Army is facing mission critical when it comes to the Black Knights bowl hopes in 2016. The Lafayette game not counting towards bowl eligibility, plus some massive let downs in the kicking game at key times, means that Army simply has to win this game on Saturday to have any shot at playing in late December. Even then Army would need some factors to fall in their favor, but a chance is better than no chance at all.
Here are the three keys to beating the Bears:
1) Better special teams play
This was alluded to in the intro, but if Army fails to make the postseason this year then the special team’s units, and especially the kicking game, will have to take a significant portion of the blame. The kicking game has coast Army at least one game this fall (Buffalo) and conceivably a couple of others (Duke especially), and in the razor-thin margins of a 12 game season, those kicking game mishaps are the difference between bowling and staying home for the holidays.
Army kickers have combined to make five field goals on the year from 11 attempts. Blake Wilson and Mitchell Howard have also combined to miss three extra points. It is not just the kicking, but it would certainly be uplifting to see better play from these units on Saturday as finding a reliable kicker has to be one of the top priorities for Jeff Monken this offseason.
2) Shut down the Morgan State passing offense
Morgan State is 2-7 on the year, and the Bears have lost five straight games since starting the season 2-2. Last time out Morgan State lost 22-21 to Florida A&M after taking a 14-6 lead in the first quarter and being up 21-9 in the third quarter. Morgan State quarterback Chris Andrews struggled to pass in the game, completing just seven of his 16 passing attempts for 58 yards.
Andrews is also a threat to run (71 yards last Saturday), but Army needs to concentrate on taking away the pass and playing everything in front of them. It is a strategy the defense has used this season and obviously the MSU attack will be nothing like the matchup Notre Dame provided a week ago. The defense needs to get back on track in this one.
3) No turnovers
Army is considerably better than Morgan State. The only FBS team to face the Bears in 2016 was Marshall, and the Thundering Herd dominated that game 62-0. As a result, the only way this game gets close is if Army is loose with the football. Against North Texas, Army went on tilt and gave the ball away seven times and doing that will get you beaten by any opponent at any level of play. If Army though can keep hold of the ball and play the ball control offense that it showed against the likes of UTEP and Lafayette, then the Black Knights should wrap this one up convincingly.
