Army West Point Athletics
Photo by: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
October 21, 2026 | Football
WEST POINT, N.Y. – 51.7 percent. 418 of 808.
That sounds like an unsolvable mathematical equation. It's just the type of expression quarterback Cale Hellums encounters every day as a systems and decision sciences major at the United States Military Academy.
The numbers represent Hellums' rushing totals in Army's last two games compared with Army's team total. He rushed for a career-high 223 yards in Army's 20-17 victory over Tulane and totaled 195 rushing yards in its 56-24 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday at Michie Stadium Preserved by USAA.
Hellums was named to the Davey O'Brien Award Midseason Watch List and the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8, and on Oct. 19 he was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
In the last two weeks, Hellums has rushed for 418 of Army's 808 total rushing yards and had a school-record-tying five rushing touchdowns against FAU. He also scored two rushing touchdowns against Tulane.
Hellums is ranked 11th nationally with 719 rushing yards and is second among Division I quarterbacks. He ranks just behind West Virginia's Michael Hawkins Jr., who has gained 749 rushing yards in seven games. Having played one fewer game than Hawkins, Hellums enters Friday's game at Tulsa (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. ET) as the nation's leader among quarterbacks with an average of 119.8 rushing yards per game. His average ranks fifth nationally among all players.
"It starts up front," said Hellums after Saturday's win over Florida Atlantic. "Those guys on the offensive line, they're the best. To play quarterback behind them is such a privilege; it's an honor. To play alongside guys like Paolo Gennarelli, Carson Smith, Jake Rendina and Brady Small, I'm very fortunate. The goal against FAU was to come out and play a complete game. We are really close to that. We had nine total drives, and eight ended in touchdowns. That's a good day."
In the last two weeks, Hellums has carried 63 times and gained 418 yards. His seven rushing touchdowns account for 70 percent (seven of 10) of Army's total as the Black Knights improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in American Conference play.
"To be able to play behind our offensive line and to run through the holes I am able to run through is a credit to them," said Hellums.
Army enters its game against Tulsa as the nation's leader in rushing offense, averaging 357.5 rushing yards per game. The Black Knights also lead the nation in total rushing yards (2,145), yards per rushing attempt (6.52) and rushing touchdowns (25).
Army's offensive line was named to the 2026 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll on Oct. 14. The Joe Moore Award is earned by the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football and is the only major award in the sport given to a group rather than an individual. In winning the award in 2024, Army became the first military academy and the first Group of Five program to win it.
Hellums has totaled 1,970 career rushing yards on 440 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, and has scored 31 touchdowns. He needs just 30 rushing yards to become the 15th player in Army program history to rush for 2,000 or more career yards and just the fifth quarterback to do so.
He is looking to join a select group of Army quarterbacks that includes Trent Steelman (2009-12, 3,320 rushing yards), Ahmad Bradshaw (2015-17, 3,038), Bryson Daily (2021-24, 2,723) and Tory Crawford (1984-87, 2,313) as the top rushing quarterbacks in Army history.
Army head coach Jeff Monken is impressed by Hellums' play through the first six games of the 2026 season.
"Cale Hellums is more than just the guy to run the ball," said Monken after Saturday's game. "He's taking care of that entire unit out there. He's taking care of our entire football team because he has played as much as he has, the confidence he has, and how well he takes care of the football. That's really important to our football team."
Monken has witnessed Hellums' improvement in his second season as Army's starting quarterback.
"Cale is playing much better this year than he did a year ago," said Monken. "He knows that he is our quarterback. He's playing well and taking care of the ball. The most important thing that he has done is to take care of the ball."
--www.goarmywestpoint.com--
That sounds like an unsolvable mathematical equation. It's just the type of expression quarterback Cale Hellums encounters every day as a systems and decision sciences major at the United States Military Academy.
The numbers represent Hellums' rushing totals in Army's last two games compared with Army's team total. He rushed for a career-high 223 yards in Army's 20-17 victory over Tulane and totaled 195 rushing yards in its 56-24 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday at Michie Stadium Preserved by USAA.
Hellums was named to the Davey O'Brien Award Midseason Watch List and the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8, and on Oct. 19 he was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
In the last two weeks, Hellums has rushed for 418 of Army's 808 total rushing yards and had a school-record-tying five rushing touchdowns against FAU. He also scored two rushing touchdowns against Tulane.
Hellums is ranked 11th nationally with 719 rushing yards and is second among Division I quarterbacks. He ranks just behind West Virginia's Michael Hawkins Jr., who has gained 749 rushing yards in seven games. Having played one fewer game than Hawkins, Hellums enters Friday's game at Tulsa (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. ET) as the nation's leader among quarterbacks with an average of 119.8 rushing yards per game. His average ranks fifth nationally among all players.
"It starts up front," said Hellums after Saturday's win over Florida Atlantic. "Those guys on the offensive line, they're the best. To play quarterback behind them is such a privilege; it's an honor. To play alongside guys like Paolo Gennarelli, Carson Smith, Jake Rendina and Brady Small, I'm very fortunate. The goal against FAU was to come out and play a complete game. We are really close to that. We had nine total drives, and eight ended in touchdowns. That's a good day."
In the last two weeks, Hellums has carried 63 times and gained 418 yards. His seven rushing touchdowns account for 70 percent (seven of 10) of Army's total as the Black Knights improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in American Conference play.
"To be able to play behind our offensive line and to run through the holes I am able to run through is a credit to them," said Hellums.
Army enters its game against Tulsa as the nation's leader in rushing offense, averaging 357.5 rushing yards per game. The Black Knights also lead the nation in total rushing yards (2,145), yards per rushing attempt (6.52) and rushing touchdowns (25).
Army's offensive line was named to the 2026 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll on Oct. 14. The Joe Moore Award is earned by the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football and is the only major award in the sport given to a group rather than an individual. In winning the award in 2024, Army became the first military academy and the first Group of Five program to win it.
Hellums has totaled 1,970 career rushing yards on 440 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, and has scored 31 touchdowns. He needs just 30 rushing yards to become the 15th player in Army program history to rush for 2,000 or more career yards and just the fifth quarterback to do so.
He is looking to join a select group of Army quarterbacks that includes Trent Steelman (2009-12, 3,320 rushing yards), Ahmad Bradshaw (2015-17, 3,038), Bryson Daily (2021-24, 2,723) and Tory Crawford (1984-87, 2,313) as the top rushing quarterbacks in Army history.
Army head coach Jeff Monken is impressed by Hellums' play through the first six games of the 2026 season.
"Cale Hellums is more than just the guy to run the ball," said Monken after Saturday's game. "He's taking care of that entire unit out there. He's taking care of our entire football team because he has played as much as he has, the confidence he has, and how well he takes care of the football. That's really important to our football team."
Monken has witnessed Hellums' improvement in his second season as Army's starting quarterback.
"Cale is playing much better this year than he did a year ago," said Monken. "He knows that he is our quarterback. He's playing well and taking care of the ball. The most important thing that he has done is to take care of the ball."
--www.goarmywestpoint.com--
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