Across the country this weekend, college freshmen participated in their first football scrimmage. That’s plenty of bundled nerves to handle for any 18-year-old kid.
But at Army West Point, by the time the freshmen reached Michie Stadium to dress for their afternoon scrimmage, they had already experienced a full day of emotions and nerves. Saturday was Acceptance Day – the day marking their official admittance to West Point.
The previous six weeks, since reporting on Reception-Day on July 1 among 1,200 plebes (freshmen), they have completed six weeks of boot camp known as Beast Barricks. The football players separated the last two weeks for the start of fall camp, but A-Day allowed them to reunite with their classmates. They assembled in their dress uniforms for parade drills to complete the formal acceptance.
“It was fun,” said Eric Ford, a highly recruited freshman linebacker. “It was great getting back with the Corps after Beast. I missed being out there with them. I’m doing what I love the military. I’m having fun.”
After the parade, Ford and his freshmen football teammates boarded a bus to be transported to football facility and Michie Stadium.
“After we were accepted into the corps, we marched back to our rooms, got our bags out and headed to the buses,” Ford said. “We got to the stadium and changed into our uniforms. I ate a snack and went down to the field to stretch.”
In other words, Ford and his classmates had more on their mind preparing for the scrimmage than freshmen at Alabama, Oklahoma or USC. Not to mention Coastal Carolina, Army’s season-opening game on Sept 3 in Conway, S.C.
In the scrimmage, Form managed enough as an outside linebacker to demonstrate why he was a rare 3-star recruit to commit to a service academy. Ford, a 6-foot-3, 227-pounder from from Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland, committed to Army over offers from Power 5 schools Syracuse and West Virginia and Group of Five schools East Carolina, Buffalo and Massachusetts.
“I’m excited about Eric,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “He’s a long athletic, rangy guy who I think is going to have a really good career. He’s got a ways to go if he’s to help us this year, but I don’t think he has that pressure on him to do that. We’ve got some good (linebacker) veterans and feel good about those guys. If we can bring Eric along, maybe he starts out in a package, but it’s too early tell if he will be a guy for us.”
Army’s linebacker corps features the nation’s sack leader, Andre Carter II, who ranked a high NFL draft prospect. Ford’s passing rushing skills this year can either take pressure off Carter at times or position himself for a larger role next season.
Ford considered A-Day on top of a scrimmage a fun day rather than one with too much on his plate. He committed to Army for the challenge during school and opportunities afterward. West Point players are committed to five years in the Army upon graduation. Some will remain in the military and others will find themselves sought after with their West Point degree.
“I said yes because this is a special place,” Ford said. “Personally, I couldn’t choose anything better than this place. The opportunities. I don’t think any other school in country can provide me the opportunities and the structure. This place prepares you to be a special person.”
Nothing about the grueling Beast Barracks gave Ford second thoughts.
“It’s tough, it’s tough,” he said. “It takes a lot of mental discipline and physical discipline as well. You have to be in shape. You have to be mentally prepared for everything they throw at you. It’s tough. But wee come here we get through Beast. That’s what makes us great officers. That’s just the start.”
Another difference between Army and other schools and freshmen football recruits are basically separated from the rest of the campus with their time and focus on football. Monken, who is entering his ninth West Point season, has come to appreciate the unique blond among college classmates at West Point.
“I’m sure they were proud to be down there and to be a part of that ceremony with their classmates,” Monken said. “They don’t realize it at this point what those classmates will mean to them for a lifetimes. So many people graduate from university and don’t necessarily identify with a class. I’m from the Class of 1989 (at Miliken University), and I’m proud I graduated from Miliken, but I don’t identify with the class like they do here.
“Here, I think everybody is incredibly glad to be a West Point graduate, but they associated with their class. They’re tied to that class. They went through Beast Barricks together and they had a day (today) they’ll be proud of for years to come. I think they couldn’t get wait to get on the bus and get back here . It’s their first time playing in Michie Stadium.”
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As for the scrimmage said most of his focus has been the depth of the roster. Many of the veterans have a strong hold on starting jobs.
However, he pointed out the quarterback battle. He said senior Jemel Jones is working his way back into the picture through two weeks. Seniors Thyier Tyler and Cam Ballard were considered to have an edge coming out of spring football.
He added sophomore Miles Steward “had some good runs;” Tyler, known as a better runner, “threw the ball well;” and sophomore Cam Schurr “made some catches.”
He added kickers Cole Talley, a senior, and Quinn Maretzki, a junior, were both impressive with long-range field goals.
“They made them from 45-plus and drilled them with room to spare. That was good to see.”
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