2026 American Preseason Previews: Army Black Knights

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2025 record: 7-6

2025 postseason: defeated UConn in Fenway Bowl, 41-16

We’ve entered the age of the service academy. In the 12 years of the College Football Playoff era, there have been 12 combined 10+ win seasons between the three FBS service academies. Army is responsible for three of those 10+ win campaigns, attaining that threshold in 2017, 2018, and most recently during a historic 12-2 run in 2024.

Why is the outlook of a service academy so positive in this age? Continuity. In the NIL/transfer portal era, it’s become increasingly harder for American Conference teams to retain their star players — and even coaches — on an annual basis. While Army and Navy lose the occasional player to the portal, these academies generally retain their stars each offseason. Add coaching staff stability to the equation, as Jeff Monken (2014-present) is tied for the fifth-longest tenured head coach in the FBS, and Army enters 2026 with a strong foundation.

Even with those advantages, 2025 could not have started more disastrous. Coming off its winningest season in history and its first-ever conference championship, Army suffered a stunning loss to FCS Tarleton State in the season opener. Although the Black Knights rebounded immediately with a win over Kansas State, the beginning of 2025 was still a struggle. However, Army responded to its 1-3 start with a 6-3 finish, decimating UConn in the 2025 Fenway Bowl. If there is a silver lining to the Black Knights’ 7-6 finish which fell below expectations — five of those games were highly winnable. Tarleton State and North Texas were overtime losses. Tulane and Tulsa generated their winning touchdowns with under 30 seconds remaining. And of course, there’s the one that stings the most in West Point, NY, and that’s dropping the Army-Navy Game thanks to Navy’s 4th and goal conversion in the fourth quarter.

Now the page turns to 2026, where Army aims to flush the close losses from 2025 and revert to its 2024 level of dominance.

Staff

Jeff Monken enters year 13 at the helm. He is one of seven FBS head coaches to rein over one program throughout the entire College Football Playoff era, and his presence has broughtforth a golden era of Army football. When he took over in December 2013, Army had three bowl wins to its name. Monken is 6-1 in bowl games, won the 2024 American Conference Championship Game, and oversaw two of the program’s three ranked finishes since 1959.

Monken isn’t the only member of the staff entering year 13. Associate head coach and special teams coordinator Sean Saturnio has spent the entire tenure working alongside Monken. The other coordinators on staff — Cody Worley for the offense and Daryl Dixon for the defense — enter their sixth and 10th seasons with the Black Knights, respectively. However, both are relatively new to coordinator roles as 2026 represents Worley’s second as OC and Dixon’s first as DC. Prior to his promotion in January, Dixon operated as the outside linebackers coach (2016-18), cornerbacks coach (2019-25), and defensive pass game coordinator (2023-25). He replaces Nate Woody, who accepted the defensive coordinator position at Cincinnati this offseason after six years in West Point.

The other position coaches remain the same, with the exception of offensive line coach John Holt, defensive line coach Jamere Hogue, cornerbacks coach Munir Prince, and co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Scot Sloan. Holt and Hogue arrive after coaching stints at the FCS level, Prince travels eastward after serving as the cornerbacks coach at Eastern Michigan, Sloan (who held the same co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach role at Army in 2022) returns to West Point after serving as the head DC at Appalachian State (2023-24) and FCS Samford (2025).

Offense

• Key arrivals: N/A
• Key departures: QB Dewayne Coleman, RB Hayden Reed, RB Briggs Bartosh, WR Noah Short, G Will Jeffcoat
• Key incumbents: QB Cale Hellums, RB Godspower Nwawuihe, RB Samari Howard, RB Carson Smith, RB Jake Rendina, WR Brady Anderson, TE Parker Poloskey, C Brady Small, G Paolo Gennarelli, OT Henry Appleton, OT Teddy Williams

Army has tweaked its offense over the years, but the Black Knights typically find the most success when they rely heavily on the ground. Finding a quarterback suitable for that offensive style is key, and Army finally found that quarterback in the middle of October. After rotating between Dewayne Coleman and Cale Hellums over the first five games, Monken and staff ultimately settled on Hellums as QB1 for the final eight games.

The Black Knights turned their season around under Hellums, and the first-time starting quarterback wound up leading all FBS quarterbacks with 1,223 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns — posting six 100+ ground performances and six showings with multiple rushing scores.

Teams are always confident when returning a quality starting quarterback, but Army’s 2026 offensive arsenal is more than just a signal caller. The Black Knights return eight starters, and most importantly, four offensive linemen that excelled in this unique blocking scheme. Two of these linemen — center Brady Small and right guard Paolo Gennarelli — were starters on Army’s historic 2024 offensive line which won the Joe Moore Award for best in the country. Both Small (2024 First Team All-American Conference, 2025 First Team All-American Conference) and Gennarelli (2024 Second Team All-American Conference, 2024 Third Team AP All-American) have plenty of accolades to their names. Assisting those two stars are the same tackles that manned the offense last year in Henry Appleton and Teddy Williams. All Army must locate is a left guard to replace Will Jeffcoat, but the rest of the line arrives with established chemistry.

Hellums was Army’s leading rusher in 2025, but the second, third, fourth, and fifth leading rushers all graduated. Still, the Black Knights return three running backs that produced over 180 rushing yards in 2025 in Godspower Nwawuihe, Carson Smith, and Jake Rendina. Nwawuihe, who switched from quarterback to running back in the middle of 2025, is particularly intriguing in the Black Knights’ backfield. Prior to the Fenway Bowl, he only fielded nine career carries, but on that fateful December afternoon, he exploded for 171 yards on 12 carries on UConn, producing 43 and 70-yard touchdowns in the 25-point rout. Rendina (187 rushing yards in 2025) and Smith (231 rushing yards in 2025) should provide strong support in a deep backfield, as will slot back Samari Howard.

Howard will be tasked as one of the primary receivers of an offense that has passed fewer than anybody in the FBS for two years running. Howard (11 receptions for 133 yards) was one of three Army receivers to catch more than four passes in 2025. Brady Anderson (14 receptions for 381 yards) was another, and he returns as the premier deep threat after averaging over 27 yards per catch last fall. The Black Knights must replace Noah Short’s 32 receptions (over 47% of the team total), and David Clerk and Tobi Olawole are names to watch that could increase their roles in the offense.

Defense

• Key arrivals: N/A
• Key departures: DE Jack Latore, ILB Andon Thomas, ILB Kalib Fortner, OLB Eric Ford, CB Justin Weaver, FS Collin Matterson, SS Casey Larkin, SS Gavin Shields
• Key incumbents: DE Jack Bousum, DT Kody Harris-Miller, CB Jaydan Mayes, SS Stephen Nnadozie, SS Cole Searight

Army produced the American’s top defense last year by yards per game, although it does come with the caveat of playing much fewer possessions due to the offense’s propensity to consume the time of possession battle. However, the defense does not enjoy the same continuity as the offense. Army lost each of its top seven tacklers — Andon Thomas, Kalib Fortner, Collin Matterson, Casey Larkin, Gavin Shields, Eric Ford, and Jack Latore. This group includes all three starting linebackers, all three starting safeties, and the team’s top defensive end. Add cornerback Justin Weaver to that group, and Army is down eight of 11 starters from 2025.

The good news is the defensive line restocks quite well, returning Third Team All-American Conference selection Jack Bousum at one end and Kody Harris-Miller at tackle. Several incumbent backups are capable of filling the void left by Latore at defensive end, including Dillon Stowers (17 tackles in 2025) and Javon Smith (5 tackles in 2025). One goal of Army’s 2026 defensive line is to spearhead a stronger pass rush. The Black Knights have rarely been heavy blitzers, and opponent will run more on Army to prevent time of possession discrepancy, but their sack totals dropped from 1.79 per game in 2024 to 1.15 in 2025 — falling near the cellar of the FBS.

There is also solid experience in the defensive back room. Jaydan Mayes returns for his third year as a starting corner in the defense, holding 66 tackles, six interceptions, and seven pass breakups to his name. Outside of Mayes, Army also retains a pair of reserve safeties that made their presence felt in 2025. Strong safety Stephen Nnadozie contributed 23 tackles and an interception, while nickel Cole Searight added 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks. Mayes, Nnadozie, and Searight are expected to occupy significant roles. Other defensive backs that may join this trio in the starting lineup include cornerback Jaxon Hammond (9 tackles in 2025) and safety Caleb Williams (7 tackles in 2025).

Linebacker is the position group which enters 2026 with more of a question mark than exclamation point. Replacing the stellar Thomas and Fortner duo won’t be easy, and losing Ford as an outside linebacker only complicates the situation. Outside linebacker Noah Nixon (15 tackles in 2025) is the only linebacker on the roster that accrued at least 10 takedowns a year ago. To fulfill the biggest vacancies on the roster, Army must unearth new faces at inside linebacker including Baylor Newsom, Bryson Banks, and Elijah Walton.

Special Teams

• Key arrivals: N/A
• Key departures: N/A
• Key incumbents: K Dawson Jones, P James Wagenseller, KR/PR Lloyd Benson III

Army’s key players in special teams remain similar to those in 2025.

Dawson Jones returns as the placekicker after sinking 15-of-20 field goals a year ago, hitting a long of 48. Jones — who notably sunk a clock-expiring field goal to upend Air Force — looks for accuracy and range improvements as he returns for his second season as the feature placekicker. And while Army doesn’t punt much (10th fewest attempts in FBS in 2025), James Wagenseller remains the punter. He averaged north of 43 yards per punt last year, blasting a long of 71 in the Thursday night game vs. East Carolina.

Lloyd Benson III had a near-monopoly on the return game last season, handling all but one kick return and all but one punt return for the Black Knights. But Army didn’t dabble heavily in the return game, owning the 2nd-fewest kick returns in the country (6) and 17th-fewest punt returns (10). Starring in these fields has never been a signature of Army’s in the Jeff Monken era. The Black Knights’ only two punt return touchdowns of the decade transpired in 2022, and their last kickoff return touchdown occurred in 2007.

Schedule and Outlook

* denotes non-conference game

Army enters year three of American Conference membership after operating as an independent for the majority of its existence. The Black Knights aim for a stronger start in 2026 after the stunning upset to Tarleton State derailed the beginning of their 2025 campaign. Army hopes to avoid overlooking another FCS program as Bryant visits Michie Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Conference play starts at home one week later against rookie head coach Brian Hartline and a new-look South Florida team aiming to remain a contender after the loss of Alex Golesh and Byrum Brown. Army then receives an early bye week before a rare 4 p.m. ET kickoff at Temple on a Friday afternoon.

Other conference matchups against potential contenders on the Black Knights’ schedule include home games vs. Tulane and East Carolina and a Halloween road matchup at Memphis. Tulane and ECU were two of Army’s losses in 2025, and the Black Knights certainly let the Tulane matchup slip away — losing in regulation despite holding a 24-17 advtange while the Green Wave faced 4th and 8 with 2:00 remaining.

Army faces its usual non-conference opponents of Air Force and Navy in the triangular Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy rivalry. The Black Knights look to stave off both service academies and claim the trophy for the first time since 2024. Last year, defeating Air Force wasn’t the issue, but Army currently rides a 2-game losing streak to its arch rival Navy, losing a 17-16 heartbreaker last December. That game is certainly circled, highlighted, and emphasized on a daily basis in the facilities in West Point as Monken and Co. aim to rewrite the trajectory of the rivalry.

Overall, Army has the tools needed to revert to American contention in 2026, returning eight offensive starters, highlighted by an experienced quarterback and four established linemen. There is work to be done replenishing the defense, but a solid foundation exists on the defensive line and in the secondary. Continuity should play into the Black Knights’ advantage in this wide-open conference race, considering some of the American’s top programs — Tulane, Memphis, South Florida, and North Texas — all lost head coaches and a horde of talent in the transfer portal this offseason.

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