Army Black Knights have Texas ties

The Army Black Knights will be playing at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on December 30 against the SMU Mustangs.  Though SMU is playing on their home field, Army isn’t a stranger to Texas.

While the SMU is located in Texas and has played a majority of their 985 collegiate football games in the state, the 2010 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be the 33rd intercollegiate football game for Army in the “Lone Star” state. Army has an 11-20-1 mark for contests played in Texas, including a total of six games when the Black Knights were a member of Conference USA. One of the Army Texas setbacks was a 29-28 decision to Alabama in the 1996 Sun Bowl in El Paso.

Army has 18 players from Texas on its roster, including nine that are listed on the Black Knights’ depth chart. Texans on the Army depth chart are Antuan Aaron (DB , Dallas Crandall), Steven Erzinger (LB , Houston Lamar), Max Jenkins (QB , Houston Langham Creek), Josh Jones (LB/punt returner, Baytown Robert E. Lee), Richard King (Houston Klein Forrest), Chad Littlejohn (LB, Houston Deer Park), Josh McNary (DE, Houston Clear Lake), Todd Miller (DE, Sugar Land Strake Jesuit College Prep) and Donovan Travis (DB, Judson). Other Texans on the Army roster are Lyle Beloney (DB, Katy), Shane Jones (OL, Van Alstyne), Jon Neill (OG, The Woodlands), Jordan Pleasants (OG, Dallas Woodrow Wilson), Richard Rainey (OL, Cedar Park Vista Ridge), Matt Villanti (OG, Katy Seven Lakes), James Whittington (DB, El Paso Burges), Zachary Williams (LB, Melissa) and Brian Zalneraitis (OL, Round Rock).

The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl kicks off December 30 at 11:00 a.m.