He served on active duty for about nine years and was promoted to Captain.

**John Kisiel** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps and served initially with the 547th Engineer Battalion in Germany. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain.

**Barron Klopfenstine** was a member of the USMA Classes of 1980 and 1981 and did not graduate. He played football for four seasons at offensive tackle. He left West Point in 1980. He graduated from the University of Texas and earned the Master in Business Administration degree. He has worked in the grocery and retail industries.

**Tony Landry** was a member of the USMA Class of 1980 and did not graduate. He played football for two seasons at halfback and lettered in the 1977 season. He left West Point during his sophomore year. He graduated from Saint Joseph's University in 1980.

**Glen Ledeboer** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Signal Corps and served initially with signal units in Germany. He then served at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and at the Pentagon. He earned the Master in Science degree. He received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, and the Army Commendation Medal. He served on active duty for about ten years and was promoted to Captain. He worked in the computer industry.

**Dave Liebetreu** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch and served initially at Fort Lewis. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and served with the Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg. He earned the Master of Sciences degree. He received two Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. He served about twelve years on active duty and was promoted to Major. He worked in the paper industry.

**Doug Lowrey** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch and served initially with the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord and then on the staff and faculty at West Point. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain.

**George Mayes** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps and served initially in Germany. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain.

**Earle Mulrane** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps and served with V Corps in Germany. He served about a year on active duty. He has worked in a number of businesses.

**Ed Perkins** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Corps of Engineers and initially served with the 3rd Engineer Battalion and in Korea. He earned the Master of Science from Georgia Tech and served on the staff and faculty at West Point. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College. He served with several engineering units, served in Korea and Japan, at the Pentagon, and as chief of staff of the 24th Infantry Division. He received four Meritorious Service Medals and three Army Commendation Medals. He retired from active duty as a Colonel.

**Bill Skoda** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Corps of Engineers and served initially with engineer battalions at Fort Benning and in Korea. He received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and two Army Commendation Medals. He served about six years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. "It was great experience," recalled Skoda forty years later. He earned the Master of Engineering degree. He has worked in engineering firms as a project manager and executive.

**Scott Teising** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps and served initially in Germany. He transferred to the Aviation branch and served in aviation units at Fort Campbell. He served on active duty for about seven years and was promoted to Captain.

**Clif Triplett** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Signal Corps and served initially with the 11th Signal Brigade at Fort Huachuca. He attended the Air Force Institute of Technology graduate school at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and then was assigned to Europe. He earned the Master of Science degree. He served in several signal units and at the Defense Communications Agency. He received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and three Army Commendation Medals. He served for about ten years on active duty and was promoted to Captain. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Major. He has worked in several corporations.

"I had the opportunity to coach a high school team while in Germany with other ex-[Army] Football players," recalled Clif Triplett, "I truly enjoyed it, and the instant bonding of our coaching staff was incredible. I applied the lessons I learned from Army Football, as did the others from their experiences. Our high school team had the smallest players, but we won Europe. It showed me the importance of teamwork and coaching."

Plebes / Freshmen / Fourth Classmen / USMA Classes of 1981 and 1982

**Mike Fahnestock** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps. He served initially with the 8th Infantry Division in Germany. He was promoted to First Lieutenant and retired after serving about two years on active duty.

**Jon Hallingstad** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps. He served initially with the USMA Directorate of Intercollegiate Athletics, the USMA Department of Physical Education, in Germany, and at the Pentagon. He earned the Master of Science degree. He received the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He served on active duty for about eleven years and was promoted to Captain. He has worked in a number of businesses and a state government agency.

**Kevin Kullander** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1982 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps. He served initially with air defense units in Germany and at Fort Riley. He received the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He served about six years on active duty and was promoted to Captain.

**Dave Maples** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch. He served initially with the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Polk, aviation units at Fort Hood, and on the staff of the Field Artillery School. He earned the Master in Business Administration degree. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College. He later served with the 3rd Infantry Division and at the Pentagon. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after serving on active duty for about twenty years.

**Dave Pritchard** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He played halfback for Army only for the 1977 season before leaving West Point during his plebe year. He transferred to Washington State University in early 1978. He lettered for the Cougars at center during the 1981 season.

**Charlie Swanson** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps. He initially served with the 8th Infantry Division and V Corps Artillery in Germany, then at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin and on the staff of the Infantry School. He received three Meritorious Service Medals and the Army Commendation Medal. He was promoted to Captain and served on active duty for about eleven years. He then served in the U.S. Army Reserve and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He worked in the pharmaceutical industry.

**Dick Vorenkamp** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He played football at defensive tackle during the 1977 season. He left West Point prior to the 1978 season. He graduated from the University of Tulsa and served as a police officer. He earned the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. He is on the faculty of a university.

**Dan Webb** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He played football at defensive back for three seasons and lettered in the 1978 and 1979 seasons. He left West Point before the 1980 season.

Cadet Football Managers

**Dave Adam** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Adjutant General Corps. He initially served in units in Germany and then recruiting duty. He later served at the Army Troop Support Command in St. Louis and the staff and faculty at the Army War College. He earned the Master in Art and the Master in Science degrees. He received two Meritorious Service Medals and the Army Commendation Medal. He served for 14 years on active duty and was promoted to Major.

**Bob Algermissen** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Field Artillery Corps. He served with field artillery units in Germany, Fort Carson, Germany, and at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and the Army War College and attended the School for Advanced Military Studies. He served in senior positions with the 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Irwin, and on the staff & faculty at the Air Command & Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base. He served in Afghanistan and then at Kirtland Air Force Base. He received the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, and three Army Commendation Medals. He retired from active duty after about 29 years as a Colonel.

**Dave Autrey** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Corps of Engineers. He initially served at Fort Leonard Wood. He served on active duty for about four years and was promoted to First Lieutenant.

**Clint Horn** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Armor branch. He initially served in armor units with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Germany, the Laboratory Command, and the Pentagon. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College. He later served with the 24th Infantry Division, the Army Personnel Command, and at the Pentagon. He retired after serving about twenty years as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Kurt Nygaard** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Corps of Engineers. He served as the Head Cadet Football Manager during the 1978 season. He initially served with engineer units in Germany and at Fort Hood. He then served at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe, in Brussels and at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was promoted to Major.

**Joe Whitfield** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps. He served initially with air defense units in Germany. He earned the Doctor of Medicine degree in Psychiatry and then served at medical centers and hospitals at Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart, Denver, Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart, Fort Sam Houston, and the Air Force Academy. He was promoted to Colonel.

Junior Varsity / Plebe Players

**Joel Anderson** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Infantry branch, initially served in Germany, served on the staff & faculty at West Point, and retired as a Major.

**Jim Bagwell** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Aviation branch, initially served at Fort Carson and at Fort Rucker, was on the staff & faculty of West Point, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Bruce Baughman** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1979 football season.

**Mike Beans** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch, initially served at Fort Ord and at Fort Benning, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

**Mike Beery** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Ordnance Corps, initially served in Germany and at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Steve Bleyl** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Bill Bowman** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Chris Boylan** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Mike Bristol** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, served at Fort Bragg, and was promoted to Captain.

**Hal Burton** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Transportation Corps, served in Turkey and Fort Lewis, and was promoted to Captain.

**Doug Busch** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Armor branch, initially served at Fort Leonard Wood and Germany, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard.

**Steve Carter** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Corps of Engineers, served at Fort Hood and West Point, and retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

**Bill Dauer** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, initially served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Archie Davis** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Air Defense Corps, initially served in Germany, and was promoted to Colonel.

**Mark Davis** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Quartermaster Corps, initially served at Fort Lewis and the staff & faculty at West Point, and was promoted to Colonel.

**Bradley (T.D.) Decker** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, served as a football coach at West Point, was in Grenada, and was promoted to Captain.

**Greg Dewalt** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, served at Fort Sill and Cape Canaveral, and was promoted to Captain.

**Brian Doak** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Alex Dornstauder** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Corps of Engineers, initially served in Germany, and was promoted to Colonel.

**Andy Evans** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, served at Fort Hood, and was promoted to Captain.

**Thomas (T.J.) Farrell** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Air Defense Artillery, initially served in Germany and at Fort Lewis, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

**Gary Gulyas** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Signal Corps, served at Fort Bragg, and was promoted to Captain.

**Daryl Harris** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps and was promoted to Major.

**Matt Herholtz** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, initially served in Germany, at Fort Rucker, and at West Point, and retired as a Major.

**Jimmy Hill** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, initially served at Fort Bragg and in Korea, served in the USMA Mathematics Department, earned his Doctor of Medicine, branch transferred to the Medical Corps, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Bob Hunter** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Chris Jackson** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, served at Fort Sill, and was promoted to Captain.

**Ernie Jones** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Signal Corps, initially served at Fort Campbell and in Germany, and retired as a Major.

**Mike Knapp** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Armor branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, initially served in Germany, at Fort Rucker, and at West Point, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Glenn Kouhia** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Jeff Kubacki** was a member of the USMA Class of 1980 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Charlie Lane** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Signal Corps, initially served at Fort Polk and Fort Gordon, and was promoted to Major.

**Doug Lenhoff** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Brian Magerkurth** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, initially served at Fort Lewis and in the Sinai, was on the staff & faculty of West Point, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

**Stan March** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Corps of Engineers, initially served at Fort Carson and in Germany, was on the staff & faculty at West Point, was promoted to Major, and served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

**Al Mazyck** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, initially served in Germany, and was promoted to Major.

**Eugene McCall** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Mark McKearn** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch, transferred into the Aviation branch, initially served in Korea and at Fort Ord, was Brigade Tactical Officer at West Point, and retired as a Colonel.

**Bob McLeod** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1979 football season.

**Steve McLocklin** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Greg Metry** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Hobie Murnane** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1979 into the Armor branch and was promoted to Captain.

**Jim Nichol** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Field Artillery Corps, initially served at Fort Sill, in Germany, and at Fort Leavenworth, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

**Mark O'Gara** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Signal Corps, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Al Orio** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Ron Osborn** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Terry O'Sullivan** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1979 football season.

**Tom Robertson** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Ordnance Corps, initially served at Fort Stewart, and retired as a Major.

**John Sankovitch** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch and was promoted to Captain.

**Dan Sartin** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Infantry branch, served in Germany, and was promoted to Captain.

**Len Sbroco** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Military Intelligence branch, served at Fort Stewart, and was promoted to Captain.

**Mark Schreder** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, served in Hawai'i, and was promoted to Captain.

**Bobby Shields** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, served at West Point, and was promoted to Captain.

**Ward Silvola** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1978 into the Transportation Corps, transferred to the Aviation branch, served at Fort Eustis and in Germany, and was promoted to Major.

**Jim Simpson** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Dan Sperduti** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Scott Stangle** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch, transferred to the Aviation branch, served at Fort Bragg, was in Grenada, and was promoted to Captain.

**Kevin Streets** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps, initially served in Germany, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Ken Topping** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch. Initially served at Fort Benning, West Point, and Fort Bragg, served in the USMA History Department, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

**Mark Trigsted** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Larry Trumbore** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Infantry branch, initially served at Fort Bragg and in Korea, was on the staff & faculty at West Point, and was promoted to Major.

**Henry Turner** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1980 into the Armor branch, initially served at Fort Knox and in Korea, served in Desert Storm, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

**Chris Vanslager** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch, initially served at Fort Carson and in Germany, and was promoted to Major.

**Bobby Vicci** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch, transferred into the Aviation branch, served at Fort Stewart, served with the 42nd Infantry Division in Iraq, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard.

**Scott Wagner** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Armor branch, transferred into the Aviation branch, served at Fort Rucker, served in Afghanistan, and retired as a Colonel in the Army National Guard.

**John Wharton** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Quartermaster Corps, initially served at Fort Hood and in the Sinai, and retired as a Colonel.

**Bill Wilhelm** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Signal Corps, initially served in Germany, served on the faculty & staff at West Point, and retired as a Major.

**Dan Wood** was a member of the USMA Class of 1981 and did not graduate. He left West Point before the 1978 football season.

**Ned Woolfolk** graduated from USMA with the Class of 1981 into the Infantry branch, initially served in Germany, served in Afghanistan, and was promoted to Colonel.

Coaches / Support Staff

**Steve Axman** served on Homer Smith's staff for three seasons (1976-1978). He then served as an assistant coach at Illinois (1979) before becoming the offensive coordinator at Arizona for five seasons (1980-1984). He then was an assistant for the Denver Gold of the United States Football League (USFL) for one season and then went to Stanford (1986). He was an offensive coordinator at UCLA for two seasons before becoming quarterback coach at Maryland (1989).

Axman was head football coach at Northern Arizona University for eight seasons with a 48-41 record. He later was mostly a quarterbacks coach at Minnesota (1998), Washington (1999-2002), UCLA (2003), Washington (2004), Montana (2006), Idaho (2007-2011), and Simon Fraser (2013). He last served as interim head football coach at Nicholls State University in 2014, inheriting the program in mid-September.

**Ronnie Barnes** served on Homer Smith's staff for two seasons (1977-1978).

**Fred Borman** served on Homer Smith's staff for three seasons (1976-1978). He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1974 into the Adjutant General Corps. He served on active duty for about five years and was promoted to Captain. He worked in the automotive business.

**Dick Bowman** served on Homer Smith's staff for four seasons (1974-1977). Tom Robertson, who played on the 1977 junior varsity/plebe team, married his daughter. Homer Smith was told to fire Bowman at the end of the 1977 season, but he refused. USMA fired him anyway. He was promoted to Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He passed away in April 1983 in Oklahoma at the age of 52 from complications of pneumonia and is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery.

**Frank Gibson** served on Homer Smith's staff for four seasons (1975-1978). He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1961 into the Transportation Corps. He served initially at West Point and at Fort Eustis. He was a commander of the 61st Truck Company and the 5th Traffic Region in Vietnam. He earned the Master of Science from Georgia Tech. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and served on the staff & faculty there before arriving at USMA in 1975.

After his coaching tenure, Gibson was a battalion commander in Korea and at the Concepts Analysis Agency in Bethesda. He received the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and two Army Commendation Medals. He retired from active duty after serving about twenty years as a Lieutenant Colonel. He worked as a Real Estate and Mortgage Broker. He passed away in January 2017 in California at the age of 77 and was cremated.

**Al Greenhouse** was the Officer-in-Charge of the 1977 Army Football team and a tactical officer at USMA. He served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division in 1968, where he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the third highest award for heroism. He also received the Air Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. His brother-in-law was basketball great Elvin Baylor. He retired from active duty as a Colonel.

**Dick Hall** served from 1974 to 2013 as the equipment manager for the Army Football team. He served two years in the Army, including a tour in Vietnam. He retired in December 2013.

**Bob Ivany** served on Homer Smith's staff for two seasons (1977-1978). He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1969 into the Armor branch. He initially served with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam and then with the 194th Armored Brigade at Fort Knox. He earned the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees and taught in the USMA History Department while coaching.

After leaving coaching, Ivany then served in Germany, at the Pentagon, was a Presidential Aide, and at Fort Bliss. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and the Army War College. He was the commanding officer of the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, was assistant division commander of the 4th Infantry Division, was the deputy commanding general of Third Army, was the commanding general of the Military District of Columbia, and was the commandant of the Army War College.

Ivany received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit awards, the Bronze Star Medal with valor, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, three Meritorious Service Medals, and three Army Commendation Medals. He retired after about 34 years on active duty as a Major General. He currently serves as President of the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

**Larry Lock** served on Homer Smith's staff for three seasons (1976-1978). He graduated from Henderson State University and earned the Master of Arts degree. He was commissioned as an Army Officer into the Armor branch.

**Mike Mikolayunas** served on Homer Smith's staff for five seasons (1974-1978). In February 1979, he became an assistant football coach at UCLA and was in charge of quarterbacks. He suddenly passed away in April 1979 in California at the age of 30.

**Ed Pillings** served as the head trainer for the 1977 Army Football team. He joined the Army staff in 1957 and retired in 1981. He served in World War II as an Army Officer in the Pacific Theater. He graduated from Washington State and earned the Master of Arts degree from Columbia University. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He passed away in January 2007 in Washington at the age of 88 and is buried at the West Point Cemetery.

**Bob Protzman** served as the team physician for the 1977 Army Football team. He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1961 into the Air Defense Artillery Corps. After initially serving in an air defense unit near Fort Worth, he earned the Doctor of Medicine degree and branch transferred to the Medical Corps. He then served in medical centers and hospitals in Hawai'i, Fort Sill, Denver, and then West Point.

Protzman left West Point in 1978 for the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and then Fort Knox. He received the Legion of Merit award. He retired after about 21 years of active duty as a Colonel. He continued to be an orthopedic surgeon. He passed away in March 2016 in Texas at the age of 76 and is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park.

**John Roth** served on Homer Smith's staff for three seasons (1976-1978). He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1972 into the Finance Corps. He served at a finance office in Hawai'i before arriving at West Point in 1976. He served on active duty for about eight years and retired as a Captain. He worked in the chemical industry.

**Kenneth (K.C.) Scull** served on Homer Smith's staff for four seasons (1975-1978). He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1969 into the Infantry branch. He initially served in Germany and then went to Vietnam. He then commanded the 2nd Ranger Company at Fort Benning. After serving as a coach, he commanded two infantry battalions with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawai'i. He graduated from the Army Command & General Staff College and the Army War College.

Scull earned the Master of Public Administration. He later served at the National Training Center and at the USMA Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. He received two Bronze Star Medals, five Meritorious Service Medals, two Air Medals, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He retired after about 28 years on active duty as a Colonel. He was the Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Louisville for about ten years and supervised the construction of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

**Rance Sopko** served on Homer Smith's staff for one season (1977). He graduated from the University of Oregon and earned the Master of Arts degree. He served in Vietnam and was a Captain with ten years on active duty during the 1977 season. He retired from active duty as a Colonel.

**John Stiegman** served on Homer Smith's staff for four seasons (1974-1977). He had a 37-53 record as a head football coach at Rutgers, Pennsylvania, and Iowa Wesleyan. He served in the Navy during World War II and was promoted to Commander. He passed away in October 2006 in New Jersey at the age of 84 and is buried at Forest Home Cemetery in Iowa.

**Bruce Tarbox** served on Tom Cahill's staff during the 1973 season and on Homer Smith's staff for four years (1974-1977). Homer Smith was told to fire Tarbox at the end of the 1977 season, but he refused. USMA fired him anyway. He went to work as the mining publications manager at McGraw-Hill in Pittsburgh. He passed away in March 1979 in Pennsylvania at the age of 39.

**John Wade** served on Homer Smith's staff for four seasons (1974-1978).

**Bernie Wall** served on Homer Smith's staff for two seasons (1977-1978). He graduated from USMA with the Class of 1971 into the Field Artillery Corps. He served in Germany before transferring to the Aviation branch. He then served with the 4th Infantry Division before arriving at West Point in 1977.

After coaching, he served with the 501st Aviation Battalion in Germany. He earned the Master of Science degree, worked in Washington, and then at the Army Safety Center at Fort Rucker. He received the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, and the Army Commendation Medal. He retired after about 21 years on active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel. He earned another Master of Science degree. He has worked in city government and was dean of a community college.

Homer Smith

After resigning from Army after the 1978 season, Smith decided to pursue theological studies at Harvard University and a possible future teaching career. After the first year, there were financial pressures, and the lure of coaching called him back. He became a successful offensive coordinator for UCLA for seven seasons (1980-1986). UCLA, under head coach Terry Donahue, went 59-19-5 during those years and won five out of six bowl games. Smith spent 1987 as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs (4-11 under head coach Frank Gansz).

Smith returned to college coaching as offensive coordinator with the University of Alabama for two seasons (1988-1989). The Crimson Tide, under head coach Bill Curry, went 19-5, including edging Army, 29-28, in the 1988 Sun Bowl. Alabama went 10-2 and lost to national champion Miami in the 1990 Sugar Bowl. Smith returned to being UCLA's offensive coordinator under Donahue for four seasons (1990-1993), with the Bruins going 28-18 with two bowl games.

Smith returned to being Alabama's offensive coordinator for two seasons (1994-1995) under head coach Gene Stallings. The Crimson Tide went 12-1, winning the Southeastern Conference Western Division, losing in the SEC championship game, and winning their bowl game. After Alabama went 8-3 in 1995 and was ineligible for a bowl, Smith became the offensive coordinator for the University of Arizona for two seasons (1996-1997). Under head coach Dick Tomey, the Wildcats went 5-6 and 7-5, winning the Insight Bowl in 1997.

Smith retired from coaching after the 1997 football season. He earned the Master in Business Administration degree from Stanford and the Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard. He served as an Army Lieutenant in the Field Artillery Corps. In 1990, the Sporting News named him Offensive Coach of the Year. He was enshrined in the Davidson Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2007, the American Football Coaches Association honored him with the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award "for contributions to the football coaching profession, mentorship of his fellow coaches, and outstanding teaching of student-athletes." In 2008, Smith was honored with a lifetime membership in the Army Football Club.

During his career, he wrote six books on football and one novel - Handbook for Coaching the Football Passing Attack (1970), Installing Football's Wishbone T Attack (1974), Football Coach's Complete Offensive Playbook (1987), A Game to Play (a novel in 1994), Offensive Football Strategies (two chapters in 2000), The Complete Handbook of Clock Management (with Steve Axman, 2007), and Homer Smith Football Manuals (17 manuals, 2013).

As a head football coach, his career record at Davidson College, the University of the Pacific, and Army was 53-71-1. Combining his playing days at Princeton, his head coaching record, and the records of the teams he was an assistant coach on, Homer Smith's overall record was 264-199-7, coaching in 14 bowl games, with 138 wins coming after leaving West Point. Homer Austin Smith passed away on April 10, 2011 in Alabama at the age of 79.

He often described his life or a player with these words – "So fine."

Chapter 24  
Post-Script 3 – Rosters

1977 Army Football Team – Varsity Roster

Number, Name, Hometown, Height, Weight, Position, Letters, Year, Games Played, Games Started, Injured, Cadet Co

93, Adams, Charlie, Huntsville, AL, 5-11, 162, DE-P, 79, So, 6, 0, 1 Injured, B-3

28, Avey, Bob, Sierra Vista, AZ, 6-2, 180, QB, 77-78, Jr, 11, 0, D-4

64, Berry, Mark, Carlisle, PA, 6-2, 215, DE-LB, 76-77, Sr, 11, 6, B-4

66, Boucher, Chuck, Indianapolis, IN, 6-1, 227, OG, 78-79, So, 4, 0, H-4

82, Brundidge, Clennie, Oviedo, FL, 6-4, 218, TE, 75-76-77-79, Jr, 11, 11, I-3

39, Castelli, Mike, Carmel, NY, 6, 214, K, 74-76-77, Sr, 9, 0, D-3

45, Cerv, Joe, Wahoo, NE, 6, 200, HB, DNL, Sr, 4, 0, D-2

18, Charest, Dave, Hereford, TX, 5-11, 175, DB, 76-77-78-79, So, 10, 10, F-1

25, Clemons, Ed, Toledo, OH, 5-11, 176, DB, 76-77-78, Jr, 8, 1, D-2

83, Conz, Charlie, Selinsgrove, PA, 6-3, 210, TE, DNL, So, 1, 0, I-2

71, Dailey, Tony, Baltimore, MD, 6-3, 210, OT, 74-75-77, Sr, 11, 11, E-3

72, D'Amico, Chuck, Washington Twnship, NJ, 6-3, 235, DT, 75-76-77, Sr, 10, 10, 1 Injured, C-4

Number, Name, Hometown, Height, Weight, Position, Letters, Year, Games Played, Games Started, Injured, Cadet Co

61, Decker, Ron, Dayton, OH, 6-4, 215, C-OT, 76-77, So, 11, 0, A-1

67, Downs, Curt, Sarasota, FL, 6-4, 245, OG, 76-77, Sr, 7, 7, 4 Injured, F-3

75, Duelge, Bill, Milwaukee, WI, 6-4, 225, DT, 78, So, 10, 0, D-3

47, Dunaway, George, Titusville, FL, 5-10, 165, FL, 76-77, Sr, 10, 7, 1, Injured, I-3

37, Dwyer, Jon, Navarre, OH, 5-11, 190, HB, 76-77, So, 8, 3, 3 Injured, D-1

33, Elliott, Bruce, Hampton, VA, 5-11, 175, DB, 76-77-78-79, So, 11, 10, F-4

88, Fahnestock, Mike, Selinsgrove, PA, 6, 170, FL, 77-78-79-80, Fr, 11, 1, F-3

86, Ford, Stan, Dayton, OH, 6-1, 214, DE, 74-75-77, Sr, 11, 5, D-3

56, Foster, Dusty, Sacramento, CA, 6-2, 205, LB, DNL, So, 9, 0, C-3

79, Fuller, Duane, Springfield, VA, 6-6, 230, DT, 76-77-78, Jr, 11, 7, B-3

74, Groller, Bob, New York, NY, 6-4, 214, DT, 77-78, Jr, 11, 0, F-3

16, Hall, Leamon, Apopka, FL, 6-5, 215, QB, 74-75-76-77, Sr, 11, 11, E-2

Number, Name, Hometown, Height, Weight, Position, Letters, Year, Games Played, Games Started, Injured, Cadet Co

81, Hallingstad, Jon, Madison, WI, 6-1, 182, FL, 78-79, Fr, 8, 0, G-3

42, Hargis, Mike, Troy, OH, 5-10, 200, K, 76-77, Sr, 11, 0, H-4

21, Harrington, Drew, Moultrie, GA, 5-10, 170, DB, 78-79, So, 4, 0, I-1

52, Hayden, Tom, Richmond, VA, 5-11, 210, DE, 77-78, Jr, 11, 0, F-1

80, Hilliard, John, Plain City, OH, 5-11, 212, LB, 76-77-78-79, So, 11, 11, G-4

63, Hodge, Jim, Norton, OH, 6-3, 220, C-OG, 75-77, Sr, 11, 3, B-1

77, Hollingsworth, Jim, Toledo, OH, 6-4, 230, OG, 74-75-77, Sr, 11, 11, D-1

48, Johnson, Greg, Spring, TX, 6-2, 190, FL, DNL, Jr, 2, 0, H-2

57, Johnston, Chuck, Columbia, MD, 6-4, 235, C, 76-77-78, Jr, 10, 10, 1 Injured, I-2

43, King, Greg, Fort Meade, MD, 6, 195, HB, 75-76-77, Sr, 11, 9, H-2

62, Kisiel, John, Lancaster, NY, 6-1, 255, OG, 76, So, 1, 0, 2 Injured, B-1

73, Klopfenstine, Barron, Great Falls, MT, 6-6, 230, OT, DNL, So, 7, 0, E-4

Number, Name, Hometown, Height, Weight, Position, Letters, Year, Games Played, Games Started, Injured, Cadet Co

38, Kullander, Kevin, Little Rock, AR, 6-2, 180, TE, 79-80-81, Fr, 5, 0, E-2

32, Landry, Tony, Daisetta, TX, 5-10, 180, HB, 77, So, 11, 2, G-1

51, Ledeboer, Glen, Irving, TX, 6-2, 210, C, DNL, So, 1, 0, D-3

20, LeGasse, Joe, Niagara Falls, NY, 5-9, 170, DB, 76-77, Jr, 11, 8, F-3

90, Liebetreu, Dave, Ludington, MI, 6-3, 220, MG, 78, So, 3, 0, A-4

89, Logue, Mark, Havertown, PA, 6-1, 204, TE, 76, Jr, 5, 0, C-4

49, Lowrey, Doug, Lake City, FL, 6-1, 175, DB, 76-77-78, So, 7, 4, 2 Injured, D-3

23, Lytwynec, John, Catonsville, MD, 6-2, 183, FL, DNL, Jr, 1, 0, A-4

34, Macklin, Phil, Hampton, VA, 5-10, 170, DB, 75-76-77-79, Jr, 11, 8, H-2

76, Mankosa, Mitch, Weirton, WV, 6-4, 215, DT, 75, Jr, 3, 0, A-1

59, Maples, Dave, Atlanta, GA, 6-2, 200, C, 78, Fr, 5, 0, I-3

Number, Name, Hometown, Height, Weight, Position, Letters, Year, Games Played, Games Started, Injured, Cadet Co

55, Mayes, George, Orange, NJ, 6-4, 230, MG, 76-77-78-79, So, 10, 9, 1 Injured, C-3

11, McGlasker, Greg, Mobile, AL, 5-10, 172, FL, 74-76-77, Sr, 9, 2, E-2

70, McIntyre, Gene, Lawton, OK, 6-4, 232, OG-OT, 77-78, Jr, 9, 4, D-1

40, Merriken, Jim, Red Hook, NY, 5-11, 190, HB, 76-77-78, Jr, 10, 9, 1 Injured, A-3

95, Messner, Corky, Altoona, PA, 6, 195, K, 78, Jr, 2, 0, F-2

53, Miller, Steve, Greencastle, PA, 6-1, 230, LB, 76-77, Sr, 10, 2, 1 Injured, C-1

10, Mulrane, Earle, Emerson, NJ, 6-3, 205, QB, 78-79, So, 6, 0, F-1

78, Oliver, Joe, Oxon Hill, MD, 6-2, 248, OT, 76-77-78, Jr, 9, 9, 2 Injured, F-3

50, Perkins, Ed, Cleburne, TX, 6-2, 205, C, 79, So, 4, 0, B-2

44, Pritchard, Dave, Tacoma, WA, 6, 200, HB, DNL, Fr, 11, 0, I-4

84, Schott, Chuck, Rochester, NY, 6-2, 210, DE, 76-77-78, Jr, 11, 11, G-4

29, Skoda, Bill, Rockville, MD, 6-1, 185, FL, 77-78-79, So, 8, 3, 2 Injured, B-2

26, Smith, Steve, Brasher Falls, NY, 6-3, 180, DB, 77-78, Jr, 9, 3, 2 Injured, F-1

Number, Name, Hometown, Height, Weight, Position, Letters, Year, Games Played, Games Started, Injured, Cadet Co

21, Steenborg, Gus, Texarkana, TX, HB, DNL, Sr, 1, 0, I-2

92, Swanson, Charlie, Los Angeles, CA, 6-4, 210, DE, 79-80-81, Fr, 10, 0, H-1

94, Teising, Scott, Flossmore, IL, 5-10, 168, FL, DNL, So, 1, 0, H-1

87, Thomas, JT, Los Angeles, CA, 6-1, 190, TE, DNL, Jr, 4, 0, G-1

58, Thomas, Kirk, Guymon, OK, 6-3, 225, LB, 75-76-77-79, Jr, 11, 9, H-1

91, Traylor, Tiki, Lockland, OH, 6-1, 220, DT, 74-77-78, Jr, 11, 5, B-3

68, Triplett, Cliff, Loomis, CA, 6-4, 212, DE, 79, So, 1, 0, I-3

69, Turrell, Doug, Mount Holly, NJ, 6-2, 220, MG, 75-77-78, Jr, 11, 2, A-3

65, Vorenkamp, Dick, Tulsa, OK, 6-5, 220, DT, DNL, Fr, 1, 0, C-3

24, Webb, Dan, East Canton, OH, 6-1, 185, DB, 78-79, Fr, 9, 0, B-2

22, Whyte, Ward, Williamsburg, VA, 6-2, 212, TE-P, 76-77-78, Jr, 11, 6, E-1

85, Wilson, Keith, Baltimore, MD, 6-3, 220, TE, 75-77, Sr, 11, 5, G-2

1977 Army Football Team – Cadet Football Managers Roster

Name, Hometown, Year, Cadet Company

Adam, Dave, Eau Claire, WI, Sr, A-1

Algermissen, Bob, Albuquerque, NM, So, I-4

Autrey, Dave, Wilmington, NC, So, E-4

Horn, Clint, Jefferson, TX, Sr, A-4, Head Football Manager

Nygaard, Kurt, Wisconsin, Jr, G-3

Whitfield, Joe, Waverly, OH, Sr, I-4

1977 Army Football Team – Junior Varsity/Plebe Roster

Name, Hometown, Position, Year, Height, Weight, Career Letters, Games Dressed, Cadet Co

Anderson, Joel, Torrance, CA, HB, Jr, 5-11, 195, 0, 0, E-4

Bagwell, Jim, Chattanooga, TN, QB, Fr, 6, 170, 0, 1, H-2

Baughman, Bruce, Springfield, MO, P, Fr, 6-2, 180, 0, 0, A-3

Beans, Mike, Marion, AL, DB, So, 6-1, 170, 1, 3, C-4

Beery, Mike, Mobile, AL, OT, Fr, 6-4, 230, 0, 0, B-1

Bleyl, Steve, Newark, DE, C-OG, Fr, 6-3, 220, 0, 2, I-1

Bowman, Bill, West Point, NY, LB, Fr, 6-1, 195, 0, 0, A-3

Boylan, Chris, Monroe, NY, DT-DE, Fr, 6-1, 210, 0, 0, G-1

Bristol, Mike, Cary, NC, OG, Fr, 6-4, 235, 1, 3, C-1

Burton, Hal, Lebanon, NJ, DE, Jr, 6-1, 200, 1, Injured all season, G-3

Busch, Doug, Carmel, NY, LB, Jr, 6, 200, 0, 0, G-2

Carter, Steve, Hudson, OH, OT, Fr, 6-7, 225, 2, 0, D-3

Name, Hometown, Position, Year, Height, Weight, Career Letters, Games Dressed, Cadet Co

Cook, Jeff, St Louis, MO, DB, Fr, 6-2, 180, 3, 9, D-4

Dauer, Bill, New Brighton, PA, WR, Fr, 6-5, 185, 0, 0, C-4

Davis, Archie, Memphis, TN, DE, Fr, 6-1, 190, 0, 0, G-2

Davis, Mark, Stow, OH, LB, So, 6-1, 205, 0, 0, A-2

Decker, TD, Westerville, OH, QB, Fr, 5-10, 178, 1, 0, E-2

Dewalt, Greg, Nazareth, PA, MG, Fr, 6-3, 205, 0, 0, H-2

Doak, Brian, Rock Island, IL, OT, Fr, 6-4, 220, 1, 0, E-4

Dolan, Tim, Allentown, PA, OG/DT, Fr, 6, 200, 1, 0, D-3

Dornstauder, Alex, Yorktown Heights, NY, K, So, 5-10, 209, 0, 0, C-2

Evans, Andy, Austin, TX, DT, Fr, 6-2, 225, 2, 0, G-1

Farrell, TJ, Brooklyn, NY, HB, So, 5-11, 180, 0, 0, C-2

Gulyas, Gary, Norwalk, CT, DE, So, 6-3, 210, 0, 0, D-1

Name, Hometown, Position, Year, Height, Weight, Career Letters, Games Dressed, Cadet Co

Harris, Daryl, Cincinnati, OH, TE, Fr, 6-1, 200, 0, 0, F-3

Herholtz, Matt, Brewerton, NY, MG, Fr, 6-1, 210, 3, 0, G-4

Hill, Jimmy, Olando, PA, RB, Fr, 6, 180, 2, 4, D-4

Hunter, Bob, Oakland, NJ, DB, So, 6, 170, 0, 0, G-1

Jackson, Chris, Henderson, KY, MG, Fr, 5-11, 205, 0, 0, I-2

Jones, Ernie, Tampa, FL, HB, So, 6-2, 195, 0, 0, B-4

Knapp, Mike, Central City, PA, HB, So, 5-11, 191, 0, 0, G-2

Kouhia, Glenn, Tappan, NY, DB, So, 6-1, 180, 0, 2, F-3

Kreidler, Tsu, Wichita Falls, TX, OG, Jr, 6-4, 245, 1, 1, I-4

Kubacki, Jeff, Skaneateles, NY, OT, So, 6-3, 215, 0, 0, H-2

Lane, Charlie, DeRidder, LA, DT, Fr, 6-3, 230, 0, 0, D-2

Lenhoff, Doug, Beverly Hills, CA, DE, So, 6-3, 203, 2, 0, D-2

Name, Hometown, Position, Year, Height, Weight, Career Letters, Games Dressed, Cadet Co

Magerkurth, Brian, Marble Falls, TX, DB-WR, Fr, 6, 185, 0, 0, F-2

March, Stan, Houston, TX, DT, Fr, 6-2, 225, 3, 0, G-3

Mazyck, Al, Farrell, PA, HB, Fr, 6-1, 190, 1, 0, E-4

McCall, Eugene, Camp Zama, JP, TE, Fr, 6, 190, 0, 0, C-3

McKearn, Mark, Beloit, WI, TE, Fr, 6-2, 190, 2, 0, G-2

McLeod, Bob, Athens, MA, QB, Fr, 6-2, 190, 0, 0, I-2

McLocklin, Steve, Littleton, MA, LB, Fr, 6-1, 205, 0, 0, E-2

Metry, Greg, Louisville, KY, HB, Fr, 6, 184, 0, 0, E-3

Murnane, Hobie, Glenview, IL, OT, Jr, 6-4, 240, 0, Injured all season, A-1

Muth, Barry, Center Valley, PA, LB, Fr, 6-2, 190, 0, 0, E-1

Nichol, Jim, Monaca, PA, K, Fr, 5-10, 160, 0, 0, F-4

O'Gara, Mark, Shamokin, PA, LB, Fr, 6-2, 196, 0, 0, E-4

Name, Hometown, Position, Year, Height, Weight, Career Letters, Games Dressed, Cadet Co

Orio, Al, Wenonah, NJ, LB, Fr, 6-2, 217, 0, 0, unknown

Osborn, Ron, unknown, WR, Fr, 5-10, 170, 0, 0, I-1

O'Sullivan, Terry, New York, NY, TE, Fr, 6-4, 190, 0, 0, A-4

Pettus, Carlous, Cincinnati, OH, LB, Jr, 6, 190, 1, 1, A-1

Robertson, Tom, Dedham, MA, LB, So, 6, 200, 0, 1, E-3

Sankovitch, John, Escanaba, MI, LB, Fr, 6-2, 183, 0, 0, G-1

Sartin, Dan, Hartselle, AL, OT, Sr, 6-4, 218, 0, 0, B-1

Sbroco, Len, Milwaukee, WI, DE, Fr, 6-1, 182, 1, 0, G-3

Schreder, Mark, El Paso, TX, DB, Fr, 6, 175, 0, 0, A-1

Shields, Bobby, Indianapolis, IN, RB, Fr, 5-11, 180, 0, 0, B-1

Silvola, Ward, Ocala, FL, DE, Sr, 6, 215, 0, 0, I-2

Simpson, Jim, Falls Church, VA, QB, Fr, 5-11, 165, 0, 0, A-2

Name, Hometown, Position, Year, Height, Weight, Career Letters, Games Dressed, Cadet Co

Sperduti, Dan, Auburn, NY, MG, Fr, 6-3, 205, 0, 0, unknown

Stangle, Scott, St Cloud, FL, DE, Fr, 6-3, 190, 0, 0, G-2

Streets, Kevin, Glen Nurnie, MD, DT, Fr, 6-1, 220, 2, 0, D-2

Topping, Ken, Columbus, OH, HB/DB, Fr, 6, 185, 0, 0, C-4

Trigsted, Mark, Lewiston, ID, QB, Fr, 6-3, 180, 1, 0, F-3

Trumbore, Larry, Pennsburg, PA, DE, So, 6-2, 200, 2, 0, A-3

Turner, Henry, Largo, MD, DB, So, 6-2, 190, 0, 1, B-2

Vanslager, Chris, South Bend, IN, LB, Fr, 6-2, 205, 0, 0, I-3

Vicci, Bobby, Cranford, NJ, QB, Fr, 5-11, 195, 2, 2, F-3

Wagner, Scott, West Lawn, PA, DB, Fr, 6-1, 190, 0, 0, A-4

Wharton, John, unknown, Fr, 5-11, 180, 0, 0, A-3

Wilhelm, Bill, Fort Leavenworth, KS, OG, Fr, 6-6, 215, 2, 0, G-1

Wood, Dan, Cumberland, MD, DB, Fr, 6-1, 185, 0, 0, C-3

Woolfolk, Ned, Cambridge, MD, DB, Fr, 6-1, 180, 0, 0, H-4

1977 Army Football Team – Cadets Cut after Spring Practice

Name, Position, Class (as of July 1977)

Anderson, Chuck, DE, So

Anderson, Rich, OG, Jr

Ash, Pete, HB, So

Benecke, Glenn, DT, So

Brinkley, Mark, DB, So

Buchanan, Larry, LB, Jr

Capstick, Paul, DE, So

Cherry, Larry, QB, So

Dillery, John, OG, So

Ellerbe, Mike, HB, So

Name, Position, Class (as of July 1977)

Gniadek, John, HB, So

LeGasse, Francis, LB, Jr

Lyons, Derek, HB, So

Raiola, Jim, WR, So

Rose, Mark, C-MG, So

Sapiro, Bob, DT-DE, So

Satre, Gale, DB, Sr

Smith, Jeff, DE, So

Stewart, Tinker, QB, So

Wright, Paul, HB, So

1977 Army Football Team – Coaches/Support Staff Roster

Name, Hometown, Position, Status, College

Axman, Steve, Huntington, NY, Offensive Backfield, Civilian, CW Post '69

Barnes, Ronnie, Abbeville, AL, JV/Plebe Defensive Backs, 2nd Lieutenant, Alabama '76

Borman, Fred, Houston, TX, Kickers, Captain, USMA '74

Bowman, Dick, Ponca City, OK, Defensive Coordinator, Civilian, Oklahoma '54

Gibson, Frank, Glencoe, OH, Defensive Ends, Lieutenant Colonel, USMA '61

Greenhouse, Al, Marksville, LA, Officer-in-Charge, Major, Southern U

Hall, Dick, Highland Falls, NY, Equipment Manager, Civilian, Highland Falls HS

Ivany, Bob, Westlake, OH, JV/Plebe Defensive Line, Captain, USMA '69

Lock, Larry, Malvern, AR, JV/Plebe Offensive Line, 1st Lieutenant, Henderson St '74

Mikolayunas, Mike, Baltimore, MD, Receivers, 2nd Lieutenant, Davidson '71

Name, Hometown, Position, Status, College

Pillings, Ed, Seattle, WA, Head Trainer, Civilian, Washington St

Protzman, Bob, Paolo, KS, Team Physician, Lieutenant Colonel, USMA '61

Roth, John, Allentown, PA, Junior Varsity/Plebe Head Coach, Captain, USMA '72

Scull, K.C., Fort Worth, TX, Offensive Ends, Captain, USMA '69

Smith, Homer, Omaha, NE, Head Football Coach, Civilian, Princeton '54

Sopko, Rance, Seaside, OR, JV/Plebe Receivers, Captain, Oregon '67

Stiegman, John, Buffalo, NY, Defensive Secondary, Civilian, Williams '43

Tarbox, Bruce, Sparkill, NY, Offensive Coordinator, Civilian, Syracuse '61

Wade, John, North Augusta, SC, Defensive Line, Civilian, SC State '71

Wall, Bernie, East Brewerton, AL, JV/Plebe Offensive Backfield, Captain, USMA '71

Chapter 25  
Post-Script 4 – Army Football Records

The 1977 Army Football Team or those that played on that team still hold a number of game, season, and career Army Football Records, as of the beginning of the 2017 season.

Team Game Records

Passing Yards - #8 – 315 yards vs. Massachusetts (1977)

Passing Touchdowns - #1 – 5 TD's vs. Massachusetts (1977)

Most Opponent Penalty Yards - #1 – 149 yards vs. Villanova (1977)

Team Season Records

Passing Yards - #7 – 2,020 yards (1977)

Passing Touchdowns - #3 – 15 TD's (1977)

Completion Percentage - #5 – 55.2% (1977)

Passing Yards per Game - #6 – 183.6 yards per game (1977)

Most Opponent Fumbles - #1 – 25 fumbles recovered (1977)

Commander-in-Chief's Trophy (1977) – Army 31, Air Force 6; Army 17, Navy 14

Individual Game Records

Longest Rush - #1 – 97 yards, Greg King versus Holy Cross (1977)

Rushing Yards - #10 – 212 yards, King vs. Holy Cross (1977)

Multiple 100-yard Rushers – King (212) and Jim Merriken (109) vs. Holy Cross

Passing Yards – #1 – 385 yards, Leamon Hall vs. North Carolina (1976); #6 – 310 yards, Hall vs. Massachusetts (1977); #9 – 298 yards, Hall vs. Penn State (1976); #13 – 268 yards, Hall vs. Boston College (1977); and #15 – 261 yards, Hall vs. Holy Cross (1977)

Passing Completions - #2 – 28, Hall vs. North Carolina (1976); #10 – 23, Hall vs. Boston College (1977); and #17 – 21, Hall vs. Notre Dame (1977)

Passing Touchdowns - #1 – 5, Hall vs. Massachusetts (1977); #2 – 4, Hall vs. North Carolina (1976); #7 – 3, Hall vs. Colgate (1976); and #7 – 3, Hall vs. Boston College (1977)

Pass Attempts - #1 – 55, Hall vs. North Carolina (1976); #7 – 42, Hall vs. Penn State (1976); #16 – 39, Hall vs. Boston College (1977); and #25 – 37, Hall vs. Notre Dame (1977)

Longest Passing Play - #9 – 77 yards, Jerryl Bennett to Mike Fahnestock vs. Rutgers, TD (1980); and #17 – 65 yards, T.D. Decker to Fahnestock vs. Lehigh, TD (1980)

Receptions - #3 – 11, Merriken vs. Notre Dame (1977); #6 – 10, Clennie Brundidge vs Lafayette (1976); #6 – 10, Merriken vs. Boston College (1977); and #6 – 10, Fahnestock vs. Holy Cross (1980)

Receiving Yards - #1 – 186 yards, Fahnestock vs. Lehigh (1980); #3 – 167 yards, Brundidge vs. Pittsburgh (1977); #10 – 149 yards, Fahnestock vs. Holy Cross (1980); #15 – 137 yards, Brundidge vs. Lafayette (1976); #15 – 137 yards, Fahnestock vs. Rutgers (1980); and #18 – 134 yards, Fahnestock vs. Air Force (1980)

Touchdown Receptions - #1 – 3, Fahnestock vs. Massachusetts (1977)

Fewest Catches in a 100-yard Receiving Game - #7 – 3 receptions, 127 yards, Brundidge vs. Air Force (1978); #21 – 5 receptions, 137 yards, Fahnestock vs. Rutgers (1980); and #7 – 3 receptions, 121 yards, Fahnestock vs. Pittsburgh (1978)

Total Offense Yards - #1 – 378 yards, Hall vs. North Carolina (1976); #4 – 330 yards, Hall vs. Massachusetts (1977); and #21 – 270 yards, Hall vs. Penn State (1976)

Most Plays - #1 – 64 plays, Hall vs. North Carolina (1976)

Most Touchdowns Responsible For - #1 – 5 TD's, Hall vs. Massachusetts (1977)

All-Purpose Yards - #40 – 217 yards, Merriken vs. Boston College (1977); #48 – 212 yards, King vs. Holy Cross (1977); and #57 – 206 yards, Fahnestock vs. Lehigh (1980)

Individual Season Records

Top Single Season Rushing Duos - #24 – 1,408 yards, King (961) and Merriken (447) (1977)

Most Interceptions Thrown - #1 – 27, Hall (1976)

Passing Touchdowns - #1 – 15, Hall (1976); #1 – 15, Hall (1977); and #16 – 7, Hall (1975)

Most 300-Yard Passing Games - #2 – 2, Hall

Most 250-Yard Passing Games - #1 – 3, Hall (1976)

Most 200-Yard Passing Games - #2 – 5, Hall (1977); #4 – 4, Hall (1976); and #6 – 2, Earle Mulrane (1978)

Passing Yards - #2 – 2,174 yards, Hall (1976); #3 – 1,944 yards, Hall (1977); #8 – 1,419 yards, Mulrane (1978); and #13 – 1,107 yards Hall (1975)

Pass Completions - #3 – 162 completions, Hall (1976); #5 – 151 completions, Hall (1977); #10 – 103 completions, Mulrane (1978); and #12 – 93 completions, Hall (1975)

Pass Attempts - #2 – 344 attempts, Hall (1976); #6 – 265 attempts, Hall (1977); #9 – 222 attempts, Mulrane (1978); #10 – 218 attempts, Hall (1975); and #18 – 160 attempts, Mulrane (1979)

Completion Percentage - #5 – 57.0%, Hall (1977)

Pass Efficiency Rating - #14 – 124.5, Hall (1977)

Receptions - #5 – 51, Brundidge (1977); #6 – 47, Brundidge (1976), Fahnestock (1980); and #8 – 44, Brundidge (1978)

Receiving Yards - #1 – 937 yards, Fahnestock (1980); #4 – 842 yards, Brundidge (1977); #5 – 726 yards, Brundidge (1978); and #7 – 657 yards, Brundidge (1976)

Receiving Touchdowns - #1 – 7, Fahnestock (1980); and #3 – 6, Brundidge (1976)

Yards Per Catch Average - #6 – 19.9 yards per catch, Fahnestock (1980)

Most 100-Yard Receiving Games - #1 – 5, Fahnestock (1980); #2 – 3, Brundidge (1976, 1977); and #7 – 2, Brundidge (1978)

Total Offense Yards - #1 – 2,121 yards, Hall (1976); and #4 – 1,944 yards, Hall (1977)

All-Purpose Yards - #17 – 1,265 yards, King (1977)

Touchdowns Responsible For - #1 – 23, Hall (1977); and #7 – 17, Hall (1976)

Field Goal Percentage - #6 – 80.0%, Mike Castelli (1976)

Extra Points Made - #22 – 26, Castelli (1977)

Extra Points Attempted - #17 – 32, Castelli (1977)

Extra Point Percentage - #1 – 100%, Corky Messner (1978)

Most Punts - #1 – 88, Charlie Adams (1979); and #5 – 73, Ward Whyte (1978)

Punting Yards - #1 – 3,451 yards, Adams (1979); and #6 – 2,923 yards, Whyte (1978)

Punting Average - #15 – 40.0 yards per punt, Whyte (1978)

Punt Returns - #7 – 23 returns, Jon Hallingstad (1979)

Total Tackles - #8 – 140, Mark Berry (1976); #13 – 129, John Hilliard (1977); #19 – 123, Hilliard (1978); #30 – 115, George Mayes (1979); #33 – 113, Kirk Thomas (1978); #42 – 107, Thomas (1977); #45 – 106, Chuck D'Amico (1976); #54 – 101, Chuck Schott (1976); and #54 – 101, Mayes (1977)

Unassisted Tackles -#3 – 88, Hilliard (1977); #13 – Berry (1976); #16 – Hilliard (1978); and #21 – Thomas (1978)

Tackles for Loss - #1 – 23, Mayes (1979); and #35 – 10, Mayes (1978)

Pass Breakups - #16 – 7, Dave Charest (1979); and #16 – 7, Hallingstad (1979)

Interceptions - #9 – 5, Hilliard (1977)

Passes Defended - #19 – 10, Hallingstad (1979)

Fumbles Recovered - #1 – 5, Schott (1977); #2 – 4, Joe LeGasse (1977); #6 – LeGasse (1976); and #9 – 3, Hallingstad (1978)

Individual Career Records

Rushing Yards - #12 – 1,992 yards, Greg King (1974-1977); and #62 – 868 yards, Jim Merriken (1976-1978)

Rushing Attempts - #10 – 434, King

Rushing Touchdowns - #18 – 16 TD's, King

Career 100-Yard Rushing Games - #23 – 4, King

Passing Yards - #2 – 5,502 yards, Leamon Hall (1974-1977); and #12 – 2,151 yards, Earl Mulrane (1977-1979)

Passing Completions - #2 – 426, Hall; and #10 – 173, Mulrane

Passing Attempts - #2 – 878, Hall; and #8 – 402, Mulrane

Passing Touchdowns - #1 – 38, Hall; and #15 – 10, Mulrane

Completion Percentage - #14 – 48.5%, Hall

Passing Yards per Attempt - #17 – 6.3 yards per attempt, Hall

Pass Efficiency Rating - #18 – 100.2, Hall

Most 300-Yard Passing Games - #2 – 2, Hall

Receptions - #2 – 147 receptions, Clennie Brundidge (1975-1979); and #4 – 97 receptions, Mike Fahnestock (1977-1980)

Receiving Yards - #2 – 2,279 yards, Brundidge; and #4 – 1,726 yards, Fahnestock

Receiving Touchdowns - #2 – 14, Brundidge; and #4 – 13, Fahnestock

Yards per Catch Average - #2 – 17.8 yards per catch, Fahnestock; and #6 – 15.5 yards per catch, Brundidge

Most 100-Yard Receiving Games - #1 – 8, Brundidge; #2 – 6, Fahnestock; and #12 – 1, Jim Merriken

Total Offense Yards - #3 – 5,524 yards, Hall

All-Purpose Yards - #13 – 2,657 yards, King; and #23 – 2,371 yards, Brundidge

Touchdowns Scored - #19 – 17 TD's, King

Touchdowns Responsible For - #3 – 51 TD's, Hall

Field Goals Made - #12 – 15, Mike Castelli (1974-1977)

Field Goals Attempted - #11 – 25, Castelli

Field Goal Percentage - #16 – 60.0%, Castelli

Extra Point Kicks Made - #11 – 56, Castelli

Extra Point Kicks Attempted - #10 – 68, Castelli

Extra Point Percentage - #1 – 100%, Corky Messner (1977-1978)

Most Punts - #2 – 190, Ward Whyte (1975-1978); and #14 – 93, Charlie Adams (1977-2979)

Punting Yards - #3 – 7,495 yards, Whyte; and #14 – 3,602 yards, Adams

Punting Average - #6 – 39.5 yards per punt, Whyte; and #12 – 38.7 yards per punt, Adams

Punt Returns - #15 – 29, Phil Macklin (1975-1978)

Punt Return Average - #19 – 6.8 yards per punt, Macklin

Total Tackles - #3 – 366, John Hilliard (1976-1979); #13 – 291, Kirk Thomas (1975-1978); #17 – 284, George Mayes (1976-1979); #22 – 259, Chuck Schott (1976-1978); and #29 – 214, Chuck D'Amico (1975-1977)

Unassisted Tackles - #2 – 225, Hilliard; #15 – 165, Schott; #17 – 163, Mayes; and #20 – 153, Thomas

Tackles for Loss - #2 – 42, Mayes; #17 – 22, Schott; and #21 – 20, Tiki Traylor (1974-1978)

Pass Breakups - #16 – 12, Dave Charest (1976-1979)

Interceptions - #12 – 8, Macklin and Hilliard

Fumbles Forced - #4 – 6, Mayes

Fumbles Recovered - #1 – 7, Schott; #1 – 7, Joe LeGasse (1976-1978); and #6 – 5, Thomas

Chapter 26  
Post-Script 5 – The Last Word

In visiting the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in June 2017 and reviewing Chuck D'Amico's scrapbook, I found that Homer Smith wrote letters to Friends of Army Football from time to time during his tenure. This letter, dated June 21, 1978, seems an appropriate way to end the story about the 1977 Army Football Team.

***

Dear Friends of Army Football,

Sitting around the painted crest at the center of the Astroturf in Army's Michie Stadium, at midnight on September 4th, 1977, football players who had lived the disappointment of the Navy game in 1976 wondered why their captains had called them together and what they were waiting for. They were waiting for a key player who had fallen asleep, and they were there to vow to hang together through eleven games no matter what.

If players do not play hard and together in every quarter of every game, they can never know how good they are, and it was ingenious of the captains to ask them to think about this.

With razor blades they cut their thumbs, offenders pressed thumbs to defenders – offensive and defensive effort were welded together – and statements were made about total commitment to the purpose of winning.

After that night, new players were initiated one by one, and by the night before the 1977 Navy game every player was a party to the vow. What they did remains intimately theirs. No one outside of the player group knew about it until after the final victory.

***

In the fall of 1975, as the Head Football Coach at the United States Military Academy, I won two games and lost nine. The nine were consecutive. In October of that fall I received a letter from the editor of the Magazine of the Midlands asking me to contribute words about my chosen career, the young people I work with, and my awareness of roots in the Midlands.

With pressure holding its direct proportion to losses, I stalled, and, with nine capped by Navy's overcoming of our last ditch effort, I pushed aside the kind request along with everything else not essential to survival and forgot it. To my amazement he renewed the request, suggesting that I write about the experience of being with young people in losing. Not wanting to remember, I said no.

Now the editor remembers my devastation with, "Is there a story there? With our over-powering emphasis on winning, there must be lessons to be learned from losing." And I yield. Certainly he needs help from outside of the State on the subject of losing, with the dearth of material available in the Devaney/Osborn seasons at the University of Nebraska.

***

One-half of the graduates of college football have lost more games than they have won, one-half must build from the experience of losing, most leave school with their biggest contests ahead, all can teach from the lessons they learned in the arena.

Coaches are, of course, in business to win. Players learn only from the effort to win. Coaches expect to have to win. The people who stage the games expect the effort to win to be total. And in writing about an experience in losing this coach suggests no less emphasis than there is on the very purpose of the play. Win.

If less than everything, winning is at least the reason why there is a game at all. It is also how coaches keep their jobs.

***

In Palo Alto, California in October of 1975, our Co-Captain and quarterback sat on the edge of his motel bed, bandaged elaborately for a broken shoulder and wearing football pants that he said he did not want to take off... sat there, with the worst defeat of his life (to Stanford) going down in ink, and said, "What do we have to do? We lift (weights), we run, we practice."

Trained to explain losing only in terms of what could be done to win the game if it could be played again, I probably said something about knowing that it hurt worse than the shoulder. Eight days before he was 2 and 0, with 100 points in the books. Then, after the frightening suspension of a good player, the start of an inquiry, two losses, and a broken bone, he was through.

In 28 years of playing and coaching I have never seen anyone invest more or try harder. Fortunately, he had confidence beyond athletics and a sense of humor. Pulling at his pants with one hand he smiled and said, "Over at the hospital I made some good contacts for medical school." For him the game was still on.

***

Only urgent people slash thumbs, bleed, and vow. Extreme? Juvenile? Poor people do not always go by the book, and those young people had, as football players, grown up poor. It is unlikely that a group with a bowl game to remember would have so dedicated itself. The vow, again, was to hang together through 44 quarters no matter what. Extreme? Good things happened to them, and each will remember always the feeling of knowing that teammates were blood loyal to him as he gave college football his only shot.

What they did was for one season only, and details of the ritual are still untold; yet I know enough to be able to relate it to the hurt and want – like in Palo Alto – from which it came. If there are lessons to be learned from losing, the first is surely to let the hurt of it make you tougher and better.

The best known football man in the nation says, when asked about how he did it, that he could cope with losing. Coping means continuing to improve, letting hunger power effort. Coping does not mean, ever, feeling that you did your best in losing. That is copping, out.

***

The remaining Co-Captain in 1975 played so furiously on his defensive side that an opponent coach asked months after facing him, "How is Number 20?" A kind of accomplishment, I thought, to be remembered for no particular reason except your jersey number flashed in a game film and to have an assistant coach send his best to you.

Army coaches that year worked rhythmically, waiting for breaks or better days or anything. The most patient and effective seems to be the two who had played on undefeated National Championship teams as seniors. Before and since their winning these two big men had struggled, and they seemed to know the course to hold in the storm. Are positive thinking, sincerity, courage, and enthusiasm always more important that technical expertise during a struggle?

Well into the sequence of losses, a general officer stopped me and said, "Come over for dessert, and the only subject we definitely will not discuss is football." For an hour I was me again, being talked to as whatever I was before the roof started to fall in, not feeling like a robot plugged into a scoreboard. The charge of energy from the pie and tea powered me for days, and I want to do for someone, someday what was done for me then. In the season these were poignancies which have been distilled into lessons.

Before the final game it was obviously time to bench some of the older players and inject youth. My superiors had suggested that I not hesitate to do this. The young practiced hard; they benched, trained by their school to be professional, bit down on the bullets; we lost, without the generation of spirit that carries players above their abilities; and it was my fault.

Players will always bounce back. Always. There is never a need to bench anyone until the reason is to play someone better. There is a way to release him to do what he most urgently wants to do which is to bounce back.

After the season we were able to work harder than ever because a kind of meaning came out of how difficult the job looked. In America it is hardly newsworthy if someone is down and works hard. The point is that for us it seemed so difficult that we worked harder and better together than we would have otherwise worked.

In 1972 I had joined Pepper Rodgers' staff at UCLA, after there had been two wins in 1971. My attraction was largely to Pepper's spirit, to his reaction to losing. In 1972 the first thing he did was beat Nebraska in Los Angeles – with a spirit which might not have shown through after a winning season. Losing can beget winning. It depends, from my observation, on the reaction to the losing.

To recruit from a losing season – for young men bred to identify with winners – is to know the pressure to get the job done. Recruiting is a coach's lifeblood, and to keep it flowing he will at least feel the temptation to do whatever it takes. NCAA recruiting rules were originally written and are annually revised to tidy up after the coaches get through fighting over a crop of high school prospects. Good men get out-of-bounds in the fight believing that they have to in order to survive, that everyone does it, that they will do just a little of it and then stop.

Seeing the rich get richer as the law responds only when someone is accused, seeing the law as from too far away and controlled by power, and not worrying about condemnation by either fans or fellow coaches for transgressions, coaches sometimes break the law.

Control should be from within the coaching profession where most men know most of what goes on. NCAA proscriptions do not always cure; their canons often miss. Somehow, the emphasis on winning must never result in the tempting of young athletics by coaches who are trying to hold onto the only lives they know.

***

If the roof seemed to be falling in during the '75 season, the sky was threatening in the spring. The well-publicized honor system involvement consumed people. What was already difficult became dramatically more so. Almost as a challenge to ourselves we agreed not to mention the subject in the football office and to face the test of professionalism, which is to do your job no matter what.

Three starting offensive linemen were lost, a fourth was injured, and the 1976 season arrived on schedule, impersonal and merciless.

We struggled to beat a Division II team 16 to 6, and with ten minutes to go in the next game we were down 24 to 6 to an opponent which had almost never beaten Army. This is it, I thought to myself.

Wondering about the future of the only career I had and feeling a quiet over the fans and team, I said something like the following to QB Leamon Hall, "Forget the scoreboard. Do you know how you feel sometimes in a passing drill when you are not worried about reading defenses or the game plan or what a coach just said? Do you know how you feel when you are loose and hot and having fun? I want you to pretend that this is a passing drill and feel that way now."

We scored three touchdowns in ten minutes and won, broke several school offensive records the next week in losing to North Carolina by two points, came from a 20 to 0 deficit the next week to win 21 to 20 over Stanford, and in came _Sports Illustrated_.

The quarterback and his receiver, Clennie Brundidge, were there because they could cope with losing. Anchored in their religion like Roger Staubach and Craig Morton are in theirs, they were able to function when so many tightened with the fear of something awful happening. Living with a higher purpose, football was to be played for joy of the competition, and they were able to relax.

A little too excited and with aspirations slightly ahead of our capabilities, we thought we would win the final game of '76 but reacted to early setbacks by tightening, and it was 38-10. To no one's surprise criticism followed. Players went to work on the weights, feverishly although quietly. Coaches went to work in recruiting, religiously although wondering. The loss had left us as low as the Stanford game had left us high.

Purpose for the 1977 season was imposed by the termination date on my contract and the obvious and accepted importance of winning. Under the ultimate professional pressure, we could reach our goal only if the players were confident and free. Tight athletes do not play well. The best teams work on Wednesday but play on Saturday.

Army players responded by electing the right captains for the situation. The requirement for winning was never mentioned. With no basis in the record book, they talked about being good, about winning. Before spring practice, a young player, destined for football stardom, cancelled plans to transfer to another school saying "I wouldn't miss it." Everyone got into shape. Everyone was ready in the fall. When captains said slash thumbs, everyone did.

A key game in the season was to be Villanova. Sandwiched between Colorado and Notre Dame and with excellent players, they would test us. Ahead 14 to 0 in the first quarter, they did. The same quarterback, without the same words from me, moved his team to a first half score with 0:00 showing on the clock. Counseled that he had wasted valuable seconds on the drive by huddling during a measurement, he said, "If I had left any time on the clock, they might have scored." A quick response. No tension this time. Offenders and defenders pressed thumb scars together, played confidently, and won.

Down 38 to 0 at the half against Pitt, the athletes faced their most difficult quarter. If they had not made up their minds earlier about exactly what they were going to do, it might have been difficult. As it was, their play was furious, and they finished with 25 first downs and more points than anyone else scored on Pitt all year. In losing they paid no price in spirit or confidence.

Navy: Temperature 30, wind chill minus 10, mud. Knowing that we had to win, little was said about winning. There was no tension. Nor was there a penalty or a turnover. The first half was good on both offense and defense; the second was too conservative on offense – a basketball team would have been said to have let the air out of the ball. As if by script, Navy made a final move on the goal line, using fourth downs to make first downs. With fourth-and-two, their great tailback, Joe Gattuso, faked a sweep to his left and threw a pass incomplete. We won. The lessons, however, had already been learned.

Gattuso walked across the field and up the stairs to our locker room to say "congratulations." John Kurowski, who scored Navy's first touchdown, wrote 10 days latter to say, "Good game." The Navy coach brought Gattuso's father over to meet me at the Hall-of-Fame Dinner. The coach's son was converted into an Army fan by Leamon Hall at the East-West Game. The coach's wife wrote that the son would be deprogrammed by fall.

Normal human contact swept over the game result and left it in its proper place vis-à-vis the people involved. Besides, for all of us, the game was still on.

***

For winners there are problems; for losers there are problems; for all strivers there is work ahead. For winners the biggest problems are often presented by the losers. Hardened for the next test and powered by want, losers will dictate how long to celebrate victory.

As for the lessons from it all, they are learned along the way, and what happens on a final play affects them only slightly. Even the joy which resides seems to come more from the memory of the journey than from printed history. Certainly it is dangerous to impute too much to victory, once the play has ended, for there are tests ahead where only the lessons, not the history, will help.

Do not see any game as an ending; play partly for the love of playing; keep getting better; hold to a higher purpose; do not let anything affect your confidence in yourself; stay loose.

***

The quarterback who broke the shoulder is a second-year medical school student, married to a beautiful girl, happy, and winning. The game is still on. Number 20 is in military intelligence, and he says with delight that he cannot say what he does. After suffering what he calls "withdrawals" from leaving the game which he loved as much as any winner ever did, he is winning.

As players move across the stage taking their brief turns in the lights, their experience can be enhanced if we will all do our jobs. For me, of course, the job is making sure it is the other guy who does the first hand learning from losing and gets the next request to write about it.

/s/ Homer Smith

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"Villanova," _Philadelphia Daily News_ , October 6, 1977.

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PRIMARY SOURCES FOR BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:

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West Point Association of Graduates. _The Register of Graduates and Former Cadets_. West Point, NY: West Point Association of Graduates, 2015.

SECONDARY SOURCES:

Beech, Mark. _When Saturday Mattered Most: The Last Golden Season of Army Football_. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2012.

Blackwell, James A. _On Brave Old Army Team: The Cheating Scandal that Rocked the Nation_ , West Point 1951. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 1996.

Blaik, Earl H., with Cohane, Tim. _You Have to Pay the Price_. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960.

Cromartie, Bill. _Army Navy Football: The Greatest Rivalry in All of Sports_. Atlanta, GA: Gridiron Publishers, 1996.

Drape, Joe. _Soldiers First: Duty, Honor, Country, and Football at West Point_. New York: Times Books, 2012.

Finstein, John. _A Civil War: A Year inside College Football's Purest Rivalry_. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1996.

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McWilliams, Bill. _A Return to Glory: The Untold Story of Honor, Dishonor, and Triumph at the United States Military Academy 1950-53_. Lynchburg, VA: Warwick House Publishers, 2000.

Miller, John J. _The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football_. New York: Harper Perennial, 2011.

Mills, Nicolaus. _Every Army Man is With You: The Cadets who Won the 1964 Army-Navy Game, Fought in Vietnam, and Came Home Forever Changed_. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.

Revsine, Dave. _The Opening Kickoff: The Tumultuous Birth of a Football Nation_. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2014.

Roberts, Randy. _A Team for America: The Army-Navy Game that Rallied a Nation at War_. Boston: First Mariner Books, 2012.

Ruggero, Ed. _Duty First: A Year in the Life of West Point and Making of American Leaders_. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001.

Schoor, Gene. _100 Years of Notre Dame Football_. New York: William Morrow, 1987.

Schoor, Gene. _Treasury of Notre Dame Football_. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1962.

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U.S. Department of War. United States Corps of Cadets. _The Howitzer_. New York: The Hoskins Press, 1907.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the many folks that have encouraged me in this effort, especially the unyielding support of my beautiful bride and lifelong partner, Hilary.

Several of the members of my USMA Class of 1978 (Dave Lemcoe, Dave Rich, Jim Luckett, Bill Forrester, Jim Hodge, and Jim Nalepa) have talked or sent emails asking about my progress and providing encouraging words – thanks to my brothers.

Much of my core research would not have been possible except by the preparations made in advance and during my week at West Point in the Directorate of Intercollegiate Athletics, especially Mady Salvani. Thanks again to Matt Faulkner for the use of your office. Mady, I would not be able to do this without your assistance.

Thanks to the wp.org organization, especially Dian Wells, and class moderators like Allen Light, ('77), Jeff Yeaw ('77), Bill Forrester ('78), Gary Butler ('79), Mike Luttman ('80), Doug Lobdell ('80), Bonney Epstein ('81). Other contributors were John Ortman ('77), Phil Baker (ex '77), David Feeley (ex '79), and Frank Staley (ex '79). And I heard from several football players – Bill Duelge, Kevin Kullander, Phil Macklin, Duane Fuller, Bobby Vicci, Brian Magerkurth, Matt Herholtz, Tom Robertson, and Ned Woolfolk, plus all that answered the two surveys. Plus Sam Mayes, son of George.

And finally, to my classmates and brothers Chuck D'Amico and Leamon Hall, the amazing leaders of the 1977 Army Football Team, all their help and advice. Without them, I wonder what would have happened.

THE END

Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite ebook retailer?

Thanks!

/s/ Mike Belter

About the Author:

Mike Belter is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also holds graduate degrees from Ball State University and Syracuse University. Mike has worked many years for one of America's largest electric utilities in a variety of roles. He is heavily involved in the Baldrige process, being a volunteer in the national Baldrige Performance Excellence Program; state/regional programs supporting Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Kentucky, Arizona, California, and Washington; and the Alliance for Performance Excellence, the network of all state and regional Baldrige-based programs. Mike is a retired Army Officer, having served in active Army, the Army Reserve, and Oklahoma Army National Guard units as a Finance Officer, Operations Research Analyst, Inspector General, Brigade S-1, and Comptroller. He served in Desert Shield at Norfolk Naval Base and in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad. Mike and his wife live in the Midwest with their two pound-puppies and love to holiday in Bermuda.

**Another book** by Mike Belter, available as either a free eBook or you may buy it as a paperback. A Forgotten First National Championship: The 1914 Army Football Team. See how this college football team was able to win all nine games during the 1914 season. Army decisively played and defeated teams from Rutgers, Colgate, Villanova, Notre Dame, Navy and others. The team was later named by the NCAA as one of three national college football champions for 1914. Players included future Generals Bradley and Van Fleet and Hall of Fame coach Bob Neyland.

**Another book** by Mike Belter, available as either a free eBook or you may buy it as a paperback. Combat Zone Tourist: My 13 Months of Emails from the Sandbox. Follow the story of an Army Reservist called up in 2004 who served 13 months in Iraq. While there, he begins to write weekly emails to his family and friends back at his civilian job in the United States. He spends 5 months in the crazy world of the Baghdad Green Zone - the "world's largest gated community" then 8 months at the Corps headquarters running the war. Mike was credited by the Corps Commanding General as developing new Army doctrine for "money as a weapon system."

