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Jeff Monkin Could Be a Hot CFB Coach to Pursue in 2018

By Erik Lambert

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 09: Simone Askew, first captain of the Corps of Cadets leads the chant after the March On before the game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on December 9, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Askew is the first African American woman to hold the highest student position at the West Point military academy. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 09: Simone Askew, first captain of the Corps of Cadets leads the chant after the March On before the game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on December 9, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Askew is the first African American woman to hold the highest student position at the West Point military academy. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Despite neither program being what one might call elite, the Army-Navy game never disappoints. Now it may be doing wonders for Jeff Monkin.

Up until recently the 50-year old head coach had made a modest name for himself with some success at Georgia Southern. That led to his opportunity to take over the Army football program in 2014. By that point it had fallen on hard times, producing just one winning seasons since 1997. Worse still they had become subject of a long drought against Navy in the annual rivalry classic.

The Midshipmen had taken every game dating back to 2002, a streak of 14-straight. Monkin was hired to turn things around. Despite a rough first two years, his first two shots at Navy were narrow defeats. Then he finally broke through in last season with a 21-17 victory. If that weren’t enough, he added a second-straight this season in a 14-13 thriller. Not only that but Army has also posted two-straight winning records for the first time since 1990.

That sort of coaching prowess tends to get a man noticed.

Monkin has proven he can inspire and develop

Two vital components of a good head coach is the ability to motivate his players and also elevate their play through teaching and discipline. Monkin has proven by his resuscitation of the Army program that he is capable of both. He’s made believers out of a lot of young men, and in today’s cynical world that’s hard to do. It feels like only a matter of time before a bigger program recognizes his value.

Monkin is still just 50-years old. There is enough time for him to make another move if that is the plan. There’s no doubt he can continue to do great things at Army. At the same time it feels like he hasn’t peaked yet as a coach.

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