Dewayne Coleman leads the Army past the pesky Air Force

The next-man-up mentality in Army football reflects the same process used on the battlefield, says coach Jeff Monken.

So Monken had no qualms about sending junior Dewayne Coleman after All-Star candidate Bryson Daily showed up sick this week and had to sit out Saturday for the Military Academy's clash with the Air Force.

Under Coleman's leadership, the Black Knights' vaunted offense faltered early but managed to score two points in the second half and pull ahead of the Falcons 20-3.

Coleman had seen five relief appearances this season as the primary backup after Daily Army took big leads in the second half, but Saturday was his first time in college action. It's worth noting that Coleman will have the most experience behind center heading into the 2025 season.

“I think it definitely helped me,” Coleman said of the snaps he took this season. “I felt more comfortable there. “I trusted my (offensive) line in front of me and trusted the coaches to give me plays so I could execute and perform well.”

How Army football backup quarterback Dewayne Coleman played in place of Bryson Daily

His final numbers won't jump off the page – 18 carries for 42 yards; 5 of 8 passes for 48 yards. But Coleman led four shots on goal in eight streaks that didn't end with the final goal. He did this against an Air Force defense that knows intimately the Army's offensive options in a game with so much at stake. The Army wanted to stay perfect, maintain its No. 21 national ranking and make December's duel with the Navy even more valuable as the Commander in Chief's Trophy was at stake.

Considering that Coleman took most of the game snaps with the second unit, it would be a testament to his ability to work with an offensive unit that has been virtually intact all season.

Although they run the same offense, Coleman is 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds and the 6-foot-1 Daily weighs up to 221 pounds, showing the ability to punch holes with power and fend off tacklers to gain more distance win or break free. The playcalling might have been more conservative for Coleman, and the offensive line struggled with matchups and blocks.

There also appeared to be a handful of failed play calls, as Coleman and running back Kanye Udoh mistimed some handoffs, one of which resulted in a fumble that Coleman recovered. The result was two red zone drives that culminated with field goals rather than touchdowns from Trey Gronotte. Army needed a stop of its own in the red zone to maintain a 6-3 halftime lead.

Army coaches challenged the offensive line to do better, and they did. Udoh, who had 30 yards rushing in the first half, finished the game with 22 carries, a career-high 158 yards and two touchdown runs. He reached the end zone untouched on both attempts – once from 12 yards in the third quarter and a 25-yard run in the fourth.

“In the first half, everyone is nervous and a little nervous, from the coach to the players,” Udoh said. “And then in the second half we just got back to what we were doing, just dominating and doing what we needed to do.”

What Army football coach Jeff Monken said about Dewayne Coleman and Bryson Daily

Monken was pleased with what he saw from Coleman.

“I thought he showed great poise,” he said.

Monken cited a drag route pass to Casey Reynolds, where Coleman backed up and dropped a pass for a 24-yard gain.

“I assure you that Dewayne Coleman had no fear or anxiety about playing. He's looking forward to playing. “He’s been waiting for this opportunity,” Monken said. “I’m just really proud of how he handled the team, how he handled the offense and how he did his part.”

Kody Harris-Miller said the team had “complete and complete confidence” in Coleman and had previously told him, “Play your game.”

“Kudos to Dewayne Coleman, who didn’t bat an eyelid,” Casey Larkin said. “He did his thing. “I know he would because his confidence is through the roof.”

Monken gave no details about Daily's absence other than to say he might return in time for the North Texas game this week.

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X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

How Army football backup quarterback Dewayne Coleman played in place of Bryson Daily

What Army football coach Jeff Monken said about Dewayne Coleman and Bryson Daily

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