2004 Statistics

Quarterback
The return of Zac Dahman gives Army some long-needed stability at this spot, at least for this season. The senior, who has started 23 of the last 36 games and owns almost every school passing record, regained the job after three games backing up Reggie Nevels. Dahman has a nice arm, and even though he is quick (4.6-sec 40), he isn't often mobile - he stands and delivers. Bobby Ross designs the offense around his starting QB, so don't expect the return of the option, though QB draws could work if employed. Actually, expect the forward pass to be used even more. Despite relying on the run, the passing offense remained consistent and respectable. As long as the new-look offensive line isn't a disaster, those stats will improve. None of the backups has game experience. If Dahman stumbles, the mobile Chase Laws will get the job, changing the complexion of the offense. Dahman could be bypassed, though, as his handling of long snaps makes him invaluable on special teams. Junior Conner Crehan is listed third, but we feel he is the complete package and should be under center if problems arise.

Running Back
Things look good here with the return of 1,000-yard rusher Carlton Jones and power back Seth Gulsby. Gulsby will see time at fullback, a measure taken to keep him on the field. Both guys have speed and power and are fairly interchangeable. Jacob Muraldi is listed ahead of Gulsby, though Gulsby appears to be the ball carrier of the two. Muraldi is their primary blocking back, especially on the goal line. Behind them, Army's ground game was 36th nationally (not bad for a 2-9 team). The revamped offensive line should take some spark out of the rushing attack, especially early on, so Jones's receiving skills out of the backfield will help. Jones is a well-rounded back, with inside and outside abilities that have made him the team's leading rusher every season he has played. The blocking of Gulsby and junior Miraldi are the key. Scott Wesley is a return specialist capable of stepping in where/if Jones lets off or is injured. Depth drops off from here quite a bit, so health is a concern in this unit.

Receiver
Dahman doesn't have the world's greatest athletes to throw to, but he has several solid players who comprise a decent unit. Lanky Jacob Murphy (T-2nd team catches) knows how to get open, and he becomes the go-to guy with the graduation of Aaron Alexander. Sophomores Corey Anderson (only 5'8") and Jeremy Trimble (17.5 yards per catch), who both saw some time last fall, are a pair of (potential) deep threats who should open up the underneath for Jones and Murphy. Trimble was named to the 2004 Conference USA All-Freshman Team after appearing in all 11 games of his rookie campaign. His skills can be traced back to his father Steve, who was a former All-ACC defensive back for the Maryland Terrapins during the Jerry Claiborne era (1976-80) and later played for the NFL Denver Broncos. Anderson, though, was the team's third-leading rusher, too (five carries at 21.5 per), so his number of touches (mere two catches) will surely surge. The return of oft-injured Bruce Brown, who missed the spring, would give Dahman a third burner. If the running game struggles behind the new line, the passing game will be able to hold its own.

Tight End
Big Texan Jared Ulekowski, the team's fourth-leading receiver, gives Dahman another reliable target, both in the middle deep and on short routes. More importantly, he's an experienced blocker on an inexperienced line, as is backup Tim Dunn, who is considered a better blocker than Ulekowski. Expect plenty of double-TE sets.

Offensive Line
We already know the defense is going to be marginal, so we call this the team's most pivotal area. If that productive running game grinds to a halt and Dahman has to run for his life, this team will take a step backwards. Four starters on an underrated group that allowed just 17 sacks (third in Conference USA) are gone, leaving C Pete Bier as the anchor. Senior RG Regan Tatford is the only other letterman listed on their three-deep, so at least the inside will have some early reliability. Most I-As can manage turnover and then reload in these situations, but this is a program with three wins in the past three seasons and a roster/recruiting that reflects the current war(s). This was the primary offensive focus this spring, and Ross said he likes what he saw. If that's not just wishful thinking, the offense should remain productive. Otherwise…

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
In case you missed the unit breakdowns, it all begins and ends with the front five. Defenses will surely stuff the box to take advantage of the inexperienced line and/or stop Jones. Don't expect Dahman's escape-ability to save the day. The line will likely struggle early while assignments are mastered and cohesion is built. Once it solidifies, the pass should be sneaky enough to not only open up the run, but score points. Meanwhile, the skill people will have to maintain their discipline (16th nationally for least turnovers lost), while finding a way to be more efficient on third downs (just 33 percent). There are a lot of 'ifs' here, but this could very well be a respectable offense by season's end. For this program, those baby steps should be the focus and feel like accomplishments when achieved consistently. Those will become the building blocks for the program to really set a foundation for the future, so the line's adjustment-time will eventually pay dividends.

Defensive Line
Calling this unit the strength of the defense is like dubbing the quickest in a lineup of snails, especially considering that Army was the worst defense in Division I-A (allowing 490 yards per game). But two of the four returning starters are here, and there's plenty of badly needed new blood, though the group is still undersized. Ross was particularly pleased with the play of his ends, who should provide more pressure to help an overmatched secondary. DE Cameron Craig led the team with four sacks despite getting the starting job four games into the season, and sophomore Brandon Thompson brings athleticism on the other side. Inside, there's experience with Seth Lotts, Doug Meyer and Tommy Ryan, though those guys contributed to a run defense that was 115th in the country. Size issues exist for this group as a whole. Starting with rushing first-downs (148) and ground scores (29 TDs), this unit can improve just by affecting these areas. The line should reflect many off-season adjustments - could it be any worse?

Linebacker
Ross likes the development here as well. And again, there's not much size, so this group will have to rely on speed and just plain nastiness. Cason Shrode, who takes over in the middle, bulked up in the offseason and seems to have the right mentality, though his stat line needs more big plays. Shrode is the only LB listed over 230. Luke Pell, who missed the spring with a hamstring problem, is one of the few LBs with experience. He should beat out converted-safety Charlie Rockwood for the strong-side spot. Barrett Scruggs and Taylor Justice are battling for the weak-side job. Both can cover plenty of ground and tackle well. Scruggs may be the most poignant of the entire corps, so expect to see him wherever the play goes. Only Rockwood breaks the usual Cadet tradition of playing upperclassmen, so experience either pays off or again weighs the D down.

Defensive Back
The staff has done some juggling to try to stop the bleeding, including switching to a more traditional 4-3 and reformulating the CBs' role(s). The leader here is Dhyan Tarver, who was moved from free safety to corner, an area where this unit was consistently torched. Tarver stands as the leading returning tackler and is a legit pro prospect. He'll play "boundary" corner, which is designed for physical players. Ray Stith, a senior who started frequently at corner, is considered the top cover guy and will play "field" corner. He'll (have to) be a year better. Soph Caleb Campbell moves to strong safety after starting in the "Whip" spot, and Randy Chasten takes over at free safety. Both guys are strong and vastly more experienced than their backups, though Chasten had not one stat-worthy play outside of his tackles, and as a safety, he has to ball hawk more while coming close to leading the team in tackling. Seven INTs as a group won't do, so look for more takeaways to signal/represent a more sound foundation that, once in place, can take the risks needed, not just "barely keep up".

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
This defense has no where to go but up, and the potential is there for improvement, especially against the run. The move to a 4-3 should result in more penetration, which would help a secondary that can expect to be tested often. Guys like Tarver, Shrode and Craig will step up their games so that their intensity lifts those around them. But, most likely, lack of size will be a detriment against the run, and their overall lack of athleticism (there are exceptions) will hurt the pass defense's efficiency. The question is, how badly? The good news was that the Cadets held foes to 52 total first-quarter points - Army actually aggregately actually won the opening frame, as they did the fourth, so it became foes' adjustments that killed them. An adaptable, semi-dynamic 60-minute effort on D will surely mend many of the team's ills. Again, it's all about baby steps, and any defensive consistency will represent important ones.