Fall camp is over half done. That means that football is right around the corner at this point. As fans, this is great news. As coaches, it means that an entire offseason of planning and preparation is heading quickly towards a violent conclusion.
Jeff Monken has two more weeks to attempt to solidify some of the question marks on the roster. That is a total of 29 practices with which to bring the squad to a level the head coach is comfortable with before entering preseason drills.
As with any team at this point in the cycle, there are as many questions as there are answers when it comes to the state of the lineup. Here are three areas of the offense that Monken will be concerned with over the next couple weeks:
Quarterback
Ahmad Bradshaw has this spot locked down barring some major regression, but Monken would love to see more passing capability out of his senior starter. Bradshaw can run the ball well – and he has developed into a good decision maker in the option game – but he threw nine interceptions in just 91 pass attempts in 2016. That is simply not good enough regardless of the fact that often Army was only passing the ball in late game situations.
Army returns an impressive offensive line group and its top five rushers from last season. There are no question marks in the running game, so fall camp should be all about Bradshaw – and any other quarterback that could legitimately see the field – working on passing the ball. That is the step that will take Army to the next level in 2017.
Wide Receiver
The Black Knights are not about to turn into a passing team, but it would be nice to have something of a sure thing at wide receiver. Edgar Poe was Army’s big play (and some would say only) threat at wide receiver in 2016. He was the go to guy in seemingly every situation. He also had great downfield blocking skills when the slotbacks tore loose.
The expectation was that Christian Poe would fill his brother’s shoes and step into the leading role as a wide receiver as a junior. He was the Black Knights second-leading pass catcher last fall as he hauled in 10 balls for 133 yards. He also looked great in the Black Knights’ spring game. With Poe no longer on the roster the receiver situation is a complicated one that will need to find some clarity in camp.
Injuries
This one is not a position, it is a concept. Monken and his staff are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to make Army the best football team possible. One factor in play this year is that a study showed that the Black Knights pick up 50-percent of their injuries in the preseason.
This is a ludicrously high number, so Monken is toning down his practices a touch before the season starts in an attempt to carry a healthier roster into the season. This is important for all teams, but it is especially important for a team like Army that runs the triple-option. It is a high contact, high attrition scheme, so keeping players away from hits until the whistle sounds to start the regular season makes a lot of sense.
