WEST POINT, N.Y.—Rich Ellerson already is in the Army record books after just one game as head coach, and he doesn’t even want to talk about it.
“By the Tuesday of another week, we tend to want to treat last week as ancient history,” Ellerson said earlier this week. “You’re going to have to force me to visit about that.”
OK coach, consider yourself forced.
Ellerson, who replaced Stan Brock in December, guided Army to a 27-14 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. It marked the first time Army won a season opener since quarterback Ronnie McAda’s senior season in 1996, when the Black Knights finished 10-2. And it made Ellerson the only coach in school history to notch a victory in a season-opening game played away from West Point—though Army has opened a season on the road only nine times in 120 years of football.
Next up is Duke (0-1) at Michie Stadium on Saturday, and last week’s triumph apparently really is ancient history.
“They (the Blue Devils) are very sophisticated and they understand themselves and adjust accordingly,” Ellerson said. “We, on the other hand, have to fix 10,000 things … to have a chance. The good news is that we can do that.”
Although Army was hit with 11 penalties for 82 yards and had only 8 yards passing against EMU, the coach’s assessment seems somewhat harsh considering his team won. The Black Knights’ triple-option offense had 300 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including 184 yards and a pair of scores in the fourth quarter. Army’s flex defense swarmed the Eagles for six sacks and nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage, limiting EMU to 223 yards of offense and just 40 yards rushing.
“We run a very fast defense,” Army linebacker Stephen Anderson said. “Our defensive line did a great job putting pressure on the quarterback and our defensive backs did a great job covering guys. We got some pressure on their quarterback and he had a limited time to throw the ball. That’s what we need to do again this week.”
Ellerson said Trent Steelman, the first plebe to start a season-opener in the modern era (since 1944), will start again, but both Chip Bowden and Carson Williams could see action depending on what happens on the field.
“We need to do a better job of throwing and catching,” Ellerson said. “We didn’t throw especially well and we did not catch especially well. The thing that we can’t afford to do is be inefficient in the passing game. If we are going to throw it, we need to complete it.”
The Blue Devils figure to be in a nasty mood. They’re coming off a 24-16 home loss to Richmond, the reigning champions of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Duke holds a 5-3-1 edge in games played at Michie Stadium. Although Saturday’s game is not a sellout, the Black Knights know they’re being noticed for the right reasons.
“There are a lot of excited fans out there and the Corps of Cadets is all fired up,” Anderson said. “We are 1-0 for the first time since all the cadets have been here. There are a lot of people expecting big things out of us. It’s very exciting.”
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Notes: Duke holds a 10-9-1 series lead against Army. The first meeting was a 27-7 Army victory at the Polo Grounds in New York City in 1944. … Army’s all-time record in home-openers is 96-20-3. … Army is tied for first in the nation in sacks. The Black Knights, South Carolina and California all registered six sacks in their season openers, and Army’s 51 yards lost on those sacks were the most in the country. … 1947 Outland Trophy winner Joe Steffy’s No. 61 jersey will be retired in a ceremony at halftime of the Ball St. game on Sept. 19.
