Air Force Falcons kick off the season Saturday against Northwestern St.

CALHOUN

Air Force does not have a special teams coordinator. But don’t misconstrue that for a lack of concern about the kicking game.

To the contrary, special teams are a priority at the academy under coach Troy Calhoun.

“If you aren’t completely head over heels committed to special teams, you get exposed in a hurry playing in this league at the academy,” Calhoun said.

To understand the importance Calhoun attaches to special teams, consider the amount of practice time and the kinds of players he allocates to them.

While Calhoun noted that during an approximately 180-play game only 30 to 35 involve special teams, he added that “in terms of yardage exchanged,” special teams “absolutely” can be considered one-third of the game.

So at Air Force, the Falcons spend about a third of each practice on special teams — more time than any of the teams at his previous coaching stops in college and the NFL.

Pre-practice meetings always start with special teams. Air Force begins each practice with special teams work and returns to them near the middle of practice because “if you wait until the end, I don’t think the concentration’s the same,” Calhoun said.

Air Force works hard on schemes but perhaps harder on fundamentals — how to get in the right position to make a tackle on kickoffs, where the ball should be snapped and how it should be caught on field goals (see “battery” story), how to get in the right spot to block a punt, how and where a punter should drop the ball. It’s necessary at the academy.

“There are places where you go and I think they can just count on raw speed to make up for the ability to cover kicks or return kicks,” Calhoun said. “Where here I think fundamentally you’ve got to be superb at it. … We do punt every single day (at practice). In a game week we’ll do kickoff cover every single day. There’s only one day we don’t do kickoff return. We do field goal every single day. There’s only one day we don’t do punt block. We put a ton of time into it.”

And they use their best players on the units. While some schools use mostly backups, “we’re going to put starters on special teams,” Calhoun said.

“There are a bunch of coaches who’ll tell you you’re crazy to do it. Because what they’re doing is they’re going to get worn out covering all the way down on a kickoff cover, all the way on a punt or a kickoff return.”

Last season, for instance, junior free safety Jon Davis played on the punt block and return teams and was a gunner on the punt team — meaning he had to sprint down the field to cover punts just before joining his defensive teammates. Calhoun is fine with that.

“We’re going to commit to be really good on special teams,” Calhoun said. “And I think the only way it’s indicative is you’re willing to put your most talented guys on there.”

As for not having a coordinator, Calhoun did initially. He hired Brian Schneider for the role, but Schneider left for a job with the NFL’s Oakland Raiders not two months into his tenure.

With a mulligan, Calhoun decided filling the role by committee was the way to go.

A position coach is in charge of each special team — defensive line coach Ron Burton takes kickoff cover, running backs coach Jemal Singleton is in charge of kickoff return, tight ends coach Ben Miller handles the punt team and outside linebackers coach Matt Weikert takes punt return — and several others provide help.

“I think that way all your position coaches are much more involved,” Calhoun said.
“And I think the more involved your position coaches are, the more involved your players are in realizing how important it is.”

And they realize it.

“The coaches make special teams the No. 1 priority,” Davis said.

“Coach Calhoun always says that special teams can break down any time, and one big play in the game will change the entire aspect of it.”

RETURNS

Thanks in large part to Anthony Wright Jr. and Jonathan Warzeka, Air Force ended a pair of long special teams droughts in 2009.

On Nov. 7, against Army, Wright took a punt 88 yards for a touchdown, marking the first time the Falcons had returned a punt for a score since 1998. Less than two months later, in the Armed Forces Bowl, Warzeka fielded a kickoff just inside his end zone and raced all the way to the house for the first kickoff return for a touchdown since Scott Thomas did it way back in 1985.

There could be more happy returns in 2010.

In addition to Wright and Warzeka, seniors Reggie Rembert and Jared Tew — who averaged 25.1 and 23.6 yards a kickoff return last year, respectively — are back in 2010, giving the Falcons a slew of talented returners.

“Pretty good,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said of his return men. “Pretty reasonable.”

Junior tailback Asher Clark, who took a kickoff back 18 yards last season, and junior free safety Jon Davis, who went 35 yards with his lone punt return, also could be dangerous returning kicks.

But some of those returners instead might be used to help the Falcons make another kind of game-changing special teams play — one they used to make regularly. The blocked kick.

In seven seasons, from 1997 through 2003, the Falcons blocked 28 punts and 15 field goals — 4.0 and 2.1, respectively, per season.

In six seasons since then, however, the Falcons have gotten to just three punts (the last coming in 2006) and just five field goals (including three last year — but none were blocked by players coming off the edge).

That could soon change, however. Calhoun has increased team speed and quickness by recruiting.

“I think special teams, more than anything else, they tend to magnify the differences in athleticism among teams,” Calhoun said. “And I can remember for years in the ‘80s and the ‘90s, nobody could return a punt for 2 yards against the University of Miami. Just because of how swiftly they were able to get down and cover a kick. Same thing goes with blocks. I think if you’re more athletic than the other team, I think you’re going to block more kicks too.”

Wright’s punt return gave Air Force a spark and its lone points in the first half against the Black Knights. Warzeka’s return came immediately after Houston had returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown, and it completely swung momentum back to the Falcons.

Blocks can have a similar effect.

“Those are major, major plays,” Calhoun said.

And he wants to see more of them.

BATTERY

When junior Colton Reid first began long snapping during practices at Air Force, he thought he was getting the ball in satisfactory spots for the holder.

“I was like, ‘OK, he’s catching them,’” Reid recalled. “‘That’s good enough.’”

Not for coach Troy Calhoun.

Reid said Calhoun told him that he wants the ball snapped to the same spot each time — one that’s about as big as “a 3-by-5 (inch) note card,” Reid said.

“I give him a little more leeway than that,” Calhoun said with a smile. “It’s a 1 foot by 1 foot box.”

Hitting that small target is one of several details the snapper-holder-kicker battery of Reid, senior Ben Cochran and junior Erik Soderberg must execute so that every field goal and extra point accomplishes several goals set out by Calhoun: taking no longer than 1.3 seconds, from the snap to the moment the kicker’s foot hits the ball; putting the ball through the uprights; and, as Reid said, “perfection.”

“Every time (Calhoun) wants perfection.”

Here’s some of the other things the trio must do to accomplish that.

REID MUST …

• Using his dominant hand like a quarterback would to throw a pass and his off hand as a guide, fire the ball to the holder with velocity and in a tight spiral. When the ball doesn’t spiral in practice, Calhoun notices and tells Reid the ball “is wobbling.”

• Locate the ball in that 1 foot by 1 foot spot just in front of the holder’s back knee (the one that isn’t on the ground).

COCHRAN MUST …

• Catch the ball just above where the ball will be spotted instead of extending his arms to make the catch and then bringing it to the spot. This saves time, Calhoun said, because in the air the ball will travel the last foot or so faster than Cochran could move it after catching it.

“I want to see him take advantage of the velocity of the throw,” Calhoun said.

• Put the ball down in the spot to which Soderberg is aiming his steps.

• Hold the ball with one finger — “you don’t want to have your hand spread out, where when the ball comes off his foot you create any more drag or friction,” Cochran said.

• Rotate the ball to get the laces facing the goal posts and tilt it a tad toward himself.

SODERBERG MUST …

• Visualize the ball going through the uprights.

• Start his steps — a short “jab-step” with the left, a right and then a plant with the left — just “a split-second after” the ball is snapped.

• Focus on the ball, and not over-swinging.

• Achieve “immediate elevation,” Calhoun said, so the ball cannot be blocked.

The players worked together in the offseason and have plenty of time in practice to polish their craft. Calhoun makes the deep snapper available to work with kickers and punters throughout practices.

“There’s absolutely no excuse not to be superb,” Calhoun said. “In knowing where that ball’s going to be snapped to, being able to catch it and being able to have a consistent approach and hit-point on the ball.”

SCHEDULE ANALYSIS

• 9/4; vs. Northwestern State

WHEN: Noon LAST YEAR: Did not play

Bring a good book (or some coffee to stay awake) because this one won’t be close. The Demons of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) went 0-11 last season and lost to Nicholls State — the team Air Force beat 70-0 in its 2009 opener. In three season openers under coach Troy Calhoun, the Falcons have beaten a trio of FCS squads by a combined 145-10.

• 9/11; vs. BYU

WHEN: 2 p.m. LAST YEAR: L, 38-21

The bad news: The Cougars have dominated their series with Air Force in recent seasons, winning six straight games, each by 14 or more points, including last season’s victory (which wasn’t as close as the score indicated). The good news: Air Force catches BYU at a good time. The Cougars will have a new starting quarterback in 2010 and have, at times, started slowly under Bronco Mendenhall.

• 9/18; at Oklahoma

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. LAST YEAR: Did not play

Arguably the highest-profile game of Calhoun’s tenure. The Sooners had a down year (for them) in 2009, going 8-5 amid a slew of injuries. But those injuries allowed some younger players to bank game experience. Renowned college football expert Phil Steele ranked Oklahoma No. 1 in his preseason magazine. For Air Force, a victory would take its place among the program’s biggest upsets.

• 9/25; at Wyoming

WHEN: Noon LAST YEAR: W, 10-0

Can you say “Trap Game?” Air Force gets the Cowboys a week after the trip to Norman and a week before the biggest game of the season — against archrival Navy. The Falcons have beaten Wyoming four times in a row, but the Cowboys, under second-year coach Dave Christensen, are a team on the rise.

• 10/2; vs. Navy

WHEN: 12:30 p.m. LAST YEAR: L, 16-13 (OT)

In 2007 it was four trips inside the Midshipmen’s 25-yard line that resulted in zero points. In 2008 it was a pair of blocked punts that Navy turned into two touchdowns. Last season it was an untimely penalty, a botched kickoff and too-close-to-the-vest play-calling in overtime. Air Force always seems to have a reason why it lost to Navy. The Midshipmen, meanwhile, have seven straight wins in the series.

• 10/9; vs. Colorado State

WHEN: Noon LAST YEAR: W, 34-16

Air Force has had little trouble with the Rams under Calhoun, winning games by 24, 21 and 18 points, respectively, in his first three seasons. Colorado State finished at the bottom of the Mountain West Conference in 2009 and begins the season on a nine-game losing streak.

• 10/16; at San Diego State

WHEN: 6 p.m. LAST YEAR: W, 26-14

A matchup of (potentially) the MWC’s best passing offense (San Diego State’s, led by QB Ryan Lindley and WRs DeMarco Sampson and Vincent Brown) and (potentially) its best passing defense (Air Force’s, led by CBs Reggie Rembert and Anthony Wright Jr.). Air Force has won four of its past five games against the Aztecs.

• 10/23; at TCU

WHEN: 6 p.m. WHERE: L, 20-17

Scary: Air Force is 0-4 all-time against the Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Scarier: TCU has 19 starters (including three specialists) back from its 2009 squad that went 12-1 and finished sixth in the country.

• 10/30; vs. Utah

WHEN: 5:30 p.m. LAST YEAR: L, 23-16 (OT)

Expect a great game. Eight of the teams’ past nine matchups have been decided by eight points or less, including five that were decided by four points or less. Recently, however, the Utes have found a way to win most of these classics. They are 6-1 against the Falcons the past seven years.

• 11/6; at Army

WHEN: 10 a.m. LAST YEAR: W, 35-7

The final score might make you forget that last season’s game was hotly contested for 30 minutes — it was 7-7 after a first half in which the Falcons had just 39 yards of offense. Air Force has beaten Army four years in a row (combined score 124-31) and 12 of the past 13 times the teams have met. But second-year coach Rich Ellerson seems like the perfect fit in West Point and could revitalize the Black Knights.

• 11/13; vs. New Mexico;

WHEN: 4 p.m. LAST YEAR: W, 37-13

New Mexico was a disaster on and off the field in 2009 under first-year coach Mike Locksley. And the Lobos are another team Air Force generally has handled of late. The Falcons have won five of the past six games in the teams’ series, the lone loss coming in Albuquerque in 2007 when they lost five fumbles inside their 30-yard line.

• 11/18; at UNLV

WHEN: 8 p.m. LAST YEAR: W, 45-17

The Falcons’ fitness and mental toughness will be tested in the finale. The Thursday night contest (Air Force’s lone game not on a Saturday) demands a quick turnaround after 11 straight weeks of games. UNLV is hoping first-year coach Bobby Hauck, who was 80-17 in seven seasons at Montana, can turn around a struggling program.

THREE SIGNS OF A GOOD SEASON

1. Jefferson Stays Healthy

The 2008 Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, quarterback Tim Jefferson was hampered throughout his sophomore campaign by a badly sprained ankle (which caused him to miss several games) and a torn meniscus in his right knee (which he played with all season, limiting the explosiveness he showed as a freshman). But if Jefferson stays healthy, he could be poised for a breakout junior year in 2010 — imagine him running like he did as a freshman and passing like he did in his last four full games of 2009. During those four games (against Colorado State, Army, UNLV and Houston), he completed 29-of-46 passes for 529 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. That kind of passing production and efficiency makes opponents pay for loading up on the Falcons’ rushing attack.

2. Defense Dominates without DeRuyter

When Troy Calhoun took over as coach at the academy prior to the 2007 season, he hired another academy graduate, Tim DeRuyter, to be his defensive coordinator. DeRuyter installed an aggressive, attacking 3-4 scheme and almost immediately transformed what had been a porous unit. The Falcons’ 2009 defense was one of the best in program history, ranking 11th in the country in total defense (288.3 yards allowed per game) and 10th in scoring defense (15.7 points allowed per game). DeRuyter, however, left Air Force in the offseason to take the defensive coordinator post at Texas A&M. Can the defense — which includes plenty of experienced returners and will run the same schemes — keep it up without DeRuyter calling the shots?

3. The Falcons start 4-1 (or 5-0)

This actually would be the sign of a great season. If we chalk up the opener against Northwestern State as a victory (and, really, why shouldn’t we?), then Air Force would need to take three of its next four (against BYU, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Navy) to get to 4-1. A victory over BYU would be the Falcons’ first over the Cougars since 2003 and would get them off to a great start in Mountain West Conference play. A victory over Oklahoma would rank among the academy’s all-time biggest upsets. Beating Wyoming would keep one of the league’s up-and-coming teams at bay. And we don’t even have to say what beating Navy would mean. Getting three of four (as long as the loss isn’t to Navy) or all four would give the Falcons enormous confidence and momentum and set them up for a special campaign.

THREE SIGNS OF A BAD SEASON

1. Inexperience Shows on the Offensive Line

Only one of the projected starters on the offensive line has seen significant playing time — junior guard A.J. Wallerstein. The Falcons always seem to weave inexperienced linemen into their starting lineup seamlessly. But four in one year? The talent and experience in the backfield can make up for the occasional mistake up front, but not breakdowns in pass protection and an inability to move the pile. The guys up front have to grow up fast.

2. Brandon Geyer’s Absence is Obvious

From 2007 through 2009, the sure-handed Geyer was the mistake-free holder. And last season he was a reliable punter who often affected field position. But he graduated, meaning the Falcons must fill a pair of important but oft-overlooked special teams roles. Ben Cochran — a former standout baseball player — seems ready to handle the holding duties. But there was still a question early in the fall as to who would take over as punter.

3. Navy Beats Air Force (Again)

If we’re not quite to the point where an 11-1 regular season with the lone loss coming to Navy would be considered disappointing, we’re really, really close. Calhoun has done so much for Air Force football since taking over as coach in 2007 — he’s revitalized recruiting, taken the Falcons to three straight bowl games and made them relevant in the MWC — but he hasn’t beaten Navy and, thus, has yet to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy the Falcons once seemed to own. The losing streak to the Midshipmen is at seven, making this a borderline must-win for 2010 to be considered a success.

MOUNTAIN WEST

TCU, BYU and Utah have combined to win the past seven Mountain West Conference titles. And during the past two seasons, none of the other six teams in the league has beaten any of those three squads.

But instead of the “Big Three,” talk in 2010 might center on the “Big One.”

After going 12-0 in the regular season and winning its eight games against MWC foes by an average of 32.4 points, TCU might be even better in 2010.

The Horned Frogs return nine starters from an offense that ranked fifth in the country in scoring (38.3 points per game) and seventh in total offense (456.7 yards per game) in 2009, including quarterback Andy Dalton. Last season’s MWC Offensive Player of the Year, Dalton will be entering his fourth year as TCU’s starting signal-caller.

The defense — always tough at TCU — returns seven starters, including junior linebacker Tank Carder, the 2010 preseason MWC Defensive Player of the Year. And the Horned Frogs also have all their specialists back, including senior returner Jeremy Kerley, last season’s MWC Special Teams Player of the Year.

Not only that, they feel they have unfinished business to settle after finishing last season on a sour note, with a 17-10 loss to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

“That’s been a lot of motivation for us,” Dalton said.

TCU was picked to win the league again unanimously in the preseason media poll, and put eight players on the preseason all-conference team (Utah had the second-most with four).

“I’d put TCU up against anybody in America, for sure,” Air Force cornerback Reggie Rembert said.

Utah and BYU were second and third in the preseason poll, respectively, but both have questions. BYU needs to replace three-year starting quarterback Max Hall, while Utah lost seven defensive starters.

Air Force has finished fourth in the MWC the past two seasons and has designs cracking the top three, while Wyoming is looking to build on its 7-6 2009. And with more coaching stability (only UNLV has a new coach), the bottom half of the league should be improved.

“I believe the conference itself is stronger from top to bottom than it was a year ago,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said.

Unfortunately for the rest of the conference, TCU appears to be better than it was a year ago too.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH IN MWC

1. Can anyone touch TCU?

The Horned Frogs outscored their eight MWC opponents by a combined 349-90 in 2009, and only one of the games (a 20-17 victory over Air Force in bitter cold and snow) was decided by less than 27 points. This season TCU might be — gulp — even better. The Horned Frogs return 19 starters, including three specialists, seven defensive players and nine from the offense that ranked fifth nationally in scoring (38.3 points per game) and seventh in total offense (456.7 yards per game) last season. Leading the way are senior quarterback Andy Dalton, the 2009 MWC Offensive Player of the Year and senior receiver/returner Jeremy Kerley, the 2009 MWC Special Teams Player of the Year — two of 27 seniors on the experienced squad. Two-time MWC Defensive Player Jerry Hughes is in the NFL, but the Horned Frogs always boast a fast, tough defense.

2. Will the league’s lower tier pull its weight?

It’s going to have to if the MWC wants to become an automatic-qualifying BCS league. To gain “AQ” status, a league must meet three criteria during a four-year evaluation period. Halfway through the current evaluation period, the MWC — thanks to its best squads — meets two of them (one has to do with the ranking of its highest-ranked team, and the other with the number of teams ranked in the Top 25 of the final BCS rankings). But the league currently does not meet the third criteria, which takes into account the rankings of all the teams in the league. The MWC needs better performances from teams like New Mexico and San Diego State, which have gone 5-19 and 6-18, respectively, during the past two seasons.

3. Standout signal-callers

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun believes the MWC will be the strongest it has been “from top to bottom,” in large part because of the amount of returning, quality quarterbacks it boasts. “I think there’s something about whenever you’ve got a guy that’s been underneath center and he’s coming back,” Calhoun said. In addition to TCU, which returns Dalton, five other teams will have quality returning starters under center: San Diego State (junior third-year starter Ryan Lindley, who passed for 3,054 yards and 23 touchdowns last season); Air Force (junior third-year starter Tim Jefferson, the 2008 MWC Freshman of the Year); UNLV (senior Omar Clayton, who took over as the Rebels’ starter as a freshman); Utah (sophomore Jordan Wynn, who started the last five games last season and was the MVP of the Utes’ 37-27 Poinsettia Bowl victory over Cal); and Wyoming (sophomore Austyn Carta-Samuels, last season’s MWC Freshman of the Year). BYU, meanwhile, boasts freshman Jake Heaps, who was the top-ranked recruit in the country last year.

TOP 25 BY FRANK SCHWAB, THE GAZETTE

1. Alabama

Defending champ deserves the top spot.

2. Boise State

Has everyone back, could run the table … this is the right spot.

3. Ohio State

I don’t know if Terrelle Pryor is consistent enough to keep the Buckeyes here.

4. Florida

The Gators still have more elite talent than anyone else.

5. TCU

An undefeated season is possible.

6. Oklahoma

Lost a lot, but have a lot back, too.

7. Iowa

No surprise at all if the Hawkeyes win the Big Ten.

8. Texas

Another team that never lacks elite talent.

9. Pittsburgh

The class of the Big East.

10. Nebraska

Still a great defense, but can the Cornhuskers score enough?

THE REST OF THE BEST

11. Miami (Fla.)

12. Virginia Tech

13. USC

14. Wisconsin

15. Arkansas

16. Oregon

17. Florida State

18. North Carolina

19. LSU

20. Georgia Tech

21. Stanford

22. West Virginia

23. Georgia

24. Auburn

25. Cincinnati

HEISMAN CONTENDERS BY FRANK SCHWAB,
THE GAZETTE

1. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
If I would have had a vote last year, it would have gone to Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. But for this year, ignoring defending Heisman winner Ingram is impossible.

2. QB Kellen Moore,
Boise State
Moore’s numbers are phenomenal, and Boise State starts high enough in the preseason polls to be a legit title contender.

3. QB Jake Locker,
Washington
His skill set is fantastic — he needs to make sure he leads the Huskies to enough wins to stay relevant, however.

4. QB Ryan Mallet, Arkansas
His story is about the same as Locker. If he can win regularly in tough SEC, he’ll be impossible to ignore.

5. QB Terrelle Pryor,
Ohio State
Yes, he has elite talent, and he had a great Rose Bowl. But the four games before that, he didn’t crack 135 yards passing. He needs to make a huge leap to win.