Four Black Knights Earn American Conference Football Honors

Small Named First Team All-Conference; Thomas Selected as Campbell Trophy Finalist

West Point, N.Y. — The American Athletic Conference announced its end-of-year football awards Tuesday, recognizing four Army West Point players for their outstanding performances during the 2025 season.

Center Brady Small earned All-Conference First Team honors for the second consecutive year, while linebacker and team captain Andon Thomas secured a spot on the Second Team. Defensive lineman Jack Bousum was selected to the Third Team, and senior safety Casey Larkin received Honorable Mention recognition.

The honors come as Army (6-5) prepares for Saturday’s rivalry showdown against Navy (9-2) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, with the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy on the line.

Small Anchors Nation’s Fifth-Ranked Rushing Attack

Brady Small, Center (First Team All-Conference)

Small, a junior from Mt. Ephraim, N.J., has started all 11 games at center this season, anchoring an offensive line that ranks fifth in the nation with 256.9 rushing yards per game. He has now started 37 consecutive games, a streak that began in the first game of his freshman season in 2023.

This marks Small’s second straight year earning All-Conference First Team honors. He was also selected in 2024 as a key member of an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award and powered quarterback Bryson Daily’s record-breaking campaign.

“It’s just a tribute to the entire offensive line and this team,” Small said Tuesday. “It’s a cool thing to have for yourself, but, you know, I’m not really too worried about it. Main focus is Navy.”

Asked about his legacy with one year remaining, Small emphasized leadership over individual accolades.

“I just take it one day at a time,” he said. “The main thing I want to do is be remembered as a great leader and a great role model to the younger guys. Go out on a high note, winning the CIC.”

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Thomas Leads Defense, Named Campbell Trophy Finalist

Andon Thomas, Linebacker (Second Team All-Conference)

Thomas, a team captain and senior, leads the Army defense with 96 tackles, marking his second straight season with 95 or more. He becomes just the fourth Army defender since 2005 to record multiple seasons with at least 95 tackles. Last season, Thomas earned All-Conference Third Team honors.

Beyond his on-field performance, Thomas has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award presented annually to the nation’s top student-athlete for excellence in academics, football performance, and leadership. Often referred to as the “Academic Heisman,” the award recognizes one winner from a national pool of 180 candidates. Thomas is one of just 16 finalists selected.

“I think it’s a tremendous honor,” Thomas said of his All-American recognition. “I give glory to God and glory to Jesus Christ, first of all. Without him, I’m nothing. Without him, I don’t have these awards. I couldn’t do any of this without the guys up front playing their game. Caleb and I can make plays because the other 10 guys on the field are making plays. So really grateful for them.”

When asked how he wants to be remembered at Army West Point Football, Thomas emphasized faith and leadership.

“I just want to be remembered as a Christ-serving leader who always put other people first and led with love,” he said. “I think the greatest thing you can do as a leader is love your people and just lead with love. So that’s kind of how I want to be remembered.”

Bousum Emerges as Defensive Force

Jack Bousum, Defensive Lineman (Third Team All-Conference)

Bousum, a sophomore from Annapolis, Md., has emerged as a key starter on the defensive line this season. He leads the team with three sacks and has added 6.5 tackles for loss. He delivered one of his strongest performances against Air Force, recording five tackles (three solo) along with a sack and a forced fumble.

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Larkin Anchors Secondary

Casey Larkin, Safety (Honorable Mention)

Larkin, a senior, has started every game at safety this season, recording 59 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, and five passes defensed.

Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy on the Line

With the honors announced, Army’s focus shifts entirely to Saturday’s 3 p.m. ET kickoff against Navy on CBS. The Black Knights can claim the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with a victory, adding to their earlier triumph over Air Force.

“The emotion’s going to be there with this one,” Thomas said. “The message that Caleb and I are trying to send is that the emotion’s going to be there, but you can’t let emotion get in the way of executing. In order to win this game, we’ve got to execute.”

Thomas pointed to Army’s 23-3 victory over Air Force at Falcon Stadium as a defining moment of the season.

“Beating Air Force earlier this year, that was a really special moment, especially playing there and obviously giving us the opportunity to play Navy for the CIC,” he said. “That’s something I’ll really never forget.”

Small echoed the team’s singular focus on the rivalry.

“It’s one of the biggest rivalries in college football,” Small said. “There’s no hard feelings between both sides. The Navy’s got a great team. So we’re just excited for the opportunity to play them on 13 December.”

Brotherhood and Legacy

For Thomas, a senior playing his final game in an Army uniform, the memories extend beyond trophies and awards.

“What I’m going to miss most is the guys, the brotherhood,” he said. “I think it’s unmatched. The culture we have here is unmatched by any locker room, I believe, in Army college football. And I stand by that. Just the quality of guys we have here and all the friendships we’ve made over the past four years and all the hard times, great times we’ve been through. I’m going to miss those. But I’m so grateful for them and so grateful for my teammates.”

Thomas will play Saturday’s game in front of family, including his aunt, who hasn’t seen him play in some time.

“Anytime I get to play in front of family, it’s really special,” he said. “Playing college football, essentially one of my last couple games ever, really, in football, it means a lot playing in front of family, just playing for them, having their support. It just means a lot.”

Looking Ahead

Army and Navy kick off at 3 p.m. ET Saturday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. The game will be televised nationally on CBS. The Black Knights enter 11-1 overall and seek their first victory over Navy since 2021.

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