Army Linebacker Andrew Rodriguez Was Down But Not Out
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By DERON SNYDER
Life at the U.S. Military Academy couldn’t have been much better for linebacker Andrew Rodriguez as a sophomore in 2009.
He was a starter in all 12 games and led Army with 85 tackles. He excelled in the classroom, en route to a 4.14 grade-point average. His father and a sister, both West Point graduates, stayed safe through deployments and the possibility of deployments.
The Black Knights struggled on the field that year, coach Rich Ellerson’s first, going 5-7 and more importantly losing their eighth consecutive game against Navy. But Rodriguez, an Arlington native and Bishop Ireton High School graduate, was one of the team’s bright spots. Heading into his junior year, his prospects and the team outlook were promising.
Then a routine weightlifting session led to a back injury, wiping out his 2010 season and jeopardizing his 2011 season.
Worse than perhaps never playing again, graduating from West Point came into serious doubt.
