Army Football Preview 2025: What Can the Black Knights Do for an Encore?

Army Black Knights Preview 2025: Offense

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Army Season Prediction, Top Players, Win Total

- As always, you know how this works. Army struggled to run in 2023, and it lost. It went from running for close to 2,500 yards and 19 scores, and last year it ran for over 4,200 yards and 48 touchdowns. The Army offense is the Army offense - it’ll do what it does no matter who’s running it - but Captain America is gone.

- Bryson Daily ran for 1,659 yards and 32 touchdowns, threw for over 1,000 yards and nine scores, and ended up in the mix for the Heisman. Army always gets production out of its quarterbacks, but replacing him will be next to impossible.

Senior Dewayne Coleman doesn’t have the power of Daily, but he’s ultra-quick, has a little bit of experience, and he’s got enough experience in the system to make the offense his. He’ll be one of the leading runners, but he’ll have help.

- It hurts to lose top running back Kanye Udoh to Arizona State, but Noah Short is a good all-around option who can catch, and 215-pound Hayden Reed adds more power. And then there’s the blast - that comes from 255-pound Jake Rendina in a fullback role.

- The line has enough size and returning experience to be okay. Last year’s front five was special, but top blocking guard Paolo Gennarelli is still around, along with 6-0, 313-pound center Brady Small.

- Short might end up being the team’s leading receiver, but Liam Fortner should fill the role as the one-big-play-a-game deep threat. He caught one pass for 28 yards last season.

Army Black Knights Preview 2025: Defense

- The defense didn’t exactly deal with a slew of high-octane powerhouse offenses, but it did shut down the North Texas attack allowing just three points, and Tulane couldn’t do anything in the AAC championship. More parts are back for the defensive side than the offense.

- There isn’t a ton of size up front, but 275-pound Jack Latore on one end and 300-pound Kody Harris-Miller are decent veteran leaders who can clog things up. The pass rush comes from the linebackers, but main man Elo Modozie left for Georgia. Senior Eric Ford will get the first shot at one of the outside spots.

The inside situation is in far better shape than the outside. Kalib Fortner and Andon Thomas might be the best 1-2 linebacking punch in the AAC after combining for 179 tackles. Fortner led the team with 9.5 tackles for loss.

- The secondary attacked the ball, finishing sixth in the nation with 18 picks. The corners have to be replaced, but Justin Weaver is coming off a two interception season. Casey Larkin is a good-hitting safety, but the spotlight will be on Gavin Shields to replace all-AAC star Max DiDomenico at free safety.

- Army Season Prediction, Top Players, Win Total