Boyea Named Starting Quarterback for 2001 Season
8/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 18, 2001
Senior Keith Boyea was named the starting quarterback for the 2001 season by Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry following Saturday's three-hour practice in Falcon Stadium.
"Keith Boyea has earned the right to be our starting quarterback," DeBerry announced. "He's had a good fall. His leadership has improved every day. I've seen a vast improvement in him. He comes down early to study film and works as hard anyone in the program. He is on a mission to become one of the outstanding quarterbacks in our history. He has the talent to be able to do it."
Boyea rushed three times for 23 yards and hit 11 of 18 passes for 131 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He led the first-team offense on a pair of scoring drives Saturday. Brooks Walters capped a nine-play, 60-yard drive with a 28-yard field goal. Boyea then hit fullback James Burns with a 10-yard scoring pass to cap a nine-play, 70-yard drive.
"It's nice to be named the starter," Boyea said. "My attitude coming in was to not think about the negatives. I just wanted to concentrate each practice on getting better and to cement my position."
DeBerry also announced that junior Bryan Blew, an Oklahoma native, has moved into the backup role at quarterback and the sophomore Chance Harridge will be third-team. "Bryan has really impressed me this fall. When we announced that we were playing Oklahoma, he pressed to hard in the spring. Now he's relaxed and is just playing football," the coach said.
"Chance is going to be a fine player. He's just a sophomore and he's shown his youth a little bit," DeBerry said. "I'm very pleased with our quarterback position. I have confidence in any one of the three guys."
The Falcons conclude their preseason drills next Saturday, Aug. 25, with the annual Blue-Silver scrimmage in Falcon Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Air Force opens the season Saturday, Sept. 1, at 1:30 p.m. at home against defending national champion Oklahoma. The game is sold out.
