Air Force heads to 2026 Old Trapper Mountain West Football Media Days
7/10/2026 7:35:00 AM | Football
Wednesday-Thursday, July 15-16, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV
Air Force heads to 2026 Old Trapper Mountain West Football Media Days
Wednesday-Thursday, July 15-16, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV
AIR FORCE PERSONNEL ATTENDING
Head Coach Troy Calhoun enters his 20th season leading the Falcons, where he has a 139-97 overall record and 83-63 mark in Mountain West play. He has led Air Force to 13 bowl games, including a school-record six straight from 2007-12. He has led the Falcons to the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy five times, including 2022.
Senior OL Luke Vonderhaar anchored an offensive line that helped Air Force lead the conference and rank third nationally in rushing with a 261.4 average. Air Force led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation in time of possession with a 33:52 mark and were second in the Mountain West and 22nd nationally in sacks allowed with a 1.33 average.
Senior ILB Blake Fletcher was a second-team all-Mountain West selection in 2025. He led the team, ranked third in the Mountain West and 21st nationally in tackles with 108, a 9.0 per-game average. He became the first Falcon with 100-plus tackles (108) in a season since Jeremy Fejedelem in 2018. His 108 tackles are the most by a Falcon since Jordan Pierce had 177 in 2014.
Senior OLB Isaac Hubert led the Falcons in tackles for loss with 11.5 for 41 yards and in sacks with 5.0 for 25 yards. He had a stop behind the line of scrimmage in six games total. Hubert recorded a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss for seven yards vs. Hawaii.
Junior QB Liam Szarka was an honorable mention all-Mountain West selection after leading the team in rushing (190 carries, 922 yards, 13 touchdowns), passing (75-120-5-1,294-9) and total offense (310 plays, 2.216 yards, 221.6 avg). He became the first player in Mountain West history to record three straight games of 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing, accomplishing vs. Boise State, Hawaii and Navy. He is one of just six quarterbacks nationally since 1996 to do it and first since Lamar Jackson of Louisville from 2015-16.
2026 SCHEDULE NOTES
Air Force's 2026 schedule features seven home games, including service academy rival Navy, along with conference newcomers North Dakota State and UTEP, plus Duquesne, UNLV, UConn and San Jose State.
NEW LOOK MOUNTAIN WEST
The Mountain West has nine football members, including Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois (NIU), San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming. North Dakota State and NIU join for football only while UTEP joins as a full member in all sports.
COACHING STAFF UPDATE
• Air Force welcomed back a familiar face in Steve Russ, who returned to become defensive coordinator. Russ returned to the Academy from Alabama-Birmingham, where he was the defensive coordinator in 2025.
• Larry Hart joined the staff as defensive tackles coach, coming from Campbell University.
• Troy Calhoun will not coach a position this season. He served as fullbacks the last five seasons and coached slot receivers in 2019 and 2020 before his stint with the fullbacks.
CALHOUN CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
Make it back-to-back decades for head coach Troy Calhoun leading the Falcons, as he enters his 20th year. His 20-year tenure ties as the second longest in program history. Ben Martin led the program for 20 years from 1958-77. Fisher DeBerry has the longest tenure, leading the program for 23 years from 1984-2006 before Calhoun took over. Air Force has had just six coaches as an intercollegiate program since 1956.
Calhoun is the second-longest tenured coach in FBS football, trailing only Kirt Ferentz of Iowa, who enters his 28th season in 2026.
CHARTING CALHOUN
• Troy Calhoun leads all active Mountain West coaches in conference wins with 83. Calhoun is second all-time in conference history in wins, trailing only former New Mexico and San Diego State head coach Rocky Long, who had 91.
• Calhoun ranks third nationally in most wins at one school among active head coaches with a 139-97 record in 19 seasons at Air Force.
• Calhoun ranks eighth among active coaches in 10-win seasons with five.
ONLY IOWA HAS LONGER STREAK
Air Force has had just two head coaches the last 43 years, as Troy Calhoun enters his 20th season leading the program in 2026. He replaced the legendary Fisher DeBerry, who led the program for 23 years from 1984 to 2006.
Iowa is the only other program in the nation with just two coaches during that span. The Hawkeyes have had just two head coaches in the last 48 years. Hayden Fry led the program for 20 years from 1979 to 1998 before current head coach Kirk Ferentz took over in 1999 and enters his 28th season in 2026.
TRANSFER PORTAL SUCCESS
Air Force and Texas Tech are the only two schools nationally to not lose anyone that played in a game last year to the transfer portal. Arizona and defending national champion Indiana lost one each. New Mexico (4) and Hawaii (5) were next best in the Mountain West.
FALCONS SECOND IN MW; 37TH NATIONALLY IN RETURNING PRODUCTION
Air Force ranks second in the Mountain West and 37th nationally in overall returning production entering the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Bill Connelly. The Falcons have 59 percent of their production returning, trailing only New Mexico (63 percent) in the conference. Connelly's formula for offense is 39.6 percent of returning offensive line snaps, 35 percent of returning receivers, 22.3 percent of returning quarterbacks and 3.1 percent of returning running backs. Defensively, it's 65.9 percent of returning snaps, 19.2 percent of returning tackles and 14.9 percent of returning TFL.
AIR FORCE AT HOME UNDER TROY CALHOUN
• Air Force is 81-32 in Falcon Stadium under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force had a school-record 15-game winning streak from 2014 to Oct. 22, 2016.
• The Falcons finished undefeated at home six times overall in school history, four coming under Calhoun.
AF WITH TWO OR MORE TURNOVERS
• Air Force has won 25 of the last 30 games when forcing two or more turnovers.
• Air Force is 41-7 when forcing two or more turnovers the last 10 seasons. Air Force is 16-3 on the road, 24-4 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games.
BLOCKED KICKS
• Air Force has blocked 45 kicks since 2007 under Troy Calhoun (15 FGs, 20 PATs, 10 punts).
• Senior DL Daniel Grobe has the most recent block, a FGA vs. Navy in 2024.
• Air Force has blocked 143 kicks since 1990 when the program began tracking them. (42 field goals, 40 PATs and 61 punts)
THE DIESEL STORY
• The Air Force offensive line is nicknamed the Diesel. The background dates to 2018 when center Christopher Mitchell happened to be walking through the locker room and bumped into tight end Lesley Dalger, who referred to Mitchell as a diesel. The lineman took it and ran with it. The group developed a motto of "It starts with us" meaning that if the offensive line doesn't have a solid game it will be difficult to win. The group takes that mentality to practice every day. They have a blue-collar, bring-your-lunch-pail-to-work mentality. The linemen have hats with a diesel pump and a drop of fuel on the front. Legend has it that they found the hats at a truck stop. The mother of a former Falcon, Wolfgang Rehbock, helped secure 20-25 hats to get it started. Offensive linemen have to earn the hat, but they also give them out to other position players that they feel take on their mentality. There is an official ceremony when a player earns the hat, which is voted on by seniors on the offensive line. The ceremony is shrouded in secrecy, as the members do not discuss it.
• The Falcons led the MW and ranked third nationally in rushing last season with a 261.4 average. The Falcons led the MW and ranked fourth nationally in time of possession (33:52). The line allowed 1.33 sacks per game, second best in the MW and 22nd nationally.
AIR FORCE RUSHING
• Air Force averaged 261.4 yards rushing last season which led the Mountain West and ranked third nationally.
• Air Force won three straight national rushing titles from 2020-22. The Falcons are just the second school to win three straight titles and first since 2008. Air Force was the only program to average over 300 yards each season.
• Air Force went wire-to-wire for the first time in program history while winning the 2022 title, leading the nation since the first week of the season, setting a new school record for consecutive weeks leading the nation with 15.
• Air Force has won the national rushing title four times overall in program history. National title years: 2002 (307.8), 2020 (305.7), 2021 (327.7), 2022 (326.7).
• Air Force has ranked in the nation's top 10 in 12 straight years and 42 of the last 44.
AIR FORCE DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Air Force held five of the last six opponents to 21 points or less. The Falcons held Wyoming to 21, Army 20, San Jose State 16, New Mexico 20 and Colorado State 21. The Falcons also did it in the season opener vs. Bucknell (13).
• The Falcons allowed just 20.7 points per game and 349.7 total yards per game the last six games of the season compared to 40.0 points and 496.7 total yards the first six games.
• Air Force recorded the first interception last season by UConn, as freshman safety Max Mustell recorded the INT in the first quarter. Quarterback Joe Fagnano had 379 consecutive passes without an interception. The Falcons did it the week before at San Jose State, intercepting Walker Eget for the first time in 276 pass attempts. Combined over the two weeks, the Falcons ended streaks of 655 combined pass attempts.
• Air Force scored a defensive touchdown against Bucknell when sophomore Mikhail Sieken forced a fumble and fellow sophomore Korey Johnson returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. The fumble return TD is the first for Air Force Sept. 22, 2018, vs. Utah State.
KICKING GAME NOTES
• Air Force hit all 40 extra point attempts last season. Jacob Medina was 26-26 and Reagan Tubbs was 14-14. The Falcons have hit 75 straight dating back to the Colorado State game in 2023.
THE KUTER TROPHY
The General Laurence S. Kuter Trophy, named after the first PACAF commander, is a tribute to the friendship between Hawai'i and Air Force and to the cooperation between the people of Hawai'i and their Air Force. The trophy was conceived by the University of Hawai'i, sponsored by the Pacific Air Command, and the Air Force Academy helped design it. The Kuter trophy is presented to the winner of the annual football game between the two schools. Hawaii holds the trophy following a 44-35 win at Air Force in 2025.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY
The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Commander-in-Chief's trophy competition. The trophy goes annually to the winning academy with the best record in the round-robin competition. The winning team goes to the White House to receive the trophy from the President of the United States. Air Force has a series-best 66-42 record and has won 21 trophy titles, the most in the series. The Falcons are the only program to visit every president from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump.
FULLBACK OWEN ALLEN
• Senior FB Owen Allen finished second on the team in rushing last season with 750 yards and five touchdowns on 132 carries.
• Ranked fourth in the MW in yards per carry (5.7), fifth in rushing yards (750) and fifth in rushing yards per game (62.5).
• Tied for the team lead in 100-yard rushing games with five, all five coming in the last seven games of the season.
• Averaged 148.5 yards against UNLV and Wyoming, posting back-to-back 100-yard games for the first time in his career.
• Career day at UNLV, rushing for a career-high 192 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries...averaged 11.3 ypc.
• His 192 yards was the most by a Falcon last season and the most since Emmanuel Michel ran for 203 against James Madison on Dec. 23, 2023.
• Added his second straight 100-yard game with 105 yards vs. Wyoming.
• Went over the 1,000-yard mark for his career in the season finale against Colorado State, becoming the 64th Falcon to accomplish it. He is the 21st fullback to do it. Allen now ranks 60th in program history with 1,085 yards.
QUARTERBACK LIAM SZARKA
• Junior QB Liam Szarka led the team in rushing (190 carries, 922 yards, 13 touchdowns), passing (75-120-5-1,294-9) and total offense (310p, 2,216y, 221.6 avg) last season.
• First Falcon since Karson Roberts (2,338) in 2015 to have 2,000-plus yards of total offense. His 1,294 yards passing are the most since Donald Hammond III (1,316) in 2019.
• One of only two FBS players to throw for at least 1,000 yards and rush for at least 900 last season along with Navy's Blake Horvath. Szarka is one of only seven players in Mountain West history to accomplish that feat and only the second in the last 10 years (Devon Dampier, New Mexico, 2024).
• First FBS player to have at least 1,200 passing yards, 800 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores through eight team games of a season since Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts in 2019. No other MW player has reached those marks through eight team games of a campaign.
• First player in MW history with three straight 200-yard passing, 100-yard rushing games (Boise State, Hawaii, Navy). He is one of only six nationally since 1996 to do it and first since Lamar Jackson of Louisville from 2015-16...his streak is below.
NCAA 200/100 Games Streaks since 1996
Lamar Jackson, Louisville, 4, 2015-16
Liam Szarka, Air Force, 3, 2025
Dak Prescott, Miss. State, 3, 2014
Jordan Lynch, NIU, 3, 2012
Jordan Lynch, NIU, 3, 2012
Chandler Harnish, NIU, 3, 2011
• Averaged 379.3 yards of total offense during the streak (134.0 rushing, 245.3 passing), while rushing for four TDs and passing for six.
• Set a Mountain West and Air Force school record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games for a quarterback with five straight...his streak was the longest active streak in the nation...one of four players in program history to have five straight, joining Brad Roberts (2022) and Cody Getz (2012) with five.
• His .625 completion percentage is the fourth best in program history for a single season.
• Rushed for a team-high 91 yards and two touchdowns on a career-best 29 carries vs. Army...hit 13 of 17 passes for 161 yards with two interceptions.
• Rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries vs. Wyoming...also hit 3-8 passes for 33 yards with a long of 18.
• Rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns at UNLV. He also hit 10 of 17 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown...his 311 total yards marks his fourth game this season over 300 in a game.
• Recorded 364 total yards at Navy, rushing for a career-best 152 yards and two TDs and hitting 11-19 passes for 212 yards and two TDs...364 total yards ranks eighth in program history.
• Made the most of the first start of his career vs. Hawaii, rushing for 139 yards on 17 carries and hitting 10-12 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns...recorded a new school record with 417 yards of total offense (278 passing and 139 rushing). The previous record of 396 was set by Arion Worthman vs. Navy in 2017...set new career highs in passing yards (278), completion percentage (83.3), passing touchdowns (3). Had a 64-yard run, the longest of his career. His three touchdown passes are the most since Donald Hammond had four against New Mexico in 2019.
SZARKA RANKED NO. 1 IN FOURTH QTR
Quarterback Liam Szarka was the top-ranked FBS quarterback in the fourth quarter in 2025. PFSN College analytics ranked the top quarterbacks and their Nov. 17 ranking follows. Szarka missed remainder of season, so this was the last time he appeared.
Liam Szarka, Air Force: 92.7
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor: 89.4
Gunner Stockton, Georgia: 87.9
Brad Jackson, Texas State: 87.3
Demond Williams Jr., Washington: 86.6
Haynes King, Georgia Tech: 86.3
Tommy Castellanos, FSU: 86.0
Anthony Colandrea, UNLV: 85.7
Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State: 84.6
Darian Mensah, Duke: 84.6
Bear Bachmeier, BYU: 84.6
Byrum Brown, USF: 84.4
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: 84.3
Michael Van Buren Jr., LSU: 83.9
Luke Altmyer, Illinois: 83.9
LINEBACKER BLAKE FLETCHER
• Senior inside linebacker Blake Fletcher led the team and ranked third in the Mountain West in tackles last season. A second-team all-MW selection, he recorded 108 total tackles, including a team-best-tying 39 unassisted. He led the Falcons in tackles in seven games. He recorded double figures in tackles six times and matched his career high with 11 tackles five times (Bucknell, Utah State, Hawaii, Navy, New Mexico).
• Fletcher is the first Falcon since Jeremy Fejedelem (104) in 2018 to record 100 tackles in a season. His 108 stops are the most since Jordan Pierce had 117 in 2014.
• Fletcher averaged 9.0 tackles per game which ranked third in the MW and 21st in the nation.
LINEBACKER ISAAC HUBERT
• Senior OLB Isaac Hubert found a home at outside linebacker last season. He led the team in tackles for loss with 11.5 for 41 yards and sacks with 5.0 for 25 yards.
• Hubert recorded a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss for seven yards vs. Hawaii. He had multiple stops behind the line of scrimmage in five games and at least one in six games last season.
• Hubert won the Wing Open boxing championship heavyweight division with a technical knockout of the defending champion in February. The victory would qualify Hubert to represent the team in the regional championships, but his focus is football and he did not move forward in the competition. He participated in football practice Friday afternoon before fighting in the Wing Open. He was then at football practice Saturday morning. Hubert made it to the semifinals of the Wing Open the previous season.
SAFETY MUSTELL STEPPED UP
• Sophomore safety Max Mustell was third on the team in tackles with 59, including 32 unassisted, last season. He led the Falcons in interceptions with three, ranking 10th in the MW. He also had four pass breakups.
• He made the most of his first career start vs. Boise State, recording a game- and career-high 13 tackles, which tied as the most by a Falcon last season. He had five solo tackles, a pass breakup and an interception, which came in the end zone.
• Mustell tied for the team lead in tackles with eight vs. UConn. He also recorded his third INT of the season, the first thrown by UConn on the season.
SAFETY ROGER JONES, JR
Junior safety Roger Jones, Jr. was second on the team in tackles with 76 and tied for the team lead in solo stops with 39 last season while earning honorable mention all-MW honors. He was second on the team in interceptions with two. He also forced a fumble. Jones had a career-high 13 tackles vs. Navy, which tied as the most by a Falcon last season. He added his second double figure games with a team-high 10 vs. Wyoming. He also had a tackle for loss and an interception, which came in the end zone during the fourth quarter with the game tied 14-14 with 9:30 remaining. The pick kept the score tied and Falcons took the lead for good on the next possession. He was named Mountain West defensive player of the week for his efforts.
Wednesday-Thursday, July 15-16, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV
AIR FORCE PERSONNEL ATTENDING
Head Coach Troy Calhoun enters his 20th season leading the Falcons, where he has a 139-97 overall record and 83-63 mark in Mountain West play. He has led Air Force to 13 bowl games, including a school-record six straight from 2007-12. He has led the Falcons to the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy five times, including 2022.
Senior OL Luke Vonderhaar anchored an offensive line that helped Air Force lead the conference and rank third nationally in rushing with a 261.4 average. Air Force led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation in time of possession with a 33:52 mark and were second in the Mountain West and 22nd nationally in sacks allowed with a 1.33 average.
Senior ILB Blake Fletcher was a second-team all-Mountain West selection in 2025. He led the team, ranked third in the Mountain West and 21st nationally in tackles with 108, a 9.0 per-game average. He became the first Falcon with 100-plus tackles (108) in a season since Jeremy Fejedelem in 2018. His 108 tackles are the most by a Falcon since Jordan Pierce had 177 in 2014.
Senior OLB Isaac Hubert led the Falcons in tackles for loss with 11.5 for 41 yards and in sacks with 5.0 for 25 yards. He had a stop behind the line of scrimmage in six games total. Hubert recorded a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss for seven yards vs. Hawaii.
Junior QB Liam Szarka was an honorable mention all-Mountain West selection after leading the team in rushing (190 carries, 922 yards, 13 touchdowns), passing (75-120-5-1,294-9) and total offense (310 plays, 2.216 yards, 221.6 avg). He became the first player in Mountain West history to record three straight games of 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing, accomplishing vs. Boise State, Hawaii and Navy. He is one of just six quarterbacks nationally since 1996 to do it and first since Lamar Jackson of Louisville from 2015-16.
2026 SCHEDULE NOTES
Air Force's 2026 schedule features seven home games, including service academy rival Navy, along with conference newcomers North Dakota State and UTEP, plus Duquesne, UNLV, UConn and San Jose State.
NEW LOOK MOUNTAIN WEST
The Mountain West has nine football members, including Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois (NIU), San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming. North Dakota State and NIU join for football only while UTEP joins as a full member in all sports.
COACHING STAFF UPDATE
• Air Force welcomed back a familiar face in Steve Russ, who returned to become defensive coordinator. Russ returned to the Academy from Alabama-Birmingham, where he was the defensive coordinator in 2025.
• Larry Hart joined the staff as defensive tackles coach, coming from Campbell University.
• Troy Calhoun will not coach a position this season. He served as fullbacks the last five seasons and coached slot receivers in 2019 and 2020 before his stint with the fullbacks.
CALHOUN CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
Make it back-to-back decades for head coach Troy Calhoun leading the Falcons, as he enters his 20th year. His 20-year tenure ties as the second longest in program history. Ben Martin led the program for 20 years from 1958-77. Fisher DeBerry has the longest tenure, leading the program for 23 years from 1984-2006 before Calhoun took over. Air Force has had just six coaches as an intercollegiate program since 1956.
Calhoun is the second-longest tenured coach in FBS football, trailing only Kirt Ferentz of Iowa, who enters his 28th season in 2026.
CHARTING CALHOUN
• Troy Calhoun leads all active Mountain West coaches in conference wins with 83. Calhoun is second all-time in conference history in wins, trailing only former New Mexico and San Diego State head coach Rocky Long, who had 91.
• Calhoun ranks third nationally in most wins at one school among active head coaches with a 139-97 record in 19 seasons at Air Force.
• Calhoun ranks eighth among active coaches in 10-win seasons with five.
ONLY IOWA HAS LONGER STREAK
Air Force has had just two head coaches the last 43 years, as Troy Calhoun enters his 20th season leading the program in 2026. He replaced the legendary Fisher DeBerry, who led the program for 23 years from 1984 to 2006.
Iowa is the only other program in the nation with just two coaches during that span. The Hawkeyes have had just two head coaches in the last 48 years. Hayden Fry led the program for 20 years from 1979 to 1998 before current head coach Kirk Ferentz took over in 1999 and enters his 28th season in 2026.
TRANSFER PORTAL SUCCESS
Air Force and Texas Tech are the only two schools nationally to not lose anyone that played in a game last year to the transfer portal. Arizona and defending national champion Indiana lost one each. New Mexico (4) and Hawaii (5) were next best in the Mountain West.
FALCONS SECOND IN MW; 37TH NATIONALLY IN RETURNING PRODUCTION
Air Force ranks second in the Mountain West and 37th nationally in overall returning production entering the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Bill Connelly. The Falcons have 59 percent of their production returning, trailing only New Mexico (63 percent) in the conference. Connelly's formula for offense is 39.6 percent of returning offensive line snaps, 35 percent of returning receivers, 22.3 percent of returning quarterbacks and 3.1 percent of returning running backs. Defensively, it's 65.9 percent of returning snaps, 19.2 percent of returning tackles and 14.9 percent of returning TFL.
AIR FORCE AT HOME UNDER TROY CALHOUN
• Air Force is 81-32 in Falcon Stadium under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force had a school-record 15-game winning streak from 2014 to Oct. 22, 2016.
• The Falcons finished undefeated at home six times overall in school history, four coming under Calhoun.
AF WITH TWO OR MORE TURNOVERS
• Air Force has won 25 of the last 30 games when forcing two or more turnovers.
• Air Force is 41-7 when forcing two or more turnovers the last 10 seasons. Air Force is 16-3 on the road, 24-4 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games.
BLOCKED KICKS
• Air Force has blocked 45 kicks since 2007 under Troy Calhoun (15 FGs, 20 PATs, 10 punts).
• Senior DL Daniel Grobe has the most recent block, a FGA vs. Navy in 2024.
• Air Force has blocked 143 kicks since 1990 when the program began tracking them. (42 field goals, 40 PATs and 61 punts)
THE DIESEL STORY
• The Air Force offensive line is nicknamed the Diesel. The background dates to 2018 when center Christopher Mitchell happened to be walking through the locker room and bumped into tight end Lesley Dalger, who referred to Mitchell as a diesel. The lineman took it and ran with it. The group developed a motto of "It starts with us" meaning that if the offensive line doesn't have a solid game it will be difficult to win. The group takes that mentality to practice every day. They have a blue-collar, bring-your-lunch-pail-to-work mentality. The linemen have hats with a diesel pump and a drop of fuel on the front. Legend has it that they found the hats at a truck stop. The mother of a former Falcon, Wolfgang Rehbock, helped secure 20-25 hats to get it started. Offensive linemen have to earn the hat, but they also give them out to other position players that they feel take on their mentality. There is an official ceremony when a player earns the hat, which is voted on by seniors on the offensive line. The ceremony is shrouded in secrecy, as the members do not discuss it.
• The Falcons led the MW and ranked third nationally in rushing last season with a 261.4 average. The Falcons led the MW and ranked fourth nationally in time of possession (33:52). The line allowed 1.33 sacks per game, second best in the MW and 22nd nationally.
AIR FORCE RUSHING
• Air Force averaged 261.4 yards rushing last season which led the Mountain West and ranked third nationally.
• Air Force won three straight national rushing titles from 2020-22. The Falcons are just the second school to win three straight titles and first since 2008. Air Force was the only program to average over 300 yards each season.
• Air Force went wire-to-wire for the first time in program history while winning the 2022 title, leading the nation since the first week of the season, setting a new school record for consecutive weeks leading the nation with 15.
• Air Force has won the national rushing title four times overall in program history. National title years: 2002 (307.8), 2020 (305.7), 2021 (327.7), 2022 (326.7).
• Air Force has ranked in the nation's top 10 in 12 straight years and 42 of the last 44.
AIR FORCE DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Air Force held five of the last six opponents to 21 points or less. The Falcons held Wyoming to 21, Army 20, San Jose State 16, New Mexico 20 and Colorado State 21. The Falcons also did it in the season opener vs. Bucknell (13).
• The Falcons allowed just 20.7 points per game and 349.7 total yards per game the last six games of the season compared to 40.0 points and 496.7 total yards the first six games.
• Air Force recorded the first interception last season by UConn, as freshman safety Max Mustell recorded the INT in the first quarter. Quarterback Joe Fagnano had 379 consecutive passes without an interception. The Falcons did it the week before at San Jose State, intercepting Walker Eget for the first time in 276 pass attempts. Combined over the two weeks, the Falcons ended streaks of 655 combined pass attempts.
• Air Force scored a defensive touchdown against Bucknell when sophomore Mikhail Sieken forced a fumble and fellow sophomore Korey Johnson returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. The fumble return TD is the first for Air Force Sept. 22, 2018, vs. Utah State.
KICKING GAME NOTES
• Air Force hit all 40 extra point attempts last season. Jacob Medina was 26-26 and Reagan Tubbs was 14-14. The Falcons have hit 75 straight dating back to the Colorado State game in 2023.
THE KUTER TROPHY
The General Laurence S. Kuter Trophy, named after the first PACAF commander, is a tribute to the friendship between Hawai'i and Air Force and to the cooperation between the people of Hawai'i and their Air Force. The trophy was conceived by the University of Hawai'i, sponsored by the Pacific Air Command, and the Air Force Academy helped design it. The Kuter trophy is presented to the winner of the annual football game between the two schools. Hawaii holds the trophy following a 44-35 win at Air Force in 2025.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY
The 2026 season marks the 55th year of Commander-in-Chief's trophy competition. The trophy goes annually to the winning academy with the best record in the round-robin competition. The winning team goes to the White House to receive the trophy from the President of the United States. Air Force has a series-best 66-42 record and has won 21 trophy titles, the most in the series. The Falcons are the only program to visit every president from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump.
FULLBACK OWEN ALLEN
• Senior FB Owen Allen finished second on the team in rushing last season with 750 yards and five touchdowns on 132 carries.
• Ranked fourth in the MW in yards per carry (5.7), fifth in rushing yards (750) and fifth in rushing yards per game (62.5).
• Tied for the team lead in 100-yard rushing games with five, all five coming in the last seven games of the season.
• Averaged 148.5 yards against UNLV and Wyoming, posting back-to-back 100-yard games for the first time in his career.
• Career day at UNLV, rushing for a career-high 192 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries...averaged 11.3 ypc.
• His 192 yards was the most by a Falcon last season and the most since Emmanuel Michel ran for 203 against James Madison on Dec. 23, 2023.
• Added his second straight 100-yard game with 105 yards vs. Wyoming.
• Went over the 1,000-yard mark for his career in the season finale against Colorado State, becoming the 64th Falcon to accomplish it. He is the 21st fullback to do it. Allen now ranks 60th in program history with 1,085 yards.
QUARTERBACK LIAM SZARKA
• Junior QB Liam Szarka led the team in rushing (190 carries, 922 yards, 13 touchdowns), passing (75-120-5-1,294-9) and total offense (310p, 2,216y, 221.6 avg) last season.
• First Falcon since Karson Roberts (2,338) in 2015 to have 2,000-plus yards of total offense. His 1,294 yards passing are the most since Donald Hammond III (1,316) in 2019.
• One of only two FBS players to throw for at least 1,000 yards and rush for at least 900 last season along with Navy's Blake Horvath. Szarka is one of only seven players in Mountain West history to accomplish that feat and only the second in the last 10 years (Devon Dampier, New Mexico, 2024).
• First FBS player to have at least 1,200 passing yards, 800 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores through eight team games of a season since Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts in 2019. No other MW player has reached those marks through eight team games of a campaign.
• First player in MW history with three straight 200-yard passing, 100-yard rushing games (Boise State, Hawaii, Navy). He is one of only six nationally since 1996 to do it and first since Lamar Jackson of Louisville from 2015-16...his streak is below.
NCAA 200/100 Games Streaks since 1996
Lamar Jackson, Louisville, 4, 2015-16
Liam Szarka, Air Force, 3, 2025
Dak Prescott, Miss. State, 3, 2014
Jordan Lynch, NIU, 3, 2012
Jordan Lynch, NIU, 3, 2012
Chandler Harnish, NIU, 3, 2011
• Averaged 379.3 yards of total offense during the streak (134.0 rushing, 245.3 passing), while rushing for four TDs and passing for six.
• Set a Mountain West and Air Force school record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games for a quarterback with five straight...his streak was the longest active streak in the nation...one of four players in program history to have five straight, joining Brad Roberts (2022) and Cody Getz (2012) with five.
• His .625 completion percentage is the fourth best in program history for a single season.
• Rushed for a team-high 91 yards and two touchdowns on a career-best 29 carries vs. Army...hit 13 of 17 passes for 161 yards with two interceptions.
• Rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries vs. Wyoming...also hit 3-8 passes for 33 yards with a long of 18.
• Rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns at UNLV. He also hit 10 of 17 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown...his 311 total yards marks his fourth game this season over 300 in a game.
• Recorded 364 total yards at Navy, rushing for a career-best 152 yards and two TDs and hitting 11-19 passes for 212 yards and two TDs...364 total yards ranks eighth in program history.
• Made the most of the first start of his career vs. Hawaii, rushing for 139 yards on 17 carries and hitting 10-12 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns...recorded a new school record with 417 yards of total offense (278 passing and 139 rushing). The previous record of 396 was set by Arion Worthman vs. Navy in 2017...set new career highs in passing yards (278), completion percentage (83.3), passing touchdowns (3). Had a 64-yard run, the longest of his career. His three touchdown passes are the most since Donald Hammond had four against New Mexico in 2019.
SZARKA RANKED NO. 1 IN FOURTH QTR
Quarterback Liam Szarka was the top-ranked FBS quarterback in the fourth quarter in 2025. PFSN College analytics ranked the top quarterbacks and their Nov. 17 ranking follows. Szarka missed remainder of season, so this was the last time he appeared.
Liam Szarka, Air Force: 92.7
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor: 89.4
Gunner Stockton, Georgia: 87.9
Brad Jackson, Texas State: 87.3
Demond Williams Jr., Washington: 86.6
Haynes King, Georgia Tech: 86.3
Tommy Castellanos, FSU: 86.0
Anthony Colandrea, UNLV: 85.7
Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State: 84.6
Darian Mensah, Duke: 84.6
Bear Bachmeier, BYU: 84.6
Byrum Brown, USF: 84.4
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: 84.3
Michael Van Buren Jr., LSU: 83.9
Luke Altmyer, Illinois: 83.9
LINEBACKER BLAKE FLETCHER
• Senior inside linebacker Blake Fletcher led the team and ranked third in the Mountain West in tackles last season. A second-team all-MW selection, he recorded 108 total tackles, including a team-best-tying 39 unassisted. He led the Falcons in tackles in seven games. He recorded double figures in tackles six times and matched his career high with 11 tackles five times (Bucknell, Utah State, Hawaii, Navy, New Mexico).
• Fletcher is the first Falcon since Jeremy Fejedelem (104) in 2018 to record 100 tackles in a season. His 108 stops are the most since Jordan Pierce had 117 in 2014.
• Fletcher averaged 9.0 tackles per game which ranked third in the MW and 21st in the nation.
LINEBACKER ISAAC HUBERT
• Senior OLB Isaac Hubert found a home at outside linebacker last season. He led the team in tackles for loss with 11.5 for 41 yards and sacks with 5.0 for 25 yards.
• Hubert recorded a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss for seven yards vs. Hawaii. He had multiple stops behind the line of scrimmage in five games and at least one in six games last season.
• Hubert won the Wing Open boxing championship heavyweight division with a technical knockout of the defending champion in February. The victory would qualify Hubert to represent the team in the regional championships, but his focus is football and he did not move forward in the competition. He participated in football practice Friday afternoon before fighting in the Wing Open. He was then at football practice Saturday morning. Hubert made it to the semifinals of the Wing Open the previous season.
SAFETY MUSTELL STEPPED UP
• Sophomore safety Max Mustell was third on the team in tackles with 59, including 32 unassisted, last season. He led the Falcons in interceptions with three, ranking 10th in the MW. He also had four pass breakups.
• He made the most of his first career start vs. Boise State, recording a game- and career-high 13 tackles, which tied as the most by a Falcon last season. He had five solo tackles, a pass breakup and an interception, which came in the end zone.
• Mustell tied for the team lead in tackles with eight vs. UConn. He also recorded his third INT of the season, the first thrown by UConn on the season.
SAFETY ROGER JONES, JR
Junior safety Roger Jones, Jr. was second on the team in tackles with 76 and tied for the team lead in solo stops with 39 last season while earning honorable mention all-MW honors. He was second on the team in interceptions with two. He also forced a fumble. Jones had a career-high 13 tackles vs. Navy, which tied as the most by a Falcon last season. He added his second double figure games with a team-high 10 vs. Wyoming. He also had a tackle for loss and an interception, which came in the end zone during the fourth quarter with the game tied 14-14 with 9:30 remaining. The pick kept the score tied and Falcons took the lead for good on the next possession. He was named Mountain West defensive player of the week for his efforts.
Players Mentioned
RB
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LB
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DE
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DB
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DB
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PK
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FB
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DB
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QB
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PK
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OT
/ FootballMonday, December 29
Monday, December 01
Friday, November 28
Tuesday, November 25
