Army Football

After 121 years, we still love the Army-Navy game. The pageantry, pride and patriotic emotion remind us of all that's still good in America.

Starting back in 1890, the nation's oldest service academies began this football rivalry. The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York (Army) pitted their soldiers against the sailors of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.

And a national tradition was born.

This isn't just a regional rivalry

Unlike virtually every other rivalry in college football, this game isn't just a regional dual between schools with relatively proximate geographical ties. It isn't just a New York school against a Maryland program.

There are active and former soldiers and sailors all across this great land. From former submariners now living in Colorado to former grunts taking up residence in Virginia, to the men and women actively serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, this game represents all of us.

The Red River Rivalry may be an intense match that every football fan enjoys partaking of, but the bragging rights associated belong mostly to those who are from the region or now live in the region.

Not with this game.

The game may have once meant something awfully big in the national title picture, but the pure hatred can only really be felt between Michigan and Ohio.

Not this rivalry.

This rivalry knows no geographical boundaries. It doesn't wane the farther you get from the East Coast. It doesn't diminish when you leave the comfortable confines of American soil.

Wherever there are those who are serving or have served, this rivalry burns hot in their hearts.

It represents the best of us

Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines have long given each other their fair share of good natured (and sometimes not so good natured) ribbing. Nicknames like "jarhead," "flyboy," "grunt" or "fish" get jabbed at one another with a mixture of solidarity and branch pride.

Occasionally, there have been some drunken bar fights that quickly followed, but those are mostly relegated to a not-so-distant past in our military history.

Serving in the United State Armed Forces isn't just a job or even a duty. It's a brotherhood unlike any other. There's an unspoken understanding and bond between those who have served this nation. They each know the sacrifices that are made—sacrifices that are borne by entire families and communities of those who serve.

However one decides to go about their service—be it aboard a mighty warship or hunkered down in a foxhole in the sand—those who have "signed the dotted line" and dedicated themselves to the defense of these United States of America have volunteered their lives. They've accepted the debt of death in defense of our country.

When these two teams take the field, the young men wearing those uniforms represent more than the young men and women in dress uniform in the stands. They represent the best in all who have served. They are the future leadership of our Armed Forces.

They are the next General Eisenhower or the next Admiral Nimitz. They'll be the ones that lead future generations of soldiers and sailors into harm's way for the sake of all of us.

When they place boots and rifles on the field in memory of those who have been lost, they're not remembering past players that have gone on to greatness on professional fields or who retired old and tired. They're remembering very real people who faced very real dangers that most of us can't fathom. And they paid the ultimate price.

That's what this game is. It's what it's always been. It's a celebration of our brightest and finest. It's a friendly rivalry between two institutions that build our nation's warriors and defenders. It's a showcase of our future, a reminder of our past and an illumination of our present.

Whether in war or peace, we love this game because it demonstrates the very best of America.

The Army-Navy game has a build up through the school year that culminates in the week before the game being the most extraordinary of the year for the two service academies. 

Frequently you will see and hear the motto at West Point, "Beat Navy!"  At Annapolis, it is "Beat Army!"  These cheers have more meaning than you might expect.  We have asked a number of officials, players and alumni of both academies about the Army-Navy rivalry and what the cheers mean in terms of the elements of competition and respect that they represent.

Historically, the freshmen, known as plebes at both academies, are expected to recite at a moments notice how many days are left until their respective academy wins that year's Army-Navy game.  The week of the game there are spirit videos, pep rallies, bonfires and signs about the game all over both campuses. 

Army-Navy week is traditionally an opportunity for the plebes to be a bit rambunctious at the expense of the upperclassmen who have been training them since the summer.

At West Point the goal to beat "Beat Navy" is long established and frequently proclaimed.  For the plebes on arrival, they are quickly taught to say only a few key phrases such as "Yes, sir/yes, ma'am," "No, sir/no, ma'am" and "Beat Navy." 

After meetings, phone calls and emails, the last words are "Go Army, beat Navy."  After every game, West Point teams sing their alma mater, and they finish by yelling "Beat Navy" no matter what team they have just played.  

Yes, they also have signs proclaiming "Beat Air Force," but it isn't quite the same thing.  The rivalry between Army and Navy goes back to the 19th century when Cadet Denis Michie challenged Navy to the first game between the two.  During World War II, West Point graduate General Douglas MacArthur sent the team a famous telegram from the Pacific when Army defeated Navy in 1944, which said, according to goarmsports.com:

"The greatest of all Army teams ... We have stopped the war to celebrate your magnificent success. MacArthur."

The dean of the academic board at West Point, Brigadier General Timothy Trainor, a 1983 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, talked with us last year and described what the Army-Navy rivalry means to the academies:

"Army-Navy is recognized as one of the most intense rivalries in all of college sports. It is a very special time.  We respect each other fully, Army and Navy; we respect each other for what we do, our young men and women for what they do each and every day—the commitment they have made to serve our nation.

"There is only one day a year out of the 365 when we are bitter rivals...that is during the Army-Navy game.  Worldwide we are brothers and sisters in arms, doing what our country calls us to do in the profession of arms."

From the class of 1997, we spoke with Ben Kotwica, a former Army football captain, who now serves as the assistant special teams coach with the New York Jets.  We asked him what the motto, “Go Army, Beat Navy” means to him:

“That motto is a mission that is very clear.  You can put it in the context of any of the athletic teams—you are competing against the other academy.  Navy obviously at the end of the year is the biggest game of the year.  So to me the “Beat Navy," that is the objective, that is the mission, saying that every day just reaffirms what we already know, that is, what the mission has to be, especially on the football field.”

The new West Point athletic director, Boo Corrigan, involved in his first Army-Navy game this year, offered his perspective at the Army-Navy Media Day what the rivalry means:

“Everything is special about Army-Navy.  From the march on, to the feeling that America is great, to the competition that you have for 60 minutes, to the alma maters and the feeling of brotherhood after the game. Everything is great about the Army-Navy game.   

“Every time when we compete with each other, it is a special competition for our kids, for our coaches, for our alums."

About the motto, “Go Army, Beat Navy” he said, "At the end of the day, it is about the 60 minutes.  It is about the competition at that moment, because the rest of the time we are fighting with, but during those 60 minutes we are fighting against, that is what makes Army-Navy special.”

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo has coached in 14 Army-Navy games as both an assistant and head coach at Annapolis.  We asked him about the rivalry with Army and his long association with Army Coach Rich Ellerson. 

“[We have] respect for our opponent, who we have great admiration for, respect for.  The big thing we are trying to do is get ready for the football game. There is lots of hysteria and hype, surrounding the game that happens outside the white lines. Our preparation is totally between the white lines. 

"I have great respect for Coach Ellerson.  I would not be here except for him.  He recruited me to University of Hawaii.  He is a great football coach, a great mind.

"I know that Army will be ready—he will have his team prepared. It is going to be a great challenge. We are looking forward to it."

About what “Beat Army” means at Annapolis, Coach Niumatalolo said: “From an athletic standpoint it means everything. When you come here in an athletic or sporting event, our No. 1 goal is to beat Army.”

Navy fullback and captain Alexander Teach has run, caught passes and returned kicks for nearly 2,00 yards in three years of varsity play at Navy.  He plans to take on the challenge of being a U.S. Navy Seal after graduation from Annapolis. 

He describes the Army-Navy rivalry in terms of the respect felt between the two teams: “It is a mutual respect between the two Academies, and all of those who serve.  There is a passion that you get about this game.  There is a love among the brothers on your team, and your brothers you will be serving with one day."

Midshipman Teich described the game in old fashioned terms: “[It's] hard-hitting—the way the game was meant to be played. Run the ball, hit each other in the mouth, get up and do it again.”

About the “Beat Army” cheers he will hear during the rambunctious week before the game at the Academy he said: “I’ll hear it, 'Beat Army,' about a million times this week, during Army-Navy Week when the hall goes nuts. You hear it all the time from the plebes, 'Beat Army.' It is going to be fun.”

Backup quarterback Max Jenkins plans to be an infantry officer. He serves as the Deputy Brigade Commander for the Corps of Cadets.  He, like the other Army seniors, would dearly like to win one against Navy and break the nine-year Navy streak. I asked him about the "Beat Navy!" cheer he often is called on to lead:

“That is exactly what it means, unfortunately.  It has kind of lost a little bit of its meaning here lately, but we still believe in it wholeheartedly.  We are excited to get there next Saturday and hopefully get to make that come true.  We look forward to serving along side them.

"At the end of the day, we are all serving on the same team.  We respect each other for the decisions that we have made and the experience that we have had.  We are just competing in a game of football. Later on we know there will be a lot more important things that are going to happen.”

Lt. Col. Christopher "Sam" Houston, '87, is possibly the most passionate Army football fan we have met.  During his undergraduate years at West Point he was a sprint football player—a football competition for those below typical varsity weight. 

Currently LTC Houston is stationed somewhere between Iraq and Kuwait, commanding a unit that is pulling equipment out of the area.  Before he left on this deployment, his fifth, I asked him his favorite Army-Navy moment:

“My favorite moment is when Army beats Navy in football.  There is no feeling when you are a cadet and then after you graduate, (like) the feeling when you know that your class beat Navy.  Our class of '87 beat Navy twice, including my Firstie (senior) year and also won the Commanders in Chief Trophy both of the years we beat Navy. It is truly something that you wear as a badge of honor for the rest of your career and rest of your life."  

The veteran U.S. Army officer went on to describe the rivalry and the respect that the two academies and their graduates have for each other:

"There are 52 weeks in a  year. Fifty-one of those weeks we are all on the same team, but I can promise you during 'Beat Navy' week, there is no one we want to beat more than Navy."

Describing the significance of the motto “Beat Navy” LTC. Houston said: “Just about every major college has a rivalry, especially when you are talking about football programs. I don’t think there is any time honored tradition that is as large or important to our nation as the annual Army-Navy game."

Lt. Col. Houston added: "'Beat Navy' after the end of practically everything we do, is not just a desire to beat the Naval Academy in football but is also a symbol of respect for our brother and sisters who are at the Naval Academy. And knowing that when we do graduate, when we do commission we are all out there serving a portion of the larger mission, which is protecting the fabric of freedom of our nation.  

"And so 'Beat Navy' is spoken as much [as] our desire for what we intend to do on the fields of friendly strife as a symbol of respect for our greatest rival while we are cadets, is also our greatest ally once we commission."

The Army-Navy game is an amazing day to be a part of.  Tomorrow will be my sixth Army-Navy game to attend in person.  I took my Dad to three of the games in the mid-90s when Army beat Navy two of the three times, then for a number of years we had an American Legion Post party to watch the game.  This will be my third opportunity to report on the game, a very special occasion for the son of an Army officer with five other aunts and uncles who were also WWII veterans.

Ken Kraetzer covers Army football and Iona basketball for WVOX 1460 AM in New Rochelle, NY and Sons of the American Legion Radio.  Follow Ken at the game on Twitter at SAL50NYRadio.

The Army Black Knights look to end a nine-game losing streak against the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday. 

This annual rivalry game is one of the greatest in college football, and evidence of this is the fact that the sport dedicates a whole day to it. There are no other games slated for this weekend. 

While it's always an intense matchup, lately Navy has been absolutely dominating. Army hasn't had a good shot to win in years, having been outscored 120-23 in the last four years. 

This year is different though, as Navy isn't as strong as it used to be. At 4-7, the Midshipmen enter the game against the Black Knights with their worse record in quite some time, which means Army has it's best chance ever to finally end the losing streak. 

With that said, let's take a look at some specifics of this huge rivalry. 

When: Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m. ET 

Where: Fed Ex Field, Landover, MD

Watch: CBS

Listen: WABC 770 AM in New York, WBAL 1090 AM in Baltimore

Betting Line: Navy (-7) 

Army Injury Report 

According to USA Today, QB Trent Steelman (ankle) is probable, but LB Zach Watts (undisclosed), RB Terry Baggett (leg) and LS Parker Whitten (leg) are all questionable for Saturday's game. 

Navy Injury Report 

According to USA Today, WR Matt Shibata (knee) and CB David Wright (heel) are both questionable for Saturday's contest. 

BCS/Top-25 Implications 

Neither team is good enough to reach the top 25 this year. Army is 3-8, and will be playing to avoid extending the losing streak against Navy to 10 games. 

The Midshipmen will miss out on a bowl game for the first time in almost a decade. They've been solid the past few years, but this season has been a tough one. Eight straight years of playing is a bowl game is now over for Navy. 

What They're Saying 

Army head coach Rich Ellerson told Terry Mosher of Kitsap Sun of the challenges he faces in recruiting. Ellerson went on to discuss what the goal is of the football players he recruits and how things are different at Army. 

We are recruiting first to the institution and to the destination. The destination is being a commissioned officer upon graduation...It will demand much from you at every turn and challenge you every day so we want to make sure they come in here with their eyes wide open.

West Point is here to build young officers. Football is certainly one of those developments, too. That's why we play. We don't play for the people in the stands or TV. It's a development team-building laboratory. Football is leadership and a team-building laboratory. 

Football isn't the focal point for the Black Knights, but it doesn't mean they're a terrible team.

They have good talent, but everybody knows they're not going to score the big-time recruits because it's a military school first.

Still, we thank all those who attend, and playing football definitely helps guide some of these young guys into full grown men. 

Jabaree Tuani spoke with Sal Interdonato of the Times Herald-Record, and the defensive end talked about how intense this rivalry can get. 

This game, you got to know the emotions are going to be high and know guys are going to be very intense and go out there and try to rip your head off.

Army hasn't won this game in nine years. I really don't like to look at anything like that, but I just know they are going to be willing to do whatever they need to do to win and how bad that they want it.

I try to express to all the guys on the team and let them know how serious this is. This is more than a game. From an academy aspect, this is what we live for while we still have it. This will be my last game. 

Now a senior captain, Tuani certainly doesn't want to end his career with a loss to his arch rival.

Having never lost to the Black Knights, he will certainly hype up his team to make sure this is their win streak continues. 

The Midshipmen may be having a down year, but there's nothing like a heated rivalry game to get a team playing at its highest level. 

Army Player to Watch 

Trent Steelman should end up playing, and the Black Knights him to be on his A-game. The junior quarterback is second on the team in rushing, and his team needs him to play smart football, as well as make big plays. 

With a strong performance from Steelman, Army will be in this game for all four quarters, giving Navy quite a scare. 

Navy Player to Watch 

Kriss Proctor's first and only year as a starter hasn't resulted in a ton of wins, but he has a chance to right the ship by beating Army. 

The senior quarterback also leads the team in rushing, and he'll have to make sure he doesn't commit any turnovers. Breaking open a big run will also help Navy pull ahead. 

Key Matchup 

Since both teams are so run heavy, the matchup to watch is how each defense stacks up against the run. 

Army has the best run game in the country, and Navy isn't to far behind at No. 4 in the nation. Expect few pass plays, although, if one team can catch the other off guard it could result in a huge play. Neither team can forget about the pass, but they must also make sure they aren't burned by the option attack. 

Key Storyline 

Will Army finally beat Navy? It's been almost a decade, but this is the Black Knights' year to do it.

However, Navy isn't going to lay down and just give the game away. Army has to step its game up to new heights, and if the Black Knights fail to do that their losing streak will continue. 

Prediction

The clock will be moving fast for these run-first teams. A big pass play in the first half will be a huge game changer for Navy, and the Midshipmen's defense will be the difference maker as Navy pulls away in the second half. 

Navy 28, Army 17 

West Point has added another academic accolade to its legendary history with the presentation Tuesday night of the 22nd William V. Campbell Trophy Award to Cadet Andrew Rodriquez, a senior linebacker on the football team. The presentation was made at the 54th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner in New York City.

"We are thrilled to honor Andrew as the nation's top scholar-athlete, commented the NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell, who added the 2011 NFF National Scholar-Athlete class was perhaps the best ever, and for Andrew to stand above them all really says a lot about his accomplishments. Given his considerable commitments to the US military and his outstanding performance in the classroom, while accomplishing everything he has as a football player makes him the clear choice as the best scholar athlete in college football."*

Cadet Rodriquez is the first West Point Cadet to receive the award named for Bill Campbell, the chairman of Inuit, former player and head coach at Columbia, and the a recipient of the NFF Gold Medal in 2004.

A number of illustrious college football players are on the list of past Campbell Trophy honorees including Sam Acho of Texas last year, Tim Tebow of Florida in 2009, Brian Leonard of Rutgers in 2006, Chad Pennington of Marshall in 1999 and Peyton Manning of Tennessee in 1997. The only previous service academy recipient was Chris Howard of Air Force in 1990.

Rodriquez has a 4.14 grade point average majoring in mechanical engineering, and ranks third in his class. West Point's release described that he has 21 A-plus grades and six terms with a GPA of 4.0 or better.

While being one of West Point's best students, Andrew Rodriquez has overcome a serious back injury requiring surgery to come back and start every game for the Black Knights in 2011.   

At the Army-Navy Game Press Conference held in Arlington Virginia, last Wednesday, I had a chance to interview the co-captain who will suit up as a starting linebacker against the Midshipman on Saturday. I asked what it had taken to recover from the back injury so that he could play his senior season, Rodriquez said, "It took a lot of support from my family, friends, teammates, coaches, to keep going and stay with it despite the adversity. I also had great help in rehabilitating from the training staff at Army, so the combination of things like that, and a good surgery by my doctor, helped me get back".

About being able to excel both athletically and academically while recovering from a serious injury, he said, "I am lucky to have great coaches; that helps me excel athletically, then good teammates. I really benefit from playing with teammates who make me look good sometimes. Academically, you just try to do the best you can, work with your teachers and work with your classmates. It is part luck, part skill, but it seems to work out in the end. It takes a lot of time management; that is something we as a team try and do, so we can be successful on the field. But, it also helps in doing well with school and with other military duties." 

The Academic Dean at West Point, Brigadier General Timothy Trainor must be pleased with this award being presented to one of his seniors. General Trainor mentioned to me this fall how pleased he was to write a letter on behalf of Cadet Rodriquez for his Rhodes Scholarship nomination.   

On the field as a sophomore linebacker in 2009, Rodriquez led West Point with 85 tackles. Against Vanderbilt he made 13 tackles and stood out for a vital play in overtime by stripping the ball from Vanderbilt runner Warren Norman on the goal line, preventing a touchdown and enabling Alex Carleton to kick a game-winning field goal to defeat the South East Conference foe. 

Rodriquez missed the entire 2010 season due to a back injury that left his football career in serious doubt. His ability to undergo back surgery and recuperate while maintaining an extraordinary academic performance at West point is an impressive story. 

This year, I knew that Andrew was back in action when he made an interception in an August scrimmage at Michie Stadium. Going into the Navy game he is third on the Black Knights in tackles with 55 playing at the defensive end position. Rodriquez has been able to bring stability and experience to a young Army defense along with fellow Captain Steve Erzinger who leads the team in tackles with 92.

Andrew Rodriquez has been selected for Infantry as his Army branch assignment, we know he will do well serving our country and leading soldiers through future challenges that we can only imagine. Perhaps this is the essence of college football as an educational experience, teaching leadership skills that will be applied to vital activities in post football careers.  

*National Football Foundation press release.

Ken Kraetzer covers Army football and Iona basketball for WVOX AM 1460 in New Rochelle, NY and Sons of the American Legion Radio. He can be reached on kgk914@aol.com

The Army Black Knights haven't beaten the Navy Midshipmen since 2001, but this Saturday, they have their best chance in years to finally get a victory over their arch rival. 

As one of the biggest rivalries in college football, it hasn't been very appealing as of late because of Navy's dominance. 

With both teams struggling this season, Army has to step up its game to avoid losing 10 in a row to the Midshipmen. 

Neither team has played in two weeks, which means they're extremely ready to battle it out on the gridiron. The anticipation for this game continues to build, especially since the Black Knights know this is their best shot at winning in years.

During the losing streak, the closest Army got to winning was in 2006 when they ended up losing by 12 points. All other games were big blowouts, and in the last four years Navy has outscored Army 120-23. 

However, since the Midshipmen are just 4-7 on the year, now is the time for Army to strike. 

Of course, Army isn't much better than Navy, as its record is currently 3-8. Plus, the Black Knights have lost their last three games. They've struggled to put points on the board recently, averaging just 13 points a game in their last three contests. 

They level of competition was greater than what they'll face against Navy, but it's still not a good sign moving forward. 

But just because Army is on a down trend, it doesn't mean the Black Knights can't win on Saturday.

Since Navy is having its worst season in years, Army has to take advantage of that and steal a victory because it could be awhile before Army builds a stronger team than Navy. 

This rivalry will always be intense, and this weekend we should have a good game for the first time in years. 

It's up to the Black Knights to elevate their game, and knowing that the Midshipmen aren't doing so well gives them a great confidence boost, which will help them be competitive for all four quarters. 

The 112th Army-Navy Game will be played near Washington DC for the first time this year. The game is sponsored by USAA and hosted by the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. The kickoff will be at 2:30 p.m., and CBS will televise the game as the capstone game to end the regular season of college football.

Last week, the captains of the two teams, coaches Rich Ellerson of Army and Ken Niumatalolo of Navy and officials of the two Academies came together for a press conference at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va. 

Army (3-8)  will be trying to break a nine-game winning streak by Navy (4-7).  Last year was close until Navy's Wyatt Middleton ran back a fumble for a touchdown at the end of the first half, a heartbreaking moment for Army.

West Point is hoping for the return to the lineup of junior quarterback Trent Steelman, who has been injured twice this season against Vanderbilt and three weeks ago against Temple. Steelman had started 32 straight games for Army, the longest streak in Academy history, before having to sit out the Fordham, Air Force and Rutgers games.

The three Army captains—Steve Erzinger, Max Jenkins and Andrew Rodriquez—all have the West Point poise and politeness that you would expect. They have a strong a sense of competition and would dearly enjoy finding a way to end their college playing careers by beating Navy on Saturday.  Problem for Army is the Navy seniors feel the same way; they dearly want to beat Army.

At the end of the day, they sing the Alma Mater of the losing team first, then they sing the Alma Mater of the winning team.

When I visited an Army practice early this year, the prospective chairman of the Joint Chiefs, West Point graduate General Martin E. Dempsey, addressed the team. Thinking ahead to the last game of the year, he said, "Let's sing the Alma Mater last. " 

At the press conference, the Army captains all talked about the excitement and fun of the game. The Navy captains, Alexander Teich and Jabaree Tuani, talked about the competitiveness of the Army-Navy game. Both sets of captains talked about the eternal rivalry between the two Academies, but acknowledged that they will all soon serve together as members of the Armed Forces defending the country.  

Army captain, quarterback Max Jenkins, described the thrill of this game, "Just excitement, it is a great opportunity, it is always fun to play in the atmosphere of Army-Navy, and everything that surrounds it, what it means, and stands for. It would be awesome to get a W and end the season on the right note". 

About the Navy team, the Houston, Tex. native said, "We respect them for what they do, and what they stand for as well; they are kind of in the same boat as us. Being my fourth Army-Navy Game, it is a great opportunity, always a fun experience. Hopefully, we can pull out a win this time." 

Jenkins serves as the Deputy Brigade Commander of the Corps of Cadets. He described the responsibilities of this position. 

"I am second in command; it has been exciting and fun so far working with the rest of the brigade staff, trying to make the right decisions, make sure the operations run smoothly, so I am learning a lot, hopefully this will pay dividends later on in my career. Right now, just doing the behind the scenes stuff."

Talking with Army captain Steve Erzinger about playing in Washington DC, the nation's capital, in front of 85,000 people at Fed Ex Field:

'It will be an awesome experience; we are all excited about getting out here, and it is going to be fun playing in DC. The Army-Navy game serves as almost a bowl game for us in a sense, as we did not have the opportunity to make one. They are one of the biggest games on our regular season schedule.  So we are excited to get out there, and it is going to be fun."

About the challenges this year in leading the defense, the second of the two Army captains from the Houston, Tex. area commented:

"Learning from the negatives, the negatives the young guys make, or even I make, But really focusing on the positive, the experiences you can take away and build on. We have been getting better each week as far as the defense, and it has been exciting to watch them grow. But again, you want to make sure no one points fingers; no one is getting mad at each other, but we are just moving forward as a unit."

Erzinger hopes to serve in an infantry or Armor unit after graduation.

The third Army captain, Andrew Rodriquez, is a true scholar athlete, having been a finalist for a Marshall Scholarship and recommended as a candidate for a Rhodes Scholarship. He also had to come back from serious back injury requiring surgery last year. There was doubt about his ability to come back and play, but he has played every game for Army this year.

About playing in this Army Navy game near his home in Alexandria Va., he said:

"It has just has been a huge blessing for me to be able to play, and then to have the opportunity to go out  on a game like this which is such a big rivalry, with all my teammates, and play at a place really close to my hometown is really exciting for me, and I know all my teammates are looking forward to going out and trying to win this game."

To recover from the serious back injury, Rodriquez said:

"It took a lot of support from my family, friends, teammates, coaches, to keep going and stay with it despite the adversity. I also had great help in rehabilitating  from the training staff at Army, so the combination of things like that, and a good surgery by my doctor, helped me get back".

About being able to excel both athletically and academically while recovering from a serious injury, he said,

"I am lucky to have great coaches; that helps me excel athletically, then good teammates. I really benefit from playing with teammates who make me look good sometimes. Academically, you just try to do the best you can, work with your teachers and work with your classmates. It is part luck, part skill, but it seems to work out at in the end.  It takes a lot of time management; that is something we as a team try and do, so we can be successful on the field. but it also helps in doing well with school and with other military duties." 

Rodriquez, the son of an Army General, hopes to become an infantry branch second lieutenant next year, heading to Fort Benning in Georgia for further training and then assignment to leading a unit.

One of the great aspects of the Army-Navy press conference is the chance to meet the players from Navy we have heard about, read about, reported on all year and actually meet them as individuals.  Last year, we had a great opportunity to meet quarterback Ricky Dobbs, and safety Wyatt Middleton, now both serving as ensigns in the Navy.

This year, we had the chance to meet Alexander Teich and Jabaree Tuani.

Teich is a fullback who has rushed for over 2,000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns for Navy. Last year, he rushed for 210 yards against Notre Dame. He told me about his expectations for this years Army-Navy game:

"It is going to be a special experience, I did not think about it being my last game until today, when I started to get questions about it. It is going to be an awesome experience just because of what this game represents and the guys playing in it from both sides of the ball. If you have to go out one way, this is the way to go out.

Sometimes, those bowl games are nice to be playing in, but for this one to be the actual last game, with Army, is going to be very special for all of us."   

The Conroe, Tex. native described the rivalry between the two teams,

"It is a mutual respect between the two academies because of what the two teams represent,  You are representing America, in general, and your two institutions, all the people in the services, The game is bigger than yourself. It is a passion that you get about this game; it is the feeling or aura you get walking to the stadium that day of the Army-Navy game. You can just feel it, it is a patriotic game,

There is the love between your brothers on your team and your brothers you will be serving with some day. One day, you will be serving along side these guys; we all understand that."

But when it comes down to the game itself on the field, it is hard hitting..the way the game was meant to be played, run the ball, hit each other in the mouth and get back up and do it again."

About his future plans, Midshipman Teich said,

"After graduation, I will be going to the Navy Seals. I got selected to join the Seals community, very honored and excited about that opportunity."

Tuani, a senior defensive lineman from Madison, Tenn. has 42 career tackles for a loss, tied for second most in Navy history.  He talked about the competitiveness of the game, wanting to win the game and not being the team which loses the game to Army:

"You don't want to be that person, that you lost to that team, I know they are feeling the same way. They are finding that motivation, that they have not won in the past nine years, It makes me work even harder. because I know those guys are over there working, I know they are over there working, working their tails off, doing whatever they can. Because that is how much it means to them".

Tuani was well aware of the alma mater tradition that Navy already came out on the short side this year against Air Force:

"People don't even realize, whoever loses that game, will sing their alma mater first and then stand behind them as they sing their alma mater second. It kills you, doing that at the Air Force game. It brought tears to my eyes. From their perspective, they are going to do whatever they can, whatever they can to come out here and try and beat us."

"Coaches are going to make you realize that you do not want to be on the other end of that losing battle. You do not want to be on the other side; it is more than a game.  

Sounding like someone who will be a coach one day:

"I love this game of football, This is going to be the last game I ever play, so I am going to prepare as hard as I can, I want to be prepared for December 10."

Tuani described his future after graduation from the Naval Academy:

"I plan to go for Surface Warfare, so I'll be on a ship. I am going to try be the best leader I can for those guys, just like I am for the guys on the football team.  I am going to give them my best; that is what they deserve. They signed up for to be part of the Navy and serve the country, so did I. I plan to give them my all just like I have given this program all I have."

We will have more about the Army-Navy Game throughout the week.

Ken Kraetzer will air a one hour Army-Navy Game special on Tuesday December 6th from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on WVOX 1460 AM and available nationally on WVOX.com.