In his first game at Wallace Wade Stadium, head coach David Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils pulled off an impressive win over James Madison in what seemed to be the start of a new era for Duke Football.
Similarly, Army head coach Rich Ellerson led his team to victory in his first game at the helm last weekend against Eastern Michigan, looking to begin his own chapter at the United States Military Academy and return the Black Knights to their winning tradition.
Ellerson’s hiring initially seemed surprising to most outsiders, as he did not bring any FBS head coaching experience, did not attend a service academy and had never coached at one.
But when looking deeper into West Point’s decision to hire Ellerson, it becomes clear that his values and focus on discipline make him the man for the job.
“It’s a martial game. This institution is about leadership and developing leaders in character in the United States Army,” Ellerson said. “There are some things about the West Point culture—duty, honor, country—that set our guys completely apart from their contemporaries and draw them nearer to the game…. We’re trying to tap into that culture, to those experiences and make them translate.”
Ellerson has proven himself as a winner in his most recent coaching job. Before coming to Army, he served as head coach at Cal Poly, an FCS school, for eight seasons and finished with a strong 56-34 record, making him the third-winningest coach in school history.
Despite not serving in the military himself, Ellerson has strong family ties to the academy and had aspirations of coaching there at some point during his career. He does, after all, employ an offensive strategy that dates back to the school’s great success in the 1940s.
“Rich has the experience we need,” Army Superintendent Lt. Gen. Buster L. Hagenbeck said shortly after Ellerson’s hiring in December 2008. “An award- and title-winning head coach who runs the option, Rich also has extensive ties to West Point and the Army. Not only are his father and two brothers members of the Long Gray Line and career Army officers, but his brother John was the captain of the 1962 team that went 6-4.”
For years, all of the service academies have prided themselves on running the triple-option and have done so prolifically. Ellerson, who is considered one of the nation’s best at utilizing this offense, skillfully implemented the system during his time at Cal Poly. In his last season at the helm for the Mustangs, Ellerson’s former team finished the season ranked first nationally in both total offense and scoring offense and third in rushing offense using the vaunted scheme.
Ellerson’s knowledge of the triple option offense played a large role in his selection as West Point’s new football boss, Hagenbeck said.
The triple option is derived from the option play, where the quarterback takes the snap and runs either left or right while accompanied by another player, typically a running back. If the defense chooses to attempt to tackle the quarterback, he laterally passes the ball to the player trailing him. If the defense chooses to focus on the accompanying player, the quarterback can keep the ball and try to gain yardage.
The triple option itself, however, is more complicated than its counterpart because there are more choices for the quarterback. The most basic difference is that there are three players who may run the ball instead of two. This third player is typically another back, who usually presents an inside dive option in addition to the two traditional options.
Leading the Black Knight offense is freshman quarterback Trent Steelman, who, along with his coach, pulled off a victory in his first start under center at Army. Traditionally, West Point does not permit players to hold starting positions in their first year at the Academy, but Steelman proved himself during spring practice, becoming the first cadet to start at a quarterback as a freshman since 1944.
“Physical toughness and composure—that’s [Steelman’s] ability,” Ellerson said of his starting quarterback. “He’s one of those rare guys who sees maybe a little bit too much. There’s no short circuit for the experience that he’s having, and the fact that he was as poised as he was speaks to his abilities as a player.”
Facing another talented dual-threat quarterback, like Richmond’s Eric Ward last week, will prove a challenge for the Blue Devils. It will be even more difficult as the matchup between the two schools will be Army’s home opener.
The Black Knights, however, are not taking Duke lightly, even after the Blue Devils suffered a loss against Richmond last Saturday.
“Duke suffered an upset, and as such a very well-led team, a gifted team, a very proud team, we expect that they’ll be especially excited to play, and well prepared,” Ellerson said.
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