Army Spring Game Take Aways (Quick Thoughts)
So, while I didn’t get to see the Spring Game, I did have the opportunity to interview Head Coach Jeff Monken, (C) Brady Small, (QB) Cale Hellums, (RB) Godspower Nwawuihe, and (LB) Bryson Banks following the game and here are some quick thoughts about the team and their prospects for the 2026 season that I gathered from the press conference.
- Inexperience on Defense – In our GBK Looking Forward Series surrounding the defense, there were several question marks. It was confirmed and obvious from speaking with Coach Monken and Bryson Banks that the defense has a lot of new faces and they have big shoes to fill.
• Looking Forward 2026 – Defensive Line
• Looking Forward 2026 – Linebackers
• Looking Forward 2026 – Defensive Backs (DBs)
While the “young Black Knights” may be more talented and athletic than some of their predecessors, experience matters and we believe the defense will struggle, especially early in the 2026 season. In order for the Black Knights to succeed the offense will need to carry the defense until they get enough live reps to become more competent. Expect the defense to play tough but they will probably make mental errors common for inexperienced players. The offense will need to chew clock, put up points, and maximize possessions until the defense gets enough game experience.
2. There may be more athleticism and talent in the rising sophomore class than any group we have seen at Army in quite some time. Expect to see a lot of sophomores starting on defense next year and making contributions in all three phases of the game. Brady Small commented on the talent and growth mindset of some of the plebe (rising sophomore) offensive linemen throughout Spring ball. We’re not sure how many of them we’ll see on the 2-deep this year, but the future looks bright for Army football.
3. The specialists are playing strong and Army can use the kicking game to overcome some of the deficiencies we’ll probably see on defense. P James Wagenseller got high praise from Coach Monken, and we can expect to see him continue his development off a stellar 2025 campaign. K Dawson Jones continues to improve. We saw what a weapon he was late last season especially in the pressure-packed CiC games. Coach Monken complimented his mental toughness. Expect him to win some close games for Army in 2026.
4. The QB position looks solid. As opposed to 2025 when Army had to replace Captain America, Bryson Daily, with an inexperienced Cale Hellums and De’Wayne Coleman, the 2026 QB room is stacked and Coach Monken hinted at a QB competition in Fall Camp. While the experienced “leader in the clubhouse” Cale Hellums is the odds-on favorite to win the starting job, especially with his improvements in footwork, fundamentals, and reads in the off-season, Bryson Luter and Ethan Washington will apply pressure for the starting job. If Hellums isn’t at his best, expect Luter to take the reins. Coach Monken spoke glowingly about Luter’s athleticism, speed, running ability and arm. He ran the scout team offense in 2025 and gave Army’s experienced defense fits.
5. The offensive line will be solid. I asked Brady Small if he thought the offensive line had the chance to be as special as the 2024 O-line and while he didn’t give me a definite yes, you can tell he’s “Bullish” about the strength of the 2026 “MOB.”
• GBK’s Looking Forward 2026 – The Offensive Line
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