MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — With a lot of the pregame talk about what West Virginia needs to do to stop Army’s option offense in today’s Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn., Black Knights coach Jeff Monken thinks his team will have its hands full against the Mountaineers.
“They’re awfully good,’’ Monken said Tuesday. “They are a lot more talented than we are. They’re a lot faster, more athletic and bigger than we are, and that’s going to make it a challenge. We’re going to do the best that we can.’’
WVU (5-4, 4-4 Big 12) is a 7-point favorite as the only Power 5 team Army (9-2) will play this season. Due to most conferences moving to either conference only or a plus-1 format, the Black Knights’ game against Oklahoma, originally scheduled for September, was canceled.
Army was left in the dark for bowl season after the Independence Bowl was canceled, but after Tennessee had to opt out of its spot in the Liberty Bowl, the bowl committee and WVU agreed Army would fill the Volunteers’ spot. Army players went home for Christmas and returned this week for two practices Tuesday and Wednesday before today’s game, which will kick off at 4 p.m. on ESPN.
“To be able to play in the postseason … it’s one of the great rewards of playing college football,” Monken said. “Having an outstanding season is to be able to play in a bowl game, particularly a game like the Liberty Bowl, which has so much history, and playing a tremendous opponent like West Virginia.’’
The biggest things that jump out to Monken? WVU running back Leddie Brown and the Mountaineers’ defense.
Brown is aiming for a 1,000-yard season, sitting at 945 yards and nine touchdowns.
“Their running back is fantastic, one of the best running backs in the country, in my opinion,’’ Monken said.
WVU’s defense is 21st nationally in points per game (20.4), 24th in rush defense (126.2), seventh in pass defense (171) and fifth in total defense (297.2).
Stopping Army’s ground game, which is second nationally with 312 yards per game, will be key for the Mountaineers. The Black Knights have had 22 different ball carriers this season, including six different quarterbacks.
“They are defensively as athletic and as talented as any defense that we will have faced all year,’’ Monken said. “I mean, just watch the people that they’ve got to cover in their league and the talent that it takes to play in a skill position in that conference. They’re just a really strong, stout defense.’’
Loe to sit out
WVU junior linebacker Exree Loe posted on his Instagram account he will not play in today’s game.
Already down one linebacker in Tony Fields, who opted out to prepare for the NFL draft, the Mountaineers will need to replace Loe, who had 46 tackles and a forced fumble this season as an outside linebacker.
Stills, Smith continue to add postseason honors
Sophomore spear Tykee Smith and senior defensive tackle Darius Stills were named Wednesday to Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America Second Team.
Stills, the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and All-Big 12 first team honoree by the coaches and the AP, was named a first-team All-America selection by Associated Press, Sporting News, USA Today, Bleacher Report and ESPN, and second team by The Athletic. Smith, an All-Big 12 first team selection by the AP, was named to Pro Football Focus’ first team All-America squad, Sporting News’ second team and the AP All-America third team.
Smith and Stills become the first Mountaineers to earn FWAA All-America honors at their positions, and are the first FWAA All-Americans since Yodny Cajuste was honored in 2018. The duo becomes the 15th and 16th WVU players to be honored by the FWAA, third pair to be honored in the same year and sixth and seventh Mountaineers to earn a spot on second team.
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