NCAA Football FanHouse

For 6-Foot-10 Ali Villanueva, Switch to Wide Receiver Is a Tall Order

Jim Henry — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Army

Since his younger brother had the stronger throwing arm, Ali Villanueva spent hours running pass patterns in his backyard as a child. Villanueva wanted to be a receiver, score touchdowns and hear the roar of the crowd.

Villanueva had the hands - but not the body.

Villanueva was always tall and big for his age. So tall and big, in fact, that he naturally gravitated towards basketball. Villanueva, the son of military parents, actually didn't play competitive football for the first time until he attended the American high school in Belgium. When he strolled through the gates of West Point in 2006 as a 6-foot-10, 310-pound plebe, Villanueva started the football season at -- take a guess -- defensive end before being switched to offensive line a year later.

Well, brace yourself.

Last spring, first-year Army coach Rich Ellerson shattered the mold, believing he might have an edge no other Football Bowl Subdivision team can counter - a 6-foot-10 wide receiver. Villanueva, who started 12 games at left tackle last season and was heralded as the nation's tallest offensive lineman, will make his debut as the nation's tallest receiver Saturday at Eastern Michigan.

It's a long way from Villanueva's backyard, not to mention a three-point stance.

"If it would have been my choice, I would have stayed at tackle, but I understand the team needs me at receiver now, so I am trying to do my best to be dangerous out on the field," Villanueva told FanHouse.

"There are a lot of thoughts and a lot of emotions I am going through. I am trying to visualize what is going to happen but I can't because I never played the position before. It's different but I feel like I am making a smooth transition. I am excited, really excited. I can't wait to make some catches and get comfortable at the position."

Army has a new coach, new looks on offense and defense, and a lot of new faces who figure to log significant time on the field. But no decision has been more surprising than Ellerson's to move an offensive lineman to receiver. Talk about reaching new heights -- even if the Black Knights throw the ball only a few times per game in its new triple-option offense.

"We moved him from offensive line and we really think he's going to be a challenge on the perimeter," said Ellerson, who went 56-34 in seven seasons at Cal Poly. "He's an outstanding athlete who was a great basketball player. He doesn't run great but he's always open. He really compliments what we do with the triple-option, much like Ramses Barden did for us at Cal-Poly last year."

While it's unrealistic to think Villanueva will come anywhere close to matching Barden's production last season -- a team-high 67 catches for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns -- the switcheroo is definitely intriguing. Former Army coach Stan Brock once said Villanueva had the potential to be an All-American lineman. The new coaching staff originally moved Villanueva to right guard last spring.

"The coaches are so knowledgeable about the offense and they know so much about football," Villanueva said.

"If they thought it was a good decision to move me out there, I trust them. Obviously, they evaluated me and it wasn't just, 'We are going to put you at wide receiver because you are the tallest guy out there.' So they thought I had a chance and that's what I am doing, trying to do my best to help my team."

This is Villanueva's fifth position since he arrived at West Point. Villanueva was recruited as a tight end out of SHAPE American High in Belgium. He was converted to a defensive end early in his Army career and switched to offensive tackle during his sophomore season. And, for the record, Villanueva points out that he's not the tallest person at West Point - he says that honor goes to an incoming basketball player.

Let's be honest. Gimmicks aside, can someone as tall and heavy as Villanueva -- he has dropped more than 20 pounds and is currently 287 -- catch on?

"Why not?" Army offensive coordinator Ian Shields told the Middletown, N.Y. Times Herald-Record during spring drills.

"It's a little bit of a journey and discovery. But what if he can? We can get a lot of guys in our system to go out and play tackle. But how cool would it be if there was a 6-10 wide receiver out there, who can be a green-zone target? And think about the blocking possibilities. He can really put the hurting on some DBs and linebackers. It could be fun."

Villanueva hopes so. In fact, the athletic Villanueva has been unstoppable in practice on short passes and around the goal line. He caught two touchdown passes in the spring game. He'll also be used like a tight end and a third tackle for the running game.

Villanueva's senior leadership will certainly be embraced. On Tuesday, Ellerson announced that Trent Steelman will be the first Army freshman quarterback to start a season opener in the modern era. The last freshman to win a game he started for Army was Bryan Williams on Oct. 31, 1987.

"I feel really comfortable with Trent. He is a great quarterback," Villanueva said. "At the same time, I feel comfortable with (backups) Carson (Williams) and Chip (Bowden). I don't care who is calling the plays. We have three really good options at quarterback and that depth is a great advantage.

"I think I've been doing well in practice, but I am going to wait until we start playing games before I start looking at what I've accomplished. The position change hasn't been a big deal. With the new staff, there have been so many position changes. Even though mine has been the most obvious one, I would say 50 percent of our players have changed positions since last season."

Villanueva, whose given name is Alejandro Villanueva Martin, was born in Mississippi (he lived there for most of his first five years), but has also lived in Spain and Belgium. He speaks four languages - English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. His first sport was swimming, but he left the pool for rugby at age 15. Villanueva also played basketball before deciding to concentrate solely on football in high school.

Villanueva loves the Army, too. He spent most of this summer with the 117th Copperheads, 75th Brigade in Fort Sill, Okla., shadowing a second lieutenant's every move. While Villanueva's height might limit him if he concentrated on aviation or armor - "I heard somewhere it's not how long your legs are; it's how long your torso is," he said -- he has career goals to command a company.

"I take a lot of pride in what I do and I enjoy the structure and discipline involved in being a soldier," said Villanueva, who is yes-sir, no-sir polite and is majoring in systems engineering. "You know what's expected of you and you know it's going to be done. I like what I am doing. It's a passion, I guess."

Villanueva is passionate about football -- and wide receiver, even if he's almost as tall as Celtics center Kevin Garnett. In fact, Villanueva is two inches taller than Eagles great Harold Carmichael, the NFL's tallest receiver ever.

"We've all been learning a lot of new things under this coaching staff, but it has been outstanding," Villanueva said. "Honestly, we have so many strengths and I can't even begin to tell you how good this team is. We are anxious to show everybody how good we can be. I am not going to lie - it's going to be a challenge to stop us."

Villanueva hopes it's just like his younger days, when he was unstoppable in his backyard, too.

For 6-Foot-10 Ali Villanueva, Switch to Wide Receiver Is a Tall Order originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ohio State Urges Fans to Show Some Respect for Navy

Mark Hasty — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:20:00 EST

Filed under: Air Force, Army, Navy, Ohio State, Fans

In ten days (I'd say ten short days, but this time of year the days are never short enough), Ohio State will open its 2009 season with a home game against the United States Naval Academy. It will mark the first time these two teams have faced each other since the 1981 Liberty Bowl, which the Buckeyes won, 31-28. Prior to that, Ohio State and Navy hadn't played since 1931.

Ohio State University wants its fans to know that this isn't exactly the Kentucky School of Turfgrass Management that's coming to town. The Midshipmen are giving up a minimum of four years of their postgraduate life serving this country in harm's way and face a brutal class load off the field. Consequently, they deserve a better treatment than hearing "YOU SUCK, 23" from five directions at once. OSU has a YouTube video saying as much (video after the jump).

No argument here, except for the fact that some schools already do this, so it can't start at Ohio State. Nebraska fans even go so far as to applaud every opponent who comes to Lincoln.

But yes, there is something different about the service academies. Perhaps the most memorable afternoon I've ever had watching college football was the 1995 Navy-Air Force game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. The weather that day was pretty wretched, but the whole experience of watching the cadets march in, experiencing all the formality and regalia involved, and the F-14 Tomcats which flew over the stadium precisely as the Air Force team was being introduced, made it the most special game I've ever seen in person.

So we might goof on Army's perennial lack of success or how Navy and Air Force both run basic high school offenses, but you know those players on the field aren't dreaming of big Sunday paychecks and aren't putting all their eggs in the football basket. In a sport where purity has all but vanished, the service academies are still doing it right, and they deserve all the respect we fans can give them.

But would it kill us all to show our appreciation for all the opposing teams, even if they've just ended our quest for a conference championship? No, it would not. And that goes double for the teams playing the money games. You're having a blast, but they're not having very much fun. Let them know you appreciate them.

(Hat tip: Midwest Sports Fans)

Ohio State Urges Fans to Show Some Respect for Navy originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Notre Dame-Army Should Return to Yankee Stadium

Michael David Smith — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Notre Dame

Everyone with even a passing interest in college football (or the life of Ronald Reagan) knows about Knute Rockne's famous "Win one for the Gipper" speech. Less well known is that the speech was delivered in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, a facility that hosted the Notre Dame-Army football game in the 1920s, 30s and 40s and therefore hosted some of the greatest moments in college football history. It's time to revive that tradition.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the Associated Press Thursday that although he has not had any substantive discussions about it, "I'd be interested as we look forward to scheduling to think about how to sort of echo the history of our program. Obviously there have been some important Notre Dame games at Yankee Stadium so I have a general interest in whether that's possible to do."

That's a great idea. Yes, it's true that neither Army nor Notre Dame is anything close to the kind of college football power it was in the first half of the 20th Century, when they played classics like the "Win one for the Gipper" game of 1928 and the famous scoreless tie of 1946. And yes, it's a different Yankee Stadium now. But bringing the game back to Yankee Stadium would be a great way to celebrate one of the great traditions of college football.

Notre Dame-Army Should Return to Yankee Stadium originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 21 May 2009 19:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Mr. Inside' Heisman Winner Doc Blanchard Dead At 84

Brian Grummell — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Heisman

Legendary Army back Felix 'Doc' Blanchard succumbed to pneumonia early Sunday. Blanchard won the 1945 Heisman Trophy. He was forever linked with teammate and 1946 Heisman Trophy winner Glenn 'Mr. Outside' Davis as part of one of the greatest backfields in college football history.

He was the trophy's first junior winner in helping West Point to consecutive championships in 1944 and 1945 near the end of World War II. In total, Blanchard netted 1,908 yards and 38 touchdowns in his three-year Army career (he played freshman football at North Carolina). Army would go 27-0-1 in that span.

Blanchard spent his entire career with the Army Air Force ascending to the rank of colonel, according to the Heisman Web site. Blanchard became a jet pilot, serving in Vietnam and later earning bravery honors for safely landing a plane that had caught flames.

Great stuff, but he'll forever be remembered as part of a loaded backfield. His Heisman Trophy and major role in some of college football's most dominant teams in a glorified era of the game.

'Mr. Inside' Heisman Winner Doc Blanchard Dead At 84 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lane Kiffin: Vols' Offense Stuck in '60s

Brian Grummell — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:36:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama, Army, Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Conference USA, Pac 10

Every Monday during college football's endless offseason, The FanHouse Walk will put last week's stories to bed and deliver the essentials to bridge that agonizing space between now and September.

Was He Even Alive Then? -- Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin dove back to the pre-disco era in describing his football team after a recent scrimmage. "I feel like we're in the '60s right now with our offense. We've got to run the ball and throw play-action right now. That's about all we can do. It's pretty scary right now."

Mercifully football has moved beyond '60s era mundanity, but Tennessee fans might welcome '60s results as the Vols snagged two SEC championships over the decade.

Not The Happiest Of Homecomings -- Charlie Weis is an enigma. He prides himself on consistency and honor and all that, but some days he's accessible and affable, others deeply moody and gruff. This time around, he's showing his accessible side, granting a 35-minute interview with the Chicago Tribune where he admitted he considered leaving beloved alma mater and dream job, Notre Dame.

"We talked about all that as a family, and we felt that we didn't want to leave that way. That would have been the easy way out. That's not why we came here".

Coaches' lives, for all the frivolity, are filled with serious pressure, so I understand Weis' sentiment. Just the same, its a surprising admission, I've always had this feeling that he'd have to be dragged away kicking and screaming from his lofty perch but then here he is saying he almost left.

Predictably, Nick Saban Is Irritated -- CBS has decided to broadcast the Iron Bowl, the rivalry game between Alabama and Auburn, on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The game has traditionally been played on Saturday but CBS moved it to Black Friday for 2009 and 2010.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is none too pleased.

"I really wasn't for moving the game, to be honest with you, to Friday," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. "I like to play it on Saturday."

Overtime, Ball on the 25

-- Fresh off a motorcycle DUI arrest in Hollywood, Oklahoma football legend Brian Bosworth may have begun to redeem himself. After speaking at an Oklahoma City school assembly about drunk driving as part of his mandatory community service, Bosworth may have helped save a life.

An official at the school recounts:

"I left school and was going south on Council and around 16th street, there was a long line of cars. I saw this motorcycle come between the lanes to the front. And when I saw who was driving I thought, 'that's him.' Then I drove ahead and I just happened to look over, and in the parking lot, there was a pick-up, two men standing there and a man laid out on the ground. I did a U-turn, and when I drove back, Bosworth was giving CPR to the man."

-- ESPN televised Georgia's spring game on Saturday. This time last year they were showing Florida's spring game and the Gators later went on to win the BCS Championship. Looks like redshirt senior quarterback Joe Cox will be the man to lead the Dawgs into 2009 play.

-- Former NFL coach John Gruden turned down an invitation by new Oregon coach Chip Kelly to be the Ducks' new offensive coordinator.

-- After the Pac-10 failed to provide a team for last year's Hawaii bowl, event organizers have dropped the conference and instead worked out a deal for a Conference USA team to play there.

-- Army has converted a 6'-10", 283-pound offensive lineman to a wide receiver. The early results are surprisingly encouraging.

Lane Kiffin: Vols' Offense Stuck in '60s originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Army Hires Triple-Option Specialist Rich Ellerson as New Head Coach

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Coaching, Fans

The last time Army went into the world of Division I-AA (er, FCS) football for a new coach, it was an unmitigated disaster. Todd Berry tried to install a one-back, "traditional" offense, and failed miserably.

Former Detroit Lions coach Bobby Ross came aboard for two years, and assistant Stan Brock took over after that. Brock was fired after consecutive 3-9 seasons, even though he appeared to getting the program moving back in the right direction by re-installing the option offense in 2008.

This time around, Army wasn't fooling around. They knew they needed a coach well-versed in the triple option, and they got one.

They're optimistic that dipping into the I-AA ranks for a coach will prove more fruitful this time.

Army announced Friday that they have hired former Cal Poly coach Rich Ellerson. You might remember Cal Poly as the team that lost to Wisconsin only because they blew three (!) extra points, including one in overtime.

"I know that the offense that we run was the hook that got me into the middle of this search," Ellerson said in a school-issued news release. "The reason the offense is so successful and the reason it's so appropriate at Army is that it carries over to every phase of the game and carries over into recruiting. We're going to find some novel solutions to problems in order to give our cadet-athletes the best possible opportunity to be successful on Saturday."

Ellerson's attack averaged over 475 yards and 40 points per game this season with the Mustangs, who made the I-AA playoffs.

This is a great hire for Army. Ellerson has ties to the academy, and he runs the offense Army needs to have to be successful. You could argue that he won't be able to recruit the kinds of athletes he was able to get at even a I-AA school, and he won't be able to bring in Division I-A transfers who don't like their playing time. However, it's an offense that requires great discipline and execution, and Ellerson will find players who are plenty capable of playing that kind of football.

Brock didn't get enough time to turn Army around, but he left Ellerson a pretty good situation to be successful quickly.

Army Hires Triple-Option Specialist Rich Ellerson as New Head Coach originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Army Fires Coach Stan Brock

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Coaching

In the end, Stan Brock is paying for Bobby Ross' sin.

But that's coaching. Sometimes, you do the right thing schematically, you stand by your assistants, and you get canned anyway.

That appears to be the case with former Army football coach Stan Brock.

Yes, Brock led consecutive 3-9 seasons. No, that's not good enough. The idea here is to get Army football back on track, not keep it spinning its wheels hopelessly.

But Brock did the right thing before the 2008 season. He took the pro-style offense Ross was trying to make work, and he replaced it with an option-style attack. It didn't work because he was trying to run the option without option personnel. It was the right idea, and it's terribly unfortunate that Brock will not be allowed to see the concept through.

Army fired Brock on Friday after two seasons. Brock says it came because he would not get rid of assistant coaches.

"(Athletic Director) Kevin Anderson asked me to fire some coaches. I couldn't do it. The coaches he wanted me to fire, I just don't think that it was justified,"

You certainly can appreciate Brock's loyalty. Demanding that a head coach fire assistants is usually a path toward having easy justification for firing that head coach, since most head coaches won't fire assistants they don't agree should be fired.

In this case, that's exactly what (apparently) happened.

Army's press release doesn't make mention of Brock's accusation, instead talking about the future of the football program.

"We have a search committee and will seek the advice and counsel of Academy leadership during the search process," Anderson added. "We will not have a timetable to hire a new coach. It is more important to find the right person to lead this football program, however time is of the essence and we will move as quickly as possible.

"Winning is very important to everyone associated with the Army football program. We will find an individual that provides our cadet-athletes with the best opportunity for success both on and off the football field. Our stated goal is to deliver a winning product that wins the Commander in Chief's Trophy and earns postseason bowl bids, a program of which graduates, soldiers and fans around the world can be proud."

Seems like a reasonable goal when you can make your own schedule. Given the fact that Army can draw a crowd wherever it plays, there's no reason to think an Army team that is bowl-eligible would ever be kept at home.

To get this program back to a point where bowl eligibility is a reasonable goal, however, is going to take a degree of patience. As Paul Johnson has proven at Georgia Tech this year, the right coach can run an option-style attack with players better-suited for a different offense. But you're getting a different kind of athlete at Georgia Tech than you are at Army. For the option to work at Army, it's going to take a couple recruiting classes where you're gearing the offensive recruiting towards that scheme.

Army Fires Coach Stan Brock originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Army-Navy Game a Snoozer, But New Uniforms Are Triple-Distilled Awesome

Mark Hasty — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:21:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Navy, General CFB Insanity

Promise me this: Once in your life, please try to make it to a football game at one of our service academies. I can't promise you a great game, but I can promise a great experience. Yes, even if Army football is involved.

Army-Navy is one of the sport's oldest rivalries. It hasn't been much of a rivalry lately, though. Navy has had Army's number, winning nine of the last 10 games, including today's contest, which Navy won 34-0. The Black Knights of the Hudson have really hit the skids. The last time they won more than four games in a season was in 1996, when they went 10-2.

Navy dominated today's game, which was basically over after Navy's first possession. The Midshipmen controlled the line-play on both sides of the ball. Paul Johnson may have taken his system to Georgia Tech, but he left behind his top assistant, Ken Niumatalolo, who hasn't missed a beat. Navy's triple-option offense still works beautifully, with both Shun White and Eric Kettani going for well over 100 yards of rushing. The real story is the dominance of Navy's defense, which held Army to seven first downs and 150 yards.

Okay, that's not the real story.

The real story is the new 'Enforcer' uniforms both teams debuted for this game. Nike, perhaps atoning for all the eyeball arson they've committed in the name of the University of Oregon, came up with a couple winners here. Navy's unis incorporate symbols associated with the Marine Corps for the first time ever, while also including the blue and gold always associated with the Naval Academy.

Army's new uniforms, though, have officially become the Baddest Uniforms in All Sport. There's not an ounce of glimmer or shine in them anywhere, while the Army's new digital print camouflage is everywhere, on the helmets, on the pants, and even on the jersey numbers. You would not need to be told that these are Army's uniforms; they almost look like they could be worn into battle.

The unflashy new uniforms didn't prevent the first shutout in the last 30 years of this series, however. Army has something football-related they can be proud of, however, as running back Collin Mooney became Army's all-time leading rusher, by a single yard, on the last play of the game.

This game, of course, is not about the football. It's about what Army has printed on the back of its jerseys, in the place usually reserved for player names: "Duty. Honor. Country." Their sacrifice in school and on the battlefield helps make it possible for people like us to be free to complain about college football as much as we do, and for that we should all be grateful.

Army-Navy Game a Snoozer, But New Uniforms Are Triple-Distilled Awesome originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Costs Will Keep the Army-Navy Game on the East Coast

Chas Rich — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:24:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Navy, General CFB Insanity

When Army and Navy decided they should look to see what other cities and stadiums were interested in hosting the Army-Navy game, there was a good amount of interest Especially in Texas. The sticking point, though, was likely to be that the host city and stadium would also have to pay transportation costs for up to 8000 students from both schools. A prohibitive cost the further you get from an Atlantic or Mid-Atlantic state without some serious subsidies.

Sure enough, the Cotton Bowl has realized the folly of trying to bid for the game.

[State Fair of Texas president Errol] McKoy said the major hang-up was that the winning bidder had to pay for transporting the entire Naval Academy and West Point student bodies - about 8,000 students - to the game each year. McKoy estimated that cost at around $5 million and added that there was nothing in place to help offset those costs.

"It was a little bit too rich for us," McKoy said.

Cowboy Stadium in Arlington and the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio are still considering making bids. Unless the respective cities chip in to pay for transportation, reality should slap those organizations soon.

Philadelphia, East Rutherford, Baltimore and maybe Boston and Charlotte seem to make the most sense in keeping transportation costs within reason.

Costs Will Keep the Army-Navy Game on the East Coast originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Army And Navy as Semi-Big East Members

Chas Rich — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:54:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Navy, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, West Virginia, Big East, NCAA FB Gossip

It's been hashed and rehashed once more this summer, about how the Big East needs at least one more team on the football side of things to allow teams to have an eight game conference slate -- and save some effort and money by trying to schedule four non-conference games rather than five.

The problem is that the Big East doesn't want to go down the football-only membership path in which Temple existed, and the basketball schools sure don't want any more members on that side.

So, how about a couple independents just associate with the Big East to provide some scheduling stability for all?

The [New York] Post has learned that the Big East has explored deals with Army and Navy in football. The concept is for each of the service academies to play four Big East opponents each season on a rotating basis.

For example, in a given year, Army would play Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville and Pittsburgh. Navy would face Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse and West Virginia.

Don't get too excited yet, since it seems both Army and Navy said no to the basic plan.

This one, though, may not go away. There is significant benefit to the service academies to at least continue negotiations. The arrangement would only tie each to four games, leaving each to schedule eight other games with whom they wish. It preserves their athletic independence. Ongoing negotiations would also be very likely to add some tie-ins to the bowls the Big East is affiliated.

Army And Navy as Semi-Big East Members originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Army-Navy Game Goes Commercial

Chas Rich — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:52:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Navy, General CFB Insanity

Bowing to modern times and economic realities, the Army-Navy game is looking at changes. That is just one of the things that look to be changing. The game may also gain a corporate sponsor. How does the "Lockheed-Martin Army-Navy Game" grab you?

The Naval Academy AD Chet Gladchuk has said that there will be open bidding for future games.

"I have no doubt there will 15, 16, 17 cities that will put their oar in the water and actually bid for the game," Gladchuck said. "It could be San Diego, it could be Seattle, it could be the Meadowlands [in East Rutherford, N.J.]. Baltimore has shown interest; it could be Philadelphia or Dallas."

West Point officials did not return calls requesting comment.

Gladchuck did not say what specific criteria officials would use in selecting a city, but he said cities must agree to pay for transporting the entire Naval Academy and West Point student bodies -- some 8,000 students -- to the game.

Hence why in the game's 118-year history, the bulk of the games have been played in Philly. It's a lot cheaper to transport 8,000 students by buses to a point somewhere in between Annapolis and West Point.

Both the new Cowboy Stadium in Arlington and the refurbished Cotton Bowl are interested in hosting the game, but transportation costs of the students could make this a losing deal. Especially for cities on the west coast or in Texas.

It is estimated that transportation costs could run around $4 million. I'm sure, though, in the other cities that do bid on the game there will arguments for additional public subsidies of the cost. That it will be a loss leader and the influx of visitors and publicity would justify the costs -- and public support from the quasi-public convention and visitors authorities that typically operate the stadium.

Army-Navy Game Goes Commercial originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Old School: Army-Navy 1962

John Radcliff — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:55:00 EST

Filed under: Army, Navy, Video

"Old School" is the College Football FanHouse's irregular look back at the rich history of college football, usually through the medium of embeddable flash video. Check out the Old School archive for more famous plays and infamous hair.

With the news that future Army vs. Navy games might take place in different cities around the country, it's probably a good time to look back at this historic rivalry in all it's glory. I'm big on tradition in college football. Some things are so big that they should be set in stone and never changed. But the Army-Navy game transcends college football , especially in times of war. While this game doesn't have the influence it used to have on the national championship, it still deserves to be played in front of 100,000 screaming fans. If that means moving the game around the country every year, then so be it. Everyone should have a chance to see this game in person at least once before they die. And it should look just like this, but with newer uniforms and in color.

Old School: Army-Navy 1962 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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