What Army HC Jeff Monken Had to Say About West Virginia

Jeff Monken sees a talented, well-coached team in West Virginia.

West Virginia and Army will meet in Memphis, Tennessee on December 31st for the 62nd annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Mountaineers were initially scheduled to play the Tennessee Volunteers, but due to COVID-19 issues within the Tennessee football program, they were unable to meet the requirements to play.

With Tennessee out and Army in, the quality of the opponent for West Virginia has been raised quite a bit. Tennessee had a 3-7 regular season while the Black Knights of Army finished their season on a three-game winning streak and ended 9-2 on the year.

Wednesday afternoon, Army head football coach Jeff Monken met with the media to talk about the bowl matchup vs West Virginia and the challenges that the Mountaineers present.

Opening Statement

"We're thrilled for the opportunity to be in the Liberty Bowl. It's a great bowl game, we're playing an outstanding team and a great program in West Virginia University. Neal Brown, the job that he has done, he's just a tremendous coach, and it's a very talented football team who is going to present a great challenge for us. We're excited to be in this game and the exposure that has come our way because of what happened with the Independence Bowl and kind of being shut out there for a day and we were thrilled for this opportunity. We're honored and privileged to have this opportunity and we'll try to make the most of it."

Initial thoughts on West Virginia

"They are extremely athletic, a fast football team, very well-coached. Just a very formidable opponent. Really athletic on defense and they play in a great league. The teams they play in that league, the teams they've beaten in that league is just really impressive. They're a really impressive football team, and it is going to be a tremendous challenge for us to have an opportunity to win the game. I hope our guys will play well enough to be in a position to do that."

What it will take to win

"The plan isn't going to be what wins the game, it's going to be the execution of the plan. If we're going to have a chance to win, then our players are going to have to execute. It's not just assignment and fundamentals, it's performing, it's making plays. Tackling guys and getting them to the ground and when the ball is in the air making a play on it. All of those things are what really matters. When you play a very talented group of players, a well-coached team, a really outstanding football team, it makes those things that much more difficult."

If having extra time to prepare makes it easier to transition from option offenses to a passing offense

"Well, if it wasn't West Virginia maybe. Watch them on TV or watch them on film, and you're sitting in my shoes, I don't know that anything is easy. We have played three option teams in a row and very run-based offenses and going to a team that really likes to throw it and is really good at it. So no, it doesn't really make me feel any better, they're a great opponent. We have got a lot of work to do in a short amount of time."

What it feels like to play a Power Five team in a bowl game

"It's exciting for our players. They came here to play big-time football against top-level opponents and I'm glad they're going to have an opportunity to play West Virginia."

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