WEST POINT, N.Y. -- It wasn't the way anybody at Army would have drawn it up, but the No. 21 Black Knights showed Saturday that they could win without their star quarterback and do it in a somewhat different fashion than they have to this point during their unbeaten season.
Bryson Daily, a Heisman Trophy candidate and the nation's leading rusher among quarterbacks, was sidelined for the 20-3 battering of Air Force at Michie Stadium after being unable to practice all week with an undisclosed injury. If anything, his absence only seemed to galvanize his teammates in a rivalry that never needs any extra motivation.
"It doesn't matter who's in the game. We all trust each other. We all love each other, and that's the most important thing about playing at West Point," said junior safety Casey Larkin, who's part of an Army defense that intercepted three passes and collected six sacks.
"We go through so many hard times together that it's so easy to build trust, especially on this team."
Army coach Jeff Monken said in his postgame news conference that he fully expects to get Daily back this season and told ESPN that he felt like there was a "good chance" Daily could return in time for the trip to North Texas next Saturday.
The Black Knights (8-0, 6-0) have won 12 straight games, the nation's longest winning streak dating to last season, and could take a commanding lead in the race for a spot in the AAC championship game with a win over North Texas.
"He's going to play again this season. It's just a matter if we can get him back out there next week," Monken said. "We hope he can. He'll do everything he can to be out there."
The good news for Daily during his recovery is that Army will get a bye week between the North Texas game and the Notre Dame game in Yankee Stadium on Nov. 23.
Monken declined to get into the specifics of Daily's injury. The 6-foot, 221-pound senior carried the ball 31 times for a career-high 171 yards and accounted for six touchdowns, five rushing and one passing, in the 45-28 win over East Carolina on Oct. 19. The Black Knights were off that next week, and Daily was able to practice during the bye week, but his undisclosed injury flared up heading into this past week's preparations.
Monken said he felt Daily's pain when it became obvious the Black Knights' senior captain wouldn't be able to play against Air Force.
"There are no bigger games in an Army football player's career than the Academy games, and I know how disappointed he was to not be able to play these guys today," Monken said. "He wanted to be a part of it, but he doesn't realize what a big part of it he was today, just the confidence he's given this football team to be able to go out and play like we did today, building off the success that we've had with him as our quarterback. So he'll get healthy, and he'll be playing again. It's just disappointing to miss this game."
Junior Dewayne Coleman made his first career start in place of Daily, and while Army was held to a season low in points (20) and total yards (255), he was steady and didn't commit any turnovers. After leading 6-3 at the half, Army went to what Coleman called their "culture plays" on offense in the second half. Sophomore running back Kanye Udoh had 128 of his game-high 158 rushing yards after halftime as Army controlled the line of scrimmage. Coleman didn't throw a pass in the second half.
And on defense, even when Air Force did put together a drive, Army made big plays in its own territory to keep the Falcons out of the end zone. Larkin picked off a pass at his own 7 early in the fourth quarter with linebacker Kalib Fortner pressuring Air Force quarterback Quentin Hayes. The Air Force quarterbacks were under duress the entire game.
Army has still not trailed in a game all season, the only FBS team that can make that claim, but Monken said Saturday's game with Daily being out and the offense not finding any real rhythm in the first half was the first time his team had faced any semblance of adversity.
"We had our backs to the wall and we had to fight, and that's good for our football team and we knew it was coming," said Monken, who has now won 12 of his past 16 in service academy games (Air Force and Navy).
Monken said he wasn't surprised to see the way the players responded around Coleman or the way Coleman never blinked when he was told he would be starting for Daily.
"It's a good lesson for our players," Monken said. "They're all going to serve in the Army and some of them will serve in units where things happen and somebody has to step up, and if the pilot that's flying the helicopter can't fly the helicopter, you don't just take the day off to find somebody else to fly the helicopter. And when they're jumping out of the helicopter and somebody turns their ankle and they can't do their job on the flank or in the middle of the formation, they don't just throw the white flag up and say, 'Oh, well, we can't do it now.'
"Somebody's got to step up."
Even so, the Black Knights are going to need a healthy Daily to remain in the College Football Playoff chase. The highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion will get an automatic spot in the playoff. The committee's first rankings will be released Tuesday night.
Daily, one of four team captains, has been Army's starting quarterback over the past two seasons and the main cog in a Black Knights' offense that had eclipsed 400 yards of total offense in all seven games until the win over Air Force.
Larkin said he had a reassuring talk with Daily on Friday night at the team hotel.
"I just said, 'Keep your head up,' and I know he is going to be back," Larkin said. "He's one of the hardest workers in that locker room. He's an awesome leader, so I can't wait to get him back. But also kudos to Dewayne Coleman coming in, not flinching and doing his thing. His confidence is through the roof. That's every guy on this team.
"It was just a great effort, and I'm looking forward to Bryson's rehab and just getting onto the next week."