#23 Falcon Football Travels to San Diego State
10/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 11, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Video: Ricketts | Warzeka | Jefferson | Rembert | Kauth
#23/23 Air Force at San Diego State
Saturday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m. MT
Qualcomm Stadium (54,000), San Diego, CA
TELEVISION
CBS College Sports Network (CBS C)
Dave Ryan (play-by-play); Aaron Taylor (analyst)
RADIO
KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs; KCKK 1510 AM in Denver and Northern Colorado Goairforcefalcons.com
Jim Arthur (play-by-play); Lee Douglas (analyst); Jay Ritchie/Bob Ihle (pre- and post-game)
THE BREAKDOWN
Record: Air Force (5-1, 3-0 MWC), San Diego State (3-2, 0-1 MWC)
Streaks: Air Force (W 3), San Diego State (L 1)
Next week: Air Force (at TCU, 10/23), San Diego State (at New Mexico, 10/23)
Last week: Air Force (W 49-27 vs. Colorado State), San Diego State (L 21-24 at BYU)
Website: Air Force (goairforcefalcons.com), San Diego State (goaztecs.com)
THE COACHES
Air Force: Troy Calhoun (Air Force, 1989) is in his fourth season. He has led the Falcons to a 30-15 career record. Calhoun is 19-8 in MWC games, 11-7 in non-conference games, 18-4 in Falcon Stadium, 9-9 in road games (8-5 in MWC road game) and 3-0 vs. San Diego State.
San Diego State: Brady Hoke (Ball State, 1982) is in his second season. He has led the Aztecs to a 7-10 and has a 41-48 career record in his seventh season.
QUICK AF NOTES
• Air Force's 5-1 start is its best since 2003 and the team is 3-0 in the MWC for the first time since 2006.
• Air Force is ranked for consecutive weeks and in both polls for the first time since 2002.
• Air Force plays three of its next four games on the road. The team is 1-1 in road games this season.
• Air Force has split its last two road games at San Diego State.
THE SERIES
• Air Force has a 19-9 overall series lead and all games have been as conference foes.
• The Falcons are 7-5 in San Diego, 11-4 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games.
• Air Force has won three straight and four of the last five games in the series.
• Prior to Air Force's recent streak, the Aztecs had won three straight from 2002-04.
• The Falcons defeated San Diego State, 35-10, in the last meeting at Qualcomm Stadium in 2008.
• The teams first played in 1980 in Falcon Stadium, resulting in a 13-10 Aztec win.
• The following year the teams played in Tokyo, Japan, in the Mirage Bowl.
• Air Force won the Mirage Bowl, 21-16, in front of 80,000 fans.
Year by Year
1980 - SDSU 13-10 (H)
1981 - AFA 21-16*
1982 - AFA 44-32 (H)
1983 - AFA 38-7 (A)
1984 - AFA 34-16 (H)
1985 - AFA 31-10 (H)
1986 - AFA 22-10 (A)
1987 - AFA 49-7 (H)
1988 - SDSU 39-36 (A)
1989 - AFA 52-36 (H)
1990 - SDSU 48-18 (A)
1991 - AFA 21-20 (H)
1992 - AFA 20-17 (A)
1993 - SDSU 38-31 (H)
1994 - AFA 36-35 (A)
1996 - SDSU 28-23 (A)
1997 - AFA 24-18 (H) OT
1999 - AFA 23-22 (A)
2000 - AFA 45-24 (H)
2001 - AFA 45-21 (A)
2002 - SDSU 38-34 (H)
2003 - SDSU 24-3 (A)
2004 - SDSU 37-31 (H)
2005 - AFA 41-29 (H)
2006 - SDSU 19-12 (A)
2007 - AFA 55-23 (H)
2008 - AFA 35-10 (A)
2009 - AFA 26-14 (H)
(H/A) is for AFA
* - Tokyo, Japan
LAST SEASON
Air Force defeated San Diego State, 26-14, in Falcon Stadium. The Falcons used two defensive touchdowns, one by Reggie Rembert on a fumble return and one from Anthony Wright on an interception return, and six total turnovers to improve to 2-0 in the conference.
Savier Stephens led the Falcons with 71 yards on 11 carries while Jared Tew added 68 yards on 23 carries. Quarterback Connor Dietz, who made his first-career start, rushed for 64 yards on nine carries and hit three of six passes for 51 yards. Kicker Erik Soderberg tied a school record with four field goals, including a 48-yard boot. The defense was led by Rembert, who had seven tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Jon Davis added six tackles, while Andre Morris chipped in with six stops, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
LAST TIME AT SAN DIEGO STATE
Air Force defeated the Aztecs, 35-10, at Qualcomm Stadium. The Falcons unleashed a pair of freshman first-time starters on the Aztecs and a smothering defense in the second half to post the win.
Freshman Asher Clark rushed for a 109 yards on 15 carries and scored a touchdown in his first-career start to lead a Falcon rushing attack that rolled up 401 yards. Fellow rookie Tim Jefferson made his debut as the starting quarterback and added 55 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Fullback Todd Newell chipped in with 77 yards and a touchdown while Kyle Lumpkin added 71 yards on 14 carries.
Jefferson hit three of five passes for 34 yards while Shea Smith hit both of his attempts for 38 yards and a touchdown as Air Force finished with 473 total yards and had an 8:40 advantage in time of possession.
Air Force's defense was outstanding, holding the Aztecs to just 13 yards on 28 plays in the second half. The Aztecs were held to 165 total yards in the game, including just 35 rushing. Senior outside linebacker Hunter Altman led a balanced attack with seven tackles and a half sack. Justin Moore chipped in with five tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and his first-career interception which he returned 25 yards for a touchdown.
SAN DIEGO STATE CONNECTIONS
• Air Force has eight players from California on its roster.
Jonathan Warzeka - Lake Elisinore (Temescal Canyon); Kevin Jablonsky - Yorba Linda (Esperanza); Brady Amack - Pleasanton (De La Salle); Chris Judge - Westlake Village (Oaks Christian); Austin Niklas - Fullerton (Servite); A.J. Wallerstein - Canyon Country (Canyon); Ryan Gardner - San Jose (Valley Christian); Rick Ricketts - San Jose (Archbishop Mitty).
CAREER STATISTICS VS. SAN DIEGO STATE
Rushing -- Jared Tew 2009 (23-68-0), 2008 (3-23-0); Connor Dietz 2009 (9-64-0); Jonathan Warzeka 2009 (3-34-0); Kyle Halderman 2008 (2-18-0); Asher Clark 2009 (5-20-0), 2008 (15-109-1); Tim Jefferson 2008 (12-55-1); Nathan Walker 2009 (3-11-0); Ryan Southworth 2009 (2-5-0), 2008 (5-28-0); Darius Jones 2009 (1-(-1)-0).
Passing -- Connor Dietz 2009 (3-6-0-51-0); Tim Jefferson 2008 (3-5-0-34-0).
Receiving -- Jonathan Warzeka 2009 (2-44-0); Kyle Halderman 2008 (1-25-0).
Tackles -- Reggie Rembert 2009 (5-2-7), 2008 (1-0-1), 2007 (1-1-2); Jon Davis 2009 (3-3-6); Andre Morris 2009 (3-3-6), 2008 (2-0-2); Wale Lawal 2009 (2-2-4); Alex Means 2009 (1-3-4); Anthony Wright 2009 (3-0-3), 2008 (3-1-4); Brady Amack 2009 (1-1-2); Jordan Waiwaiole 2009 (0-2-2), Rick Ricketts 2009 (0-2-2) 2008 (0-2-2); Brian Corcoran 2009 (1-0-1); Ryan Gardner 2009 (0-1-1); Patrick Hennessey 2008 (3-0-3), 2007 (1-1-2).
PLAYING BEST WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
Air Force is 13-5 under head coach Troy Calhoun in games during the second half of the season (last six games), including a 4-2 mark the last two years. Air Force was 5-1 in 2007 which is the best mark since the 1998 team was 6-0. Prior to Calhoun's arrival in 2007, the Falcons were 12-24 over the last six games of the season since 2001.
TURNING AROUND A TREND
Air Force is 10-5 in the month of October over the last four seasons, including a 9-3 mark in conference games. Prior to the last four seasons, Air Force had not posted a winning record in the month of October since going 4-0 in 1998. In fact, the Falcons had not won more than two games in the month since then. Air Force's three wins in 2007 matched the total from the previous three years combined. Air Force was 12-19 in October from 1999-2006.
LAST WEEK
Air Force defeated Colorado State, 49-27, to win its fifth straight game over the Rams. Asher Clark rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown and Tim Jefferson hit five of nine passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns to lead Air Force. The defense was led by Jon Davis, who had a career-high 12 tackles. Reggie Rembert added a season-high seven tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and three pass breakups. The Falcons jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with touchdown runs by Jared Tew and Clark and raced to a 28-7 halftime lead. Jonathan Warzeka highlighted the second half with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Zach Kauth added his second touchdown catch to give Air Force a 49-13 lead after three quarters. Colorado State added two fourth quarter touchdowns to make up the final margin.
LAST WEEK'S GAME NOTES
Team Notes
• Air Force scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game for the third time this season (Northwestern State, BYU). The score marked the teams third on the opening drive this season (FG vs. Oklahoma).
• Air Force's defense forced a punt on Colorado State's opening drive to mark the fourth time this season the Falcons have not allowed points on the opponent's opening drive.
• Air Force allowed its first points in the fourth quarter this season with the Colorado State touchdowns.
• Air Force's 14 first-quarter points ties as the most in the first stanza this season (Northwestern State).
• The attendance of 41,547 marks the fourth straight home game with 40,000-plus this season. The last time the school had four straight 40,000-plus crowds was in 1998 vs. Wake Forest (47,972), Colorado State (50,115), New Mexico (43,575) and Navy (54,562). This season marks the first time 2002 that the Academy has had four crowds of over 40,000 in one season overall.
• Air Force blocked two kicks vs. Colorado State and has four this season. (2 punts, FG, PAT). Anthony Wooding, Jr., recorded the first block of his career with a blocked punt. Freshman Jamil Cooks added his third block this season with a blocked PAT which is the 10th block for Air Force under Troy Calhoun (2007-present). All four blocks this season have come in the last two games, as the team blocked a punt and a field goal vs. Navy.
• Air Force snapped a three-game losing streak as a ranked team. The victory is Air Force's first as a ranked team since beating BYU, 52-9, in Falcons Stadium in 2002 while ranked No. 19/21.
Individual Notes
• Junior QB Tim Jefferson rushed for 27 yards and became the 37th player in Air Force history to rush for 1,000 yards in his career. Jefferson also hit five of nine passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns to mark his third straight game with 100 or more yards and two touchdown passes vs. Colorado State. He also completed a season-long pass of 51 yards on his first pass attempt.
• Junior RB Asher Clark rushed for 125 yards to record his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season (BYU, 121) and sixth of his career. Clark became ninth player in school history to hit the 2,000-yard mark for his career. Clark ranks ninth in school history with 2,001 yards.
• Junior TE Joshua Freeman recorded his first-career reception, good for 51 yards. The 51-yard reception is the longest by a Falcon this season.
• Junior WR Jonathan Warzeka recorded his second-career kickoff return for a touchdown with his 100-yard return in the third quarter. Warzeka became the first Falcon since 1985 to return a kickoff for a touchdown when he went 100 yards vs. Houston in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl.
• Junior WR Zach Kauth recorded a career-long catch of 39 yards in the first quarter. His previous long was 20 yards at Oklahoma. Kauth also scored the first touchdown of his career on a 27-yard catch in the second quarter. The Colorado State game marks the third multi-catch game of his career (Oklahoma, Wyoming). Kauth finished the game with three catches which matches his career high for a career-best 85 yards.
• Senior P Keil Bartholomew had a career-long punt of 55 yards. His previous career long was 50 yards last week vs. Navy.
• Senior DB Reggie Rembert recorded his second interception of the season, which is tied for the team lead. The interception is the eighth of his career which is tied as the most by an active player at Air Force. Rembert also recovered a fumble which led to a touchdown. The two turnovers give him 18 in his career (8 INT, 5 FR, 5 FF), which makes him the active career leader.
• Junior DB Jon Davis forced a fumble which led to an Air Force touchdown. The turnover is the fifth by Davis this season (2 INT, 1 FR, 2 FF) and 11th of his career (5 INT, 3 FR, 3 FF). Davis also added a career-high 12 tackles.
• Freshman DB Anthony Wooding, Jr., blocked the first kick of his career, a punt in the third quarter which led to an Air Force touchdown.
• Freshman LB Jamil Cooks recorded his third blocked kick this season, blocking a PAT in the third quarter. Cooks blocked two the previous game vs. Navy, a punt and a field goal.
• Senior TE Chaz Demerath recorded his first-career touchdown catch, a 25-yard reception. Demerath has caught at least one pass in four straight games and five of six this season.
• Senior backup QB Ben Cochran threw his first touchdown pass of the season, a 25-yarder to Chaz Demerath. The TD pass is the second of his career.
THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Air Force is ranked 23rd this week in the Associated Press poll and the USA Today coaches poll. This week marks the second straight week in the AP poll and the first in the coaches poll. The Falcons are ranked in both polls and for consecutive weeks for the first time since 2002. Air Force was ranked four straight weeks in 2002. This week's No. 23 ranking is the program's highest since being ranked as high as 15th in 2002.
Air Force has a 50-23-2 all-time record as a ranked team and snapped a three-game losing streak as a ranked team with a 49-27 win over Colorado State. Air Force's victory is its first as a ranked team since defeating BYU, 52-9, in 2002.
ATTENDANCE NOTES
The attendance of 41,547 against Colorado State marks the fourth straight home game with 40,000-plus this season. The last time the school had four straight 40,000-plus crowds was in 1998 vs. Wake Forest (47,972), Colorado State (50,115), New Mexico (43,575) and Navy (54,562). This season marks the first time 2002 that the Academy has had four crowds of over 40,000 in one season overall.
Air Force had back-to-back sell outs earlier this season. A season-high crowd of 47,565 attended the Navy game Oct. 2. Air Force hosted 46,692 against BYU Sept. 11. The consecutive sell outs mark just the second in school history and first since 1972 when the Academy hosted Notre Dame (48,671) and Colorado (47,191).
ACADEMICS AND FOOTBALL
The Air Force football team has the second-highest multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) of any team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, according to a report issued by the NCAA. The program's 988 ranks second only to Rutgers, who had a 992, among the 120 FBS football playing schools. Rounding out the top five were Rice (987), Northwestern (986) and Duke (983). The multi-year APR is for the 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-89 academic years.
Air Force's number is easily the best within the Mountain West Conference. TCU is second with a 968 while Utah is third at 949. Colorado State is fourth with a 945 followed by BYU (940), New Mexico and UNLV (934), San Diego State (931) and Wyoming (928). The Academy is also the highest ranking service academy, as Navy posted a 973 and Army a 964.
CALHOUN LEADS THE NATION IN COACHES APR
Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun led the nation in Academic Progress Rates for Division I head coaches released by the NCAA. Calhoun has a three-year average of 986, posting a 981 in 2006-07, a 989 in 2007-08 and a 987 for 2008-09. Ken Niumatalolo of Navy (978) ranked second nationally followed by Randy Shannon of Miami (977).
The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Air Force ranks fourth in the MWC and 25th nationally in scoring defense with a 18.2 average.
• Air Force is second in the MWC and seventh nationally in pass defense with a 149.3 norm.
• The team has five players (Waiwaiole, Davis, Amack, Ricketts, Lindsay) with 30 or more tackles.
• The Falcons held Oklahoma to just 3.3 yards per rush and Northwestern State to just 1.9.
• Air Force leads the MWC and is eighth nationally in pass efficiency defense with a 100.3 rating.
• Air Force held Northwestern State scoreless and to just three first downs, 20 rushing yards, 34 passing yards, 54 total yards and one possession in Air Force territory in the second half.
• Air Force held BYU to just 88 yards passing which is the first time since 2003 the Cougars have been held below 100 yards.
• Air Force held BYU scoreless and to five first downs, 62 rushing yards, 41 passing yards and 103 total yards in the second half.
• Air Force held Wyoming to four first downs, 34 rushing yards, 60 passing yards and 94 total yards in the second half.
• Air Force held Navy to three points, seven first downs, 69 yards rushing, 60 yards passing and 129 total yards in the second half.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Air Force has had more total yards than its opponent in seven straight and 12 of the last 13 games.
• Air Force's 30:58 time of possession ranks second in the MWC.
• Air Force held a 21:07 to 8:53 TOP advantage in the second half at Wyoming, including a 12:16 to 2:44 mark in fourth quarter.
• The Falcons are averaging 5.9 yards per carry and 6.5 yards per play as a team.
• Air Force is second in the MWC and 17th nationally in total offense with a 467.3 per-game average.
• Air Force has a 82.0 mark on fourth downs, going 9-11 this season.
• Air Force has had 70 or more offensive plays in four of six games this season.
The Falcons have run 27 more plays then the opponent this season, including 39 more at Wyoming.
• Air Force is 54.5 percent (48-88) on third downs which leads the MWC and ranks fourth nationally.
• Air Force has scored in 18 of 24 quarters this season.
AIR FORCE FOURTH NATIONALLY WITH 213-GAME SCORING STREAK
• Air Force has scored in 213 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 fourth longest active in the country.
• Air Force's 213-game scoring streak is the 15th longest in Division I-A college history
HOME SWEET HOME
Air Force is 18-4 at home under head coach Troy Calhoun which is tied as the third-best mark in school history over a four-year period. Air Force was 19-4 (.826) from 1982-85 and 1997-00 which ties as the best four-year stretch in AFA history.
AIR FORCE TAKEAWAYS
• Air Force is third in the conference with a +.33 turnover margin, which ranks 39th nationally.
• Air Force is a combined +47 in turnover margin the last four seasons.
• Air Force led the nation in turnover margin with a 1.69 per-game mark in 2009.
BLOCKED KICKS
• Air Force has blocked four kicks this season, all coming the last two weeks.
• Freshman Jamil Cooks has three blocks, a field goal and a punt vs. Navy and a PAT vs. Colorado State.
• Cooks' three blocks are the most by a Falcon since Robert Kraay had three in 2006.
• Freshman Anthony Wooding, Jr., has the other block, a punt vs. Colorado State.
• Air Force has blocked 109 kicks since 1990 when the team began tracking them.
• The breakdown: 53 punts, 33 field goals and 23 PATs
• Air Force set a school record with 11 blocks in 1997 (7 punts, 3 FGs, 1 punt)
• Single season records for each category: Punts (7, 1997), FGs (3, 6 times, 2003), PATs (5, 2006)
• The Falcons have blocked 10 kicks under head coach Troy Calhoun
• Air Force ranks 14th nationally since 2002 with 31 blocked kicks (Fresno State leads with 52)
100 YARDS RUSHING UNDER CALHOUN
• Air Force is 20-3 when it has a 100-yard rusher with Troy Calhoun at the helm (since 2007).
• The team's only losses came in the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl vs. California, vs. No. 16/14 BYU in 2008 and vs. Houston in the 2008 Armed Forces Bowl.
• Air Force has had two or more players top the 100-yard mark in a game three times, the most recent vs. Houston in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl (Jared Tew 173, Asher Clark 129).
• Asher Clark has rushed for 100-plus yards six times, including twice this season (BYU, 121; CSU, 125).
• Jared Tew has rushed for 100 yards six times, including twice this season (Wyoming, 136; Navy, 111).
AIR FORCE FOOTBALL BY THE NUMBERS
0 - Air Force held Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs without a rushing touchdown for the first time in his career as a starter (17 games).
1 - Falcon Stadium was voted as the most difficult tunnel to enter into a stadium in the Mountain West Conference in an ESPN The Magazine player poll. "All the cadets line up screaming about the altitude. Signs on the wall have the elevation too." The sign referenced says WARNING: Lack of Oxygen, Elevation: 6,621 feet above sea level.
11 - Air Force is 11-1 all-time in MWC openers and has won a conference-record 11 straight.
12 - Air Force plays 12 straight weeks without an open week this season.
15 - Air Force is 15-0 all-time vs. teams from the Football Championship Subdivision with its 65-21 win over Northwestern State.
17 - Air Force has played 17 true freshmen this season which ties with Florida as the most in the nation.
36 - Air Force's win over BYU marked the first win by a conference team outside of the media-tagged Big Three (TCU, Utah, BYU) in the Mountain West Conference in the last three years. The Falcons snapped a 0-36 string by the rest of the conference from 2008-present with the victory.
WATCH LISTS / HONORS
• Junior placekicker Erik Soderberg was named to the Watch List for the 2010 Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award, released by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
• Senior defensive back Reggie Rembert was named to the 2010 Paul Hornung Award watch list. Rembert was one of 48 players on the watch list for the award, given annually to the most versatile player in major college football.
• Rembert is also one of 30 NCAA® football bowl subdivision student-athletes who excel both on and off the field and were selected as candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in football. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.
• Junior defensive back Anthony Wright has been named to the 2010 Lott Trophy Watch List announced by Ronnie Lott and the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation.
JEFFERSON WINNING GAMES
Junior QB Tim Jefferson has a 17-7 career record as a starter and ranks fifth in school history in career wins. His 12 wins entering this season ranked second in the MWC and 13th nationally among active quarterbacks. TCU's Andy Dalton entered the season with the conference and national lead with 29 wins.
TEW, CLARK AMONG THE BEST
• Senior FB Jared Tew and junior RB Asher Clark have combined for 3,823 yards in their careers.
• The pair ranks third in school history in combined yards by teammates.
• They have a chance to become the second set of teammates to each rush for 2,000 yards in their careers.
CALHOUN TO VISIT TROOPS IN 2011
Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun will once again visit military troops overseas in 2011. This will be the coach's second trip to visit troops, as he visited the Middle East during the summer of 2009.
This year's visit will take place from Feb. 12-20 and locations and additional details are still being determined. Calhoun will be joined by other service academy head coaches Rich Ellerson of Army and Ken Niumatalolo of Navy, along with Bill George of the Coast Guard Academy and Mike Toop of the Merchant Marine Academy.
Calhoun was joined by Mack Brown of Texas, Jim Tressel of Ohio State, UCLA's Rick Neuheisel and Houston Nutt of Mississippi, along with former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville on the 2009 tour.
FOGLER SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY
Air Force senior receiver Kevin Fogler has been selected as one of 121 semifinalists for the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy (formerly known as the Draddy Trophy), endowed by HealthSouth, and the candidates for the 2010 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Fogler is a management major with a 3.61 GPA.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The trophy was renamed last fall in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal.
REMBERT, WARZEKA RECEIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Senior defensive back Reggie Rembert and junior receiver/returner Jonathan Warzeka each received player of the week honors for their efforts in Air Force's 49-27 victory over Colorado State last week.
Rembert was named the Mountain West Conference's defensive player of the week for the first time this season and second time in his career. Rembert was also named the Walter Camp Football Foundation national defensive player of the week. He is the first Falcon to ever win the award. Rembert recorded a season-high seven tackles, including four unassisted, recovered a fumble, notched his second interception of the season and had three pass breakups. His fumble recovery led to an Air Force touchdown.
Warzeka was named the national kickoff returner of the week by CollegeFootballPerformance.com. He returned three kickoffs for 149 yards, including a thrilling 100-yard return for a touchdown. The 100-yard kickoff return for a TD is the second of Warzeka's career, as he also accomplished it vs. Houston in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl vs. Houston. He is the only player in Air Force history to have two 100-yard returns for touchdowns. Prior to his kickoff return vs. Houston in last year's bowl game, no Falcon had returned a kickoff for a touchdown since 1985.
HONORS IN 2010
• Reggie Rembert: Preseason first-team all-MWC ... Hornung "Watch List" ... LOWES Senior Class award nominee ... MWC defensive player of the week vs. Colorado State ... Walter Camp Football Foundation national defensive player of the week vs. Colorado State.
• Jared Tew: Preseason first-team all-MWC.
• Anthony Wright: Lott Trophy "Watch List" ... Nagurski Award "Watch List" ... Preseason first-team all-MWC.
• Erik Soderberg: Lou Groza "Watch List."
• Jon Davis: MWC defensive player of the week at Wyoming.
• Kevin Fogler: Semifinalist for William V. Campbell Trophy as nation's top scholar-athlete.
• Jordan Waiwaiole: MWC defensive player of the week vs. Navy ... Rivals.com MWC player of the week vs. Navy ... National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter player of the week vs. Navy ... College Football Insiders BCS Busters defensive player of the week vs. Navy.
• Tim Jefferson: MWC offensive player of the week vs. Navy.
• Jamil Cooks: MWC special teams player of the week vs. Navy.
• Jonathan Warzeka: CollegeFootballPerformance.com national kickoff returner of the week vs. Colorado State.
CALHOUN TO VISIT TROOPS IN 2011
Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun will once again visit military troops overseas in 2011. This will be the coach's second trip to visit troops, as he visited the Middle East during the summer of 2009.
This year's visit will take place from Feb. 12-20 and locations and additional details are still being determined. Calhoun will be joined by other service academy head coaches Rich Ellerson of Army and Ken Niumatalolo of Navy, along with Bill George of the Coast Guard Academy and Mike Toop of the Merchant Marine Academy.
Calhoun was joined by Mack Brown of Texas, Jim Tressel of Ohio State, UCLA's Rick Neuheisel and Houston Nutt of Mississippi, along with former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville on the 2009 tour.
FOGLER SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY
Air Force senior receiver Kevin Fogler has been selected as one of 121 semifinalists for the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy (formerly known as the Draddy Trophy), endowed by HealthSouth, and the candidates for the 2010 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Fogler is a management major with a 3.61 GPA.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The trophy was renamed last fall in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal.
PLAYER NOTES
Quarterbacks
#7 - Tim Jefferson -- sixth in the MWC in rushing with a 62.7 average ... has scored a rushing touchdown in six of his last seven games dating back to last season ... third in the MWC in passing efficiency with a 151.0 mark ... tied for sixth in the MWC in scoring with a 7.0 average ... hit five of nine passes for 160 yards and matched his career high with two touchdown passes vs. Colorado State ... rushed for 27 yards on eight carries to become the 37th player in school history to rush for 1,000 career yards ... ranks 36th in AFA history in career rushing with 1,017 yards ... 10 carries for 62 yards, including a career-long run of 50 yards for a TD vs. Navy ... also scored on a one-yard run ... hit 5-7 passes for 83 yards ... named MWC offensive player of the week for his efforts vs. Navy ... season-best 96 yards rushing and a TD at Oklahoma ... career-best 179 yards passing vs. Northwestern State ... matched his career-high in rushing and passing touchdowns with two each ... 144.77 career QB efficiency rating ranks second in Air Force history ... .550 career completion percentage is third in school history ... has rushed and passed for a touchdown four times in his career, including twice this season ... ranks fifth in Air Force history with 17 career wins as a starting quarterback (17-7).
Running Backs
#42 - Jared Tew -- ranks fourth in the MWC in rushing with a 87.3 per-game average ... rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries vs. Colorado State ... first Falcon since Jim Ollis in 2007 with back-to-back 100-yard games ... rushing yards increased each game the first four games this season (65-77-93-136) ... season-high 136 yards rushing and a TD at Wyoming ... matched his career high with 27 carries ... 12 of his carries went for first downs, including five on third down and two on fourth down ... rushed for 111 yards on 17 carries vs. Navy ... six career 100-yard rushing performances, including two this season ... 12th in school history in rushing with 1,822 yards ... ranks third all-time at AFA among fullbacks.
#17 - Asher Clark -- ranks third in the MWC in rushing with a 91.3 per-game average ... rushed for a season-high 125 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries vs. Colorado State ... the 100-yard effort is his second this season and sixth of his career ... became the ninth player in AFA history to hit the 2,000-yard mark for his career in the game ... ranks ninth in school history with 2,001 yards which is the third-most among tailbacks ... rushed for a game-high 121 yards on 18 carries vs. BYU ... is averaging 6.4 yards per carry this season.
#39 - Nathan Walker -- has rushed for three touchdowns this season ... six carries for 24 yards and the game-tying touchdown run in the fourth quarter at Wyoming ... four carries for 11 yards vs. Colorado State.
Receivers
#83 - Kevin Fogler -- led the team with two catches for 67 yards vs. Northwestern State ... had a long reception of 37 yards ... ranks second in school history with a 22.3 yards per catch average ... out indefinitely due to injury.
#15 - Jonathan Warzeka -- has at least one reception in four of six games this season ... third on the team with six receptions for 135 yards which ranks second on the team ... averaging 22.5 yards per catch ... fourth on the team in rushing with 178 yards on 21 carries ... averaging 8.5 yards per carry ... seventh in the MWC in all-purpose yards with a 101.3 norm ... recorded a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown vs. Colorado State to become the first player in school history with two 100-yard kickoff return TDs ... also returned one 100 yards for a score in the Armed Forces Bowl in 2009 ... named CollegeFootballPerformance.com national kickoff returner of the week vs. Colorado State ...scored a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game for the first time in his career in the win over Northwestern State ... caught a 37-yard TD and rushed for an 11-yard TD ... rushed for 68 yards on six carries and had a 46 yard touchdown run on a fourth-down play vs. BYU ... career-high 48 yards receiving at Oklahoma ... matched his career high with three catches, which ties as the most by a Falcon this season.
#4 - Kyle Halderman -- tied for the team lead with two catches for 43 yards and a touchdown vs. Northwestern State ... scored on a 29-yard reception ... rushed for 29 yards on four carries at Oklahoma, scoring a touchdown on a 15-yard run ... two carries for 15 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 24 yards vs. Colorado State.
#10 - Mikel Hunter -- two carries for 53 yards and a touchdown vs. BYU ... also caught a 37-yard touchdown pass vs. BYU to mark his first-career game with a rushing and receiving touchdown.
#85 - Zach Kauth -- leads the team in receiving with nine catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns ... averaging 18.2 yards per catch ... matched his career high with three catches for a career-high 85 yards and a career-best two touchdowns vs. Colorado State ... his 85 yards receiving are the most by a Falcon this season ... three multi-catch games this season, all coming in the last four weeks ... three catches for 45 yards at Oklahoma ... three catches vs. Colorado State and OU tie as the most by a Falcon this season.
#82 - Chaz Demerath -- second on the team with eight catches and third on the team with 128 yards receiving ... scored his first-career touchdown with a season-long 25 yard catch vs. Colorado State ... career highs of three catches and 56 yards vs. Navy ... three catches tie as the most by a Falcon this season ... at least one reception in five of six games this season ... two catches for 24 yards at Wyoming to record his first multi-catch game of the season.
Defensive Line
#90 - Rick Ricketts -- leads all defensive lineman on the team with 36 tackles ... led the team with eight tackles vs. Northwestern State ... had a sack and a pass breakup ... second among active players with 136 career tackles ... 12.5 career TFL leads all active players ... 5.5 career sacks leads all active players.
#86 - Ryan Gardner -- had four tackles in his first-career start in the Northwestern State game ... one tackle and a fumble recovery vs. BYU ... three tackles vs. Navy.
#51 - Zach Payne -- had two tackles in his first-career start in the Northwestern State game ... three tackles and a tackle for loss vs. BYU ... three tackles and a sack for 18 yards at Oklahoma ... recorded career high in tackles in back-to-back games with five at Wyoming and six vs. Navy ... four tackles vs. Colorado State ... has averaged 5.0 tackles his last three games.
#89 - Bradley Connor -- has had three tackles in each of the last two games ... had a TFL at Wyoming ... three tackles and a sack vs. Colorado State.
Linebackers
#41 - Brady Amack -- third on the team in tackles with 39 ... career-high 10 tackles at Oklahoma to mark his first-career game with double figures in tackles ... seven tackles in his first-career start vs. Northwestern ... also had 1.5 sacks and his first-career interception, returning it 50 yards.
#41 - Jordan Waiwaiole -- tied for the team lead and is tied for 10th in the MWC in tackles with 45, an average of 7.5 per game ... tied for fourth in the MWC in sacks with a team-best two (.33 average) ... career-high 15 tackles vs. Navy ... 15 stops are the most by a Falcon this season ... also recorded his first-career interception to seal the game in the final minutes ... also had a sack vs. Navy ... named MWC defensive player of the week for his efforts vs. Navy ... recorded six total tackles in his first-career start in the Northwestern State game ... also had a sack for two yards ... moved from outside to inside linebacker this season.
#36 - Andre Morris, Jr. -- tied for fourth in the MWC in forced fumbles with two ... season-best eight tackles, including two TFL on consecutive players inside the five yard line, vs. Navy ... three tackles and a pass breakup vs. Colorado State ... has 121 career tackles and 10.0 TFL which ranks third-best among active players ... has 10 career turnovers (2 INT, 3 FF, 5 FR).
#44 - Patrick Hennessey -- returned to the lineup vs. BYU after missing the opener with an injury ... had five tackles and a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchback vs. BYU ... season-best eight tackles, his first sack of the season, and a TFL at Oklahoma ... four tackles vs. Colorado State.
Secondary
#8 - Reggie Rembert, Jr. -- season-best seven tackles, four unassisted, a fumble recovery, interception and three pass breakups vs. Colorado State ... his fumble recovery led to an AFA touchdown ... named MWC defensive player of the week and Walter Camp Football Foundation national defensive player of the week for his efforts ... had five tackles and an interception vs. BYU ... tied for the team lead in interceptions with two which ranks tied for third in the MWC with a .33 average ... leads all active players with 154 career tackles ... tied for first among active players with eight interceptions ... has been involved in 18 career turnovers (8 INT, 5 FF, 5 FR).
#5 - Anthony Wright, Jr. -- had four tackles and a TFL vs. Northwestern State ... returned a punt for a touchdown, but had it called back ... career-high eight tackles and a pass breakup at Oklahoma ... eight career interceptions which is tied as the most among active players ... ranked third nationally in 2009 with seven interceptions ... 12 career turnovers (8 INT, 3 FF, 1 FR).
#6 - Jon Davis -- tied for the team lead and for 10th in the MWC in tackles with 45, which is a 7.5 per-game average ... career-best 12 tackles, including eight unassisted, vs. Colorado State ... also had a tackle for loss and a forced fumble ... tied for the team lead in interceptions with two wich ranks tied for third in the MWC with a .33 average ... seven tackles and an interception vs. Navy ... team-high six tackles, five unassisted, a tackle for loss, an interception in the end zone and a fumble recovery at Wyoming ... his TFL and INT came on back-to-back plays ... the fumble recovery allowed AF to run out the clock in the fourth quarter ... named MWC defensive player of the week for his efforts vs. Wyoming ... five tackles and a forced fumble vs. BYU ... his forced fumble was recovered in the end zone by AFA for a touchback ... five career interceptions and 11 career turnovers (5 INT, 4 FF, 2 FR).
#31 - Brian Lindsay -- fifth on the team in total tackles with 31 ... tied for the team lead with 4.5 tackles for loss ... has had at least one TFL in five of six games this season ... career-high seven tackles vs. Colorado State ... six tackles at Oklahoma ... had five tackles and a TFL in his first-career start in win over Northwestern State ... out indefinitely due to injury.
#24 - P.J. Adeji-Paul -- started for the first time this season at Wyoming ... had a career-best six tackles, which tied for the team lead ... also forced a fumble.
Specialists
#99 - Erik Soderberg -- hit a 29-yard field goal and all eight PATs vs. Northwestern State ... has 24 career field goals which ranks ninth in Air Force history ... .686 career field goal percentage (24-35) ranks seventh in school history.
#97 - Keil Bartholomew -- had two punts for a 45.0 average in his first-career start in the win over Northwestern State ... had a net average of 45.0 on his two punts ... career-long punt of 55 yards vs. Colorado State ... has had a 50-plus yard punt in two straight games ... sixth in the MWC in punting with a 41.4 average.
