Air Force 2010 Advocare V100 Independence Bowl Game Notes
12/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 15, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force vs. Georgia Tech
Advocare V100 Independence Bowl
Dec. 27, 3 p.m. MT
Independence Stadium (48,975), Shreveport, LA
TELEVISION
ESPN 2
Mark Jones (play-by-play); Bob Davie (analyst); Eamon McAnaney (sidelines)
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)
QUICK NOTES
• Air Force is making its third appearance in the Independence Bowl.
• Air Force played in the 1983 and 1984 Independence Bowls, winning both games.
• Air Force and Georgia Tech will be playing for the fourth time overall and first since 1979.
• Air Force is playing in its 21st bowl game and has a 9-10-1 all-time bowl record. The Falcons snapped a three-game bowl losing streak with last year's 47-20 win over No. 25 Houston.
• Air Force has won at least eight games four straight seasons for the first time since 1982-85. Troy Calhoun is the only head coach in school history to accomplish the feat.
THE BREAKDOWN
Record: Air Force (8-4, 5-3 MWC), Georgia Tech (6-6, 4-4 ACC)
Streaks: Air Force (W 3), Georgia Tech (L 1)
Conference: Air Force (Mountain West), Georgia Tech (ACC)
Website: Air Force (goairforcefalcons.com), Tech (ramblinwreck.com)
THE COACHES
Air Force: Troy Calhoun (Air Force, 1989) is in his fourth season. He has led the Falcons to a 33-18 career record. Calhoun is 21-11 in MWC games, 12-7 in non-conference games, 19-5 in Falcon Stadium, 11-10 in road games (9-6 in MWC road games) and 1-2 in bowl games.
Georgia Tech: Paul Johnson (Western Carolina, 1979) is in his third season at Georgia Tech. Johnson has led the school to a 26-13. He has a 133-52 overall record in his 14th season. Johnson has a 5-1 mark against Air Force.
BOWL HISTORY
Season/Bowl/Opponent/Result
1958/Cotton/TCU/Tied 0-0
1963/Gator/North Carolina /Lost 0-35
1970/Sugar/Tennessee/Lost 13-34
1982/Hall of Fame/Vanderbilt/Won 36-28
1983/Independence/Mississippi/Won 9-3
1984/Independence/Virginia Tech/Won 23-7
1985/Bluebonnet/Texas/Won 24-16
1987/Freedom/Arizona State/Lost 28-33
1989/Liberty/Mississippi/Lost 29-42
1990/Liberty/Ohio State/Won 23-11
1991/Liberty/Mississippi State/Won 38-15
1992/Liberty/Mississippi/Lost 0-13
1995/Copper/Texas Tech/Lost 41-55
1997/Las Vegas/Oregon/Lost 13-41
1998/O'ahu/Washington/Won 45-25
2000/Silicon Valley/Fresno State/Won 37-34
2002/San Francisco/Virginia Tech/Lost 13-20
2007/Armed Forces/California/Lost 36-42
2008/Armed Forces/Houston Lost/28-34
2009/Armed Forces/Houston Won/47-20
2010/Independence/Georgia Tech
THE SERIES
• Air Force and Georgia Tech are meeting for the fourth time overall and first time in a bowl game.
• Georgia Tech leads the series, 3-0, including a 2-0 mark at home and 1-0 mark at the Academy.
• The teams first played in 1977 at Georgia Tech, which resulted in a 30-3 Ramblin Wreck victory.
Year by Year
1977 - Ga Tech 30-3 (A)
1978 - No. 19 Ga Tech 42-21 (H)
1979 - Ga Tech 21-0 (A)
Site () is for AFA.
AIR FORCE CAREER BOWL STATISTICS
Rushing (Att-Yds-TDs): Jared Tew 2009 (26-173-2), 2008 (27-149-2); Asher Clark 2009 (17-129-2), 2008 (16-57-0); Tim Jefferson 2009 (16-37-1), 2008 (14-14-1); Jonathan Warzeka 2009 (6-35-0); Nathan Walker 2009 (2-12-0); Ryan Southworth 2009 (2-10-0), 2008 (1-8-0); Cody Getz 2009 (1-2-0); Mikel Hunter (1-(-1)-0); Kyle Halderman 2008 (2-(-7)-0).
Passing (C-A-Int-Yds-TD): Tim Jefferson 2009 (10-14-0-161-0), 2008 (7-14-0-98-0). Receiving (#-Yds-TD): Kevin Fogler 2009 (4-89-0); Jonathan Warzeka 2009 (3-45-0); Cody Getz 2009 (1-13-0); Asher Clark 2009 (1-8-0); Jared Tew 2009 (1-6-0); Kyle Halderman 2008 (1-10-0).
Tackles (UT-AT-TOT): Andre Morris 2009 (4-2-6), 2008 (0-2-2); Rick Ricketts 2009 (3-3-6), 2008 (1-2-3); Anthony Wright 2009 (2-1-3), 2008 (2-0-2); Reggie Rembert 2009 (1-1-2), 2008 (4-0-4), 2007 (1-0-1); Brian Corcoran 2009 (1-0-1); Wale Lawal 2009 (0-1-1), Jon Davis 2008 (1-0-1), Patrick Hennessey 2007 (1-0-1).
AIR FORCE ONE OF JUST 12
Air Force is one of just 12 schools nationally that plays in a conference and has won at least eight games and played in a bowl game four straight years. Prior to this year, Air Force was 9-4 in 2007 and 8-5 the last two years while playing in the Armed Forces Bowl all three years.
The full list follows: Air Force, Boise State, LSU, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU, Utah, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and UConn.
AIR FORCE VS. THE ACC
• Air Force is 9-12 against teams that are currently in the ACC.
• The last meeting vs. an ACC team was a 20-13 loss to Virginia Tech in in the 2002 San Franciso Bowl.
AIR FORCE TIES TO INDEPENDENCE BOWL
• Two Air Force senior officers stationed at the Academy have ties to the Independence Bowl. Air Force Academy Prep School Commander Col. Bart Weiss, a 1986 Academy graduate and three-year letterman at quarterback, was the starting quarterback for the Falcons in the 1984 game. Weiss rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown and hit six of seven passes for 49 yards to lead Air Force to a 23-7 win over Virginia Tech.
Air Force Academy Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Richard Clark, a 1986 Academy graduate and four-year letterman at nose guard, was a member of the teams that played in the 1983 and 1984 Independence Bowls. Clark, who was unable to play in the 1983 game due to injury, was also the vice commander, 8th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), at Barksdale AFB, La., from May 2009 to July 2010.
• Air Force has five individuals in the Independence Bowl Hall of Honor. Former head coaches Fisher DeBerry and Ken Hatfield, along with former players Weiss, Marty Louthan and Chad Hennings have all earned the honor.
AIR FORCE, GEORGIA TECH FACTS
• Air Force sophomore running back Darius Jones and Georgia Tech redshirt junior running back Roddy Jones are brothers.
• Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh was the defensive coordinator at Air Force from 1978-79.
• The Independence Bowl will feature the nation's top two rushing teams. Georgia Tech leads the nation with a 327.00 average while Air Force ranks second at 317.92 yards per game. Georgia Tech has rushed for 3,924 yards this season while the Falcons have 3,815.
AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER CALHOUN
• Air Force is 12-7 against non-conference foes under head coach Troy Calhoun. • The Falcons are 7-1 at home, 3-4 on the road and 2-2 in neutral site games. • Air Force is 3-1 this season and has won five of the last six with the only loss coming at No. 7 Oklahoma.
BOWL ATTENDANCE NOTES
Air Force played in three straight Armed Forces Bowl games and set a record attendance mark each year. Air Force set the first record in 2007 with 40,905, then broke it in 2008 with 41,127 and in 2009 with 41,414. Prior to Air Force's arrival, the bowl game had hit 40,000 in attendance just once.
PLAYING BEST WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
Air Force is 18-8 under head coach Troy Calhoun in games during the second half of the season (last six games), including a 3-3 mark this season. 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.
AIR FORCE WINS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY
Air Force defeated both Army (42-22) and Navy (14-6) this season to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 2002. This season's title is the 17th in Air Force history, which is more than any other service academy. 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 2010 season marks the 39th year of trophy competition. Air Force has a 51-27-0 all-time CIC record. (Army and Navy had not played this season at press time)
Air Force outright CIC title years:
`82, `83, `85, `87, `89, `90, `91, `92, `94, `95, `97, `98, `99, `00, `01, `02, `10
FALCONS CLOSING IN ON MWC RECORDS
Air Force enters the bowl game with an opportunity to break two Mountain West Conference single season team records. The Falcons have rushed for 3,815 yards this season and need 187 to set a new single season record, breaking their own mark of 4,001 set in 2002. Air Force's total is currently the third-best in conference history, as the Falcons rushed for 3,894 in 2007.
Air Force has 40 rushing touchdowns this season which is the second most in MWC history. The record of 41 is shared by Air Force (2002) and BYU (2001).
HOME SWEET HOME
Air Force tied the school record for most home wins over a four-year period with 19. The Falcons have a 19-5 record at home under head coach Troy Calhoun since 2007. Air Force also won 19 games from 1982-85 (19-4, .826) and from 1997-00 (19-4, .826).
ATTENDANCE NOTES
Air Force's average home attendance of 40,093 this season is the best since 2002 when the school averaged 42,713. The team had four straight games with 40,000-plus for the first time since 1998. 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).
CALHOUN FINALIST FOR PATERNO AWARD
Air Force football head coach Troy Calhoun was named one of four finalists for the inaugural Joseph V. Paterno Coach of the Year Award, announced today by Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski. Calhoun joins Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech, Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern and Chris Petersen of Boise State as the four finalists.
The award, the first of its kind, is designed to honor the spirit of Coach Paterno, whose long-time success on the field has been matched only by his impact away from it. Through a nomination process, each current head coach has been evaluated since the summer based on his school's performance on the field, in the classroom, and within the community. For almost half a century, Coach Paterno has demanded all-around excellence from his student-athletes, as will an award that carries his name.
The formal announcement of the award will be made on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010. The presentation of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner on Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Harrah's Entertainment Complex in Atlantic City, NJ.
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.
100 YARDS RUSHING UNDER CALHOUN
• Air Force is 5-1 this season and 21-4 when it has a 100-yard rusher under Troy Calhoun (since 2007).
• The team's only losses came in the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl vs. California, vs. No. 16/14 BYU in 2008, vs. Houston in the 2008 Armed Forces Bowl and at San Diego State earlier this season.
• 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 seven-career 100-yard games, including three in 2010 (BYU, 121; CSU, 125; SDSU, 116).
• Jared Tew has six-career 100-yard games, including two in 2010 (Wyoming, 136; Navy, 111).
• Nathan Walker recorded his first-career 100-yard game this season with a 109-yard effort at Army.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Air Force is second in the MWC and fifth nationally in pass defense with a 156.7 norm.
• Air Force has had an interception in 10 of 12 games this season.
• Air Force is second in the MWC and 14th nationally in pass efficiency defense with a 110.7 mark.
• The Falcons rank fourth in the MWC and 37th nationally in scoring defense with a 22.2 average.
• The defense has allowed just seven scores (6 TDs, FG) following Air Force turnovers.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Air Force held UNLV to three points and 96 total yards in the second half.
• Air Force held New Mexico to just 70 total yards in the first half.
• Air Force recorded the first interception of the season against Army, who had gone 87 attempts without an interception in 2010.
• Air Force held Utah to just 53 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter.
• Air Force held Navy to three points, seven first downs, 69 yards rushing, 60 yards passing and 129 total yards 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 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.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Air Force has averaged 41.6 points in its last three games, scoring 40-plus points in two of them.
• Air Force is second nationally in rushing with a 317.9 per-game average (see page 5 for more details).
• The Falcons are second in the MWC and 14th nationally in passing efficiency with a 155.2 mark.
• Air Force has had more total yards than its opponent in 17 of the last 19 games.
• Air Force has scored a rushing touchdown in 20 straight games.
• Air Force has allowed just five sacks this season which ranks first in the MWC and second nationally.
• Air Force's total offense average of 437.4 yards is the best in the Troy Calhoun era (2007-present).
• Air Force's 52.4 percent (88-168) on third downs leads the MWC and ranks fifth nationally.
AIR FORCE FOURTH NATIONALLY WITH 219-GAME SCORING STREAK
• 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 streak is tied as the 13th longest in Division I-A college history
AIR FORCE TAKEAWAYS
• Air Force is second in the conference with a +.08 turnover margin.
• Air Force is a combined +46 in turnover margin the last four seasons, despite the negative mark this year.
• 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.
• 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 (5 FG, 3 PAT, 2 Punts) under head coach Troy Calhoun (since 2007).
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.
13 - Air Force ranks 13th nationally with 31 blocked kicks since 2002.
15 - Air Force is 15-0 all-time vs. teams from the Football Championship Subdivision with its 65-21 win over Northwestern State.
18 - Air Force has played 18 true freshmen this season which leads the nation. Florida is second with 17.
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.
80 - Air Force set a single game MWC record with 80 rushing attempts against New Mexico on Nov. 13. The Falcons broke their own record of 79, set against Notre Dame on Oct. 19, 2002.
AIR FORCE VS. RANKED TEAMS
Air Force has played four ranked teams this season. The Falcons are 1-3, beating No. 24 BYU, 35-14, at home and falling at No. 9/7 Oklahoma, 24-27, at No. 4/4 TCU, 7-38, and vs. No. 8/7 Utah, 23-28.
Air Force's three games against top 10 teams in the regular season is a first in school history, as is playing back-to-back games vs. teams in the top 10 (at TCU and vs. Utah). Air Force is 16-69-4 all-time vs. ranked teams.
THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Earlier this season the Falcons were ranked in both polls and for consecutive weeks for the first time since 2002. The team's No. 23 ranking on Oct. 9 was the program's highest since being ranked as high as 15th in 2002. Air Force 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.
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.
TEW IS TWO FOR TWO
Senior fullback Jared Tew has been outstanding in the two bowl games he's started, rushing for over 100 yards and two touchdowns in each game. Tew set an Armed Forces Bowl record in 2008 with 149 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries while earning player of the game honors for Air Force. Last year, he broke his own bowl record with a career-high 173 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Tew's two-game totals of 322 yards (161 yards per game) and four touchdowns are Air Force bowl records. His two single-game totals are the two best in school history in a bowl game.
JEFFERSON WINNING GAMES
Junior QB Tim Jefferson has a 20-10 career record as a starter and ranks third in school history in career wins. Jefferson just passed his current position coach Blane Morgan, who won 19 games from 1997-98. Jefferson's 12 wins entering this season ranked second in the MWC and 13th nationally among active quarterbacks.
TEW, CLARK AMONG THE BEST
Senior FB Jared Tew and junior RB Asher Clark have combined for 4,292 yards in their careers. The pair ranks third in school history in combined yards by teammates. Clark ranks sixth in school history with 2,454 yards while Tew is 12th with 1,838. Tew's total is third-best among fullbacks while Clark's is second-best for tailbacks.
FOGLER, WALLERSTEIN NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Air Force senior Kevin Fogler and junior A.J. Wallerstein were named to the CoSIDA ESPN Academic All-District® football team as released today by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Both earned first-team District VII honors in the University division and will be on the ballot for Academic All-America honors to be announced in late November.
Fogler, a senior wide receiver from Fort Wayne, Ind., carries a 3.61 grade point average and is majoring in management. Wallerstein, a junior offensive lineman from Canyon Country, Calif., has a 3.35 grade point average and is majoring in physics.
WRIGHT, REMBERT CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior Reggie Rembert and junior Anthony Wright rank among the all-time leaders at Air Force in career interceptions. Wright has 10 career interceptions which ranks tied for fifth in school history and is the most since Kelvin King had 11 from 1993-95. Rembert has nine career picks and is tied for eighth in school history.
AIR FORCE PLACES FIVE ON ALL-MWC TEAMS
Air Force senior defensive back Reggie Rembert was named first-team all-Mountain West Conference for the second straight year. Rembert is the first Falcon to earn first-team honors in back-to-back seasons since offensive lineman James Norman in 1998-99. Rembert is the lone Falcon to earn first-team honors in 2010.
Senior defensive end Rick Ricketts and junior running back Asher Clark, along with offensive linemen senior Chase Darden and junior A.J. Wallerstein were each named to the second team. Juniors Tim Jefferson (QB), Jon Davis (DB), Anthony Wright (DB) and Jonathan Warzeka (WR and DB) each earned honorable mention honors.
REMBERT NAMED FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Air Force senior defensive back Reggie Rembert was named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association. Rembert is the first Falcon to earn first-team honors since Carlton McDonald was named to multiple first teams in 1992. Rembert is the second Falcon in the Troy Calhoun era (2007-present) to earn All-American honors, joining Chad Hall, who was a third-team selection in 2007. Rembert was a first-team all-MWC selection last year and earned preseason first-team honors in 2010. He is one of just two MWC players named to the AFCA All-America team, along with TCU linebacker Tank Carter.
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 ... Jim Thorpe Award national defensive back of the week honorable mention vs. Colorado State ... first-team Mid-Season All-America by CollegeFootballNews.com ... first-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... fourth-team Mid-Season All-America by Phil Steele Magazine ... AFCA first-team All-American ... first-team all-MWC ... first-team all-MWC by Phill Steele Magazine.
• Jared Tew: Preseason first-team all-MWC ... first-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Anthony Wright: Lott Trophy "Watch List" ... Nagurski Award "Watch List" ... preseason first-team all-MWC ... honorable mention all-MWC.
• Erik Soderberg: Lou Groza "Watch List."
• Jon Davis: MWC defensive player of the week at Wyoming ... third-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... honorable mention all-MWC ... second-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Kevin Fogler: Semifinalist for William V. Campbell Trophy as nation's top scholar-athlete ... CoSIDA Academic first-team all-district.
• 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 ... second-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... second-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Tim Jefferson: MWC offensive player of the week vs. Navy ... honorable mention all-MWC ... third-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Jamil Cooks: MWC special teams player of the week vs. Navy.
• Jonathan Warzeka: CollegeFootballPerformance.com national kickoff returner of the week vs. Colorado State ... second-team Mid-Season All-America at KR by CollegeFootballNews.com ... second-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... third-team Mid-Season All-America at KOR by Phil Steele Magazine ...first-team mid-season All-America special teams by SportsIllustrated.com ... honorable mention all-MWC at WR and KR ... third-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• A.J. Wallerstein: First-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... CoSIDA Academic first-team all-district ... second-team all-MWC ... first-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Asher Clark: Second-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... second-team all-MWC ... second-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Michael Hester: Second-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... third-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Zach Payne: Second-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine. • Rick Ricketts: Third-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... second-team all-MWC ... second-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Patrick Hennessey: Third-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... third-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Brady Amack: Third-team all-MWC midseason by Phil Steele Magazine ... third-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
• Chase Darden: Second-team all-MWC ... second-team all-MWC by Phil Steele Magazine.
PLAYER NOTES
Quarterbacks
#7 - Tim Jefferson -- honorable mention all-MWC ... sixth in the MWC in rushing with 64.1 yards per game ... his 769 yards rushing this season is the most by an Air Force quarterback since Chance Harridge had 914 in 2003 ... has rushed for a team- and conference-best 15 touchdowns which is the most by an Air Force quarterback since Chance Harridge set a then-NCAA record with 22 in 2002 ... has rushed for a touchdown in 10 of 12 games ... 11th in school history for single-season total offense with 2,111 yards ... his 19.2 yards per completion this season is the fifth-best in school history ... 145.95 career QB efficiency rating ranks second in school history ... .544 career completion percentage is third in school history ... 20 career wins (20-10) as a starting quarterback ranks third in school history ... 26th in school history with 1,410 career rushing yards ... 37th player in school history to hit the 1,000-yard mark for his career ... has punted 11 times this season, averaging 45.3 yards per punt ... seven of his punts have been inside the 20 ... career-long 71-yard punt at TCU ... rushed for 64 yards and a career-high three touchdowns at UNLV ... also hit seven of nine passes for 111 yards and a TD ... hit 8-13 passes for a career-best 201 yards and a touchdown against Utah ... has had a rushing and passing touchdown in the same game seven times in his career, including six times this season ... 10 carries for 62 yards, including a 50-yard TD run 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.
#11 - Connor Dietz -- has played in five games ... rushed for 34 yards and a touchdown and hit five of seven passes for 67 yards and a touchdown vs. New Mexico ... scored a rushing and passing touchdown in the same game for the first time in his career.
Running Backs
#42 - Jared Tew -- has missed the last five games due to a leg injury and is questionable for the bowl game ... first Falcon since Jim Ollis in 2007 with back-to-back 100-yard games ... season-high 136 yards rushing and a TD at Wyoming ... matched his career high with 27 carries ... 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 1,838 yards ... ranks third all-time at AFA among fullbacks.
#17 - Asher Clark -- second-team all-MWC ... has rushed for 1,001 yards, becoming the 13th player in Air Force history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in a season ... third in the MWC in rushing with a 83.4 per-game average ... 95 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries vs. New Mexico ... 89 yards on 15 carries at Army ... seven career 100-yard rushing games, including three this season, which is tied for the most among active MWC players ... rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown at San Digo State ... rushed for a season-high 125 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries vs. Colorado State ... rushed for a game-high 121 yards on 18 carries vs. BYU ... became the ninth player in AFA history to hit the 2,000-yard mark for his career earlier this season ... ranks sixth in school history and second among tailbacks with 2,454 career rushing yards.
#39 - Nathan Walker -- has averaged 88 yards and a TD the last three games ... rushed for 60 yards on 15 carries at UNLV ... career-high 23 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown vs. New Mexico ... recorded his first-career 100-yard game with a career-high 109 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries at Army ... recorded a season-long run of 24 yards vs. Utah ... first-career start at TCU, finishing with 30 yards on six carries ... has rushed for six touchdowns this season which is second on the team.
Receivers
#83 - Kevin Fogler -- has missed seven of the last eight games due to injury and is out indefinitely ... 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.
#15 - Jonathan Warzeka -- honorable mention all-MWC at WR and KR ... second in the MWC and 10th nationally in KOR with a 28.9 average ... fifth-best single-season mark in school history ... 28.0 career KOR average which is the best in Air Force history ... has two career 100-yard KOR TDs, vs. Houston in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl and this season vs. Colorado State ... only of only three MWC players ever with two KOR TDs in his career, the only one with two for 100 yards ... fourth in the conference in all-purpose yards with a 109.7 average ... earned mid-season All-American honors as a kickoff returner by SportsIllustrated.com, CollegeFootballNews.com and Phil Steele's Magazine ... named CollegeFootballPerformance.com national kickoff returner of the week vs. Colorado State ... two catches for a career highs of 116 yards and two touchdowns at Army ... scored on catches of 53 and 63 yards ... recorded his first-career 100-yard receiving game, the first Falcon since Kevin Fogler vs. Army to do so ... career-high five receptions at San Diego State ... his five catches are the most by a Falcon this season ... scored a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game for the first time in his career in the win over Northwestern State.
#4 - Kyle Halderman -- tied for second on the team in receiving with 14 catches for 254 yards ...career-best three catches for 40 yards vs. New Mexico ... matched his career high with three catches for a season-best 67 yards vs. Utah ... scored on a season-long 49-yard catch ... led the team in rushing with 53 yards on four carries at TCU.
#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 ... career highs of two catches and 56 yards vs. Utah.
#85 - Zack Kauth -- averaging 18.1 yards per catch ... tied for second on the team in catches with 14 and is third in receiving yards with 253 ... matched his career high with three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown at UNLV ... two catches for 36 yards and a touchdown vs. New Mexico ... 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 second most by a Falcon this season ... five multi-catch games this season ... missed the TCU game due to injury.
#82 - Chaz Demerath -- fourth on the team in receiving with 13 catches for 193 yards ... has two TD catches which is tied for third on the team ... has caught a pass in seven of 11 games he's played ... missed the TCU game due to injury ... career-best four catches for 52 yards and a TD at SDSU ... scored his first-career touchdown with a season-long 25 yard catch vs. Colorado State.
Defensive Line
#90 - Rick Ricketts -- second-team all-MWC ... fourth on the team in tackles with 61 ... 9.0 tackles for loss leads the team ... three tackles and a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss at UNLV ... seven tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss vs. New Mexico ... led the team with eight tackles vs. Northwestern State ... had a sack and a pass breakup ... second among active players with 161 career tackles ... 18.5 career TFL and 6.5 career sacks lead all active players.
#86 - Ryan Gardner -- returned to the lineup for the Army game after missing three games due to injury ... had a season-best five tackles against Army ... two tackles vs. New Mexico and six at UNLV ... had four tackles in his first-career start in the Northwestern State game ... one tackle and a fumble recovery vs. BYU.
#51 - Zach Payne -- seven tackles and a tackle for loss vs. New Mexico ... recorded career bests with eight tackles and two tackles for loss at Army ... had two tackles in his first-career start in the Northwestern State game ...recorded previous career highs in tackles in back-to-back games with five at Wyoming and six vs. Navy.
Linebackers
#41 - Brady Amack -- third on the team in tackles with 77 ... tied for the team lead with three 10-plus tackle games this season ... five tackles vs. New Mexico ... game-high 13 tackles at Army ... career-high 15 tackles vs. Utah ... his 15 stops tie as the most by a Falcon this season ... 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.
#32 - Jordan Waiwaiole -- second on the team in tackles with 88 ... 11th in the MWC in tackles with a 7.3 per-game average ... tied for the team lead with three 10-plus tackle games this season ... 11 tackles and a tackle for loss at UNLV ... team-best eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss vs. New Mexico ... five tackles and a 52-yard fumble return for his first-career touchdown at Army ... 12 tackles vs. Utah to record his second-career game with double figures in tackles ... has a TFL in eight of 12 games this season ... career-high 15 tackles vs. Navy ... 15 stops tie as the most by a Falcon this season ... also recorded his first-career interception to seal the game in the final minutes ... 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 ... moved from outside to inside linebacker this season.
#36 - Andre Morris, Jr. -- career-best 10 tackles and an interception at UNLV ... three tackles and a sack vs. New Mexico ... eight tackles, including two TFL on consecutive players inside the five yard line, vs. Navy ... seven tackles and a tackle for loss at Army ... has 152 career tackles and 12.0 TFL which ranks third-best among active players ... has 11 career turnovers (3 INT, 3 FF, 5 FR).
#44 - Patrick Hennessey -- sixth on the team in tackles with 54 ... second on the team with 8.0 tackles for loss ... three tackles vs. New Mexico ... five tackles and a tackle for loss at Army ... 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 ... career-best nine tackles, all unassisted, at San Diego State ... also had a sack and two tackles for loss ... his nine solo stops at SDSU are the most by a Falcon this season.
#46 - Jamil Cooks -- has blocked three kicks this season ... a punt and FG vs. Navy and a PAT vs. Colorado State ... recovered an onside kick vs. Utah ... recovered an on-side kick attempt vs. New Mexico ... 12 total tackles this season.
Secondary
#8 - Reggie Rembert, Jr. -- first-team All-American by AFCA, just the sixth Falcon ever to earn first-team honors ... first-team all-MWC for second straight year, the first Falcon to earn the honor in consecutive years since 1998-99 ... third in the conference in interceptions with three (.25 average) ... tied for second in the MWC in passes defended with a 1.00 average ... named mid-season All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com ... team-best eight tackles and a pass breakup vs. New Mexico ... seven tackles, four unassisted, a fumble recovery, interception and three pass breakups vs. Colorado State ... named MWC defensive player of the week and Walter Camp Football Foundation national defensive player of the week for his efforts ... leads all active players with 179 career tackles ... has been involved in 19 career turnovers (9 INT, 5 FF, 5 FR).
#5 - Anthony Wright, Jr. -- honorable mention all-MWC ... five tackles and a tackle for loss vs. New Mexico ... two interceptions this season ... three tackles and an interception at Army ... five tackles, a pass breakup and his first interception of the season vs. Utah ... career-high eight tackles and a pass breakup at Oklahoma ... ranks fifth in Air Force history and tied for fifth in MWC history with 10 career interceptions which is the most among active AF and MWC players ... he ranks second all-time in MWC history with 212 career INT return yards (327, Kevin Thomas, UNLV, 1999-01) ... 14 career turnovers (10 INT, 3 FF, 1 FR).
#6 - Jon Davis -- honorable mention all-MWC ... leads the team and is 10th in the MWC in tackles with 89, which is a 7.4 per-game average ... tied for the team lead with three 10-plus tackle games this season ... six tackles and a pass breakup at UNLV ... matched his career best in tackles with 12 vs. Utah ... team-high 10 tackles at TCU ... matched his career high with 12 tackles vs. Colorado State ... also had a tackle for loss and a forced fumble ... two interceptions this season ... 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 -- has missed the last six games due to injury and is out indefinitely ... 31 total tackles ... 4.5 tackles for loss this season ... has had at least one TFL in five of six games he's played this season ... career-high seven tackles vs. Colorado State ... had five tackles and a TFL in his first-career start in win over Northwestern State.
#34 - Anthony Wooding, Jr -- first-career start at TCU ... recorded a then-career-high eight tackles ... also recorded his first-career interception ... eight tackles vs. Utah ... one tackle vs. New Mexico ... career-best nine tackles at UNLV.
Specialists
#99 - Erik Soderberg -- has hit five of 10 field goals this season ... hit a season-best two field goals at SDSU ... hit from 25 and 30 yards while missing from 46 ... ranks sixth in the MWC in PAT percentage (95.5) ... has 27 career field goals which ranks sixth in Air Force history ... fourth in school history with 80 career PATs.
#97 - Keil Bartholomew -- averaging 41.1 yards per punt this season ... career-long punt of 55 yards vs. Colorado State ... had two punts for a 45.0 average in his first-career start in the win over Northwestern State.
