7 Best Army Black Knights Football Players

min read
This is a Oct. 25, 1946 photo showing Army football players, from left, Felix Blanchard, Earl Blaik and Glenn Davis. Army coach Earl Blaik is talking to his co-captains at the Polo Grounds, N.Y., during last practice before meeting Duke on Oct. 26, 1946. Blanchard and Davis won the first Heisman Trophies in Army football history.
(AP Photo )
Richard Janvrin @richardjanvrin Oct 07, 2024, 12:02 PM
  • Glenn Davis ranks second all-time in Army history in rushing touchdowns and is first in interceptions.
  • Doc Blancard won the Heisman Trophy in 1945, one year before Davis won his.
  • Pete Dawkins won the Heisman Trophy in 1958.

The inception of the Army Black Knights football program began in 1890, and they won five national championships. They’ve appeared in 10 bowl games, going 7-3. Since 2018, they’ve appeared in three bowl games. If you wagered on the moneyline football odds in those, you’d be happy with their 2-1 mark, including a 70-14 win over Houston in the 2018 Armed Forces Bowl. 

Today, you can bet on Army’s college football odds weekly at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

That said, I have a list of the top seven players in Army history below. 

Check it out below. 

7 Best Army Black Knights Football Players

RankPlayerPositionArmy Black Knights Years
1Doc BlanchardFB/LB1944-1946
2Glenn DavisHB1943-1946
3Pete DawkinsHB1956-1958
4Arnold TuckerQB1944-1946
5Bob AndersonHB1957-1959
6Joe SteffyG1945-1947
7Bill CarpenterEnd1957-1959

1. Glenn Davis

Davis played halfback in Army and won the Heisman Trophy in 1946. He also won the Maxwell Award, AP Athlete of the Year, SN Player of the Year, two-time unanimous All-American, consensus All-American, and four-time first-team All-Eastern. The school retired his No. 41. 

Today, he ranks sixth in rushing yards (2,959), second in rushing touchdowns (43), second in receiving touchdowns (14), sixth in total yards (4,131), first in interceptions (14), and second in total touchdowns (55). 

Davis is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1947 NFL Draft. 

2. Doc Blanchard

Blanchard played alongside Davis, and in 1945, he won the Heisman Trophy. In fact, he has a similar resume as Davis, winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and James E. Sullivan Award. He was also the SN Player of the Year, two-time unanimous All-American, consensus All-American, and three-time first-team All-Eastern. His No. 35 was retired by the program. 

Blanchard is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

3. Pete Dawkins

Dawkins played halfback for Army from 1956 to 1958. He was part of two Eastern championship teams, won the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award, was unanimous All-American, and two-time first-team All-Eastern and the Black Knights retired his No. 24. 

He’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

4. Arnold Tucker

Tucker was the quarterback of the Black Knights for their national title wins in 1944 and 1945. Those same years, he was first-team All-American. In 1946, he won the James E. Sullivan Award and was first-team All-Eastern. 

He’s tied for seventh in program history with nine passing touchdowns in a single season. He also has the most interceptions as a defender in a single season, with eight in 1946. 

Tucker is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

5. Bob Anderson

A halfback at Army, Anderson was a consensus All-American, first-team All-American, and two-time first-team All-Eastern. He finished his career with 1,887 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, playing at Army from 1957 to 1959. 

He’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

6. Joe Steffy

Steffy played guard for Army from 1945 to 1947. While there, he was part of the 1945 and 1946 national championship teams, was a two-time Eastern champion, won the Outland Trophy, and was a consensus All-American, second-team All-Ameircan, first-team All-Eastern, and is No. 61 was retired by the program. 

He was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987. 

7. Bill Carpenter

Playing end for Army from 1957 to 1959, Carpenter was a consensus All-American, first-team All-Eastern, and was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. He was also a team captain in 1959. 

During the 1958 season, Carpenter caught 22 passes for 453 yards and two touchdowns. As a captain the next season, he caught 43 passes for 591 yards and three touchdowns. 

About the Author

Richard Janvrin

Read More @richardjanvrin

Richard Janvrin is a content writer for BetMGM. His work is also published at sites like Forbes, WSN, Gambling.com, Legal Sports Report, and more. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire.

Richard Janvrin is a content writer for BetMGM. His work is also published at sites like Forbes, WSN, Gambling.com, Legal Sports Report, and more. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire.