A Better Test

I understand why Troy Calhoun opens with a Football Championship Subdivision team every football season. Its Parents Weekend, and it ensures a home game for the Falcons every Labor Day Saturday. It makes sense. Does it prepare the Falcons for the rest of the season and the speed of the game when a Division 1 team comes in? I'm not so sure. With that being said, here comes Utah State to open the Mountain West season. The Aggies will provide a stern test for Air Force, and the Falcons for Utah State. When you have a young team with lots of potential, these games mean a lot. You are going up against better athletes, more experienced athletes, and simply a better football team. It gives you, win or lose, a better idea of what kind of football team you have. Th Falcons enter the game with a true rookie at quarterback, Jaleel Awini. He's big, and strong, and very athletic. And he will see things he has never experienced in a football game before. But Air Force has no choice, now that Kale Pearson is lost for most if not all the season. Awini got his feet wet in the second half against Colgate, and other than a big sack, managed fairly well. But Saturday he is facing a better team, and Satuday he won't be coming into the game with a big lead. You may see the Falcons try to run left, right and down the middle to take some pressure off of the sophomore. And that make sense because that's the strength of the Air Force Football program. But if the Falcons can't run, Awini will have to flash some of his potential. Doing it against Colgate is one thing. Doing it against a veteran Utah State team is a different challenge. He will have help, and no he does not need to win the game all by himself. But its clear Saturday we will find out more about Awini, and the Falcons. It Test Time.

The Young and the Restless

I'm holding a copy of the Air Force Football teams first official depth chart. There's only 7 seniors expected to start Saturday against Colgate. In the two deep 13 players are either freshman or sophomores. This will happen every 4 or 5 years, but it happens to the Falcons in a year where the Mountain West may be one of the deepest conferences in the nation. Its a young football team. The talent potential is big, but the experience level is not. If Air Force is going to be a serious contender in the Mountain division the Falcons must do 3 things: 1) Play better defense. They were not good last year and did not force enough turnovers. 2) Hang on to the football. They turned the ball over too many times on offense. 3) Play older than they are. Sometimes young guys don't know any better. You pat them on the fanny and tell them "Just go out and play." Sometimes the less you think the better. Colgate is not a bad footbal team. But the Falcons will find out in two weeks against Utah State if they are a young football team, or a team with a large upside. Our coverage of the season opener Saturday begins at 11am on Colorado's 740 KVOR. You can also hear the game online at GoAirforceFalcons.com, and you can download our 740 KVOR App from the App Store.

Young, But Hungry

8-13-13


I have been watching the Air Force Football team during the first two weeks of practice. Some observations:


      Sophomore QB Jaleel Awani has a large upside, but has struggled in scrimmages. Last Saturday he threw a pick and lost a fumble, and seemed to have trouble with his mechanics.

     3rd string QB Karson Roberts, on the other hand, looked really good. Very relaxed under center. He threw well from the pocket and on the run.

     Kale Pearson will be the starter against Colgate. He looked okay but needs a lot more work in game type situations.

     Have been very impressed with the defense. Some new faces at linebacker like Reggie Barnes and Kristov George joining Connor Healy and Joe Nichols who played some last year. The defense MUST play better this year. Last year they were bad, plain and simple.

    The Falcons were picked to finish 3rd in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West. But its going to be a tough, tough year. Every team in my opinion has gotten better. The Falcons have skill positions players to replace and a challenging schedule in front of them. Air Force will have to grow up quick to be a factor in the division race.

A Wonderful Season

  And just like that, the season is over for the Air Force Basketball Team. It ended Saturday night in Ogden Utah against the Weber State Wildcats. And while there were tears and heartache, there is so much to be proud of if you played on this Air Force team or follow the program. Way back in October the Falcons were picked to finish dead last in the Mountain West. I remember the day the 5 seniors, Todd Fletcher, Mike Lyons, Kyle Green, Mike Fitzgerald and Taylor Broekuis sat in front of the media and told the world this year would be different and special. 5 months later they were right. 18 wins this year, in the toughest conference in America, and a post-season appearance, is very special. Head Coach Dave Pilipovich did a masterful job of bringing it all together. He took chances, played his gut every so often and told his team to believe-believe you can beat 22nd ranked San Diego State, believe you can knock off #12 New Mexico, believe there is post season basketball in your future. As good a coach as Pilipovich is, he's a better human being. I think it was that element, more than anything else that blazed the path for Air Force this year. He told the team to take more ownership of the program. At halftime he encouraged them to write on the chalk board what went wrong and how they were going to fix it. Every practice was a chance for younger kids to prove they deserved more playing time, and he rewarded it. His attitude was always positive and one of opportunity. He understands "athlete" is the second word in the phrase "Student Athlete." His teams 18 wins tied for 4th best in 57 years of basketball at the Academy. A magical season for 5 seniors. A special year for a 1st year head coach. And a wonderful season for all of us.

Better Than Nothing

   So Air Force loses in the MWC Tournament to UNLV last week in the opening round, and at the same time loses star Mike Lyons to a torn meniscus. Many of us thought despite the loss the Falcons were still heading to the NIT Tournament. Someone forgot to tell the committee. Air Force was bypassed and instead winds up in the College Insider.Com Tournament, and opens play Wednesday night in Hawaii against the Warriors. The committee chair CM Newton, said Lyons' injury was a factor. The other problem was, the NIT guarantees regular season conference champions a spot in their tourney. When those same champions lose in their end of the season conference tournament, and do not get selected in the NCAA tournament, they wind up in the NIT and this year there were more of those types of teams, leaving less room for at large squads like Air Force.
    Yes, there is disappointment the Falcons are not going back to the NIT. However, if you are Todd Fletcher, Taylor Broekhuis, Mike Fitzgerald and Kyle Green, you are still playing. Because in a month its all over for those seniors.  No more college basketball. Boys who grow up to be young men who play college basketball have two clocks. The first one is set according to the time of year when basketball begins. For many its all they have known for 15 years. The second and more disquieting clock becomes noticeable the summer before their senior year in college when they realize college ball doesn't last forever. And as your final year winds down you want to keep stiff arming the second clock, hoping to squeeze in as many games as you can. So while Air Force isn't in the "Four Letter Tournament" and missed out on the NIT, its still nice to be invited to someones party.

A Magical Day

   Every once in a while as an announcer you catch magic in a bottle. That magic was Saturday afternoon at Clune Arena as the Air Force men's Basketball team hosted 12th ranked New Mexico. It was the final regular season game and it was also Senior Day. Despite awful weather,  a season high 6100 plus jammed into Clune Arena, and what they saw was magic. Air Force beat the Lobos 89-88, and one could make an argument it was the best game EVER PLAYED at Clune-by both teams. New Mexico had a lot to play for, hoping for a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They brought their "A" game. The Falcons had been in a tailspin, losing 6 of their last 8, and needed some mojo heading into this weeks Mountain West Tournament. Over the course of 2 hours the teams beat the daylights out of each other, both shooting well over 50%. Air Force trailed by 4 with 19 seconds left. Then Senior Mike Lyons, hit a LONG 3 point shot to bring Air Force to within 1. The Falcons fouled Kendal Williams, and the New Mexico guard made 1 of 2 free throws leaving Air Force down 2 with 12 seconds left. The ball came to Lyons, and 3 Lobos went after him, as they should. He saw Todd Fletcher in the right corner and threw him the ball. Todd caught it, and in one motion let it fly, and it dropped straight through for a 1 point Air Force lead. New Mexico had a quick look at a long 3 late, which missed and the Falcons celebrated with delirious joy. That's a game they will talk about for years. And it propels Air Force into the Mountain West Tournament which begins at 1 Wednesday afternoon on Animal 1300 as the Falcons meet UNLV. They lost to the Runnin Rebels by 5 in overtime in January, then beat them up good in February at Clune. Don't tell Air Force they can't win Wednesday, and don't tell them they can't make a run in the Mountain West Tournament. After all, they can create Magic.

Sorry I have been Gone

  I was here, but I wasn't here. My apologies for not getting on the blog sooner. Its a long story for which you will have no interest I'm sure, so lets get to it!!!!


  Where is the Air Force Mens Basketball team going? I don't mean in terms of what tournament. I mean what direction. Having lost 5 of their last 7 the Falcons are playing their worst basketball at the worst time to do so, at the end of the regular season. 2 weeks ago some people mentioned Air Force as a bubble team in the NCAA tournament. But after disheartening losses to Nevada, Boise St, and Fresno St, all on the road,
the Falcons are giving the appearance of a team that's wants to finish the season and go home. What Dave Pilipovich and his squad have done this year has been amazing. They have spent much of conference play in the upper half of the division. They have beaten UNLV, San Diego St, Wyoming twice, and Boise State, all quality and tournament teams of one sort or another. They have won in the toughest conference in America this year. But their play on the road the last 3 weeks has been a mystery. No effort, no passion, no urgency, no "Want To." The clock is ticking on 5 seniors who will end their careers one way or another in 4 weeks or less. Pilipovich has done a marvelous job managing practice and giving his team as much rest as he can. But he can't make shots, He's can't dive on the floor for loose balls. He can't play with urgency. His team needs to do that.
   Now, 2 games remain in the regular season...Wednesday night at San Diego State, and home Saturday against 12th ranked New Mexico. Beat both teams and you have 18 wins, some momentum, and a chance to win a first round MWC Tournament game against a good opponent. And, the attention of the NCAA Selection Committee. Win 1 of the 2 and get an opening round tournament win, and you have some mojo back. The Falcons have it in them, and as tough as the Mountain West has been this year the Falcons COULD play for an automatic NCAA Tourney berth a week from Saturday. But it has to come from them, the passion, the urgency, the desperation, the "Want-To." Do they want it?