The Army Black Knights offense is as subtle as a punch in the face. While college football has gone pass-mad, the Black Knights acquire territory with a fierce ground attack. Entering their fifth season under Coach Jeff Monken the Knights are winning on their own terms, which involves a triple-option, meat-grinder offense that relentlessly hammers defenses.

The Black Knights are often smaller and less athletic than opponents. A beautifully simplistic triple-option or flexbone offensive scheme is their equalizer, according to senior fullback Andy Davidson, a tough-as-nails runner and punishing blocker who was a four-year letter winner at Emmaus High School.

“Typically we are outweighed anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds on the line of scrimmage,” said the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Davidson during an August 24 interview. “We are often undersized when we go out there.”

The flexbone’s premise is to mitigate Army’s size disadvantage so their lineman are not blocking larger defenders straight up. They utilize quickness, deception and misdirection to create a moment of indecision defensively, getting their opponents off-balance before engaging them in trench-combat on more favorable terms.

The Army offense under coordinator Brent Davis is consistent, repetitious and successful in spite that defenders can typically disregard the pass. Army utilizes a mind-numbing array of formations and often deploy a sixth offensive lineman, overloaded to one side. Their game is not grand prix, but demolition derby.

“A lot of times it looks like the same thing, the same play, but there are different formations and schemes all the time,” Davidson said. “It’s a very versatile offense.”

In his third year as a starter, Davidson is in just his second season as a running back. He started his career as a linebacker during his freshman season.

In 2015 the former East Penn Conference MVP played in 12 games on the Black Knight defense. A year later, he was moved to the offensive backfield where he played all 13 games and piled up 961 yards and 12 touchdowns on 190 carries. Last season he carried 116 times for 627 yards and five touchdowns.

The Black Knights limit possessions, negative plays and quarterback sacks and keep the clock running. They also win a lot. Monken’s last two season have produced an 18-8 record. In 2017 Army went 10-3, which included a heart-stopping 14-13 win over Navy in the snow at Lincoln Financial Field and a victory over San Diego State in the Armed Forces Bowl.

The scheme isn’t all the reason for the winning. Army enlists some very good football players who like to mix it up. Davidson says the fullback corp doesn’t know the word “quit.”

“We have fullbacks who each have different skill sets,” he says. “We also have five really tough guys, very humble guys.”

Davis stresses “physicality and toughness,” according to Davidson, and the coach receives it from men who play tough on and off the field for the United States.

Davidson’s humility is apparent when asked about his personal goals for the season.

“To be honest with you I don’t have too many personal goals,” says Davidson. All of his stated objectives involve team plateaus. One includes improving on last year’s 10-win season.

The illustrious history of the Army-Navy rivalry cannot be lost on any football player who is fortunate enough to participate. Besides being an incredible honor to be a part of, Davidson calls Navy week and the actual game the most intense thing he’s ever seen in professional or college football.

“During my freshman season, there were 15 minutes left in the game and I looked around the stadium almost every single person was standing,” he recalls in awe. “The people who go to that game are completely invested in it.”

Army has defeated Navy the last two seasons, after Navy won 14 in row from 2002-2015. The 119th version is scheduled for Dec. 8 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Those enrolled at the five United States service academies are not ordinary students. The Army flexbone offense is not ordinary and fullback Andy Davidson who opens holes and carries the rock in it is certainly extraordinary.