Maybe 20, 25 years ago, Jeff Monken didn’t know.

          He seems to know now that he’s in his dream job. He noted when one asks somebody how things are going and the reply is “living the dream” that it’s tinged with some sarcasm.

          “But I’m gonna tell you, I’m living the dream,” he said. “I am so fortunate to be a football coach. My dad was my high school football coach. I grew up in a family where education and coaching was very much a part of my family, service to others.

          Where he’s doing it only adds to the dream.  

          “To be able to live my life’s dream as a football coach and be able to do it at a place like West Point, and to coach the young men and to lead the young men and women that are there is really incredible,” said Monken, the featured speaker Monday night at the Macon Touchdown Club. “To be in a leadership position at an institution where leadership is considered to be the most important thing we do, to build leaders of character. It’s an institution that’s respected around the world as the finest leadership laboratory on the face of the planet.”

          The past two years, Army has been playing some pretty good football under the fourth-year head coach.

          Monken has an extraordinarily unique resume in one regard: he has worked at two of the academies.

          He spent six seasons as an assistant at Navy under Paul Johnson, with whom he worked at Hawaii and Georgia Southern, and then would follow briefly to Georgia Tech before returning to Georgia Southern has head coach.

          After four winning seasons, three FCS semifinal trips and a win at Florida, Monken left Georgia Southern to take over at Army.

          Army, which had losing seasons, well, every year but one dating back to 1997. It went 0-13 in 2003, and had two one-win and two two-win seasons in the span, winning three games eight times.

          The Black Knights went 4-8 in Monken’s first season and 2-10 a year later.

          “We had won, I believe it was, if I count correctly, eight games in the three seasons before I got there,” he said. “I tried really hard to convince everybody that we were a much better football team at 2-10 than we were at 4-8. I’m not sure how many people believed me.

          “But we were improving, and I knew it.”

          Monken was proven right as Army improved to 8-5 in 2016, a winning percentage it seems destined to top this year.

          Of course, more important than that is the result of Dec. 9 in Philadelphia.

          Navy.

          To say Monken has put those Midshipmen assistant days behind is an understatement.

          “The only blemish on my resume,” he said with a smile. But those hits kept on coming:

          “I’d been on the sideline, on the other side, with the Squids, for six years, and joined the right side of the rivalry.”

          “A few of you are Army fans. If any of you are Navy fans, I hope they kick you outta this club.”

          “I hope each of your teams has a great year. Of course, unless you cheer for Navy.”

          And so on, always with at least part of a smile to go with the reminder of the intensity of the football rivalry is surpassed by the work ethic, dedication and camaraderie off the field with a common bigger-picture-than-football priority.

          Monken’s job is equally easier and more difficult than those of his colleagues.

          The academies are unlikely to have potential problems on the roster, since the standards are so high. Thus, the 3 a.m. phone calls are almost nonexistent.

          Conversely, the athleticism and skill level are a little lower than much of the competition. Therein lies one thing Monken loves about the kids he gets compared to the higher-recruited ones.

          “Every one of those young men … volunteered to go to West Point,” he said. “Nobody made them go. … It’s really special to be a part of that environment.”

          Monken made regular trips to the Macon Touchdown Club while at Georgia Southern and was happy to return to the state after a short absence.

          “This is a special place for us,” he said. “The secret was let out. We do recruit in this area. This is an important recruiting ground for us.”

          Indeed, Veterans grad Rashaad Bolton is a sophomore on this year’s Army squad, and there are 14 other Georgia high school products on the roster.

           And one of the current player of the week honorees, Westside’s Quintaevious Brown, has committed to Army, Seminoles’ head coach Spoon Risper told the club shortly before Monken spoke.

           The battle for snaps is tougher now at Army than in decades.  

            Monken has led Army to consecutive winning seasons for the first time since a pair of 6-5s in 1989-90. The 16 wins is the most in a two-year span since the Black Knights went 8-3 and 9-3 in 1984-85.

          The Black Knights are headed for the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth on Dec. 23 after taking on Navy.

          “The Army-Navy game is something special,” he said. “When I was an assistant at Navy, we played the 100th game, so it’s well over 100 games. There is nothing like the Army-Navy game. You can cut the tension with a knife.

           “There’s something about walking out of that locker room and into that stadium, the feeling that comes over you … ”

          Monken has been on the winning side more than most get the chance to. Navy started a winning streak in 2002, the first year of Johnson and Monken and the new staff, and some games were routs, like 58-12 that first year, one of only two Navy wins.

          Army lost 17-10 and 21-17 in Monken’s first two years, Navy being ranked 21st nationally in that second game. Then last year, Army broke the streak with a 21-17 win.

          “It was a real thrill,” he said. “To be a part of that game is indescribable. The electricity in the air … I’ve never been apart of anything like it.”

          Army hasn’t beaten Navy two straight seasons since 1995-96, 14-13 and 28-14, the Black Knights being ranked 23rd for the second meeting. The Black Knights can clinch the coveted Commander in Chief’s trophy for the first time in 21 years with a win.

          And he hopes to get some support from those he visited with Monday.

          “While you’re cheering for your team, cheer for Army, too,” Monken said. “I think you could do that and get away with it. It really is your university.

           “We’re going to be on in three weeks, so I hope you’ll tune in. Be cheering for us. We’ll hear you all the way from Philadelphia, I promise you.”