The all-time college football service academy team

Staubach is one of two Navy players to win the Heisman Trophy, and likely the most recognizable quarterback from any service academy. He won the award as a junior in 1963, when he threw for 1,474 yards and ran for 418 while responsible for 15 total touchdowns. All while helping the Midshipmen to a 9-2 record, a victory over rival Army and a trip to the Cotton Bowl. Though Staubach dealt with injuries as a senior, he finished his Navy career with a school-record 4,253 passing yards. His No. 12 was retired by the institution in 1965.

The second Army football player to win the Heisman Trophy, doing so in 1946. Davis was part of the academy's legend teams that went 27-0-1 from 1944-'46. Known as "Mr. Outside," Davis ran for 2,309 yards, averaging 8.7 per carry, while scoring 36 touchdowns on the ground. Davis could also catch the ball, recording 39 receptions for 790 yards (a 20.8 yards per game average) and 12 more touchdowns. The College Football Hall of Famer completed his collegiate career with a school-record 59 touchdowns and 5,161 all-purpose yards. Davis also recorded 14 career interceptions.

The third and most recent Army player to win the Heisman Trophy. Dawkins took home the honor in 1958, when he also won the Maxwell Award, while amassing 1,216 all-purpose yards and 12 total TDs and helping the Cadets to an 8-0-1 record and a No. 3 national ranking. For his career at Army, Dawkins rushed for 1,123 yards and caught 27 passes for more than 710 yards. He scored 25 touchdowns from scrimmage and was responsible for 158 points. Dawkins was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

In many circles, Felix "Doc" Blanchard is considered the greatest ever to play football at Army. A teammate of the aforementioned Glenn Davis, Blanchard is Army's first Heisman Trophy winner, claiming the prize in 1945. That season, he ran for 722 yards, averaging 7.1 per carry, with 16 touchdowns. For his three-year college career, the 6-foot, 208-pound Blanchard, a bruiser of a runner, gained 1,908 yards and totaled 38 touchdowns while going by the nickname of "Mr. Inside." He's one of four Army players to have their jersey number (35) retired.

A versatile performer, Beagle was a two-time All-American, and the Maxwell Award winner in 1954. A season in which he caught 30 passes for 451 yards and four touchdowns. Perhaps most impressive about that campaign, was Beagle endured a broken hand during the run. For his brilliant three-year career as a Midshipman, Beagle recorded 64 receptions for 849 yards with eight touchdowns. Beagle is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Arguably the greatest option quarterback in all of service academy football. Reynolds is the FBS record holder with 88 career rushing touchdowns. In addition, his 4.495 career rushing yards are the most by any collegiate quarterback in the subdivision. Reynolds, who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a senior, also threw for 4,001 yards with 31 touchdowns and just eight interceptions and was a third-team All-American in 2015.

A standout tackle at the beginning of Army's dominant run of the early-to-mid-1940s, Merritt made the most of his two football seasons at West Point. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Merritt was a load at the time, and earned a pair of All-American nods, including a first-team selection in 1943. Merritt, a decorated military pilot and former athletic director at Air Force, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Those dominant Army rush offenses featuring Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard were more than just legendary ball carriers. Army also boasted some of the best offensive linemen of the 1940s. DeWitt "Tex" Coulter was among the greatest tackles the program has ever produced. Coulter, who grew up in a Fort Worth orphanage and played his college ball standing 6-foot-5, and roughly 270 pounds, was a key part of those Cadet national championship squads in 1944 and '45. He was named an All-American in his final season at West Point.

Joining Tex Coulter on those great Army teams of the early-to-mid 1940s was Green. A two-time All-American (1944, '45), Green starred at guard for the Cadets, helping to open holes and pave the way for Davis and Blanchard, most notably, to run wild. Green, a captain on the '45 squad who enjoyed a lengthy college football coaching career, was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. 

Steffy's college football career began at Tennessee, but after one season he made his way to West Point. Where, he solidified himself as one of the greats to ever play for the Cadets. A standout at both guard and center, Steffy, who also played defense, was part of two national championship squads at Army, and won the Outland Trophy in 1947. The two-time All-American is a College Football Hall of Famer, and joined Glenn Davis, Doc Blanchard and Pete Dawkins to have his jersey number (61) retired at Army. 

Arguably the greatest offensive lineman in Navy football history, Eisenhauer was stronger than his 5-foot-11, 201-pound frame, and played both tackle and guard during his three-year gridiron career with the Midshipmen. He was named a first-team All-American in 1952 and again in '53. Eisenhauer was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

The College Football Hall of Famer had one unique career at this level. Thanks to some loose wartime restrictions as to how many years, and which schools, were available to players, Poole played seven college seasons. Including three at West Point, where he was a standout two-way end, and an All-American in 1944. Defensively, Poole was known for his keen ball awareness and knack for making the big stop, as he did during the final seconds to help preserve Army's 21-18 win over Navy from 1946.

A two-way standout on the line of scrimmage for the Midshipman, Reifsnyder was an intimidating on-field presence for the time, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 230 pounds. In 1957, Reifsnyder helped Navy to an 8-1-1 and became the first lineman to win the Maxwell Award as the nation's best player. Despite missing nearly all of his senior season of 1958 due to a knee injury, the All-American Reifsnyder was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.

Quite possibly, Hennings is not only the greatest defender to ever play at Air Force, but for any service academy. He's the Falcons' all-time leader with 34 career sacks, 24 of which led the nation in 1987, when Hennings was named an All-American, United Press International Lineman of the Year and won the Outland Trophy as the country's top interior lineman. Hennings possessed a unique combination of skill, size (6-6 260), and speed for a defensive lineman that helped pave the way for him to shine in the NFL, where he won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.

Army's all-time leader with 28 sacks and 49 tackles for loss, McNary enjoyed a stellar collegiate career after beginning his time with the Black Knights as a walk-on. McNary is the only Army player to record multiple seasons with double-digit sack totals. He recorded 12 1/2 in 2009 and another 10 in 2010. McNary, who enjoyed a solid NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts, also holds the program record with four sacks in a game.

Ponseigo is Navy's all-time leading tackler, recording 500 during a stellar college career. A pitbull on the field, Ponseigo also ranks first in single-season tackles (169 from 1982) and third (152 in 1981). Though the Midshipmen didn't enjoy much notable on-field success during Ponsiego's time at Annapolis, his consistently strong play more than holds its own with any other service academy defender.

One of the most celebrated defenders in Air Force history. Maki remains the program's all-time leader with 475 tackles. He also owns the Falcons' single-season tackles mark of 195, and was credited with a whopping 30 stops during a 1985 game against Notre Dame. The latter is still an Air Force record. That stellar performance helped Maki earn All-American honors. In addition to Maki's success on the gridiron, he twice won the Western Athletic Conference individual wrestling championship.

The gritty Gizzi ranks among Air Force's all-time leaders with 342 tackles. He recorded 179 of those stops during the 1997 campaign en route to repeating as Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Even with Gizzi's eager nose for the football, he went undrafted, but ended up playing two seasons with the Green Bay Packers. There, he is likely best known for carrying the American flag onto Lambeau Field in the Packers' first game after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. 

A hard-nosed talent, whether stopping the run or pass. Moeller, who recorded 275 career tackles at Navy, was a two-time all-time East Coast Athletic Conference selection and the league's player of the year in 1975, when he posted 25 tackles for loss, while leading a Midshipmen team that boasted one of the nation's top defenses. He's among less than 10 Navy players to be named a unanimous All-American pick. Moeller, who had his No. 48 retired by the Navy program, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

After Chad Hennings, many close to the Air Force program consider Thomas to be the second-best defensive player from the Academy. During a brilliant four-year career at Air Force, Thomas recorded 21 career tackles, 10 interceptions, 22 pass breakups and also averaged 28.8 yards per kickoff return. In 1985, Thomas returned a punt, kickoff and interception for a touchdown, while earning All-American honors. Thomas is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Not only does he possess one of the great names in college football, but Steelhammer played the game pretty well. A three-year starter, Steelhammer is Air Force's all-time leader with 18 interceptions -- which ranks second in Mountain West Conference history. He recorded seven of those during the 2016 season, and picked off three of those passes during a 2014 contest versus Boise State. In 2023, Steelhammer was named a member of Mountain West Conference 25th Anniversary Team.

Taylor has the distinction of being the only service academy football player to win the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. And, he joins Chad Hennings as the only Falcons to win a major college football award. Taylor did so in 2023, when he recorded 71 tackles and three interceptions and broke up four passes. Taylor, who also received All-American consideration in 2023, posted six interceptions, 205 total tackles and 12 interceptions during a stellar collegiate career at Air Force. 

The first Midshipman to win the Heisman Trophy, Bellino was a do-it-all performer. Known as the "Winchester Rifle," in reference to his hometown of Winchester, Mass., Bellino recorded 31 touchdowns, 1,664 rushing yards, returned 37 kicks for 833 yards. During his Heisman-winning season of 1960, Bellino ran for 834 yards, had 15 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns, threw two TD passes and averaged 47.1 yards per punt. After the 1960 season, Bellino's No. 27 was retired by the U.S. Naval Academy.

Not only was Lawson a standout linebacker at Air Force (totaling 65 tackles in 1975), but also one fine place-kicker. He's the school's all-time leader with 51 made field goals, and twice kicked four in a game. During a 1974 game versus Colorado, Lawson kicked a 60-yard field goal, then a year later he set a then-NCAA record with a made 62-yarder during a road loss to Iowa State. That mark lasted only one season, but is still quite the feat. 

After the aforementioned Roger Staubach, McCallum is the most well-known Navy football player, who also enjoyed a solid NFL career. A two-time consensus All-American (193, '85), McCallum set an NCAA record with 7,172 all-purpose yards and gained 4,179 on the ground, with 31 TDs, during his five seasons as a Midshipman. McCallum, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, McCallum averaged 22.3 career yard per kickoff return and totaled 858 on 73 punt returns. McCallum, who rushed for 1,587 rushing yards in 1983, had his No. 30 retired by the Navy program.

A two-time All-WAC performer, Morgan was the first player in NCAA history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in the same season on two occasions (1995, '96). For his three-year career with the Falcons, Morgan totaled 3,248 passing yards with 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and ran for 3,379 yards with 42 scores. Making him the second player in NCAA history, at the time, to rush and pass for 3,000 yards in a career. As a senior in 1996, Morgan was named WAC Pacific Division Offensive Player of the Year for posting 1,494 rushing yards and 1,210 through the air.