But does any of that really matter in the season when Army is slated to play Navy for the 100th time? That mammoth clash comes Dec. 4. Leading up to that, expect to see a traditionally strong running game chew up yardage, a tough front seven on defense and a secondary that gets burned deep too much.

Army lost its top four rushers but that shouldnt hurt the running game too much. John Johnson (57 carries, 251 yards) is the only retuning starter in the backfield but he broke his wrist four practices into the spring. Fullbacks Michael Wallace and Alton McCalum impressed during spring practice. There will also be several new faces blocking up front. Guard Mark Prehar is the only returning starter on a line that gets by more on effort than bulk (no one listed on the two-deep roster is bigger than 291 pounds). That lack of size is shown most in Brandon Calhoun, who tips the scales at a very 1950s-ish 237 pounds. Hell be expected to shuffle between center and guard, splitting time with Dustin Plumadore. Grady Jett, last years top receiver, returns and should see more than then 14 catches he had last season with Gerena at the helm for the entire season.

If Army really wants to improve its defense, it must find a way to cover opposing teams receivers. Opponents completed 57.2 percent of their passes last season, averaging almost 250 yards per game. Senior Tony Coaxum has the speed to hang with most receivers, but CUSA is loaded with quality wideouts who will test him and sophomore Brent Dial, who is penciled in as the other corner. Safety Derick McNally has the big-hitting ability to make receivers pay for catching the ball, but he may be asked to do that too much this season if the corners cant cover well enough to stop anyone.