Tuesday's Army-Navy Debate

Times Herald-Record Army football reporter Sal Interdonato and Capital Navy football reporter Bill Wagner will offer their take on issues related to Saturday's Army-Navy football game all week.

Question: Who has a better option-based rushing attack?

SAL INTERDONATO:

Give Army time. The Black Knights should be challenging Navy for national rushing titles in the near future.

But in Army's first season returning to an option offense, it isn't better than Navy, which leads the nation in rushing. Army is ninth at 254 yards per game. It's still a huge accomplishment considering the players running Army's option were recruited for a pro-style offense.

It took Army three games to find a starting quarterback in Chip Bowden, whose 566 rushing yards are 38 yards shy of the highest rushing total by an Army quarterback since 1992. Bowden can only get better with an offseason and spring under his belt.

Army coaches wish they had senior fullback Collin Mooney for another year. He's been the team's best runner with 1,285 yards and eight scores. Mooney needs 54 yards to set the academy's single-season record. Mooney has a rare fullback package of game-breaking speed and brute power to break tackles.

For Army to advance to Navy's level, it needs to open the outside up for option pitches. Army has looked like a double-option (fullback, quarterback) at times. Slotbacks have had as few as two touches in a game. It seems like Army's been a little apprehensive to go outside, fearing a bad pitch and a turnover.

BILL WAGNER:

Kudos to Army for developing a solid rushing attack in its first season of running the option. However, Army cannot hold a candle to Navy when it comes to executing option football.

Statistics don't lie and Navy leads the nation in rushing with an average of 292 yards per game. The Midshipmen are seeking their fourth straight national rushing title and fifth since 2003.

Navy features a big, powerful fullback in Eric Kettani, who ranks 10th on the school's all-time rushing list with 1,916 career yards. The 6-foot-1, 243-pound senior has that rare combination of size, speed and strength that has attracted the interest of NFL scouts. Kettani hasn't enjoyed the type of season most expected, but is always a threat to bust loose.

However, what makes Navy's running game more dangerous than Army's is the true triple threat. Quarterbacks Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and Ricky Dobbs (both of whom will probably play on Saturday) each have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game. Slot back Shun White ranks eighth on Navy's rushing chart with 2,092 career yards. The senior speedster is a threat to go all the way every time he touches the ball and established the single-game school record with 348 yards rushing in the season opener against Towson.