Air Force Football Opens 2011 Season Hosting South Dakota
8/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 29, 2011
Complete Release In PDF Format 
Saturday • Sept. 3 • 12 p.m. MT
Falcon Stadium (46,692) • USAF Academy, CO
TELEVISION
The Mountain West Sports Network (The Mtn)
Todd Harris (play-by-play); Todd Christensen (Analyst); Natalie Vickers (Sidelines)
RADIO
KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs; Goairforcefalcons.com
Jim Arthur (play-by-play); Lee Douglas (analyst); Jay Ritchie/Bob Ihle (pre- and post-game)
GAME FACTS: Air Force opens the 2011 season at home against South Dakota ... This is the first meeting between the two schools ... Air Force was picked third in the Mountain West in the media preseason poll this year while South Dakota was picked fourth in the Great West Conference ... The Falcons are 4-0 in season home openers with Troy Calhoun as head coach ... This season marks the fifth straight that Air Force has opened the season against a Football Championship Subdivision team ... The Falcons are riding a four-game winning streak into the game dating back to last year ... All 12 Air Force regular season games are being televised nationally this season.
COACHES
Air Force: Troy Calhoun (Air Force, 1989) is in his fifth season. He has led the Falcons to a 34-18 career record. Calhoun is 21-11 in MWC games, 13-7 in non-conference games, 19-5 in Falcon Stadium, 11-10 in road games (9-6 in MW road games) and 2-2 in bowl games.
South Dakota: Ed Meierkort (Dakota Wesleyan, 1982) is in his eighth season. He has led the Coyotes to a 48-30 record. Meierkort has a 103-85 career record in his 19th season.
THE SERIES: Air Force and South Dakota are meeting for the first time. This is also Air Force's first game against a team from the Great West Conference.
SEASON OPENERS
• Air Force is 34-19-2 overall in season openers, including a 29-8 mark in season openers at home.
• Air Force has won four straight and five of the last seven season openers with the only losses coming at No. 11 Tennessee in 2006 and vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• The Falcons have won six of the last seven season openers at home with the only loss coming vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• Air Force has won 13 straight season openers vs. unranked teams dating back to 34-21 setback vs. Colorado State in 1994.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is 4-0 in season openers, all four coming at home.
AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER CALHOUN
• Air Force is 13-7 against non-conference foes under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• The Falcons are 7-1 at home, 3-4 on the road and 3-2 in neutral site games.
• Air Force was 4-1 last season and has won six of the last seven with the only loss coming at No. 7 Oklahoma.
HOME SWEET HOME: Air Force tied the school record last season 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).
SCHEDULE NOTES
• Air Force's 2011 schedule features six teams that played in bowl games in 2010.
• Air Force opponents were 74-75 overall last season.
• Six opponents posted winning records in 2010.
• Air Force has its first open date since 2008 in the schedule. The Falcons have played 12 straight weeks in three of head coach Troy Calhoun's five seasons at the helm.
AIR FORCE VS. FCS TEAMS: Air Force is 15-0 all-time against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Head Coach Troy Calhoun is 4-0, including last season's 65-21 victory over Northwestern State to open the season.
LOOKING AT SOUTH DAKOTA: South Dakota is a member of the Great West Conference ... The Coyotes were 4-7 overall last season and finished fourth in the conference with a 1-3 mark ... South Dakota defeated Big Ten member Minnesota, 41-38, last season ... USD took the lead against Minnesota in the first quarter and never trailed ... USD also beat Northern Colorado, 34-6, at home in 2010 ... The team's top quarterback, Dante Warren, returns this season ... Warren threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Minnesota ... The squad returns 21 starters from last season and 53 letterwinners overall ... Following this week's game, USD hosts defending FCS national champion Eastern Washington and then travels to Wisconsin.
2010 AIR FORCE RECAP: Air Force concluded the 2010 season with a 9-4 overall record and finished third in the Mountain West with a 5-3 mark. The Falcons defeated Georgia Tech, 14-7, in the Independence Bowl. The victory marks Air Force's second straight in a bowl which is the first time since 1998-2000 that the team has won back-to-back bowl games.
Head Coach Troy Calhoun is the first coach in school history to win eight or more games and to take his team to a post-season bowl in each of his first four years. Calhoun has an overall record of 34-18 and is 21-11 in MWC games.
The Falcons won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 2002 with victories over Army and Navy in 2010. The Falcons also were ranked in the top 25 for the first time since 2003 and posted it's first win as a ranked team since 2002 with a win over Colorado State.
AIR FORCE BY THE NUMBERS
2 - 100-yard kickoff returns for a touchdown by Jonathan Warzeka, a school and Mountain West record.
4 - straight season home opening wins and current Air Force winning streak dating back to last season.
8 - number of starters returning that started all 13 games last season.
10 - number of times Air Force had 400 or more total yards in a game last season.
11 - different categories that senior quarterback Tim Jefferson ranks in the top 10 in Air Force history.
12 - consecutive years Air Force has won the Mountain West rushing title.
13 - total number of starters return from 2010.
19 - wins in 24 games in Falcon Stadium for Air Force under head coach Troy Calhoun.
21 - number of wins for senior starting quarterback Tim Jefferson, the second-most in school history.
25 - games under head coach Troy Calhoun with a 100-yard rusher. Team is 21-4 in these games.
36 - consecutive starts made by senior defensive back Anthony Wright.
39 - consecutive starts by the offensive line trio of A.J. Wallerstein, Michael Hester and Jason Kons.
1,435 - career rushing yards by senior quarterback Tim Jefferson, 26th-best in school history.
2,484 - career rushing yards by senior tailback Asher Clark, the sixth-most in school history.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY:
Air Force defeated both Army (42-22) and Navy (14-6) last season to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 2002. The 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 2011 season marks the 40th year of trophy competition. Air Force has a 51-27-0 all-time CIC record.
Air Force outright CIC title years:
`82, `83, `85, `87, `89, `90, `91, `92, `94, `95, `97, `98, `99, `00, `01, `02, `10
ATTENDANCE NOTES: Air Force's average home attendance of 40,093 last 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. The 2010 season marked the first time 2002 that the Academy had four crowds of over 40,000 in one season overall. Air Force had back-to-back sell outs last 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).
FALCONS PICKED THIRD IN MOUNTAIN WEST: Air Force was picked to finish third in the Mountain West in 2011. Boise State was picked to win the league while defending champion TCU was picked second.
BLOCKED KICKS
• Air Force blocked four kicks in 2010.
• Jamil Cooks had 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.
• Anthony Wooding, Jr., had 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 FOURTH NATIONALLY WITH 220-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 the 13th longest in Division I-A college history
FALCONS AMOUNG NATIONAL LEADERS IN APR: The Air Force Academy football team's APR score of 978 for the 2009-10 academic year ranks 10th nationally, according to data released by the NCAA. The Air Force football program, along with women's cross country, wrestling and women's track were recognized by the NCAA with Division I Academic Performance Public Recognition Awards. 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.
AIR FORCE LEADS THE WAY WITH ALUMNI COACHES: Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is one of 18 FBS head coaches that is leading his alma mater. Calhoun, 1989 Academy graduate, is in his fifth year. The Falcons have eight Academy graduates as coaches on the staff which is more than any other school in the nation.
Academy graduates on coaching staff
Troy Calhoun (`89), head coach
Ben Miller (`02), tight ends, special teams coordinator
Blane Morgan (`99), offensive coordinator/QBs
Lt. Col. Bill Price (`91), varsity/JV assistant
Capt. John Rudzinksi (`05), defensive assistant
Lt. Col. Darryl Sumrall (`89), junior varsity head coach, varsity assistant
Mike Thiessen (`01), asst. head coach/offensive coordinator, WRs
Carlton Warren (`99), asst head coach/co-defensive coordinator, secondary, recruiting
FBS Head Coaches at Alma Mater
Troy Calhoun, Air Force (`89); Jon Embree, Colorado (`88); Steve Fairchild, Colorado State (`81); Ruffin McNeill, East Carolina (`80); Joker Phillips, Kentucky (`85); Don Treadwell, Miami-Ohio (`82); Larry Porter, Memphis (`96); Chris Ault, Nevada (`69,'73); Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (`97); Luke Fickell, Ohio State (`97); Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State (`90); David Shaw, Stanford (`95); Doug Marrone, Syracuse (`91); Bill Blankenship, Tulsa (`79); Rick Neuheisel, UCLA (`84); Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech (`69); Paul Wulff, Washington State (`90); Willie Taggart, Western Kentucky (`98).
AIR FORCE TAKEAWAYS
• Air Force is a combined +50 in turnover margin the last four seasons.
• Air Force was second in the conference with a +.38 turnover margin in 2010.
• Air Force led the nation in turnover margin with a 1.69 per-game mark in 2009.
START CHART: Several Falcons have significant streaks going in terms of consecutive games started. Senior DB Anthony Wright leads the way with 36 straight dating back to 2009. Senior DB Jon Davis has the second-longest streak with 26. Senior RB Asher Clark is third at 19 followed by senior QB Tim Jefferson with 18. Wright leads the way in overall games started as well with 36. Jefferson is second with 31 and Clark with 27. Davis is fourth with 26 and senior kicker Erik Soderberg is fifth with 23.
SECONDARY RANKED NINTH NATIONALLY: The Air Force defensive secondary is ranked as the ninth best unit in the nation, according to a ranking by Rivals.com. The unit returns three starters, including preseason first-team all-conference selections Anthony Wright and Jon Davis. Alabama is ranked first, followed by Penn State, LSU, Florida State, Stanford, Oregon, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Air Force and Oklahoma.
WARZEKA ON HORNUNG WATCH LIST: Air Force senior WR/KR Jonathan Warzeka is one of 50 players on the 2011 Watch List for the Paul Hurnung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, announced by the Louisville Sports Commission and football legend Paul Hornung.
Warzeka is a preseason all-Mountain West Conference selection and was named the conference's preseason special teams player of the year. He led the MWC in kickoff returns last season with a 28.7 average and his 27.9 career average is the best in Air Force history. Warzeka has two career 100-yard kickoff returns touchdowns, vs. Houston in the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl and last season vs. Colorado State.
The 2011 Watch List was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on 2010 statistics and expectations heading into the 2011 season. There are 20 seniors, 20 juniors and 10 sophomores representing 46 universities and all 11 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For the complete watch list visit paulhornungaward.com.
The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players that often go unnoticed. Owen Marecic of Stanford, a two-way starter and All Pac-10 performer at fullback and linebacker, won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award in 2010.
JEFFERSON WITHIN ONE WIN OF SCHOOL RECORD: QB Tim Jefferson has a 21-10 career record as a starter and is tied for second in school history in career wins. He trails only Dee Dowis (1986-89) on the career wins lists.
JEFFERSON HAS THIRD MOST WINS NATIONALLY: Air Force quarterback Tim Jefferson ranks third nationally with 20 career wins as a starter entering the season. Jefferson's .677 winning percentage is the sixth-best nationally. Boise State's Kellen Moore is the leader in each category with a 38-2 (.950) career record.
WALLERSTEIN ON GOOD WORKS LIST: Air Force senior offensive lineman A.J. Wallerstein is one of a record 132 nominees for the AFCA Good Works Team, announced by the AllState Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association. Wallerstein has been active in his Academy cadet squadron in leadership positions of element leader and academic officer and is on the cadet leadership team during Basic Cadet Training this summer where he was responsible for leading basic cadets in various areas of military training. He was also active in a community service project that donated over 50 man-hours to the Black Forest Animal Sanctuary in Colorado Springs.
This year marks the program's 20th year honoring college football players at all levels of competition who stand out for their "good works" in the community. Since 1992, selection to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has become the gold standard for off-the-field character and leadership for college football players. The honor is widely considered the sport's pre-eminent community service award. In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and the AFCA, each player must be actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing.
CLARK ON DOAK WALKER LIST: Air Force senior running back Asher Clark is one of 51 candidates for the 2011 Doak Walker Award, according to an announcement by the PwC SMC Athletic Forum. Ten semifinalists will be announced on Nov. 11 and the recipient will be named live on ESPN on Dec. 8. Clark was a second-team all-Mountain West selection last season after rushing for 1,031 yards, becoming just the 13th player overall and fourth tailback in Air Force history to hit the 1,000-yard mark in a season. Clark was third in the conference in rushing with a 79.3 per-game average. A native of Lawrenceville, Ga., Clark became the ninth player in Air Force history to hit the 2,000-yard mark for his career. He ranks sixth overall and second among tailbacks in school history with 2,484 career yards.
CLARK CAREER RUSHING NUMBERS: Senior tailback Asher Clark is sixth in Air Force history in career rushing yards with 2,484. Clark is second among tailbacks, trailing only Chad Hall (2005-07), who had 2,606.
HONORS: Honors won by Air Force players in 2011 follow.
• A.J. Wallerstein: American Football Coaches Association Good Works watch list ... Preseason first-team all-MW by MW media ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Athlon Magazine ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Blue Ribbon Magazine.
• Jonathan Warzeka: Paul Hornung Award watch list ... Preseason Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year by MW media ... Preseason first-team all-MW by MWC media ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine ... College Football Performance Awards preseason kickoff return specialist watch list ... Preseason second-team all-MW by Athlon Magazine ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Blue Ribbon Magazine.
• Jon Davis: Preseason first-team all-MW by MWC media ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine ... College Football Performance Awards preseason defensive back watch list ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Athlon Magazine ... Preseason first-team all-MW by Blue Ribbon Magazine.
• Asher Clark: Doak Walker National Running Back Award watch list ... Preseason second-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine ... Preseason second-team all-MW by Athlon Magazine.
Jason Kons: Preseason second-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine ... Preseason second-team all-MW by Athlon Magazine.
• Jordan Waiwaiole: Preseason second-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine.
• Brady Amack: Preseason second-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine.
• Anthony Wright: Preseason first-team all-MW by MWC media ... Preseason second-team all-MW by Phill Steele's Magazine ... College Football Performance Awards preseason punt return specialist watch list ... Preseason second-team all-MW by Athlon Magazine.
• Erik Soderberg: College Football Performance Awards preseason kickoff specialist watch list.
