Tough, Tenacious And Talented

Severna Park’s Cody Winokur will play in his last Army-Navy game on December 14 at the Northwest Stadium in Landover, home of the Washington Commanders.

Winokur is a senior defensive lineman for the Army Black Knights and looks forward to battling the Navy Midshipmen for the prestigious Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy this year. The trophy is annually awarded to the service academy with the best record against the other service academies.

“It’s the most important game of the year,” Winokur said. “By game time, we know their offensive and defensive schemes very well as we study, practice and focus on Navy for two intense weeks. You need to be perfect that game and execute every play to the best of your ability.”

Winokur will have numerous family members and friends at that game and will enjoy the electric atmosphere of what is traditionally the last regular college football game of the season.

The first Army-Navy game was played in 1890.

“I’m really looking forward to the Navy game,” Winokur said. “It’s so hard to put in words the feeling you have when you take the field. Every player on both sides pours everything he has into this game.”

Army will rely on Winokur’s experience and leadership skills during practices in preparing for this vital game, as he also has the respect from his teammates and coaches. Winokur was voted one of Army’s four captains for the game versus Rice in September.

“Cody embodies everything Army football is about,” said Army defensive line coach Sean Cronin. “He’s tough and selfless. The team’s success is more important to him than any individual goal. Everyone looks up to Cody and his resolve is elite.”

Winokur’s spirit, toughness and determination were ingrained into his early playing days as he went through Green Hornets youth football leagues before joining the Archbishop Spalding football program in 2014.

“Spalding’s head football coach, Kyle Schmitt, came around to the Green Hornets practices and was looking for players to join his new program,” Winokur said. “I liked the idea that I could be part of a rising program, and I liked coach Schmitt’s leadership style.”

Spalding was experiencing growing pains in the competitive Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and finished 3-8 in Winokur’s freshman year. After that year, Spalding went 8-3, 9-2 and 5-5 in the next three years.

“Cody is one of the most impactful players in the rise of the Spalding football program,” Schmitt said. “Cody chose our program over multiple other state football powers when it was not yet popular to do that. He displays an uncommon toughness that resonated throughout our football program. He’s a natural leader and has a tremendous future in front of him.”

While playing both offensive and defensive lines at Spalding, Winokur received all-state, all-county and all-conference accolades, and he played in the Big 33 Football Classic after his senior year. The Big 33 game showcases the best graduating seniors from Maryland and Pennsylvania as they compete for regional bragging rights.

“Cody changed the football culture at Spalding,” said Spalding defensive coordinator Tyrone Forby. “He has great spirit and attacks life. He definitely made the right choice when he selected Army for his football and college future.”

Winokur started his Army college career at the United States Academy Preparatory School for one year before entering West Point.

Winokur was recruited by Army to be their “triple action center” on the offensive line, but he was switched to defensive line early in his college career.

“I was ready to get after it when I entered prep school and I liked the culture of a military university,” Winokur said. “There’s a learning curve when you begin your military training, but you quickly adjust.”

Winokur’s days at West Point begin at 6:10am to prepare his room and get into his uniform. Formation is at 7:00am, followed by breakfast and classes until lunch. From 2:30pm to 7:00pm, the team lifts weights, practices and has meetings. After dinner, he does homework until 11:00pm.

“You quickly learn time management and problem-solving skills,” Winokur said. “But I’m with the most talented students in the world and it’s truly a brotherhood with my teammates.”

After graduation this spring, Winokur will have his first assignment coaching the defensive line at West Point’s prep school. He hopes to stay involved in football and coach in the future.

Winokur’s toughness and tenacity can be traced to his upbringing in Severna Park and his leadership qualities from Schmitt. He still tries to attend Spalding football games during Army’s bye weeks and always gives a bear hug to Schmitt before and after games.

“I would run through a wall for that dude,” Winokur said.

Schmitt tells his current team about former players who laid the groundwork of their successful football program and mentions Winokur as one of the strongest pillars of that foundation.