Navy Football: 3 bold predictions for 2017 Army-Navy game

1. The Midshipmen the 2017 Army-Navy game

As much as I would love to see Army win their first Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy since I started shaving, it’s not going to happen in 2017. The Midshipmen are more battle tested, and Army only won the 2016 game with Navy on its third-string quarterback.

Coach Jeff Monken is the perfect person to lead the Army West Point football program. His return to the triple-option and 3-4 defense which works at service academies mixed with his demeanor and desire to coach at West Point makes him a great fit.

Coach Ken Niumatalolo is one of the best coaches in college football. He has an 83-47 overall record as a head football coach. At a service academy, that’s an impressive feat like no other.

Mario Cristobal wins recruiter of the year at Alabama, where pockets are deep and bags are plenty but how haven’t the Army or Navy coaches won recruiter of the year? The requirements to be accepted at the Naval Academy or West Point are physical, emotional and mental.

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The Middies stay traditional and do what they do best which is stay in the triple option while relying on Abey and their usual plays. Those plays are midline option, inside veer, and B-Back zone dive. Army will try to get fancy and use their pistol sets and other formations and when you have to use tricks you’ve already lost the game.

Final: Navy 24, Army 21 on a field goal in overtime.