Going to a Bowl-Bowl

  Air Force and Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl. Translated in Football terms-A lot of points vs a lot of points. That's what I expect Saturday in Fort Worth. Both teams can score and both squads had trouble stopping teams this year. I don't expect anything less when they meet at Amon G Carter Stadium. Rice has not seen the option and even though they have time to get ready for it I truly believe they will have a tough time wrapping their arms around it. But it will not be a picnic for the Falcon Defense. Rice Quarterback Taylor Mchargue is a stud who runs the ball a lot and is a pretty good passer. He has a lot of good wide receivers and a bruising running game to fall back on led by Charles Ross. A big key-Rice is excellent when it comes to time of possession,  and one way to slow the Air Force option is not let it on the field. Troy Calhoun told me last week a key for the Falcons will be if they can get Center Austin Hayes back from injury. If he can go, they will slide Jordan Eason from center back to his normal left guard spot. If that happens, the Falcons may have a HUGE day running the football. Cody Getz is close to 100% on that bum ankle and he could make life tough on the Owls.
  I like the Falcons, in a wild one..How bout 40-37 good guys?

Happy Holidays.

Ouch!!!!

    Fresno State 48 Air Force 17......That's a big ouch.....The Bulldogs handled the Falcons easily last Saturday to win a share of the Mountain West regular season title. If you blinked you missed 3 touchdowns by Fresno State in the 1st quarter and you knew Air Force would have a tough time coming back.
    But to me the big "Ouch" came in the 4th quarter. The Bulldogs had built a big lead and on a 4th quarter drive used two defensive players to run the football. Then they ran the "Fumblerooski" followed by coming out in a wishbone formation, and throwing a halfback pass off of it for a first down. It had all the earmarks of Tim Deruyter taking a shot at Troy Calhoun. Deruyter is Fresno States head coach. He graduated form the Air Force Academy in 1986 and spent several seasons as Defensive Coordinator under Troy Calhoun. After Deruyter left to take the Defensive Coordinator job with Texas A&M there seemed to be a falling out between he and Calhoun. Look, you can't blame anybody for wanting to move up to a bigger program, especially when that program doubles your paycheck. And Deruyter wanted to be a head coach. You get those jobs by moving around the country and coaching at larger schools. Calhoun, when asked last week about Deruyter, talked more about the guy he replaced, Pat Hill. There is friction between Calhoun and Deruyter despite what both may say about the relationship. So to see Fresno State run Fumblerooski, and then line up in the wishbone and throw a halfback pass was, in my opinion, Deruyter taking a shot at Calhoun. I like both men, and Deruyter could not say enough good things leading up to the game about how much Calhoun has helped him in his career. But it was an odd way to end Saturdays game. And Calhoun won't forget.

Bowl Eligible, but Bowl Worthy?

    Air Force has made it to a bowl. Following their 21-7 win over Hawaii the Falcons were invited to, and accepted, an invitation to the Armed Forces Bowl December 29th in  Fort Worth Texas against a team yet to be named. Air Force sits at 6-5 pending their final regular season game this weekend at Fresno State. Its been an up and down year for Air Force, between injuries, and turnovers, and their sometimes great, and sometimes less than aveage play. I've always had a filter called "Bowl Worthy." Plenty of teams can qualify for a bowl but are they "Bowl Worthy?" I think you can argue both for and against Air Force, but at the end of the day, the fact is, there are 35 bowls, and you need 70 teams to play in them. Air Force has hit
the requirement set out by the NCAA to play in a bowl ,and have received an invite. I also think some circumstances rise above others, and in this case the Falcons are a great fit for the Armed Forces Bowl. Certainly the theme of the bowl and the week are reasons to invite Air Force. And the Falcons do an amazing job of selling tickets to the game. They hold the Armed Forces record for tickets sold by one team. That will always make you bowl worthy, in the eyes of the men and women with loud sportscoats representing their bowls. And with this being the 10th anniversary of the game, the Falcons justly were offered an invitation to play in Fort Worth. On the field the Falcons are not boring, and they have kept it interesting for everybody. It should be no different in late December in Fort Worth.

What is Wrong?

      9 turnovers in the last two weeks. No big plays. The Air Force offense is in a big time rut, and time is running out to steer out of it. Saturdays 28-9 loss to San  Diego State was another reminder the Falcon offense is suffering. Here are some chilling stats from Saturday:

4 Turnovers
1 missed extra point
1 missed field goal
2 missed 4th down conversions (which are just about the same as a turnover)

    Air Force looked good early, scoring on its first drive. But then the mistakes began, and continued, and San Diego State was very gracious in accepting them.
    The Falcon defense wasn't bad, and got two turnovers of their own. But this team is hurting right now in a number of different areas. As I said Saturday the Falcons have seen the enemy, and its them.
    There are two games left. The first, this Friday night in the last home game (senior Night) vs Hawaii. The Warriors have had a long year under first year head coach Norm Chow. This may be the best chance for a Falcon win and a 6th victory which means bowl eligibility. The last game of the season is at Fresno State and won't be easy. So the Falcons have to win Friday if they hope to go to a 6th consecutive bowl. But before anything else happens, they have to look hard at the offense and all the self destructive errors its made. If the Falcons aren't careful, they could be home this December.

Critical Game

   When was the last time Air Force played a meaningful conference football game in November? According to Head Coach Troy Calhoun it has not happened-until now. Saturday the Falcons are at San Diego State. Both teams have 1 conference loss, and the loser is out of the Mountain West title race. Perhaps its a bit surprising the Falcons find themselves here in November a half game out of first place because of their up and down season. But a win, and an ultimate Conference Championship would ease the pain of losing to both Army and Navy for the first time since 2005.
   The standings show San Diego State and Fresno State at 5-1, while Air Force and Boise State are 4-1. For the Falcons its very simple-win out against the Aztecs, Hawaii and Fresno State and at the worst they are Co-Champions with Boise St or win the title outright. The Broncos still have Hawaii, Colorado State and Nevada on their schedule. Air Force and Boise State don't play this year, and the Mountain West does not break first place ties.
   But for the Falcons San Diego State is a very large hurdle. The Aztecs won last week in Boise and have been rolling. Their defense is giving up less than 130 yards a game on the ground, and has been excellent since the first of October. Their offense has been mostly powered by running backs Walter Kazee and Adam Muema, and an opportunistic passing game with backup Adam Dingwall. Their starter Rayna Katz was lost for the season with an ankle injury against Nevada. I don't think San Diego State knows how good they can be. They have really come on and played lights out, especially with on-the-road wins at Nevada and last week in Boise. Their head coach Rocky Long has faced the Falcons for a number of years and at times has slowed the Air Force offense. I believe for an Air Force win, this game has to be all about the Falcons. Look, last Saturdays loss against Army was the worst I have seen the Falcons play in a long long time. They were dominated in every area. So in Saturdays game in San Diego Air Force has to play up to its capabilities. This offense is electric and must play that way. Cody Getz has to again look like the best running back in America. The offensive line must play like they did against Nevada. The defensive can't be pushed around like they were at Army. The linebackers have to fill gaps and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. The secondary has to cover guys tight, and perhaps play a lot of man to man, so the front 7 can slow down the Aztecs rushing attack. and Parker Herrington has to be the  Parker Herrington of  2011. Its all about the Falcons Saturday. Win this weekend and you'll forget your bowl eligible, because the Falcons
will play for a conference title Thanksgiving weekend. Air Force has to get back to being Air Force.

Domination

   Domination.......That's the only way to describe what Army did to Air Force Saturday in West Point. Their 41-21 win was not that close. The Black Knights played their best game of the year, mauling the Falcons in every department, including coaching. That will happen once in a while, but what was so perplexing is why this game? Air Force had so much to play for, with bowl eligibility sealed with a victory. Instead Army came out with urgency and took the Falcons to the woodshed. Its a reminder that when service academies meet it doesn't matter what the records are. If Army plays that way against Navy in early December,  the Black Knights will have the Commander in Chiefs trophy for the first time in forever.
   It was a long plane ride home for the team. And the loss begs the question? Can Air Force recover from it? Its the first time since 2005 they lost to both Army and Navy in the same year. And there is so much to play for, because the Falcons are still in the thick of the Mountain West conference race, thanks to San Diego States win Boise St. Saturday night. The Falcons play at San Diego this weekend. More on that game later this week.

Army

   My favorite Air Force road trip comes every two years when the Falcons play Army at West Point. The campus is gorgeous, the stadium beautiful in a throwback kind of way, and the scenery is spectacular. Air Force likes it too because the Falcons have won 7 straight in Upstate New York. But those games have not been easy and Saturdays contest sets up as another struggle.
   Last year Army came to the Springs and led 14-0 at halftime WITHOUT starting quarterback Trent Steelman. He's healthy this year and is excellent at both running, and operating the Black Knights option attack. Also in the backfield is Raymond Maples, a punishing back who runs hard between the tackles. And that's what Army does is rush the football. They lead the nation in that category. Their hope Saturday against the Falcons is to keep the ball away from Connor Dietz, Cody Getz and company. That's their best chance to win. Hold the football and go on long offensive drives thus shortening the game. The Falcon defensive has played better the last several weeks. They need to force Army into some 3rd and long situations. They won't stop the Black Knights, but if they slow them enough (like they did Nevada last week) that should be good enough. The Air Force offense steamrolled Nevada last Friday Night. They meet a very very young Army team who has stopped NO ONE this year. If the Falcons start slow, don't worry, they'll get moving by the 2nd quarter, So expect a game with a lot of points and some big plays.
   Injury update: Troy Calhoun told KVOR Thursday morning he expects running back Cody Getz to play. He's been out with an ankle injury. And cornerback Stephon Batts should play as well. He went out of the Nevada game with an undisclosed injury.
   Watch the game and turn down the TV volume to get your hometown coverage, beginning Saturday morning at 10 on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

Domination

  In a word, that's what Air Force did to Nevada in College Football the other night. Domination. The Falcons 48-31 win over the Wolfpack was a lesson of offense and defense complimenting each other on the Air Force side. The Falcons marched up and down all night long. They did not have to punt, and only stopped themselves with a couple of turnovers. All the credit has to go to the offensive line, which was playing without two starters. The Air Force run game (without the injured Cory Getz) galloped for 461 yards. Connor Dietz ran for a touchdown and threw for 2 more. It was a blowout. The Falcon defense did just enough to slow Nevada, who had the nations leading rusher Stefphon Jefferson. He was held to 93 yards rushing and a touchdown. It was probably the most complete game Air Force has played in the last several years. And now the Falcons are in position to become bowl eligible, if they beat Army Saturday at West Point. More on that game later this week.

Friday Night Chills

     Despite the expected cold temperatures tonight at Falcon Stadium, fans turning out for the Air Force Nevada football game will be able to stay warm because the scoreboard will shine hot and bright because these teams will put up a ton of points. The Wolfpack is the most balanced team in the nation, rushing and throwing for an average of 260 yards each a game, which is incredible. Their quarterback Cody Farjado is completing 70% of his passes. And oh yes, they have the nations leading rusher in Stefphon Jefferson. The Falcons bring their option offense, which nobody has stopped this year, although an injury to Cody Getz makes him doubtful for tonight. The onus tonight for both squads will be on the defense. Nevada
has not seen an option, and the Falcons have struggled on that side of the ball for most of the season. and because of more injuries Air Force may have several guys playing different positions. Can The Falcons win this game: yes, but they have a small margin of error. First, no turnovers. The Wolfpack are good enough offensively without any help. Two: can't settle for field goals in close, they need touchdowns. Three: the Falcon defense has to keep everything in front of it. Don't let Jefferson break free like Kasey Carrier did last week for New Mexico, which means better tackling. And Air Force needs perhaps as many as 3 turnovers from their defense to have a shot at winning. And it could come down to a last minute drive to win the game.
It should be an excellent game on a cold night. Tickets are available at goairforcefalcons.com. Bring your radios and tune us in on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

338

    Football consists of all kinds of numbers and statistics, but at the end of the day the only numbers that really matter are on the scoreboard. And Saturday it read Air Force 28 New Mexico 23. But one number does deserve attention: 338. Thats the number of yards ripped off by Lobo Running back Kasey Carrier. On the first play from scrimmage he went for 68 yards. And then he got warmed up. But somehow, the Falcons defense slowed New Mexico enough, and got two huge plays from Alex Means to win the game. Means, the Mountain West defensive player of the week, tipped a pass, grabbed it and went 65 yards with an interception for a touchdown. Then on a 4th and 4 late in the game, Means and Alex Hansen stopped a Lamar Thomas run to finish off the Lobos. Another gutsy win by the Falcons, and their first winning streak of the season. 5 games remain for Air Force to get two wins and become bowl eligible. But it won't be easy. The Falcons have a ton of injuries, and the guys playing are hurting. Means is less than 100% but is gutting out. The Falcons have two defensive lineman out and linebacker Josh Kusan may not be back this season. On offense Cody Getz re-injured his ankle on the first play of the game and Broam Hart\ has a cast on his wrist because of TWO different injuries. And the Falcons lost Center Austin Hayes to an injury. He was replacing Michael Husar Jr who is out for the year following knee surgery.  Friday night the nations top running back comes to the Springs-Nevada's Stefphon Jefferson. He is a load, as is the Wolpack overall. They lost at home in overtime to San Diego State Saturday. . More on Nevada later this week.

Scary Game

  Never thought I would say Air Force facing New Mexico in Football would be scary but that's what Saturdays game looks like to me, for several reasons.  Air Force has a chance to climb above 500 and go on a winning streak. and they need this game to draw closer to bowl eligibility. The Lobos, behind 1st year head coach Bob Davie, have posted a surprising 4-3 record. They are running the option, mostly out of a pistol formation, and giving teams nightmares in the process. Ask Boise State. The Broncos barely held on to beat New Mexico 32-29. Bob Davie told me this week he was determined, if he got back into coaching, to run some sort of option  based offense. He said guys just hate getting ready for it, and its hard to stop. Davie recalled his days working at Notre Dame trying to slow down Air Force. New Mexico compliments the option by running off a lot of time between plays, shortening the game. The Lobos defense has given up a lot of points this year and will again Saturday. What scares me is the Falcons are so banged up with injuries. Running back Cody Getz is questionable, and if he plays, will not be 100%. Broam Hart suffered a painful, painful hand injury and is doubtful. Air Force also loses Anthony Lacoste in the secondary to an injury, and he was a great threat on kickoff returns, and they may not have defensive lineman Joe Champaigne back. The Falcons have given up plenty of points of their own and that too will not change this weekend. I like the good guys in a tight tight game 34-27. Bring your radios and listen while you watch, or turn down your TV volume and get your hometown coverage beginning at 3 Saturday, on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

Gut Check Win

   If the Air Force Football team goes on to have a winning season, there's no doubt Saturdays win over Wyoming will be the catalyst. The Falcons were down and out, and being dominated on both sides of the ball in the first half against the Cowboys. Wyoming had a 13 point lead in the 2nd half, and it looked like Air Force was waiting for someone to make a big play. That "someone" was Connor Dietz. On a 3rd and long he ran a quarterback draw and went for 48 yards and a first down. That huge run galvanized Air Force, and they would score on that drive. That effort also helped the defense get a rare rest on the sidelines, and they came back with renewed vigor. Dietz was also involved in a controversial play later in the 4th quarter. His helmet came off on a short run and, per rule, he had to go out for a play. As Dietz neared the sidelines he hesitated, then took a knee. The Air Force training staff went to tend to him, and after a moment helped him off the field. Sophomore quarterback Kale Pearson came on, and on 3rd and goal, ran a naked bootleg and just got into the end zone for the winning score. Wyoming Coach Dave Christensen accused Troy Calhoun after the game of having Dietz fake the injury to buy more time for Pearson to get warmed up on the sidelines. What's interesting to note is that one play did not cause Wyoming to lose the game. The Cowboys got the ball back with better than 3 minutes to go, but had lost momentum. The Air Force defense had gained some confidence. The Falcons stopped the Cowboys and ran out the clock. This was not a game Air Force would have win 2-3 weeks ago. But this young team, reached down, and dug deep to find a way to win. That will help them the rest of the way. Christensen, by the way, apologized for his actions Sunday, although I thought it curious he did not apologize to Calhoun. The Air Force head coach told Gazette writer David Ramsey if Christensen wanted to call and talk about the incident he would gladly pick up the phone. Calhoun said Dietz got "dinged" in the head.
   This week a much improved New Mexico team comes to Falcon Stadium. More on that coming up.

Gotta Get One Saturday

  Troy Calhoun has never been a coach who likes to talk about bowl chances, conference title chances and such. However, if Air Force wants to go to a bowl this year, Saturdays game against Wyoming is almost a must-win situation. The Falcons need 6 wins to become bowl eligible. The schedule is not easy with Nevada coming to the Springs, and Army, Fresno St and San Diego State on the road, so the match up with the
Cowpokes has a lot riding on it.
   Neither time has a good defense which means we will see a lot of scoring this weekend. Wyoming's Quarterback Brett Smith is a stud. He throws on the run, and leads his team in rushing. Air Force has to turn him into a pocket passer Saturday. If he gets outside he could create havoc. And the Falcons may have to play more man to man than they want. The Cowboys will use a lot of different formations with 4 and 5 guys in the pattern. I believe Air Force may have to blitz more as well. If they rush 3 and drop 8 Smith will find open receivers.
    The Wyoming defense has struggled. They give up a lot of yards on the ground, although last week they slowed down Nevada's Stephon Jefferson. But Cody Getz is coming to town, and he could have a 300 yard day-I'm serious. I thought Air Force would throw a bit more last week-they did not. But I believe they may also do that Saturday. Wyoming's secondary is in a constant state of flux. They are not bad against the pass, but they have moved people around all season, and if you focus too much on the run Air Force will burn you with a big pass play.
    Parker Herrington will continue short term to attempt field goals. He is 1-6. I'll be curious to see how he handles the infamous Laramie winds. Kicking at War Memorial Stadium is not for the faint of heart. He has to step up. He was 15 of 18 last year. The Falcons need him to gird up.
     This will be a close game. Don't be surprised if you see overtime.
     Our coverage begins at 3 Saturday afternoon. The kickoff is at 5. If you watch it, turn down your TV volume and get your hometown coverage on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

Rebuilding Year?

   Coaches hate the term rebuilding year because it sounds like their teams are not good enough and have to suffer through a lousy season. Fans hate it because they want instant gratification and if you're on the field, then by God you should be good enough to win. Through 5 football games Air Force is 2-3. Whats frustrating is they are a few plays here and there from being 5-0. But perhaps that's what separates great teams from rebuilding teams. The Falcons will long remember Saturdays loss to Navy because of 3 fumbles, which led to 7 Midshipmen points, and 2 missed field goals by the pre season pick at his position in the Mountain West Parker Herrington. You can also pick out key plays in their losses to UNLV and Michigan and justify an argument the Falcons could be undefeated. But they're not. Instead the Falcons are the team that fumbled 3 times Saturday and has lost 5 fumbles in 2 games. They're the team who's all conference place kicker is 1-6 so far. They are the squad having a tough time defensively. There was plenty of blame to go around after losing in ot to navy Saturday. But maybe that's because they are a young team in a re-building year.
    If that's the case the Falcons have to grow up quick. Saturday they are at Wyoming. The Cowboys are having their owns troubles at 1-4. Air Force is going to have to win 3 road games and take care of business at home to get to a bowl. Can the Falcons go 5-2 the rest of the way and get to a bowl? I'll have more on the matchup with the Cowboys later this week.

 

Gametime

  Air Force and Navy Saturday in College Football. The rivalry doesn't get the notoriety it deserves because not only is a bitter series, its very very tight. 2 of the last 3 games have gone to overtime. The last 9 games have been decided by an average of 5 points. Navy hates Army, but despises Air Force. The Falcons don't like the Black Knights, but hates Navy. So what happens Saturday Morning at Falcon Stadium? Navy has had trouble all season with its center exchange with Quarterback Trey Miller. The Midshipman have used 3 different starting centers in 4 games. Miller has been part of 10 of 12 Navy turnovers this year, with 5 coming inside the opponents 30 yard line. Clearly they have to do a better job holding onto the football. The Mids rushing game, unlike most years, is average. They gain just 216 yards a contest on the ground. I don't see them running up and down the field on Air Force. Navy's Defense, to me, is still a mystery. Notre Dame and Penn State combined for 84 points against them. They they shutdown FCS opponent VMI and last week held San Jose State without a TD but still lost 12-0. I believe Air Force will still move the ball on them, even though the Mids will try everything to keep the football out of the hands of Cody Getz. The Falcons will have enough offense to deal with that. I see the good guys winning 24-14. Bring your radios to Saturdays game, and if you stay at home and watch on TV, turn the volume down and get your hometown coverage on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

Navy Week

    Colorado State is in the rear view mirror for the Air Force Football team. The Falcons 41-21 victory put Air Force back on track. The Rams are not very good and looked uninspired, tired and worn out Saturday in the 1st QUARTER. So the Falcons did what they were supposed to do-score on its first 3 possessions and remove any doubt.
      Now, here comes Navy. The Midshipmen are as desperate as CSU was, having dropped 3 in a row, including being shut out at home Saturday by San Jose State 12-0. Summing up the Midshipmen is easy-Great Defense, Horrible Offense. Look, San Jose State isn't Alabama or Notre Dame. Yet the Mids had a grand total of 144 yards of offense. That's it. Maybe the Air Force game comes at a good time, because its gotta be hard to get up for San Jose State. It won't be for the Falcons. I'll have more on the game and how bitter the rivalry is later this week.

Air Force-CSU...Why Does This Game Worry Me?

   With good reason. Like last week with UNLV I think the Rams are better than 1-3. They have been inconsistent, and have been missing their top rusher Chris Nwoke (Wo-kay). But he is healthy and will start Saturday. If I'm Coach Jim Mclewain watching tape of Air Force losing to UNLV I will try and run the ball all day. Nwoke had 249 yards rushing against the Falcons last year. The smallest guy on CSU's offensive line is 297 pounds. Quarterback Garret Grayson could give Air Force problems as well. He has 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and he spreads the ball all over the field. The Falcons have had trouble all year defending the pass, and getting to the QB. To be fair, the Rams offensive numbers are bad-98 yards rushing a game, 17 points a game, which is 113th in the NCAA. But the Falcons have to play better defense than last week.
    Colorado State is giving up 27 points a game, and I think Air Force will be okay running the football. But in my opinion the Falcons need to throw a bit more, and use more formations to spread out the Rams defense. The Falcons have hurt themselves with penalties on the offensive side of the ball. They can't do that Saturday. Drives need to be efficient and wind up in the end zone and not with 3 points.
    Look for a high scoring game, with Air Force winning 40-27. But this game still worries me.

What Happened?

      Some have called it the worse loss of the Troy Calhoun era at Air Force. I won't go that far, but Saturdays 38-35 setback to UNLV was a stinker on a few fronts. I was one of the few who expected a close game, because the Rebels were better than their 0-3 record. They have good talent, especially on offense and showed it off Saturday. After the Falcons scored late in the first half to lead by 11,  I thought Air Force was in good shape. They then start driving in the 3rd quarter and get into field goal position when Tight End Marcus Hendricks fumbles the football. UNLV recovers and is in the end zone 5 plays later. That was a HUGE momentum swing. Air Force did little after that.

    Concerns.....on defense, several. The Falcons had no pass rush on Nic Sherry the other night, and if you take into account all 3 games they have played, Air Force has been easy to pass on. And I was surprised how the Rebels offensive line dominated in the second half. Troy Calhoun also mentioned they didn't tackle well. Add all that up and its going to be tough to win.

   On offense I thought the Falcons looked very average in the second half. After the Hendricks fumble it seemed they could do nothing to sustain drives Air Force needs to be a bit more creative. They need to get their play makers, Cody Getz, Ty Macarthur and Jon Lee, in the open field and let them make plays.

  Football is a game of a few key plays. The Falcons could be sitting at 3-0 today. But they have come up short on those key plays and instead are 1-2.

I'll talk about Colorado State later this week.

Thur 9-20-12

UNLV


     Saturday's Air Force football game at UNLV will be the 7th Mountain West Road opener for the Falcons. They have won the previous 6. They meet a Rebels team that is desperate and under pressure to get a win. They lost their first 3 games (all at home) by a combined 14 points. Clearly UNLV is better than a year ago, but so far they have nothing to show for it. Not only are fans calling for Bobby Hauck (one of the real good guys in college football) to be fired, many are suggesting the school drop football entirely. Even though UNLV is only giving up 127 yards a game rushing, I don't think the Falcons will have trouble moving the ball on the ground or through the air. On defense Air Force must slow running back Tim Cornette, a very talented, experienced, bruising running back. He's good enough that UNLV could play keep away and force the Falcon offense to watch from the sidelines. The Rebels start a freshman at Quarterback, Nick Sherry. I imagine Air Force will blitz a lot and give him a lot of fake looks to take advantage of his inexperience.

     You can catch the game on TV  and turn down the volume to get your hometown coverage Saturday night at 8 on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

Mon 9-17-12 UNLV

   I hate byes 2 weeks into the College Football season. Its like starting all over again. But Air Force had to deal with it and now they're on the other side, getting ready to go to UNLV Saturday. This will not be an easy game. The Rebels are 0-3 with all 3 losses coming at home. I watched most of their game Friday night against Washington  State. There's no question the Rebels are better. They just need that 1 win to break through. For the Falcons, is there any kind of positive carryover after playing Michigan so tough but losing two weeks ago? I think there is, but it has to play out on the field for it to become apparent.

  More on this game Thursday.

So Many Plays.......

9-10-12



     Air Force had so many chances to win Saturday at Michigan. There's a coaching adage that's says you never know which one play will make a difference in a game, which is why every play is so important. There were several that stood out Saturday that, had they gone the other way, the Falcons are the talk of the nation today.  #1-Parker Herrington missing a chip shot field goal on the first drive of the game. The Air Force had opened the game with a solid drive to the Wolverines 19. But the normally reliable Herrington missed the field goal. In these types of games you can't play from behind. The Falcons did the whole game.
#2-On a 4th and goal on the Michigan 4 on the second drive of the game the Falcons elect to take a field goal rather than go for it. Troy Calhoun is always a risk taker, but maybe felt it was too early to go for it. Herrington dropped one in from 22 yards. #3 On a 4th and goal from the Michigan 3 in the 3rd quarter Air Force lined up for a field goal, but faked it, with Quarterback Tucker Tipton trying to run it in. He was stopped at the 1. David Baska is the normal holder and a great athlete. In hindsight I thought, if you are going to fake it, get your normal holder out there. Or, let your offensive go for it on 4th down. The Falcons did that a series earlier from the Wolverines 1 and Cody Getz scored. There was too much thinking on the fake field goal. #4-On the above mentioned drive Ty Macarthur was wide open down the middle and Connor Dietz got him the ball. But Macarthur took his eye off it for a second. He made the catch but in juggling it fell down. If he stays up and catches it clean its a touchdown. Instead, with the fake field goal you get no points on the drive.

    So, you lose 3 points on the opening drive, perhaps 4 if you go for it rather than settle for a field goal on the second drive, and you get nothing off the Macarthur bobble and catch and fake field goal. Losses like this hurt because the Falcons realize all of the above. It was another gutsy effort, full of heart and determination. But every plays counts. Its a tough lesson learned in Ann Arbor.

Michigan

Do the Falcons have the Wolverines right where they want them? Michigan is a 20 point favorite to win Saturday in their College Football match up in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines were humiliated last week by Alabama. For Air Force, I've always thought playing a FCS team opening day does not get you ready for
big name opponent the following week but it is what it is. Some thoughts:

Air Force is due for a big win-They were close against Oklahoma, Minnesota and, a few years ago, Tennessee. But the Falcons in recent times have not pulled off the shocker they were occasionally known for.

Some thoughts on Saturdays game

1) Air Force needs to keep a tremendous pace with their offense. Get back to the line of scrimmage and run another play. I thought they were excellent at that against Idaho State.

2) The Falcons need to strike early. Air Force can't play from behind, and it could take Michigan a quarter or a half to settle in against the option.

3) The Falcon defense has to slow Denard Robinson. Last week Alabama kept him the pocket and made him throw the ball. He's not that good of a passer. Let's see what the Falcons can do against him.

4) Add to that, Air Force may use their linebackers to "spy" Robinson and follow him all over the field.

5) Michigan will want to pound the football with its running game. If Air force can get key stops, they have a shot.

Watch the game Saturday, but turn down the volume and get your hometown coverage on Colorado's 740 KVOR. Pregame at 1130, kickoff at 130.

Now the Season Starts

9-3-12


Air Force was expected to win Saturday, and did, beating Idaho State by 28. But now a truer measure of this years team awaits in Ann Arbor Saturday as the Falcons play at Michigan. Can the Falcons win? Sure.
Do they have to play a near perfect game?  No question. More on that later this week. Some of the highlights from Saturday:

RB Cody Getz:  218 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns-He had great blocking all day long. The yards might be tougher this weekend.

QB Connor Dietz: Love his leadership. Was 8-11 passing for 142 yards. We may see more of him running this Saturday.

RB Jon Lee: 69 yards rushing on 7 carries. Averaged 7.7 yards every time he touched the ball. He is a star in the making.

WR Ty Macarthur: had 26 yards rushing and another 78 on receptions before gong out with whats believed to be a concussion. Can be a big weapon this year. Questionable for the Michigan game.

The defense: I thought they did a great job all day. I have heard some fan complain about giving up 3 touchdowns, but Idaho State adjusted in the second half and threw quicker passes so the Falcons rush could not get to QB Kevin Yost. And they were content to take 5-8 yard pass plays. Not easy to defend.

Steffon Batts the cornerback was our defensive player of the game with 11 tackles and an interception. Talked to him after the game. He is confident and fearless.

Thought Defensive Lineman Nick Dejulio had a sold game with 6 tackles and a pass breakup.

Good win, as was expected of the Falcons. Later this week, my thoughts on how you can shut down Dennard Robinson and the Michigan offense, and the blueprint Alabama gave Air Force to do it with.

Final thought; Tough loss of Center Michael Husar Jr to a severe knee injury. He is out for the year. He might be the best lineman the Falcons have had in the last several years.

Finally......The Air Force Football season has finally arrived. This has the makings of a fascinating season but not for the reasons you may think. After the Falcons, with a senior laden lineup, went 7-6 last year, some things needed to be changed. Air Force coughed the ball up 26 times, and their defense was 109th in the nation against the run. Defensive Coordinator Matt Wallerstedt left and was replaced by Charleton Warren who was a defensive assistant. Warren's approach is similar to former defensive coordinator and now Fresno State head Coach Tim Deruyter-Attack, Attack, Attack. There was too much rushing 3 and dropping 8 last year. The players were asked to read and react. This year the defensive playbook is thin, and there's no more sitting back. I expect a big improvement in all defensive statistics...On offense I like the look of Quarterback Connor Dietz. He is bigger, and appears to have really improved his passing. He has averaged 5.3 yards a rush in his career. The key to the season is who develops around him. One guy to watch for is Sophomore running back Jon Lee. He is a stud and had a good fall camp. Lee needs to get the ball. A lot. See you Saturday at Falcon Stadium. Bring your radios and listen to us on Colorado's 740 KVOR.

Why?

I walked into the station Friday Morning July 20th and couldn't not believe what I was seeing. A live shot on TV from the town I grew up in, detailing the movie theatre shooting by alleged murder suspect James Holmes. My heart dropped into my stomach and I felt sick. As the details slowly came out throughout the day I just sat and stared at my computer. Why did this happen? What was the idiot thinking? I thought about the families, trying to learn if their loved ones were alive or dead. I thought about my days growing up, going to the nearby Aurora Mall. I thought about seeing a move two weeks ago and not worrying at all about someone walking in and opening fire. I thought about my youngest son who went to a midnight screening of "Batman The Dark Knight Rises" here in town. Memories of Columbine came back. No one can answer Why, because rational minds can't comprehend irrational minds, and there is something inherently irrational, or unbalanced, or crazy, or whatever the word is, about the mind of a mass murderer or any criminal for that matter. My mind screams in anger towards the man accused of killing 12 and wounding 58. My heart cries for the dead and the wounded. And what I'm left with, is Why?

Silence is Broken

Because Doug Bruce is out of jail. He received early release for good behavior (oh joy). The ex con says he plans to sue the jail over deplorable conditions. Hey Doug-its jail you idiot. He ranted and raved about a variety of things including having his life threatened twice. And he plans to appeal his conviction, which I think is a good idea because it will keep him occupied.......The low unemployment report for May could not have come at a worse time for Barack Obama. It will be a key campaign battle issue for the President and Mitt Romney. Many polls are now showing the two are virtually tied in the race for the White House......Had a great time at the Van Halen-Kool and The Gang Concert. An unusual pairing yes, but great music all night long, although David Lee Roths better days are perhaps behind him. Its a heck of a year for concerts in Colorado. Red Rocks has more acts booked than ever before, which is certainly a good sign for the economy.

Long Time No See

Random Thoughts.....A politician recently asked the head of the Secret Service what he thought the agents caught in the Colombia Prostitution scandal were trying to accomplish. Really? Really? I think the answer is sex, but don't quote me since I wasn't there.....I don't like stupid and I don't do stupid.........I'm already tired of the Blaha-Lamborn race because every ad I hear from both is just bashing the other. Here's an idea, why not tell me why I should vote for you instead. In a Blaha spot Lamborn is ridiculed for staying at a nice hotel. C'mon, really? Really? I like politicians less and less after hearing ads like that.......Watched the Air Force Academy Graduation online at KVOR.com, and say what you want about President Obama. He shook hands with every graduate and had a personal thing to say to each and everyone one. Thought that was very classy....I've always believed where there's smoke, there's fire, which is why I tend to believe the men coming forward accusing John Travolta of sexual advances toward them. That rumor about Travolta has been going around in Hollywood for years....Saw something the other day on Facebook-complaints about bicyclists in the area. I've always said, "Move at my speed or get out of my way." As crazy as people drive here in the springs if I were riding a bike I would stay on the side of the road and not be in the middle of traffic. Just sayin'.

Fire

I am not an expert on vegetation, forests, farmland, undergrowth, brush, or anything related. I say that because of what I am about to write concerning the Colorado State Forest Service and their decision several weeks ago to have controlled burns to eliminate undergrowth and vegetation in Jefferson County. According to officials a controlled burn supervised by the State Forest Service may have re-ignited some 4-5 days after being put out, which could be the cause of what we know as the Lower North Fork Fire. There's been a lot of talk about how people were notified, failures in the notification system and the deaths of 3 people. What I am struggling with is how the Colorado State Forest Service, in the midst of a long long dry spell throughout Colorado, could make the decision to have a controlled burn to begin with. It's been dry in Colorado since the end of February. Extended weather forecasts at the time of the controlled burn suggested dry and windy conditions would continue over most of the state. Yet somebody with the Colorado State Forest Service signed off on this. I'm not a big fan of controlled burns to begin with. Its like saying, "Hey let's rob this bank so when there is a real robbery the bad guys will have less money to take." And when a controlled burn takes place during a dry spell like we have had.......C'mon, really? Really? I'm no expert, however I could have told you it was a bad time for a controlled burn. There may be studies and reports that show controlled burns have slowed wildfires. I would like to see one. But isn't there a common sense element that should have entered the decision making process? Thankfully Governor Hickenlooper stepped in with a common sense idea-to suspend controlled burns until further notice. Sadly he was not consulted prior to the burn. The Colorado State Forest Service has a lot of explaining to do, especially if its proven that indeed one of their controlled burns led to the Lower North Fork Fire.

I was a victim of credit card identity theft several weeks. Somebody got my number and started spending from Colorado Springs to Alabama. Thanks to the great folks at Visa I will not be charged and I already have a new card and number. But its a reminder to please, please be careful with your card. I would love to find surveillance tape of the creeps that used my card and track them down......The Trayvon Martin Case is sad all the way around, no matter what you believe and no matter how it played out. The only thing I keep coming back to was George Zimmerman was told by a 911 dispatcher he did not have to follow Martin, but he continued to do so, although he lost him, and according to Zimmerman, Martin came upon him as Zimmerman was going back to his car. And you know Reverand Al Sharpton wore out his welcome when the NAACP told him to stop his ranting and raving in Sanford Florida.... Hard to believe its already April, but the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination drags on. It looks like its Mitt Romney's nomination, although Rock Santorum still believes he can pull off a convention stunner. Reality is, its not gonna happen.

Red Light Cameras

Recently Colorado struck down a measure that would have banned any kind of Red Light Cameras in the state. The decision was made in order to allow cities and towns to to make their own decision on if they should use the device. Good Move. However I have a problem with people who say Red Light Cameras are simply used to help Police Departments and city agencies
collect fees. Yes, that's a byproduct of what comes from someone BREAKING THE LAW!!! Look,
if you don't like red light cameras catching you breaking the law, then DON'T BREAK THE LAW!!! I despise people who break the law and get pissed with ramifications of doing so. Red Light Cameras do increase safety. That's the goal. If you speed, and get caught, you lose points on your license and get fined. We all know that. So what is your problem? I hate idiots who seem to think they are above the law. Look, cities and towns are suffering from lower tax collections. I have no problems with Red Light Cameras, or with police setting up additional speed traps around Colorado Springs. It is a way to increase revenue. If you don't like that don't speed, and it won't affect you. Speed, and get caught, and tough tootles. Grow up and take responsibility for your actions!!!!!

My name is Doug Bruce, and I'm Guilty of a Crime

Dougie.........they gotcha. The long time tax activist was found guilty on state charges of income tax evasion. Bruce received 6 months in jail and a strict 6 years of probation in which all of his financial transactions must be reported to his probation officer. Hell, he may have to check in if he puts a quarter in a gumball machine. How the mighty have fallen. And now there are reports the Internal Revenue Service is taking an interest in what Doug may or may not have done with his taxes. The Feds, should they pursue the case, and win, could put Bruce in jail for several more years.........Does anybody want to win the Republican nomination for President? Rick Santorum has a bit of momentum and is pushing front runner Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich has been very quiet for the last several weeks, and has anybody seen Ron Paul? The problem for Republicans is, can they find a candidate strong enough to defeat Barack Obama. The economy is rebounding, and very slowly more jobs are being created. And rightly or wrongly, Mr. Obama will receive credit for that. Which means come November the Republicans may have a tough time against the President.

Lee Douglas

The phone rang Sunday morning while I was in Denver. A friend told me he had bad news: Lee Douglas died. I felt everything draining from me, and I said, "What-Say that again" Lee Douglas had died. Lee was the longtime sportscaster at KOAA TV Channel 5 in Southern Colorado. I had worked alongside Lee the last 7 years calling Air Force Football games on KVOR. I just had lunch with Lee on Monday. He looked great and said he was feeling good. But this past Saturday, after waking up Lee was not feeling well. He drove himself to the hospital, and was diagnosed with a severe kidney infection. Then his kidneys shut down and he passed away early Sunday morning.

I remember suggesting Lee would be a great color analyst for the Air Force Football Network. I knew him professionally but did not see him very often because of my schedule. We hit it off right away. He always greeted everybody with a warm smile. Lee had a hearty laugh, one that reminded you of Ed McMahon from The Tonight Show. He always had fun in life-serious when he needed to be, always a professional. He worked hard and played hard. Lee was from Pueblo and never forgot that, delivering stories about Pueblo sports with as much enthusiasm and professionalism as he would a Broncos recap. Lee did more than give a score. He showed us people and their personalities and their hearts. His warm delivery jumped through the TV, which is hard to do. He made you feel like a member of the family the first time you met him.

Lee loved covering Air Force Football. He had covered it as a reporter for years, and the last 7 did so as a color analyst. We had so much fun on Air Force road trips. Both Lee and I love music so anytime we jumped in the the rental car we listened to songs and challenged each other. This past year we were at Notre Dame and there was a blimp overhead providing live shots for TV. Lee was so excited. I kidded him about it. he said, "How often do you do a game and have a blimp there?" He was right.

Southern Colorado has lost a friend. I have lost a friend. Lee was fun, gently, happy and always a pleasure to be around. Lee never had a bad thing to say about anybody. The world is a sadder place today with Lee no longer with us. Heaven just got one heck of a sportscaster. I'm sorry Heaven needed him more. Rest in Peace my friend.