Army 3-3

Friday, October 18, 2019

This is football 2019, you're not going to go undefeated for life. It's a loss, if it's a losing streak, you still have to get up, address the problem(s) and play on.

Everything about this game was unsettling, everything. The referees had quiet whistles, Western Kentucky had a snazzy red white and blue Hilltoppers logo on their helmets. I picked up on it  watching on tv, but there was also a television production element that really added to the funhouse mirror effect. Maybe it was the camera angles, or the crew, but the coverage was dizzying. Then add in that the whole thing had kind of a groundhog Day effect to it with the rhythmic droning of "FIRST DOWN HILLTOPPERS!!!"

First, I am so used to CBSSports coverage of Army football that I take for granted things like instant replays, and solid camera work. Those are the major things when I say it reminded me of old CSTV college football broadcasts. Second, the broadcast crew kept saying things like "3rd and 3 this is right where Army wants to be." right while the offense is showing us with their play, with their body language and with their effort that it was clearly not where Army wanted to be.


Army had four full possessions in the first half and three of them were 3-and-outs. When you're Wannstedting around like that and trying for 3-5 yards a play, and all of sudden you're behind the sticks and you're not getting your 3 yards/play, i will tell you -  it's a miracle Army was within 10 points at any point of that game.  Army's offense didn't show much enthusiasm at all. The defense played some bend -but-break defense and next thing you know you're in a big hole.  In a game like this when you see the possession number it reminds you of how much the offense is the engine of Army's football strategy. A couple of missed blocks out of the backfield... a couple of 3 and outs in a row, you're looking at a disaster.

3/11 on 3rd down.
208 yards total offense.
71 yards passing.


 It was a nightmare. Army's defense would do fine for 2 plays in a row and then get sliced. They would do just enough to keep the team in the game, and then do something like give up 14 yards on 3rd to offer up a 4th down try... Next thing you know it's 1ST DOWN HILLTOPPERS. The whole thing was Fright Night.

Here's the Army/WKU story, stats, highlights and replay.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6dHubbwNoE&feature=onebox

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