Head Coach Jeff Monken was very disappointed in his team’s effort on Saturday in their loss to Tulane, where Army football mentor stated in his post game comments, “They whipped our asses six ways from Sunday ... if you can’t block, can’t tackle, you aren’t going to win many games.”

And even two weeks ago when the Black Knights were victorious against Morgan State ... Coach Monken felt that his team played one of the worse football games that he has ever been associated with.

So, GoBlackKnights.com had an opportunity to chat with senior linebacker and captain Cole Christiansen to get his take on what must the team collectively, along with himself as the 2nd year captain do to turn things around?

We have to get better fundamentally and I tell you what, we had to me the best practice we had today,” declared the 6-foot-2, 235 pounder. “That is so encouraging because we need it. It was physical and luckily the things we have done poorly in the last two (Morgan State & Tulane) times we have gone out are fixable and we know how to fix them and today we took a huge step in the right direction.”

“Really it comes down to not building bad habits in practice and fitting guys up every single play. I think it’s easy to kind of get lulled into not using the right fundamentals when you are tackling. Every week you are learning their offense, installing new plays, trying to get the fits rights and when you are doing that, you kind of forget the fundamentals .... you don’t forget them, but they can get rusty if they are not done the right way.”

So it comes with perfect focus and perfect effort every single play in practice ... violence, rapping up, killing the engine, getting guys down and when you do that every play during practice, then you are going to play that way,” added Christiansen, who has 39 total tackles on the season. “I’ve always believe that you play like you practice and we haven’t practice the way we need to the past three weeks and that’s shown on the field.”

“So as two-year team captain, we realize that, we see that and myself and the other two captains (Kelvin Hopkins and Elijah Riley) have to lead the way and show everyone the right way to do it and so that we can do it the right way on Saturdays.”

For Christiansen along with his fellow tri-captains, games such as Tulane truly help you earn and display your captain stripes.

“So obviously during the game, we were trying to get guys fired up ... ‘look guys, we know what we are doing wrong, but we have to do it better’, but Tulane was a great football team ... they were really really a tough football team,” acknowledge the product of Suffolk, Virginia. “So if you don’t play up to your potential against a great football team, you’re not going to win. But we were trying to keep everyone motivated in the game and I was proud of the effort. We played hard the entire game, but we just didn’t execute the whole time.”

“But after the game, we all talked and there was no head hanging, there was no being sad or sorry for ourselves. We have to get a lot better and we are going to get a lot better.”

Coming into Tuesday’s practice, No. 54 readily admitted that there has been an awakening of the practice vibe that has a trademark under Monken, that for some reason has been dormant around the practice session for the part few weeks.

“Before practice today, we all met as a team and we said that this is going to be the most violent, typical, fast practice we had all year and it was. We were flying around and guys were hitting each other and it was fun,” Christiansen stated. “If you love football, then that’s fun and we kind of got away from that the past few weeks and it’s anyone’s fault and we’ve been practicing hard, but we haven’t been as violent and the attention to detail we needed to the past few weeks. Today we had and we are going to maintain it. If we have practice like this everyday for the rest of the year, we are going to be tough to beat.”

But the team is still without veteran safeties Cameron Jones and Jaylon McClinton, who both missed, although there is a possibility that McClinton could return to action on Saturday.

But in the meantime, youngsters like sophomores Cedric Cunningham, as well seldom used senior Ryan Velez have had to step up to the play. So, has Cole had an opportunity to chat with the youngsters who have stepped in and if so, what has he shared with them surrounding being game day ready?

“We just try to continue boost confidence in those guys because it is intimating feeling to come out and play your first year and first few games as a young guy,” Christiansen explained. “I was pretty shell shocked when I was a sophomore and I got my first start. So, just trying to keep those guys full of confidence and if things don’t go their way, put the play behind you and play the next one. And I think they’ve done a great job and skill comes with reps and they are going to continue to get better. They are all playing well and they just have to take reps, continue to focus and learn and be students of the game. All the upperclassmen are encouraging the younger guys to step up and play their game, because that’s what you have to do -- can’t go in nervous. I always tell everyone on the team, especially defense, when you go on the field, you have to believe that you are the baddest out there and it will come to fruition if you believe it.”

The talented Will linebacker played Saturday's contest against Tulane with someone very special to him on his heart/mind and that was his grandmother, Delores Christiansen.

"He shared that with us that he interviewed with GoBlackKnights.com when we spoke with him last night," said Cole's mother, Monica. "I believe I met you for the first time when his grandmother came to the spring game his freshman year and you interviewed Cole. You took a picture of him signing an autograph for his grandmother. You did a GoBlackKnights.com post about her being his biggest fan. She loved that!!"

"She started home hospice the Thursday before our bye week and Cole drove home that weekend to see her. He told her he was going to write a message on his arm for her to look for during the Tulane game. She passed away early Saturday morning and we didn’t tell Cole until after the game. He had her initials (DC) written on his upper arm Anyway, family is so important and I am so thankful for mine which includes our wonderful extended West Point family!"

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