Wednesday football links: Kettani’s path to the Patriots, Big East speculation, Army Pinterest and more
May 23rd, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Eric Kettani, here scoring during the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl, took a unique road from the Naval Academy to the NFL. (Image of Sport photo by Kirby Lee via US Presswire)
From leaving the Navy to being honored by the Army to the never-ending offseason soap opera that is the Big East Conference, here’s some quick football hits while you pick your favorite “Anchorman” clip — sequel trailer or Tim Kennedy experience:
1. Kettani’s quest. The Boston Herald gives an extensive look at Naval Academy grad Lt. j.g. Eric Kettani’s struggle to secure an early release from service to play football for the New England Patriots, a release he was granted late last month. Kettani must pay back about $60,000 for his education and will continue to serve in the Navy Reserve. The Herald report outlines a complicated appeals process that involved Kettani, his brother/manager, a family friend in Jacksonville, Fla., who happened to be a retired Army colonel, and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, whose Annapolis ties are firmly established.
2. Army honors. Speaking of NFL coaches, Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens will receive the Army’s third-highest civilian honor today in Arlington, Va. Coughlin — who’ll get the honor from his friend, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno — will be honored for his work with military veterans and the USO; Harbaugh helped established Military Appreciation Day for the Ravens and has organized visits to military bases.
3. Big East blowout. Links for those who like to keep up with conference chaos: Two from Keith Pompey at the Philadelphia Inquirer — an overview of the league meetings so far in Florida and a look at proposed football divisions (Air Force fans: The second one includes the latest round of Falcons-to-the-Big East speculation). And Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples offers his take here. Key quote: “When (if?) Navy joins the league for football in 2015 …”
4. Odds and ends. Navy makes the front page of ESPN’s “100 days till kickoff” section (No. 6 on the right-hand side). And are you up to speed on the photo-sharing site Pinterest? The folks at West Point are — here’s a page of pics from the spring game at Fort Benning, Ga.
Former WVU coach Bill Stewart had ties to Navy, Air Force
May 22nd, 2012 | Air Force Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Bill Stewart, who died Monday at age 59, served as an assistant coach at Navy in 1984 and at Air Force in the early 1990s. (US Presswire photo by Mark Zerof)
The death of former West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart on Monday brought about many tributes and remembrances, many with a common theme — mourning the loss of “a true Mountaineer” and “a rock-solid West Virginian.”
Stewart was born in West Virginia and died on a golf course in that state nearly 60 years later of an apparent heart attack. But his coaching career — which ended in 2010 after a decade with WVU, including three years in the top job — took him all over the place, with stops in Arizona, Canada, North Carolina, and on the sidelines of both Air Force and Navy.
He coached the Mids in 1984 under Gary Tranquill, who Stewart called “the best football coach I ever worked with” in this 2011 profile. He also had kind words for Fisher DeBerry, his boss at Air Force from 1990-93, saying his “enthusiasm was second to none.”
He coached the defensive line at Air Force under DeBerry for four seasons, which resulted in three Liberty Bowl appearances and led to his first head coaching job in 1994 at Virginia Military Institute. He began his WVU head coaching career after Rich Rodriguez left the Mountaineers for Michigan before the 2008 Fiesta Bowl; this Denver Post piece from 2008 recounts that story and lets Stewart relay some fond memories of Colorado Springs before reinforcing the common theme: “Stewart … is a true blue (and gold) West Virginia mountain man.”
Reports say Stewart was recounting a story about DeBerry on the golf course when he passed away. Stewart was 59.
Monday football roundup: More on Air Force’s Asher Clark, big Big East meeting, All-Independent Team out
May 21st, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force’s Asher Clark dives over Toledo’s Diauntae Morrow (5) to score during last year's Military Bowl -- Clark's last game with the Falcons. (Getty Images photo by Rob Carr)
Three quick hits for a Monday afternoon:
1. Clark’s dad: He didn’t know. The news broke Friday and The Associated Press picked it up Saturday: Senior Air Force running back Asher Clark, second on the Falcons’ all-time rushing list, is no longer at the school, reportedly after being part of an academy investigation into illegal drug use. Sunday, Frank Schwab at The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette gave the Clark family’s side of the story via Asher’s father, Mark, who said his son thought he was smoking tobacco at a March 2011 party when in fact he’d been given a pipe packed with “Colorado Chronic” — a type of synthetic marijuana.
That act, Mark Clark said, resulted in his son’s dismissal from school. Key quote: “I get it, they made an example out of him. There are 4,000 cadets and they said, ‘If we’ll kick Asher Clark out of this school, we’ll kick you out even faster.’”
Mark Clark said the next step — re-enrolling at another school, filing a lawsuit, etc. — is up to his son. Air Force Academy officials would only tell The Gazette that Clark no longer attends the school and have not said whether he’ll be asked to reimburse the school for the cost of his education, which would be well into six figures.
2. Conference powwow. Officials from the Big East — including future members, like Navy — will meet this week in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and they’ve got plenty to talk about. ESPN blogger Andrea Adelson breaks down some of the issues here, and the Tampa Bay Times offers a good overview here. Major topics: Negotiating a new TV deal, finding a new commissioner, figuring out future division alignments and finding the league’s place in what’s become known as “BCS 2.0″ — the postseason setup that will begin after the 2014 season and could include a four-team playoff and radically different bowl affiliations. One piece of good news for the conference: It looks like Boise State’s still in the fold.
3. Independents’ day. Army junior running back Raymond Maples and Navy senior linebacker Matt Warrick were the only service academy representatives on Phil Steele’s All-Independent first team, which the college football guru released Friday. Eleven academy players — five Midshipmen and six Black Knights, including senior quarterback Trent Steelman — received second-team mentions. It’s a high honor, but the pool is limited — Army, Navy, Notre Dame and BYU are the only independent Football Bowl Subdivision programs this season.
Thursday football update: Concussion notes, more on Hall-of-Famer Thomas, SEALs and the NFL
May 17th, 2012 | After Action Air Force Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
A few football items for a Thursday, while we try to come up with some more sports that can be played on an aircraft carrier:
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Michael Soto reads a concussion evaluation guide Jan. 25 while his convoy travels through Helmand province, Afghanistan. A new study shows a link between brain injuries suffered in the war zone and on a football field. (Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bryan Nygaard)
1. New concussion study: A must-read here, and it’s not good — scientists studying the autopsied brains of four combat veterans found “evidence of a progressive degenerative brain disorder known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease found in recent years among deceased professional football players who had suffered multiple concussions.” CTE symptoms include memory loss and suicidal thoughts, and the disorder can lead to dementia, according to the report. Researchers have said CTE likely stems from multiple concussions, but according to this report, a single war-zone “blast exposure” could do a similar amount of damage.
Football fans are familiar with the headlines but don’t always make the connection between gridiron injuries and the “invisible wounds” that have drawn the military’s attention throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This study may strengthen that connection and gives yet another reason for military-NFL cooperation in battling brain injuries.
(Off-topic, but not really: The fall youth sports season is approaching — it starts earlier every year. Many military families have players and/or coaches involved, especially in the youth football ranks. Be prepared.)
2. On a positive note: We told you about Air Force Academy safety Scott Thomas’ induction into the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this week. We could bury you in stats and superlatives, but if you want a real look what makes Thomas an all-time great, visit The Air Force Academy Sports Blog over at The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette. Frank Schwab talks to Thomas’ wingman and has posted must-hear audio of the defender-turned-fighter pilot, cool as can be, discussing a developing engine fire. On his F-16. That he’s flying over Iraq. Key quote: “Bummer.”
3. Searching for SEALs: We missed this from a few weeks back — Gidget Fuentes of Navy Times outlined the Navy SEALs’ diversity efforts in a recent story and mentioned that the Navy had partnered with the NFL Regional Combines to help attract candidates of all backgrounds, especially minorities. A quick look at the regional combine website confirms that partnership. According to the report, nearly 100 prospective football players spoke with Navy folks about becoming prospective special operators. Here’s a good look at the regional program, which the league took over last year.
Air Force’s Scott Thomas named to College Football Hall of Fame
May 15th, 2012 | Air Force Football | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Scott Thomas will join Air Force teammate Chad Hennings and coach Fisher DeBerry as members College Football Hall of Fame. (Air Force photo)
Air Force’s Scott Thomas, an All-American senior safety in 1985, will join his coach from that standout season in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The hall announced its 2012 enshrinement class Tuesday; Thomas, who intercepted six passes and had 89 tackles in his senior season, joins a 17-member class that includes NFL legends Art Monk and Dave Casper, Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer and coaches Phillip Fulmer, Jimmy Johnson and R.C. Slocum. Thomas’ coach at Air Force, Fisher DeBerry, was selected for enshrinement last year. Chad Hennings, another Air Force defender on that 12-1 1985 club, was inducted in 2006.
This year’s inductees will be enshrined in July as part of a two-day event at the Hall of Fame, located in South Bend, Ind.
Thomas was inducted into the Air Force Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame last year: Catch video of Lt. Col. Thomas’ acceptance speech here and read an article from his hometown paper on that induction here.
Monday football roundup: Short Ben Garland update, bad Big East news, Army film in heavy rotation
May 14th, 2012 | Air Force Army Football Navy nfl | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force Academy grad Ben Garland talks to reporters Sunday after minicamp workouts in Denver. (US Presswire photo by Ron Chenoy)
A few service academy-related football notes to start off your week:
1. Praise from high places: We promised you updates on Air Force 2nd Lt. Ben Garland’s quest for an NFL job with the Denver Broncos, so we pass this along from Frank Schwab at The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette. Denver head coach John Fox offered some short remarks on Garland’s stellar work ethic during a post-rookie workout news conference late last week. Judging from the picture in that first link, the Air Force Academy grad’s strength and conditioning won’t be an issue.
2. Conference calamity: Speaking of early outs, they’re not just for academy grads anymore — the University of Pittsburgh is suing the Big East to escape the league a year earlier than planned. Pitt wants to join the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013 instead of 2014. According to The Associated Press, Pitt will argue that it shouldn’t have to adhere to the league’s 27-month waiting period before shifting conferences because the Big East recently allowed West Virginia to bolt for the Big 12 without a wait. Syracuse is slated to leave for the ACC with Pitt in 2014; the results of Pitt’s case — a school spokesman told AP the goal still was to settle the matter out of court — could alter the Orange’s plans.
Also, CBSSports.com’s Brett McMurphy, who has been breaking all kinds of news on the changing college conference landscape, reports that Boise State hasn’t pulled the trigger on its departure from the Mountain West Conference — something it must do by the end of next month to join the Big East as a football-only member as planned in 2013. Instead of explaining the move away, a school spokesman simply told McMurphy: “We are actively monitoring the changing landscape in college athletics and remain committed to making the best long-term decisions for Boise State.” Navy will enter the Big East as a football-only member in 2015.
3. Documentary deluge. Did you miss “Army Spring Football Mission: Fort Benning,” a documentary on CBS Sports Network that traces the Black Knights on the road to their historic spring game? Well, get the DVR ready or just find CBSSN on your local cable provider; the documentary is in heavy rotation. When you can catch it this week (all times Eastern, per the CBSSN website): Monday at 4 p.m.; Tuesday at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and Thursday at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Air Force’s Calhoun top service academy football coach on Sporting News list
May 10th, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force's Troy Calhoun is tops among service academy coaches in a recent Sporting News ranking. (US Presswire photo by Ron Chenoy)
The Sporting News just released its ranking of all 124 college football coaches. It gives new meaning to the word “complete.” Also, possibly new meaning to the word “long.”
We’ll simplify for you service academy football fans: Air Force gets bragging rights, with head coach Troy Calhoun checking in at No. 29.
Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo checks in at No. 35, while Army’s Rich Ellerson rounds out the academy pack at 79. The SN folks don’t spell out their methodology, but if you went by traditional metrics — you know, like their records from last year — you’d have the same order of finish.
These rankings don’t quite line up with the coaches’ paychecks — if the SN folks are right, Air Force might have themselves a good deal.
Former Annapolis head man Paul Johnson, now at Georgia Tech, ranks 19th. Alabama’s Nick Saban leads the rankings. Charley Molnar of the University of Massachusetts ranks last — UMass is new to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and Molnar’s entering his first season.
YouTube tribute to former Army player killed in car accident
May 9th, 2012 | Army Football | Posted by Phil Creed
Former Army cornerback Mario Hill died last weekend in a one-car accident in Lexington, Ky.
Hill’s car went off the road and hit a tree head-on, according to a report on Kentucky.com. Police suspect the accident was alcohol-related, the website reported.
Hill graduated from West Point in 2010. During his senior season, the Greensboro, N.C., native had 27 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Former Army linebacker and team captain Stephen Anderson talked with HudsonValley.com about Hill, reflecting on the positive attitude and spirit that he’ll remember his teammate for. Other tributes to Hill can be read here and here.
Big East reaction roundup: Opinions fly after commish steps down
May 9th, 2012 | After Action Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
After Action weighed in Monday on what the resignation of Big East Commissioner John Marinatto might mean to the Navy football program, which will begin play in the Big East in 2015 and was brought in as part of a Marinatto-led football expansion.
We weren’t the only ones. Click through for links to four other pieces on the future of the conference, plus some Navy-themed notes on each.
Football-in-Ireland update: Check out the cleats, prep school tournament, Notre Dame history
May 8th, 2012 | After Action Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Three quick updates on the hoopla surrounding Navy football’s season opener, including a reason to watch the game in black and white, if possible.
1. Tricolor cleats. This is the reason — Notre Dame players will honor (?) the host country with footwear resembling the Irish flag, according to multiple reports (like this one). Will they mesh with Notre Dame’s blue-and-gold uniforms? Will Navy attempt to answer this opening outfit salvo with one of its own? (Update: Navy’s quick Twitter response to the cleats) Will somebody try for a Navy working uniform version of this Army gem? Only the equipment managers know for sure.
2. Other games in town. Ten high schools and two small colleges will play football on the Emerald Isle the weekend of the big Notre Dame-Navy clash. Global Football Inc. is putting on a six-game event called — what else — Dublin Friday Night Lights. Contests will be spread out across the city, including games at Donnybrook Stadium, which might be the greatest stadium name ever. Click here for a Philly.com report on Father Judge, a Philadelphia school planning its trip. Navy fans can expect to see a good number of prep-school faithful on hand for the big college game, as many of the travel packages offered by the high schools and event organizers include tickets to watch the Mids and the Irish.
3. Irish history. Notre Dame has begun its online countdown of 125 great moments in the school’s 125-year football history. Navy’s been a major part of that storied past, facing the Irish since 1927. Will Roger Staubach come up? Or maybe this 2007 highlight reel? Anything’s possible.