If you drive through downtown Fort Worth you will definitely know that this is bowl season. Between the large amount of TCU signs you will notice the 8th Annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces bowl is set to take place tomorrow, but not in Fort Worth as planned. Bowl official Brant Ringler opened saying, " ...the implosion of the stadium, we couldn't play there this year. It's a great thing for us in the long run because Fort Worth is our home. We plan to return. Hopefully it will be next year. Depends on how the renovations go."
With the game moving to SMU's Ford Field, one could assume that it will be a huge advantage for the Mustangs. Coach Ellerson doesn't think so stating, " It's gonna be their home stadium, but not their home crowd. We are not gonna feel like the visiting team, I know that SMU has a great following there and I know its gonna be a tough environment to play in, but I don't think its gonna be one-sided.There are gonna be times that they have the ball and trying to talk and its gonna be hard." Army has 17 players from the Texas.
The Black Knights got to a bowl game by running the ball, with includes one of the best triple options in college football. They are averaging 256yds per game rushing and only 82yds per game passing. "Being a triple option football team that's how it has to be, if we are not in the top 10 in rushing we're probably not having a very good year. I do think we have played our best offense this year when we have balance."
SMU, under June Jones, is the polar opposite by using the passing game to get to the bowl. The Mustangs are averaging over 273yds per game passing with quarterback Kyle Padron (3,526 yards, 29 TDs). Zach Line, a linebacker recruit, has been a big surprise in the backfield rushing for 1,391 yards and 10 TDs. He now only trails Eric Dickerson on the single-season rushing yards list. Coach Jones commented, "Ideally we like to throw the football, but at the same time over the years we have been able to run the ball pretty effectively. Zach has done a great job of it this year. Our line has made the commitment to do it also. Zach has been the beneficiary of it."
The Armed Forces Bowl has become the most intriguing of the DFW metroplex bowl games. West Point, like all service academies, does not recruit football players that want to play football. For Army, its about the commitment to country, more than NFL aspirations. SMU is only looking for football players to rebuild the once top college program in Texas before the "death penalty". You have one team that will run the ball, one that will look to pass first. You have coaches that were former teammates at Hawaii now competing against each other on the field, and recruiting in the DFW area. Two different teams, with two different philosophies equals one great game.
Pictures from Press Conference:
