Air Force travels to Wyoming for conference opener
9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 1, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force (1-0) at Wyoming (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 6, 1:30 p.m. Mtn.
Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium (30,514); Laramie, WY
Radio
KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs
1510 KYOL AM in Denver and Northern Colorado
Jim Arthur (play-by-play); Lee Douglas (anaylst); Jay Ritchie (pre- and post-game)
Television
CBS College Sports Network (CBS C) - formerly known as CSTV
Tom Hart (play-by-play); Trev Alberts (color)
Air Force travels to Wyoming for conference opener
Air Force (1-0) travels to Laramie, Wyo., to take on Wyoming (1-0) in the Mountain West Conference opener for both schools. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. and the game will be televised by CBS College Sports (CBS C). Tom Hart and Trev Alberts will call the action.
The Air Force-Wyoming series is the oldest and one of the closest series in school history. The Falcons hold a 23-20-3 series edge, including a 14-13 mark in conference games. Air Force is 14-9-1 at home, 8-11-2 in Laramie and 1-0 in neutral site games. The teams first played on Nov. 2, 1957, to a 7-7 tie in Laramie. Air Force has won the last two games in the series, including a 31-24 victory the last time the two played in Laramie. The Falcons could match their longest winning streak in the series with a win this week. Air Force's only other three-game winning streak against Wyoming came from 1970-72. Wyoming has also never won more than three consecutive in the series with its last three-game streak coming from 1986-88.
Air Force is 8-1 all-time in Mountain West Conference openers dating back to 1999. The Falcons have won eight straight since falling to Wyoming, 10-7, in Falcon Stadium in 1999. Wyoming has been Air Force's conference opener three times (1999, 2003, 2006) and the Falcons have posted a 2-1 record in those game. Air Force is 4-1 at home in MWC openers and 4-0 on the road. This season marks the third straight that Air Force has opened conference play on the road.
Air Force opened the season with a 41-7 victory over Southern Utah last week. The victory extended two impressive streaks. The Falcons extended their home field win streak to seven games and hit the 30-point mark for the sixth consecutive game, which is the third-longest active streak in the nation. Air Force rolled up 508 yards of total offense, including 433 yards rushing. Defensively, the Falcons held Southern Utah to just 130 total yards and forced two turnovers and recorded two safeties.
The series
The Air Force/Wyoming series is one of the best and closest series the Falcons play. This week marks the 47th overall meeting and 28th as conference foes. Air Force holds a 23-20-3 overall lead and is 14-13 in conference games. Air Force is 14-9-1 at home, 8-11-2 in Laramie and 1-0 in neutral site games. The teams first played Nov. 2, 1957, to a 7-7 tie in Laramie. Air Force has won two straight in the series, including last year's 20-12 game in Falcon Stadium. The Falcons defeated Wyoming, 31-24, in 2006 in their last meeting in Laramie.
No team has had a sustained winning streak throughout the series. Three games is the longest streak by each team. Wyoming has the most recent three-game streak, posting it from 1986-88. Air Force's only three-game winning streak was from 1970-72. The Falcons could match that with a victory this week.
Year by Year
1957 - Tied 7-7 (A)1958 - AFA 21-6*1959 - AFA 20-7 (A)1960 - Wyo 15-0 (A)1962 - AFA 35-14 (H)1964 - Tied 7-7 (H)1965 - Wyo 31-14 (A)1966 - Wyo 13-0 (H)1967 - Wyo 37-10 (A)1968 - AFA 10-3 (H)1969 - Wyo 27-25 (H)1970 - AFA 41-17 (A)1971 - AFA 23-19 (H)1972 - AFA 45-14 (H)1974 - Wyo 20-16 (A)1975 - Wyo 24-10 (H)1976 - AFA 41-12 (H)1977 - Tied 0-0 (A)1980 - AFA 25-7 (H)1981 - Wyo 17-10 (H)1982 - AFA 44-34 (H)1983 - Wyo 14-7 (A)1984 - Wyo 26-20 (A)1985 - AFA 49-7 (A)1986 - Wyo 23-17 (H)1987 - Wyo 27-13 (A)1988 - Wyo 48-45 (H)1989 - AFA 45-7 (H)1990 - Wyo 24-12 (A)1991 - AFA 51-28 (H)1992 - AFA 42-28 (A)1993 - Wyo 31-18 (H)1994 - AFA 34-17 (A)1995 - AFA 34-10 (H)1996 - Wyo 22-19 (A)1997 - AFA 14-3 (H)1998 - AFA 10-3 (A)1999 - Wyo 10-7 (H)2000 - AFA 51-34 (A)2001 - AFA 24-13 (H)2002 - Wyo 34-26 (A)2003 - AFA 35-29 (H)2004 - Wyo 43-26 (A)2005 - Wyo 29-28 (H)2006 - AFA 31-24 (A)2007 - AFA 20-12 (H)
* Washburn Field, CS, CO
Site is for AFA
Last year vs. Wyoming
AP Article - Air Force safety Bobby Giannini kept running even though he wasn't sure the play was still alive.
It paid off when Wyoming didn't chase him and the senior returned a fumble 85 yards for the game-winning score in the Falcons' 20-12 victory over the Cowboys. The win made Air Force bowl eligible for the first time since 2003.
Wyoming led 9-7 when running back Wynel Seldon lost the ball at the Air Force 15 after being spun around by Giannini early in the fourth quarter.
The play went to review, but was upheld by officials only minutes after a similar play - a fumble by Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween that was returned for a touchdown - was overturned.
In all, six plays went to review. Three field goals and two extra points were missed and Wyoming had five turnovers.
Ian Hetrick replaced an ineffective Sween, who threw three interceptions, in the fourth quarter. He drove the Cowboys 74 yards, but Wyoming was held to a field goal and was unable to recover the ensuing onside kick.
Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney became the school's leader in touchdown passes with 35 after throwing two against the Cowboys. The record-breaker came when he connected with wide receiver Mark Root for the game's final score. The record was held by Rich Haynie, the Falcons' quarterback from 1971-73.
Wyoming opened the scoring on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Sween to halfback Wade Betschart. Billy Vinnedge missed the extra point.
Air Force responded with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Carney to wide receiver Chad Hall.
Vinnedge added a career-long 57-yard field goal as time expired and the Cowboys took the lead into halftime.
The game remained close because Falcons' kicker Ryan Harrison missed first-half field goals from 37, 43, and 46 yards.
The Falcons ran for 259 yards, including 167 from Hall. Carney ran for 64 yards.
Last time in Laramie
Air Force defeated Wyoming, 31-24, in Laramie in a game that was not as close as the final score.
The Falcons forced Wyoming into a three-and-out on its first possession and the offense answered with an 11-play, 49-yard drive that halfback Chad Hall capped with a 27-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead. Wyoming tied the game with a Jacob Doss 10-yard pass to Tyler Holden early in the second quarter. The Falcons answered back with a vintage triple option drive, going 80 yards in 18 plays and taking 10:15 off the clock to take a 14-7 lead on a Shaun Carney one-yard run. Following a muffed sky kick, Carney struck quick with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Beau Suder to give the Falcons a 21-7 halftime lead.
Wyoming gained some much-needed momentum in the third quarter when John Wendling returned a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 21-14 midway through the third quarter. The Air Force offense again had an answer, going 80 yards in 11 plays for a 28-14 lead on a Carney four-yard run. Wyoming scored on another Doss touchdown pass, this one 31 yards to Michael Ford to cut it to 28-21 early in the fourth quarter. Zach Sasser answered with a 27-yard field as the Falcons took 8:27 off the clock with a 17-play, 70-yard drive for a 31-21 lead with 5:11 left.
Wyoming added a late Aric Goodman field goal to make up the final margin.
The Falcons dominated the statistical battle, collecting 367 total yards, including 327 yards rushing, while holding Wyoming to 246 total yards. The Falcons ran 35 more plays than Wyoming and held a 40:25 to 19:35 edge in time of possession.
Carney and Hall each had big rushing days to become the first Falcon tandem since 2002 to each rush for over 100 yards. Carney had 131 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries while Hall added 122 yards and a score on 20 carries. Carney also hit three of seven passes for 40 yards and a touchdown. The defense was led by Drew Fowler, who had nine tackles. Joey Keller added five tackles, including two for losses. Jake Paulson chipped in with three tackles, two for losses, and a fumble recovery.
Comparing Air Force and Wyoming
Rushing the football may be difficult for both teams this week when Air Force and Wyoming battle. The Falcons were outstanding in stopping the run last week, allowing just seven yards rushing to Southern Utah. Wyoming was solid as well, allowing just 39 yards to Ohio in the season opener. The Falcons rank first in the MWC in total defense with a 130.0 average while Wyoming is fourth with a 287.0 mark. Air Force and Wyoming were both solid in third-down defense in the opener. Air Force held Southern Utah to just 2-12 while Wyoming held Ohio to just 3-13.
Ties to Wyoming
Air Force assistant coach Matt Wallerstedt has ties to Wyoming. Wallerstedt, in his first year at the Academy, coached at Wyoming from 1997-2002. He was the defensive line coach from 1997-99 under head coach Dana Dimel and the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach from 2000-02 under head coach Vic Koenning. Wallerstedt was 2-4 against Air Force while at Wyoming.
MWC Openers
Air Force is 8-1 all-time in Mountain West Conference openers dating back to 1999. The Falcons have won eight straight since falling to Wyoming, 10-7, in Falcon Stadium in 1999. Wyoming has been Air Force's conference opener three times (1999, 2003, 2006) and the Falcons have posted a 2-1 record in those game. Air Force is 4-1 at home in MWC openers and 4-0 on the road. This season marks the third straight that Air Force has opened conference play on the road. A closer look at Air Force's MWC openers follows.
Year Opponent Result1999 Wyoming L 7-102000 BYU W 32-122001 at San Diego St. W 45-212002 New Mexico W 38-31 OT2003 Wyoming W 35-292004 at UNLV W 27-102005 San Diego St. W 41-292006 at Wyoming W 31-242007 at Utah W 20-12
Air Force is 20-8 overall in conference openers since 1980. The Falcons are 11-4 at home and 9-4 on the road. Air Force has won 12 of its last 13 conference openers.
Last week
Air Force rolled past Southern Utah, 41-7, in the season opener behind a 508-yard effort offensively and a 130-yard effort defensively.
Air Force's defense set the tone all day, opening the scoring with a safety by linebacker Brandon Reeves with 8:08 left in the first quarter. The offense kicked in with a Shea Smith one-yard touchdown run to make it 9-0. Jake Paulson made it 11-0 with the team's second safety of the day, then Smith struck through the air, hitting tight end Keith Madsen with a one-yard pass to make it 18-0 in the second quarter. Kicker Ryan Harrison hit the first of his three field goals to close the half and give the Falcons a 21-0 advantage.
The second half opened with a Kyle Halderman 48-yard TD run. Harrison added two more field goals to put Air Force in front 34-0 midway through the third quarter. SUU finally got on the board with a 31-yard Cody Stone to Nick Miller touchdown pass. Jonathan Warzeka closed the scoring for Air Force with a 14-yard run with 6:29 remaining to make up the final margin.
The Falcons rolled up 508 total yards, including 433 rushing. The Falcons held a 19:14 advantage in time of possession and ran 40 more plays than Southern Utah. Air Force held the Thunderbirds to just 130 total yards, including seven rushing. SUU managed only 50 total yards outside its 80-yard scoring drive. SUU had just eight first downs and was 2-12 on third-down conversions.
Smith led the way with 91 yards rushing and hit eight of 12 passes for 75 yards. Halderman added 87 yards rushing, while Kyle Lumpkin chipped in with 77 yards. The defense was led by Jake Paulson's four tackles, two sacks and tackle for loss.
Last week's game notes
- Air Force improved to 32-19-2 all-time in season openers, including a 27-8 mark at home. Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun improved to 2-0 in his career in season openers.,br> - Air Force improved to 13-0 all-time against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as NCAA Division I-AA.
- Air Force improved to 8-0 all-time in the month of August, including a 4-0 mark in games played on August 30.
- The Falcons extended their winning streak in Falcon Stadium to seven games dating back to 2007. Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun improved to 7-0 during his career in Falcon Stadium, including a 3-0 mark against non-conference opponents.
- Air Force recorded two safeties in a game for the first time in its history. Senior ILB Brandon Reeves notched a tackle for loss and DE Jake Paulson had a quarterback sack to record the safeties.
- Air Force held Southern Utah to just 130 total yards which is the best defensive effort in the Troy Calhoun era (2007-present). The previous best was 160 yards vs. South Carolina State in last year's season opener. The 130 total yards is the fifth-best single-game effort in school history and best since Air Force held Army to just 100 yards in 1999. Prior to SUU's third-quarter touchdown on an 80-yard drive, the Thunderbirds had managed just 28 total yards in the first two and one-half quarters. SUU had just 50 total yards for the game outside its one scoring drive.
- Air Force's defense held Southern Utah to just seven rushing yards, which is the 14th-best single-game effort in school history. SUU averaged just 0.3 yards per carry, which is the 10th best effort in school history.
- Air Force's 433 yards rushing is the second-most in the Troy Calhoun era (2007-present) and most since the team closed last season with a 569-yard effort vs. San Diego State. Air Force's 76 carries ties as the ninth most in school history and is the most since having 79 vs. BYU in 2002.
- Senior PK Ryan Harrison extended his consecutive field goal streak to 12 straight, hitting two field goals vs. Southern Utah. Harrison hit from 30, 42 and 32 yards. Harrison's three field goals tie a career-best and mark the second consecutive game he's hit three. Harrison kicked three in Air Force's bowl game vs. California last year. The three-field goal effort is the third of his career, as he also hit three against Army last season. Harrison also had a solid day kicking off, recorded five touchbacks in six kickoffs. His only punt of the day was a 45-yarder that was downed at the six yard line and later led to an Air Force safety.
First career starts -- several have solid debuts
Air Force had seven players make the first start of their careers last week, including quarterback Shea Smith. Others included: OC Andrew Pipes, TB Kyle Lumpkin, WR-Z Kyle Halderman, ILBs Brandon Reeves and Ken Lamendola and CB Brenton Byrd-Fullbright. A quick breakdown of how they did follows.
Shea Smith, QB -- rushed for 91 yards , TD and and hit eight of 12 passes for 75 yards, TD.
Andrew Pipes, OC -- helped the Falcons to 508 total yards and 433 rushing yards.
Kyle Lumpkin, TB -- rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries for a 4.1 per-carry average.
Kyle Halderman, WR-Z -- rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
Brandon Reeves, ILB -- recorded three total tackles, including a tackle for loss that went for a safety.
Ken Lamendola, ILB -- had one solo tackle and recovered a fumble.
Brenton Byrd-Fullbright -- did not record any statistics.
Air Force offense rolls in season opener
Air Force's offense was in high gear against Southern Utah. The Falcons rolled up 508 total yards, including 433 rushing. The Falcons controlled the ball the entire game, holding a 19:14 advantage in time of possession and running 40 more plays than Southern Utah. Air Force averaged 5.8 yards per play, including 5.7 yards per rush. Air Force's 508 total and 433 rushing yards are the second-most in the Troy Calhoun era (2007-present) and most since the team rolled up 670 total and 567 rushing vs. San Diego State last season.
Air Force offense cranked up last six games
Air Force extended its streak of scoring at least 30 points to six games with last week's 41-7 win over Southern Utah. The streak is the best in the conference and ties as the third-longest in the nation. Florida has the nation's longest active streak with eight games, followed by Navy with seven and Central Michigan is tied with Air Force at six. Texas, Texas Tech and Rice round out the top five with five games each.
# Team Consecutive weeks with 30+ points1. Florida 82. Navy 73. Air Force 6 Central Michigan 65. Texas 5 Texas Tech 5 Rice 5
The Falcons have averaged 39 points per game during the streak and topped the 40-point mark three times. Air Force has averaged 478.7 total yards, including 374.7 yards rushing. The team has also hit 55 of 92 passes for 104 yards per game and is 27 of 29 in red zone chances.
Defense dominates in opener
Air Force's defense was dominant in the season opening 41-7 victory vs. Southern Utah. The Falcons held the Thunderbirds to just 130 total yards, including just seven yards on the ground. Southern Utah managed just eight first downs, was just 2-12 on third-down conversions and never reached the red zone. Southern Utah avoided the shutout late in the third-quarter with an 80-yard touchdown drive. Outside of that one drive, The Thunderbirds managed just 50 total yards and they never got deeper in Air Force territory than the 42 yard line. SUU took just nine snaps in AF territory the entire game, including five on the one scoring drive.
The 130-yard effort by the defense is the fifth-best single-game effort in school history and best since holding Army to just 100 yards in 1999. The seven yards rushing is the 14th-best single-game effort in Air Force history. Air Force held Southern Utah to just 0.3 yards per rush which is the 10th-best single-game effort in school history.
One of America's top coaches
Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is quickly becoming one of America's top coaches. He is 10-4 in his second year at the helm at the Academy.
In his first year at Air Force, the 1989 Academy graduate led the Falcons to the most wins ever by a first-year head coach, along with the nine wins by Ben Martin in 1958. Calhoun led the team to six conference wins which is the most ever by a first-year head coach, breaking the mark of four set by Fisher DeBerry in 1984.
Calhoun began his coaching career at the Academy, then after serving his military committment, was an assistant at Ohio University, later becoming the offensive coordinator. He was the offensive coordinator at Wake Forest before joining the National Football League with the Denver Broncos from 2003-05. He was the offensive coorinator for the Houston Texans in 2006 before returning to his alma mater last season as the sixth head coach in school history.
Calhoun was named the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year for 2007. Calhoun, who was also named the Mountain West Conference coach of the year, joined five other coaches to win the honor.
Calhoun is fourth in Mountain West Conference history in career winning percentage in conference games with a .750 mark (6-2).
Winningest MWC Coaches
# Name, School Tenure Record Pct.1. Urban Myer, Utah 2003-05 13-1 .9292. Bronco Mendenhall 2005- 21-3 .8753. Gary Patterson, TCU 2005- 19-6 .7604. Troy Calhoun, Air Force 2007- 6-2 .750
Air Force sixth nationally
- Air Force has scored in 182 consecutive games dating back to 1992.
- The Falcons were last shutout by Mississippi, 13-0, in the 1992 Liberty Bowl.
- Air Force's streak is the second-longest active streak of teams in the Mountain West Conference and the sixth longest in the country.
# School Streak Last Shutout1. Michigan 288 Oct. 20, 1984 at Iowa (0-26)2. Washington State 275 Sept. 15, 1984 at Ohio State (0-44)3. Florida 243 Oct. 29, 1988 vs. Auburn (0-16)4. Colorado 236 Nov. 12, 1988 at Nebraska (0-7)5. TCU (MWC) 190 Nov. 16, 1991 at Texas (0-32)6. Air Force (MWC) 182 #--Dec. 31, 1992 vs. Mississippi (0-13), #--Liberty Bowl)
Air Force extends streak to seven games
Air Force is undefeated (7-0) at home under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons posted just the third undefeated home season in school history last year, joining the 1985 and 1998 squads as the only perfect teams at home. Air Force has been dominant in its seven home games with Calhoun at the helm. The Falcons have out-scored their opponents by 145 points which is an averaged scoring margin of 24.2 points per game. The team has scored 20 or more points in every game while allowing fewer than 20 in six of seven games. A closer look at the team's home field success follows:
Home winning streak
2007
9-1 South Carolina State W 34-29-13 TCU* W 20-17 ot10-6 UNLV* W 31-1410-20 Wyoming* W 20-1211-3 Army W 30-1011-17 San Diego St.* W 55-23
20088-30 Southern Utah W 41-7 * - MWC games
Category Air Force OpponentScoring 33.0 12.3Rushing Avg 347.0 86.7Passing Avg 141.2 236.8Total Offense Avg 488.2 323.5Turnover Margin +7 -7
Young team in 2008
Air Force features one of its youngest teams in history in 2008. The Falcons lost 15 starters from the 2007 squad that finished 9-4 overall and placed second in the Mountain West Conference with a 6-2 mark. The team lost eight starters on offense, including four-year starting quarterback Shaun Carney and all-purpose back Chad Hall, the conference offensive player of the year. Only offensive linemen Nick Charles and Keith Williams, along with tight end Travis Dekker return on offense.
Defensively, the Falcons lost six starters, including first-team all-conference linebackers John Rabold (2007) and Drew Fowler (2006) as well as first-team all-MWC cornerback Carson Bird, the conference's leader in interceptions last year. Five of the top six defensive linemen return, along with outside linebacker Hunter Altman and safety Chris Thomas.
The Falcons lost deep snapper Tony Norman, and return specialist Hall. Kicker Ryan Harrison, who handles all the kicking and punting duties returns.
In terms of games played and started, the Falcons lost 14 players with 30 career games played, plus four more with 25 career games played. In addition, seven players with 20 or more career starts does not return in 2008. In fact, Air Force only has 17 seniors on its roster this season which ranks as the 19th fewest in the nation.
Percentage of Offense / Defense lost to graduation
Category Lost Pct Lost NotesPassing yards 1,491 95.7 Top passer lostRushing yards 3,482 89.4 Top six rushers lostReceiving 952 61.1 Top two receivers lostPunt returns 176 100.0 Top punt returner lostScoring 210 54.0 Three of top four scoreres lostAll-purpose yards 5,254 79.8 Top four lostTotal offense 4,974 91.2 Top six lostInterceptions 14 ints 93.3 Top three and seven of top eight lostTackles 534 53.2 Team leader, four of top five lost
Recent QB debuts in school history
Shea Smith's debut as Air Force's starting quarterback stacks up pretty well when compared to some of the most recent in school history. Smith rushed for a team-best 91 yards and scored a touchdown while hitting eight of 12 passes for 75 yards a touchdown. A closer look at some recent debuts follows below.
Year Quarterback Opponent, Result Statistics2008 Shea Smith So. Utah, W 41-7 16-91 rushing, TD; 8-12 passing, 75 yards, TD2004 Shaun Carney California, L 56-14 18-75 rushing; 9-15-1-89 yds, TD passing2002 Chance Harridge Northwestern, W 52-3 16-94-2TDs rushing; 5-7, 47 yards passing, TD2001 Keith Boyea Oklahoma, L 3-44 19-80 rushing; 11-23-1-112 yds passing1999 Mike Thiessen Navy, W 19-14 18-108 TD rushing; 1-7, 23 yards passing1998 Cale Bonds Navy, W 49-7 16-167, 2 TDs rushing; 9-13-194 yds, 2TDs passing1997 Blane Morgan Idaho, W 14-10 13-49 rushing; 10-18-1-143 yards passing1994 Beau Morgan Utah, W 40-33 28-85 yds, TD rushing; 7-16-0, 175 yds 2 TDs passing1993 Scott Teigen Indiana St., W 63-21 9-23 yds, TD rushing; 6-14-1-99 yds, 2 TDs passing1993 Demond Cash San Diego St., L 31-38 18-172, TD rushing; 3-9-1-46 yards passing
Air Force conference/national rushing numbers
• Air Force leads the conference and ranks second nationally in rushing in 2008 following a 433-yard effort in the season opener vs. Southern Utah.
• Air Force has won 24 conference rushing titles since joining conference play in 1980.
• In 2002, the Falcons won the school's first national rushing title with a 307.8 per-game average.
• The Falcons won their 10th straight conference title in 2007 with its best average since 2002.
Year Stats Conf. National1980 170.7 5th 79th1981 185.1 4th 53rd1982 301.7 1st 4th1983 246.5 1st 2nd1984 326.5 1st 2nd1985 293.2 1st 6th1986 232.6 1st 15th1987 386.3 1st 2nd1988 377.5 1st 2nd1989 356.0 1st 3rd1990 267.5 1st 7th1991 338.1 1st 2nd1992 242.4 2nd 7th1993 284.9 1st 4th1994 304.8 1st 2nd1995 332.4 1st 2nd1996 328.9 1st 2nd1997 332.7 2nd 9th1998 266.8 1st 3rd1999 285.5 1st 2nd2000 294.9 1st 2nd2001 273.2 1st 3rd2002 307.8 1st 1st2003 280.6 1st 4th2004 277.4 1st 4th2005 246.5 1st 8th2006 229.4 1st 3rd2007 299.5 1st 2nd2008 433.0 1st 2nd
Blocked kicks
- The Falcons have blocked 101 kicks since 1990.
- Air Force blocked two kicks last season, a field goal by Chris Thomas vs. TCU and a field goal vs. Navy by Ryan Kemp.
- Jake Paulson (PAT vs. UNLV in 2006), Hunter Altman (Punt vs. UNLV in 2006), Chris Thomas (FG vs. TCU) and Ryan Kemp (FG vs. Navy) are current Falcons with a blocked kick in their career.
Year-by-Year Blocks Since 1990
Year Total Punts FGs PATs1990 6 3 1 21991 3 1 1 11992 8 6 1 11993 5 2 3 01994 5 4 1 01995 3 1 2 01996 4 1 3 01997 11* 7 3 1 * - school record1998 7 4 3 01999 8 6 1 12000 9 4 2 32001 7 2 3 22002 4 3 1 02003 7 3 3 12004 2 0 0 22005 3 2 0 12006 7 2 0 52007 2 0 2 0Totals 101 51 30 20
Rushing for 100 is the key
Air Force is 9-1 under head coach Troy Calhoun in games when when it has a player rush for over 100 yards and 9-2 when they out-rushed their opponents. The list of 100-yard rushers for each game follows below:
Game Player Yards2007South Carolina St. Kip McCarthy 129 W 34-3Utah Shaun Carney 113 W 20-12TCU Jim Ollis 138 W 20-17 OTUNLV Chad Hall 169 W 31-14Colorado State Chad Hall 256 W 45-21Wyoming Chad Hall 167 W 20-12Army Chad Hall 275 W 30-10Notre Dame Chad Hall 142 W 41-24San Diego State Jim Ollis 163 W 55-23 Chad Hall 151 Ty Paffett 105California Shaun Carney 108 L 36-42 Jim Ollis 101
Air Force takes it away
Air Force picked up where it left off last season, collecting two takeaways vs. Southern Utah. Air Force scored six points (two field goals) off the two turnovers. The Falcons also committed a pair of turnovers in the game, but held the opponent from points on both occasions.
The Air Force defense had 28 takeaways last season which ranked second in the Mountain West Conference behind only Utah (33). The Falcons scored 120 points off those turnovers. The team's +10 turnover margin ranked second in the MWC and 15th in the nation. The Falcons forced 15 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries.
Air Force takeaways and +/- in last 10 years
Year Takeaways(Int./Fum.) +/- W/L2008 2 (0/2) 0 1-02007 28 (15/13) +10 9-42006 22 (9/13) +8 4-82005 17 (9/8) -7 4-72004 17 (9/8) +1 5-72003 23 (13/10) +6 7-52002 26 (12/14) +9 8-52001 28 (14/14) +8 6-62000 19 (7/12) +7 9-31999 14 (8/6) -4 6-51998 30 (17/13) +17 12-1
Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Air Force, Army and Navy compete each year for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, which is emblematic of service academy football supremecy. The trophy goes annually to the winning academy with the best record in round-robin competition. The President of the United States presents the trophy to the seniors from the winning team each year at a ceremony at the White House.
The 2008 season marks the 37th year of trophy competition. Air Force has a 46-25-0 all-time CIC record and has won 16 trophy titles. Air Force's overall record and number of trophy titles are best among the three academies. Air Force finished second in the 2007 CIC Trophy chase after its 31-20 loss at Navy Sept. 29 and 30-10 win vs. Army 30-10 Nov. 3. Navy won the trophy by beating both Air Force and Army.
Team Record Pct.Air Force 47-25-0 .644Navy 35-36-1 .493Army 25-46-1 .354
Air Force outright CIC title years:
`82, `83, `85, `87, `89, `90, `91, `92, `94, `95, `97, `98, `99, `00, `01, `02
Dekker nominted for AFCA Good Works Team
Air Force senior tight end Travis Dekker is one of 71 nominees for the 71st annual Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team. The Good Works Team recognizes this group of committed and hard-working players for their off-the-field achievements.
Dekker carries a 3.75 grade point average in biochemistry and has been on the Academy's superintendent's list for military, academic and athletic excellence four semesters. The Albuquerque, N.M., native is a two-year starter for the Falcons and a two-time academic all-conference selection. Last season, he had 25 receptions for 382 yards and caught at least one pass in every game. His catches and yards are the most by a Falcon tight end since 1989. This past summer, he was selected to participate in the Cadet Summer Research Project at the Air Force Research Lab in Albuquerque. He has held numerous leadership positions at the Academy and has also volunteered for several community projects, including the Salvation Army and a helped raise funds for Hurricane Katrina relief in 2005.
Through a partnership, Allstate has teamed with the AFCA to honor the college football players whose involvement with charitable organizations and community service contributions stand out among the more than 50,000 student-athletes participating in the sport at all four-year collegiate institutions. From among the 71 nominations submitted by sports information directors on behalf of their team, a special selection committee assembled by the AFCA and Allstate will select two 11-player Good Works Teams® - one composed of players competing in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) and a combined team representing players competing in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III, and the NAIA.
The 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® voting panel includes: Allstate senior vice president, Steve Sorenson; former Good Works Teams® members Matt Stinchcomb (University of Georgia, 1997 team), Mike Proman (Amherst College, 2002 team), Deuce McAllister (University of Mississippi, 1999 team), Dan Lord (Tufts University, 1997 team), Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke University, 1994 team); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Dennis Dodd (CBS Sportsline), Tony Barnhart (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Kelly Whiteside (USA Today), Ivan Maisel (ESPN.com); current AFCA president and University of Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham; and 1996 AFCA president Fisher DeBerry, former head coach at the United States Air Force Academy.
The committee will be responsible for selecting 22 players from the 71 nominations received over the summer at the AFCA headquarters in Waco, Texas. The following players have been nominated for consideration to be included among the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams®.
Two-way Reggie
Sophomore Reggie Rembert is a busy man during games. Rembert is a starter at cornerback on the defense and is a backup at WR-Z on offense. In addition, Rembert is on the punt and kickoff return teams.
Rembert is the first Falcon to play both offense and defense in a game at the Academy since Chris Evans, who played both tight end and defensive end due to injuries against Army in 2006. Evans did not have any statistics and played both only that week. LeRon Hudgins is the last player to play both ways significantly as a safety and running back in 1995. Hudgins was listed as a starter on defense and played most of the season as a backup halfback in the option offense.
Rembert had three solo tackles and two pass breakups on defense vs. Southern Utah. He also had one carry for 21 yards at WR-Z. On special teams, Rembert had a 20-yard punt return and three kickoff returns for 61 yards to give him 102 all-purpose yards. He averaged 20.2 yards per touch.
Opponent Plays (Def/Off/ST) Tackles Rushing Receiving Returns Total Yds Avg.Southern Utah 53 (42/4/7) 3-0-3 1-21 0-0 4-81 102 20.2
Air Force's 1-2 tailback punch
A pair of sophomores make up Air Force's one-two punch at tailback this season. Second-year players Kyle Lumpkins and Savier Stephens are the top two players on the depth chart at tailback and had successful opening games last week vs. Southern Utah. The pair combined for 139 yards on 35 carries for a 4.0 average per carry. Lumpkin, playing his first-career collegiate game, rushing for 77 yards on 19 carries and averaged 4.1 yards per carry. Stephens, who played as a backup as a freshman last year, rushed for 62 yards on 16 carries.
Harrison near perfect in opener
Senior do-everything kicker/punter Ryan Harrison was near-perfect in the season opener vs. Southern Utah. Harrison extended his consecutive field goal streak to 12 straight, hitting three field goals. Harrison hit from 30, 42 and 32 yards. Harrison's three field goals tie a career-best and mark the second consecutive game he's hit three. Harrison kicked three field goals in Air Force's bowl game vs. California last year. The three-field goal effort is the third of his career, as he also hit three against Army last season. Harrison also had a solid day kicking off, recorded five touchbacks in six kickoffs. His only punt of the day was a 45-yarder that was downed at the six yard line and later led to an Air Force safety.
Harrison career numbers
Season FG Punting PATs Kickoffs2008 3-3 (1.000) 1-47.0 4-4 (1.000) 6-5 TBs2007 19-27 (70.4) 46-42.9 44-46 (.957) 77-32 TBsTotals 22-30 (73.3) 47-43.0 48-50 (96.0) 83-37 TBs (37.9 pct)
Career Field Goals Career Field Goal Percentage# Name, Years FGs # Name, Years Pct1. Dave Lawson, 1972-75 51 1. Jackson Whiting, 1998-99 82.6 (19-23)2. Sean Pavlich, 1980-83 42 2. Joe Wood, 1989-91 79.6 (39-49)3. Joe Wood, 1989-91 39 3. David Adams, 1998-00 76.4 (26-34)4. Joey Ashcroft, 2001-03 29 4. Carlos Mateos, 1984 75.0 (12-16)5. Dennis Leuthauser, 1967-69 27 5. Joe Ashcroft, 2001-03 74.4 (29-39)6. David Adams, 1998-00 26 6. Ryan Harrison, 2007-08 73.3 (22-30)7. Jim Sturch, 1978-79 258. Ryan Harrison, 2007-08 22
Harrison's field goal streak
Game Statistics2007at New Mexico 1-1 (28)Army 3-3 (35, 56, 40)at Notre Dame 2-2 (19, 37)San Diego State 0-0vs. California 3-3 (29, 19, 47)
2008Southern Utah 3-3 (30, 42, 32)Total 12-12
Together again
The Air Force trio of juniors Chris Thomas (safety) and Justin Moore (ILB) and sophomore Will Keuchler (OLB) have reunited at the Academy. The trio of classmates was first together in Westerville, Ohio, at St. Francis DeSales High School where they helped the football team to a state championship game appearance. They are together again this season. Keuchler, who attended the Academy's Prep School, is a back at outside linebacker, while Thomas enters his second season as a starter at safety. Moore is listed as a backup inside linebacker. They were coached by Bob Jacoby in high school.
Breaking down the Falcons
Offensive Line: Considered one of the strengths of the team ... two returning starters in Nick Charles and Keith Williams have 19 and 13 career starts, respectively ... center Andrew Pipes started his first-career game in this season's opener ... guard Peter Lusk and tackle Chris Campbell each started game last year ... The unit was dominant vs. Southern Utah, paving the way to 508 total yards and 433 yards rushing ... the unit didn't allow any quarterback hurries or sacks in the opener.
Tight End: Returning starter Travis Dekker, who started 12 of 13 games last year, is out with a broken ankle and not expected back until October ... third-stringer Steve Shaffer was forced to stop playing football due to complications from concussions ... backup Keith Madsen assumed the starting role ... Madsen has played in 23 career games with four starts, including the season opener in 2008 ... Madsen tied for the team lead with three catches last week for 14 yards and a touchdown ... receiver Sean Quintana moved to tight end as the backup and had one catch for 16 yards last week.
Receivers: Senior Spencer Armstrong and sophomore Kevin Fogler are at the X ... Armstrong had one catch for seven yards last week while Fogler celebrated his first-career collegiate game with a team-best three catches for 38 yards. The Z position is the biggest hole to fill, as All-American Chad Hall is lost to graduation ... 2007 backup Ty Paffett is out while recovering from back surgery, so sophomores Kyle Halderman and Reggie Rembert are the top two at the position ... Rembert is playing both ways this year, at Z and CB ... he had one carry for 21 yards last week while Halderman rushed for 87 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown run, on just six carries ... freshman Jonathan Warzeka saw his first collegiate action and rushed twice for nine yards, including a 14-yard TD run.
Running Backs: A pair of sophomores, Xavier Stephens and Kyle Lumpkin, combine at the tailback position ... Stephens saw action as a freshman last season while Lumpkin is in his first season on the varsity ... the pair combined for 139 yards on 35 carries in the season opener ... Lumpkin, making his varsity debut, rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries ... Stephens rolled up 62 yards on 16 carries. Fullback Todd Newell returns from last season where he played in all 13 games, starting the regular season finale against San Diego State ... sophomore Jared Tew is the backup.
Quarterbacks: Shea Smith was solid in his debut as a starter vs. Southern Utah ... he rushed for a team-best 91 yards and a TD and hit eight of 12 passes for 75 yards and a TD ... backup Eric Herbort had just one play, rushing for 11 yards ... third-stringer Tim Jefferson, a freshman, made his collegiate debut vs. SUU ... he rushed for a net -5 yards on two carries.
Defensive Line: The strength of the defense ... Ryan Kemp (DE), Ben Garland (NG) and Jake Paulson (DE) are the starters ... nose guard Jared Marvin injured his knee in the sping, but is expected back early this season ... he was the starter at nose guard last season ... the unit was dominant vs. Southern Utah, collecting 13 total tackles, including six tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks ... Paulson had four tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a safety ... Kemp had four tackles, a sack and forced and recovered a fumble on the same play ... Garland had three tackles and forced a fumble.
Linebacker: Only senior Hunter Altman returns as a starter, starting 12 games last season ... he is joined as a starter on the outside by sophomore Andre Morris, Jr.... Sophomore Will Keuchler and freshman Caleb Konemann are the backups ... Altman had three tackles in the opener while Morris had two. Inside linebacker is manned by Ken Lamendola and Brandon Reeves ... Reeves had a safety to go along four tackles while Lamendola had a solo tackle and a fumble recovery ... Justin Moore and Clay Bryant are the backups.
Secondary: Chris Thomas is the lone returning starter, but the secondary has playing experience ... Reggie Rembert is a starter at cornerback after playing every game last year and starting once ... Aaron Kirchoff starts at free safety and Brenton Byrd-Fullbright is the other starter at corner after moving from running back in the spring ... the secondary will have some freshmen contribute, as Jon Davis and Anthony Wright will play at safety and corner, respectively.
Special Teams: Do-everything Ryan Harrison returns to handle the kickoff and punting duties ... deep snapper Scott Howley returns after part-time duty last season and Brandon Geyer returns as the holder and backup punter ... Harrison kicked three field goals in the opener and He and Geyer each had a punt downed inside the opponent's 10.
Early honors
Honors for Air Force football players so far in 2008
- Ryan Harrison, PK,P - 11th best kicker in the nation by Phill Steele's Magazine ... second-team preseason all-MWC as kicker and punter by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Nick Charles, OL - First-team all-MWC preseason ... second-team preseason all-MWC by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Keith Williams, OL - second-team preseason all-MWC by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Chris Thomas, DB - second-team preseason all-MWC by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Ryan Kemp, DE - First-team all-MWC preseason.
- Travis Dekker, TE - Nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team.
