As the college football season enters its final stretch, injuries are almost inevitable. With crucial matches up for grabs, the injury report often dictates how teams plan for their games. That’s especially true for this game, the Army vs. Navy rivalry, as the game has been filled with intensity and pride historically.
Thankfully, for both teams, injury reports are not extensive enough as one might feel by this point of the season. Still, quite a few key players were listed, which can prove decisive in this game against these iconic foes.
Handful Of Concerns For Black Knights
The Army Black Knights are quite lucky heading into their Week 16 game against the Navy Midshipmen. Even though injuries are always to be considered, Army seems generally healthy, with only a handful of players on their injury list. These minor complaints should not significantly impact the team’s overall strength.
While details on the specific injuries were not given, Army is likely to look at ensuring that its performance remains high despite these few concerns. The leadership of the team will be essential in making sure that the injury issues do not affect their preparation or game strategy for the upcoming showdown.
Navy Injury Report: Key Players Out for Week 16
While Navy’s injury report is not as lengthy as Army’s, the Midshipmen have a couple of notable players who are not expected to play and could certainly be missed.
1. Blake Horvath – Quarterback (Probable)
Quarterback Blake Horvath had been an integral part of the early-season success for Navy, and he had even led the team with great performances. Unfortunately, a rib injury has kept Horvath out since Nov. 16. However, Horvath has been upgraded to “probable” for the Army game, meaning he could come back and play in the highly anticipated matchup. If he is available, he will have a huge role in determining the offensive game plan for Navy, which is one of the leaders on the field.
2. Cody Howard – Tight End (Questionable)
Tight end Cody Howard has been out for an unspecified injury and had not played since Oct. 19. He continues to be listed as “questionable” for Navy’s game against Army. Assuming Howard cannot play, this could alter Navy’s offence, particularly in the pass game, where he is an option that can also be used to extend a play with his catching and blocking abilities.
3. Tyler Bradley – Running Back (Questionable)
Running back Tyler Bradley has missed game action this season due to an undisclosed injury. Listing him as questionable for Saturday’s Army game means another experienced playmaker could be in the lineup for Navy. Ground-heavy Navy’s offense suffers greatly when it loses players at running back, causing the team to have to rely on less-experienced players or change its overall game plan.
Will It Affect Showdown?
As the Army-Navy game draws near, injury reports for both sides are relatively manageable. Even Navy has a few things to worry about, namely in the form of stars such as Blake Horvath and Cody Howard, whereas Army’s injury concerns seem much less pronounced. These two teams will probably go deep and rely on clever game planning to get by their injuries.
