2003 Army Football Preview

William White

The wait is finally over and Army head coach Todd Berry's first full recruiting class at West Point has begun to come of age. More than three years have passed since Berry assumed the reins of the historic grid program along the banks of the Hudson, instituting sweeping changes in style of play on both sides of the football. The dramatic transformation required a similar alteration in recruiting philosophy, with premiums placed on footspeed to support Berry's innovative one-back multiple offensive system and blitz-happy defensive package. And while Berry and his staff have been highly successful at injecting the type of blazing speed necessary to operate those systems, it's taken time for those new players to gain the type of experience necessary to be successful on the field.

"I was very excited about our performance this spring, but I was not surprised," Berry quickly states. "The whole coaching staff expected there to be pretty dramatic changes based on the youth of this football team last year. There were frustrations last year, but they are paying dividends for us now. We've got a good young football team, but it was an experienced team that showed up this spring.

"We had a good spring, and obviously we need to pick up where we left off. We need to move forward rather than having to re-trace our steps. It will be important for this team to gain a lot of confidence during preseason camp. This group has a tremendous chemistry. We've recruited the right type of athlete, the right kind of young person. Consequently, we've got a more complete football team."

Many of Berry's young players gained their experience directly in the line of fire last year, forced into the Black Knights' lineup a bit prematurely due to their high level of athleticism. In fact, it was not uncommon for eight sophomores to line up on Army's starting defense last fall. A similar dose of youth could be found on the offensive side of the ball, where Army started freshmen at the quarterback, running back and wide receiver positions throughout the year.

To illustrate the rarity of first-year players contributing so significantly to the Army football program consider the following point: Prior to last season, Army had started a freshman at quarterback in just four games throughout the long, storied history of the program. Berry was forced to start a freshman signal caller four times last season alone.

"I think we've got good, young talent and we've got depth starting to develop now at most positions," Berry explains. "We've got great competition at positions. Our attrition rate has been extremely low, and we've been able to keep our young people in the program. But it is very difficult to be successful at any place, but in particular here, when you're playing freshmen and sophomores. That's what we've needed to do the past few years.

"I am really pleased with the way this group handled the offseason," Berry offers. "This group has had a tremendous work ethic and a real nice spirit about them. It's been a group that has wanted to be 'change-agents' since they arrived at the Academy. They've always wanted to forge change. Now we have a group that has great team chemistry. They're a bunch of guys that had high expectations coming here and want to see those things achieved now. I've been real pleased with their effort and I've been real pleased with their attitude. That is showing in the testing results; from speed development to size and strength.

"It's also still a relatively young team because of the small number of seniors. If you base things on the spring, there's not a great number of senior starters in the group heading into the preseason, but we do have a lot of experience back. We have a lot of guys coming back that have played an awful lot of snaps. There's a certain confidence that comes from playing."

With 40 letterwinners and 16 starters returning from last year's club, the numbers certainly bear out those statements. One glance at Army's depth chart entering preseason camp will show a number of battle-tested veterans returning at virtually every position. That has not been the case at any point during Berry's first three years at the Black Knight helm.

"We've got so many guys now that have played in college games, we won't have to rely on the incoming recruiting class to play such a large role," Berry adds. "There's great competition at positions, which has been a great driving force throughout the offseason. I like the chemistry and I'm pleased with the retention level. We should have great competitions at positions across the board. That's something that we haven't always had here, either. Competition is a great motivator, and I like that. We've got guys that have similar capabilities and have had similar experiences."

Nowhere is that more evident than at the quarterback position, where juniors Reggie Nevels and Matt Silva, and sophomores Zac Dahman, Laron Bybee and Connor Crehan will vie for the starter's berth. All five received game action last fall, with Dahman grabbing the lion's share of snaps. He led the team in pass attempts, pass completions and passing yards. While Nevels, a starter in six games last season, did not participate in spring drills, Silva, Dahman, Bybee and Crehan waged a heated battle for the starting job during the month of April. All five will compete for the lead job once preseason camp convenes in August.

"We need to determine early during preseason camp who our starting quarterback will be," Berry mentions. "We have four young men that competed very hard and did a tremendous job throughout the course of the spring. I would feel comfortable with any of the four running our team. We've also got Reggie Nevels returning to the program, and he's another quarterback who possesses game experience. Certainly this will be a focus area early on. I view the situation as a positive, because we have five players that can handle the position.

"I'm excited about our quarterbacks. We had an awful lot of youth there last year and we expect to see huge growth rates physically, mentally and emotionally from those young men this year. As I said in the spring, I'm anxious to see if one of them will step forward and take the job. You don't inherit jobs at this level. You constantly have to earn them."

While other areas such as wide receiver, the defensive line and the defensive secondary feature a host of experienced talent in the form of returning starters, the same cannot be said for the offensive line, where four senior starters from last year's unit have departed, promising a revamped look up front.

"I'm not as concerned about the offensive line as many onlookers are," Berry claims. "We do not return a lot of starters to the offensive line, but we return a number of young men that have played a lot of snaps in games. I like the skill level of those we have back. I thought the unit performed very well during the spring and the group showed excellent consistency."

With eight returning starters on defense, Berry is also extremely comfortable with the look of his club's stop unit.

"We have a lot of players returning that started games for us last year. We had moments of being very, very good on defense. But as young units tend to be, it was kind of hit and miss. You have a breakdown here and a lack of ability to make a quick adjustment there. It takes a while for them to learn those experiences and make adjustments on the sideline. It's difficult to make a lot of adjustments with young teams. Now, we've got a pretty experienced group back, and we're going to be able to do a few more
things out of our package.

"We haven't been able to be as diverse as what we would have liked on defense in the past. We've got more speed on the field, which gives us more opportunities to create. I said there were time periods last season where we looked like a very, very good defensive football team, and there were times that we looked like a very, very poor defensive football team. That's a function of being young. We had eight guys out there that hadn't played much football at the collegiate level. It doesn't mean that they
can't be successful, but they needed experience."

Gaining that requisite experience has been painful at times for Berry and his staff the past three years, but it's all part of the overall
re-shaping process that goes into completing such a drastic transformation, both in style and philosophy. Berry appears ready to begin reaping the benefits of that hard work this fall.

"Our defensive team as a whole owns a good understanding of what we're trying to accomplish," Berry says. "This is the fastest team that we've been able to put on the field. That has been a glaring weakness for us in the past, especially in Conference USA. Featuring speed on defense is required due to the nature of the conference and the style of offenses that we play against. In my opinion, speed is an essential part of defensive success. We're going to be able to put together a defensive unit that is
able to run, and therefore should be more competitive.

"We're certainly deeper than what we've been. We've played an awful lot of players over the last couple of years. We want to see some guys rise up now and grab starting positions. Since the first day that we got here these players have shown a willingness to give up every fiber of their bodies in order to trust completely. It's really a fun group to be around because there is no question about their level of commitment. We've had to grow this team up, gain experience and develop depth. This team expects to
be successful."

With a large dose of maturity and a renewed sense of energy, it seems the foundation has been laid for those expectations to be realized soon.

Offensive Overview

Quarterback
All eyes will be focused sharply on the quarterback position during preseason camp, where five familiar faces will attempt to lay claim to the starter's role. Juniors Reggie Nevels and Matt Silva, and sophomores Zac Dahman, Laron Bybee and Connor Crehan all appeared under center for the Black Knights last fall, with Nevels (six), Silva (two) and Dahman (four) each drawing starts.

Dahman, who last season became the first freshman to start at quarterback for the Black Knights in 15 years, finished the year heading the club in pass attempts (184), pass completions (89), passing yards (1039) and touchdown passes (5). He also completed 48.4 percent of his pass attempts. Prior to last season, Army had started a freshman at quarterback in just four games during its history. Injuries to Nevels forced Dahman into the starting role on four occasions last fall. In fact, just over one quarter
into his collegiate career, Dahman found himself beneath center directing the Army offense after Nevels departed with a leg ailment.

Dahman responded well to the challenge, displaying a soft touch, tremendous accuracy and the ability to move Army's offense effectively. In a return to his home state of Texas, the Forth Worth native, posted the second-most prolific passing day in Army history when he completed 17 of 33 passes for 353 yards and four touchdowns in a loss at Houston. It also marked the first time an Army quarterback tossed at least three touchdowns in a game since 1977. He saw action in 10 of 12 contests in all.

Silva received extensive playing time last year as well, drawing field duty in eight contests. He threw for 402 yards and completed 40.0 percent (32-80) of his pass tries. Bybee and Crehan were limited to reserve action, though both took snaps beneath center during games. Bybee improved his stock dramatically this spring and enters summer drills with an excellent chance at claiming the top job. Crehan also put forth a steady showing during the spring and figures into the starting mix as well.

Despite starting more games than any other Army player at quarterback last season, Nevels enters preseason camp forced to make up ground after sitting out spring drills due to personal reasons. The multi-talented signal caller passed for 691 yards and five touchdowns, while completing 50.9 percent of his passes a year ago and possesses the necessary athleticism to impact a game with his legs as well as his arm. He must be sharp during preseason camp in order to regain his starting role.

"I was very pleased with the development of our quarterbacks this spring," head coach Todd Berry says. "More than anything else, I am pleased with their understanding of our systems right now; their ability to function within our system and their ability to make plays within what we do. It is a very good, young and talented group of quarterbacks. There is a tremendous competition taking place. I would have liked one of them separate from the others, but that didn't happen during the spring. We will have a very
interesting preseason camp to determine the starter.

"Reggie is an outstanding athlete, but he did miss the spring. That gave those other young men an opportunity to receive repetitions, so it will be very interesting. You can't rule Reggie out (as the starter) because he's got a number of game snaps to draw from and has shown signs of being an outstanding Division I-A quarterback. The nice thing for us is that we've got great competition at the position."

Running Back
Carlton Jones emerged as the Black Knights' starter at running back midway through his plebe campaign and posted a team-leading 611 yards a year ago. A shifty runner with the ability to slip through slender creases up front, Jones added speed, strength and quickness during the offseason and was one of the club's most dynamic performers this spring. He could develop into a special performer before his West Point tenure is complete. Jones registered at least 85 yards rushing on three occasions last season,
including a breakout 124-yard ground performance in Army's late-season upset of Tulane. Those numbers could rise significantly during his sophomore campaign.

"Carlton is mature beyond his years," head coach Todd Berry states. "He takes care of the football extraordinarily well, can be physical when he wants to and has the ability to run away from defenders as well. He possesses some of the things that you just can't coach. He has that sixth sense running backs need to be successful and is a very complete back.

"Carlton really came on as last season progressed, and he had a great spring. I'm excited about his development during the offseason."

Unsung junior D.J. Blackledge and scatback sophomore Recardo Evans round out the preseason depth chart behind Jones. Blackledge made measurable strides during spring drills, while Evans was sidelined due to injury. Both players will fight for playing time behind the Black Knights' starter.

"I was very pleased with what D.J. Blackledge accomplished during the spring," Berry says. "D.J. really elevated his game. We need to see him continue to build on those gains this fall. Consistency will be a key for him. We're also anxious to see Recardo Evans healthy again. We feel he has the ability to contribute as well."

One of the saddest stories of the spring dealt with the plight of talented junior La'Berrick Williams. Williams quickly climbed the Black Knights' depth chart last fall after battling back from spring knee surgery. But he re-injured the knee midway through spring drills and could be sidelined for the majority of the season once again. He was expected to shoulder a heavy workload in Army's backfield this fall.

Wide Receiver
With no fewer than six letterwinners and two of three starters returning to the fold, Army appears deep and talented at the wide receiver position. The talent level and quality depth currently in place remains a tribute to the long hours of hard work logged on the recruiting trail by head coach Todd Berry and staff of assistants.

"This is a good group," Berry states. "We have to find a way to get them the ball more because these guys are all capable of making big plays. I wouldn't be surprised if we were to use a lot of four- and five-wideout sets this season in order to take advantage of our athleticism and experience."

Big-play specialist William White tops the list after leading Army with 30 receptions last season. Slated to battle for the starting spot at the "Z" position for the second straight year, White flourished on the perimeter last season in his first full showing at wide receiver.
A converted high school running back who spent time at defensive back as a plebe, White possesses game-breaking speed, soft hands and a flair for the dramatic. He averaged 12.8 yards per catch last fall and started eight of the 11 games in which he saw action. The native of Virginia Beach, Va., sat out spring drills while competing for Army's track and field squad and will fight during preseason to reclaim his starting job.

With White's absence, promising sophomore Jacob Murphy soared to the top of the depth chart based upon an outstanding spring showing. Murphy started last season's opener against Holy Cross and shouldered hefty amounts of playing time throughout the season. He boasts excellent size (6-2), game-breaking speed and emerged as a "big-play" candidate this spring. Classmate Ben Barton has displayed similar characteristics following his shift from quarterback midway through last fall. One of the fastest players
on Army's roster, Barton continues to blossom into a major contender for playing time in the Black Knights' receiver rotation.

"William White remains one of the top athletes in our program and can break a big play any time he touches the ball," Berry lauds. "Murphy has great hands and is an excellent route-runner, while Barton is one of our most explosive runners and is terrific with the ball in his hands. We feel very good about this group's ability to create plays on its own."

The same can be said for Berry's collection of talent at the "X" position, where the inviting 6-6 frame of Aaron Alexander lends a tantalizing target for the Black Knights' signal callers. After missing his freshman season due to injury, Alexander burst on Army's receiving scene last fall, averaging a team-best 17.5 yards per catch. He boasts deceiving speed, the ability to make the big catch in traffic and is a blossoming star on the outer flank.

One of Berry's most pleasant surprises this spring, sophomore burner Bruce Brown fills in behind Alexander with classmate Kyle Simmons also listed in reserve. Brown developed into a major offensive threat this spring after battling through injuries during his rookie campaign. Another of Army's youthful speed merchants, Brown boasts the ability to separate from the defense and promises to receive quality playing time this fall.

"Aaron Alexander began to develop into a valuable weapon for us last season," Berry says. "He enjoyed an outstanding spring and could be a major player for us this season. Bruce Brown was just a wonderful surprise in the spring. We knew he owned a high skill level, but he really began to put things together. We are very excited about his potential in our offense."

At 6-6, Clint Woody is yet another rangy target boasting quality game experience. The two-time letterwinner contributed mightily last fall and appears primed to assume a starter's role at the "H" position in his final go-around.

Sophomore Blaine Cooper made great strides as last season progressed, spelling injured starter Aris Comeaux with the lead cast late in the year. Cooper is a sound fundamental performer and boasts tremendous hands. He and speedy junior Lamar Mason should see plenty of field duty in support of Woody.

"Cooper came on strong last season," Berry offers. "He has a great feel for the position and is very heady. He catches the ball extremely well and is not easily confused by college coverages, which is rare for a young player. Mason is another guy that has played extensively for us and Simmons could work his way into the picture due to his ability to catch the football.

"We've got great depth and great competition at all three wide receiver positions. It's an area that we've recruited to well. It's the best
receiving group that we've had in terms of athleticism and experience. We have several players that are capable of making explosive plays at this level. Now, we have to find ways to deliver them the ball."

Tight End
Juniors Doug Horaist (6-4, 235) and Christian Montagliani (6-4, 240), and sophomores Cory Sherk (6-5, 228) and Jared Ulekowski (6-4, 235), will compete for the tight end job this fall following the graduation of starter Warren Stewart.

Horaist boasts tremendous physical tools but has lacked consistency during the early stages of his Army career, while Montagliani is a converted quarterback who continues to gain comfort with his new surroundings. Sherk and Ulekowski boast the physical traits necessary to develop into impact players with added seasoning. Their development will be closely monitored this fall. Like Montagliani, Sherk is a former quarterback, but sat out last season due to a shoulder injury.

"Certainly, this is the most athletic group of tight ends that we've had since I've been at West Point," head coach Todd Berry mentions. "We need to see more consistency from the unit as a whole. Horaist and Montagliani made excellent progress this spring. They need to continue developing that consistency moving forward. There will continue to be some battling for playing time at tight end throughout the fall."

Offensive Line
While Army returned three-fifths of its starting offensive line a year ago, the Black Knights must replace four departed seniors in the lead cast this spring. Junior Joel Glover rates as the lone holdover in the group after claiming the starting role at left tackle midway through last season. A hulking figure at 6-5, 291 pounds, Glover features excellent strength and deceiving speed. He boasts outstanding leadership qualities and is expected to anchor the unit from his left tackle position.

"I'm very pleased with Joel's development," head coach Todd Berry states. "He improved himself in the weight room during the winter without losing any speed. You certainly don't find too many guys his size with that kind of speed. Joel's got a chance to be an outstanding player." The picture up front is a bit more muddled after that, with the Black Knights featuring just one other offensive lineman that can boast a single career start. Berry does not seem overly concerned by that fact, though. Although no other full-time starters return to the fold, several of his new line prospects have logged extensive reserve duty in the past, adding to the
Army mentor's comfort level.

Junior David Evetts (6-2, 288) will be granted every opportunity to claim the starting job at center following his offseason shift from guard, while senior Brad Waudby (6-5, 320) and junior Seth Nieman (6-5, 305) appear to be the prime candidates to bookend Glover at right tackle. Junior Regan Tatford (6-5, 301) will provide depth at tackle, while junior Justin Troy (6-1, 290) and senior Josh Davis (6-1, 300) seem poised to challenge Evetts for the top job at center.

"I was very pleased with the performance of David Evetts in the spring," Berry says. "He's a physical player with good movement skills. That will turn out to be a positive move for both David and the team."

Juniors Jake Holly (6-3, 285) and Andy Dytrych (6-3, 290) enter preseason camp listed as the starters at right and left guard, respectively, with junior Adam Wojcik (6-4, 275), senior Peter Stewart (6-2, 276) and sophomore Pete Bier (6-3, 280) providing the chief competition. A starter in two games at right tackle last season, Wojcik lends valuable flexibility and remains a vital component of Berry's offensive line rotation.

"I am really excited about this group," Berry adds. "We have better size, with a lot of players who have seen game action in the past. They haven't necessarily been starters, but I have no reservations about them."

Defensive Overview

Defensive Line
One need look no farther than Army's defensive line in order to view an example of the result to what head coach Todd Berry refers as "growing a football team up the right way." Berry and his staff were saddled by a decided lack of candidates up front when he took over the Black Knight controls during the winter of 2000. Three years into his rebuilding project, Berry now lists the position as an area of strength, thanks to the presence of a host of impressive athletic specimens, each boasting the talent required of an impact player at the Division I-A level.

Juniors Keenan Beasley (6-3, 246) and Odene Brathwaite (6-4, 260) anchor the unit from their defensive end positions. Both possesses the ability to apply heat on enemy quarterbacks from the edge, while holding up well in run support. The duo provides Berry with a physical presence on the perimeter and continues to improve with each snap. While Beasley recorded 4.5 quarterback sacks as a sophomore, Brathwaite notched two.

"Keenan and Odene have had great offseasons," Berry praises. "Both have gotten stronger while improving their speed. I don't think either one has realized his potential yet, which could mean good things for our
defense."

Junior Mike Clark (6-1, 234) is another member of Berry's initial recruiting class prepared to make large contributions along Army's defensive front wall. A relentless pass-rusher, Clark features excellent speed and thrust, and could find himself utilized extensively in passing situations. Juniors Ryan Johnson (6-2, 221) and Karl Davis (6-1, 220), and sophomore Phillip Edmondson (6-4, 250) could also see time in reserve. Edmondson was shifted from tight end late during spring drills and responded admirably. He boasts tremendous physical ability, solid football instincts and could scale the depth chart swiftly this fall. A former inside linebacker, Davis was also moved late in the spring with an eye toward better utilizing his aggressive pass-rushing skills.

"Phillip is one of the more explosive players, as far as the point of contact, that we have on the team," Berry lauds. "I'm real excited about seeing him in preseason camp because I think he could challenge for a starting job. I think Karl Davis will give us another person capable of putting heat on the quarterback."

Due to the depth and talent at defensive end, Berry and his staff were permitted to slide junior Will Sullivan (6-3, 257) inside to defensive tackle from a defensive end spot during the offseason. Sullivan logged quality time at both positions last fall, but will focus his energies at defensive tackle this season. A physical defender with a warrior's mentality, Sullivan saw action in all 12 contests a year ago, drawing five starts. He ranked among team leaders in both tackles for loss (5) and quarterback sacks (3.5) as he bounced between the end and tackle positions.

"Will has always had a natural aggression about him, which is required to play inside," Berry explains. "You've really got to be able to fight off the double-team and want to make plays. Will possesses those qualities and had a great spring."

Junior Trey Landry (6-3, 280) should claim the lead role at defensive tackle beside Sullivan following a productive sophomore campaign that saw him draw four starting assignments. Fast-rising sophomores Tommy Ryan (6-3, 271), Seth Lotts (6-3, 243) and Dan Evans (6-3, 276) are expected to push for playing time inside, providing Berry with healthy competition and quality depth.

"This group has really come along and looks very good physically," Berry states. "I think a few of these young men have the potential to develop into special players. The best thing about them is that they are all juniors and sophomores, so we'll be able to talk about them for a couple more years. The same can be said for the majority of our defense."

Inside Linebacker
Army's inside linebackers have taken a leaner, faster look under head coach Todd Berry. The Black Knights might very well possesses two of their fastest players at the position in recent years with the return of junior Greg Washington and senior Brian Hill.

The highly regarded Washington earned a starter's berth last fall, but suffered an ankle injury early in the season that forced him to miss all or parts of six contests. His effectiveness was clearly hindered upon his return to the lineup, dealing Army's stop unit a major blow. Washington brings an added dimension of speed and aggression to Army's defense and boasts the ability to plug holes in a hurry. A heavy hitter, Washington packs a wallop and is equally effective against the pass or run.

"Greg missed too many games for us last year through no fault of his own," Berry states. "He has the ability to step up and make plays, and is someone we need on the field as much as possible. Greg has added weight and strength, but that has not affected his speed. He is a player that can make a difference for us on defense."

Hill was also hampered by injury a year ago, suffering a knee ailment against Air Force that effectively ended his season. He was beginning to develop into an impact player for the Black Knights at the time of his injury and enters spring camp as the likely starter at the "mike" linebacker position. The Daytona Beach, Fla., native boasts excellent quickness and has emerged as a respected team leader during the offseason.

"Brian is as good an athlete as we've had at the 'mike' linebacker spot," Berry offers. "We should have gotten him more snaps last season. He is a physical guy that can drop back in pass coverage. He's got a chance to make a real impact for us."

While up-and-coming junior Matt Maimone and promising sophomore David Clamon fill in behind Hill at "mike," talented junior Mikel Resnick and gritty senior Tom Farrington will scrap for playing time behind Washington at the "sam" linebacker spot. Resnick was shifted inside after starting at one of the club's "sniper" spots a year ago. He is blessed with tremendous natural ability and could challenge Washington for a starting role.

"Maimone has always been a play-maker. He just needed to put on some weight to hold up better inside. He's done that now," expresses Berry. "Clamon is a vicious hitter who needs to continue to gain comfort in pass coverage.

"Resnick possesses outstanding speed and is a very good 'inside-out' player. I think his move will prove to be very beneficial to the team. He can make so many more plays inside for us. We feel he will push Greg Washington, which is a great problem, because we are very high on Greg. To be effective on defense in Conference USA, our linebackers must be able to drop back in pass coverage, and they must be able to run well. We've got some individuals that can do that now."

Outside Linebacker
All talk regarding Army's outside linebackers centers around the return of senior Ryan Kent. Not only one of the Black Knights' top
performers on either side of the ball, Kent is widely viewed as the team's spiritual leader and drives the emotions of the team. He carries a great deal of passion into every snap, and brings that energy to the practice field every day. A converted quarterback, Kent has flourished at the "sniper" position since his shift during the spring of his freshman season. He has worked hard to develop into one of the conference's premier defensive players.

Kent paced the team with 99 tackles last season, including three for loss, and registered two interceptions. He also returned a fumble 88 yards for a touchdown. A vocal leader on and off the field, Kent sets the tone for the Black Knights' entire defensive unit.

"Ryan Kent might be the best football player on the team," head coach Todd Berry states. "He is a great player and possesses outstanding instincts. He is the first person that we've had here whose leadership skills transcend both sides of the football. When Ryan talks, everyone on the team listens. Every football team needs to have one person that everyone looks to. He's the guy that runs the ship and everyone knows it. Whenever he barks, people listen. Ryan has barked during the offseason, and people have listened and responded."

Junior Curt Daniels emerged as a starting candidate opposite Kent this spring. A fearless competitor with a propensity to deliver the big hit, Daniels' steady rise allowed for the shift of incumbent starter Mikel Resnick to inside linebacker. He is a fundamentally sound performer and boasts a tremendous knowledge of Berry's defensive scheme.

"Curt is a heavy hitter and just does everything right," Berry says. "He possesses an excellent understanding of our defensive system and that allows him to a gain a step in coverage. The game comes very easily to Curt, and he's always been able to make plays."

There's plenty of talented depth in reserve at "sniper" thanks to the presence of a trio of highly skilled sophomores. Taylor Justice, Seth Gulsby and Chuck Wilke form that highly regarded threesome, imported to the Army program as part of Berry's second full recruiting class.

Justice made a mark on special teams a year ago, throwing his body around with great tenacity. A tremendous hitter with a nose for the football, Justice could receive extended playing time this fall. The same can be said for Gulsby, who spent the majority of last season at free safety. He also contributed mightily on Army's specialty units last fall and was switched to "sniper" in an effort to better utilize his aggressive ballhawking skills. Wilke is another sophomore that saw action as a plebe. His continued development could also lead to greater opportunities on the field.

"I like our talent and depth at 'sniper'" Berry contends. "Our front-line people have the potential to be very good. We have some
experience and some speed as well. I am also very excited about the young 'snipers' in our program. I think we will be solid at the position for quite a while."

Defensive Back
The names Jonathan Lewis and Delente Brewer have been mentioned in the same breath for two years running now by Black Knight followers. Army's starting cornerbacks prepare to enter their third year in the "Black, Gold and Gray" with a tremendous amount of valuable game experience tucked neatly beneath their helmets. The pair has grown together since shouldering considerable roles in Army's defensive secondary during their respective rookie showings. After battling varying degrees of growing pains as their exposure to the collegiate game increased, both appear primed for breakout campaigns.

"Jonathan and Delente have shown signs of being outstanding players for us," head coach Todd Berry offers. "They've been able to gain a lot of experience the past two years and both possess a nice confidence level now. I am really excited about those two guys. We've really got two identical players there. They've worked extremely hard during the offseason to improve their strength and speed. Fortunately, we'll get to talk about these individuals for a couple more years."

While Lewis played cornerback in high school, Brewer is a converted quarterback. Brewer ranked tied for fourth among team leaders with 59 tackles last season and finished with two interceptions and three pass breakups. Lewis closed his first full year as a starter with 45 tackles, one interception and four pass deflections.

Berry and his coaching staff have worked extremely hard to create quality depth across the board on defense by attracting a host of speedy young players to the program. Evidence of that rests at cornerback, where highly rated sophomore Ray Stith lines up behind stalwarts Lewis and Brewer. One of the jewels in Berry's second full recruiting class, Stith shapes up as the heir apparent at one of the two corner slots. There's also plenty of help on the way in the form of a skilled incoming freshman class of corners.

"We have done a very good job recruiting good, young cornerbacks to our program," Berry states. "We are at the point now that if we lose one of our top players due to injury, there won't be a significant dropoff in talent level. That is a huge step for our program. It is so important to have speed and depth at cornerback. That position, more than any other on defense, can hinder your development as a team. You have to be able to run in this conference because you are going to be challenged. Conference USA has some players that can run and throw the football. You have to be prepared to defend against some quality individuals."

Another member of Berry's young, but tested junior class, Lucius Weaver holds down the starting role at free safety, rounding out a secondary that should be greatly improved based on its increased experience and maturity. Weaver started six of 12 contests last fall, splitting time between "sniper" and free safety. He closed the year ranked third on the club with 71 tackles, including five for loss, and added four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

At 6-3, 231, the hard-hitting Weaver packs a wallop in run support, but also features the athleticism required to protect the back line against enemy receivers.

"Because Lucius is such a big hitter, he would jump too fast on certain plays in the past," Berry says. "He's much more comfortable back there now and began to show a great deal of consistency as last season progressed. We think Lucius can be an awfully good player in this conference."

Another young player with a high talent ceiling is sophomore Dhyan Tarver. Shifted from cornerback to free safety during the offseason in an effort to help build depth along the back line, Tarver harbors an exciting blend of power and speed. He brings valued "corner"-type speed to the free safety spot and could allow for increased flexibility within Army's defensive scheme. Sophomore Rob Davis could also factor in the mix after making an impact on special teams last season. A two-sport standout, Davis split time between football and baseball during the spring.

"Dhyan Tarver is another guy that enjoys contact and is one of the fastest players on the team," Berry offers. "Dhyan had a tremendous spring. He is an outstanding athlete and can cover a tremendous amount of ground. His speed at free safety could provide us with many more coverage options. Rob Davis has great instincts and runs extremely well. He's a very bright player, but his greatest asset is his willingness to throw his body around and hit somebody. He makes plays, and we're anxious to have him back full-time in the fall."

All three players are expected to receive extensive game action this season.

Special Teams
Head coach Todd Berry will be looking to replace just one member of his kicking game this spring following the graduation loss of punter Chris Castelli. Castelli scuffled through an uneven performance last fall, a shortfall that was accentuated by Army's early season struggles in punt coverage. The Black Knights improved their numbers dramatically in net punting yardage as the season progressed, though, as the punt coverage unit began to mature as a whole.

Army will look to build upon that improvement with a new punter in place as junior Alex Bradford inherits the starting job. A left-footed booter, Bradford served as the understudy to Castelli a year ago and appears primed to assume a greater role.

"Alex has a very strong leg and could challenge for kickoff duties as well," expresses Berry. "I like the thought of having a left-footed
punter because the ball comes off his foot a bit differently than it does a right-footed kicker. Alex is a good athlete and gets rid of the ball in a hurry. His speed and quickness will provide us with some additional fake opportunities. The big question will be whether Alex can establish the consistency that is required to be successful. He showed signs of being able to reach that level in the spring."

Joe Riley displayed that type of reliability after claiming Army's placement duties late in his rookie campaign. The strong-legged sophomore was 4 of 5 field goal attempts and 6 of 7 extra point tries down the stretch. Riley may have made his greatest contributions on Army's kickoff unit, consistently placing his boots inside the opponent's 5-yard line while solidifying an area that had plagued the Black Knights earlier in the season.

"I think we have a proven kicker in Joe Riley. I was very pleased with what he was able to accomplish for us last year," Berry adds. "He boasts very good leg 'pop' and gets the ball out in a hurry." While sophomore Tom Dyrenforth is expected to provide Bradford with the greatest challenge at punter, senior Anthony Zurisko should battle Riley for placement duties.

The remainder of Army's special forces units return virtually intact-from coverage units to return specialists. Junior William White headlines the group following a season in which he established himself as one of the nation's most dangerous kickoff returners. White, who ranked 17th nationally in all-purpose yards, averaged 22.5 yards per kickoff return to list 44th among national leaders in that category. He boasts searing speed and darting quickness, providing Berry with a long-distance threat every time he touches the ball.

"We showed signs of being very productive in the kickoff return department last season," Berry explains. "It got to where our opponents were limiting our opportunities by kicking the ball away from our return men. William White can be a dangerous weapon for us returning kicks and it became obvious that our opponents felt the same way."

Army boasted the same type of explosive production in its punt return game. Led by departed punt return specialist Aris Comeaux, who returned two punts for touchdowns last year and listed second among national leaders, the Black Knights ranked 11th nationally as a team in punt returns, averaging 14.7 yards per try. Berry appears to have uncovered a dangerous replacement for Comeaux in the form of shifty sophomore Ray Stith. Ryan Kent has also handled those responsibilities in the past.

"Ryan Kent filled in for Aris last year and did a fine job, but we're really excited about taking a look at Ray Stith back there," Berry says. "Ray is very natural under the ball, boasts great quickness and can make people miss. He's one of those guys that can bring the crowd to its feet when he has the ball in his hands."

Army's specialty units will also be bolstered by the return of short-snapper Justin Troy, long-snapper Brent McCorkle and holder Wes Willard.

"We're blessed with having a number of players that can long-snap on our team," Berry adds. "Brent and Justin performed well for us last year, but both will be challenged. Wes Willard is the best holder that I've ever been around. There is a certain comfort level for our kickers knowing that Wes is out there because they know that the ball is always going to be in the spot they want. For a kicker, that is so significant. They never have to worry about ball placement or timing.

"We have a chance to be very good with our special teams units. We loaded those groups with freshmen and sophomores last year. Now, we have almost all of those players back. I feel very comfortable from that standpoint."