Hall leads AFA to victory over Army

Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 3, 2007 at midnight

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AIR FORCE ACADEMY – Chad Hall is listed as a wide receiver-Z but he does it all for the Air Force Academy.



The 5-foot-8, 180-pound senior for Atlanta lines up all over the backfield, including at tailback, and Air Force coach Troy

Calhoun likes to get the ball in his hands as often as possible.



Hall set a new single game Air Force rushing record Saturday when he carried a career-high 34 times, gained 275 yards and scored one touchdown in the Falcons’ 30-10 victory over Army before a season-high crowd of 46,144 at Falcon Stadium.



He broke his own single-game rushing record of 256 yards set earlier this season against Colorado State University.



Hall, who had three receptions for 19 yards and returned three punts for 39 yards, set a school record with 333 all-purpose yards, breaking the old standard of 315 yards set by Ernie Jennings in 1968 at the University of Colorado.



He also became the single season record holder for all-purpose yards with 1,961, snapping Cormac Carney’s record of 1,735 set in 1978.



"It was a fantastic effort," Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said of Hall’s record-breaking day. "The guy is a good player. I wish I had him for a few more years. He’s the one guy for us that has the opportunity to make a little more than what is there because he makes somebody miss."



On several of his runs, Hall made several Black Knight defenders miss and he sidestepped taking any credit after the game like he sidestepped tackles during the game.



"The main thing is we got another W and I just ran behind the big guys," Hall said. "At the beginning of the year, everybody was doubting our offensive line. They’ve stepped up big time. It is easy to run behind them. I just read them and run behind them.’’



There were 180 former players at the game as part of Air Force’s first alumni weekend. Former coach Fisher DeBerry watched the game from somewhere in the stands and Tom Starr of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl also saw Saturday’s victory.

Air Force improved to 7-3 for the season but the Falcons probably need at least one victory in its final two games, next week at Notre Dame and Nov. 17 against San Diego State at Falcon Stadium, to secure a bowl berth.



"Getting bowl eligible with that sixth win was big but to get that next was just as big," linebacker Drew Fowler said. "We probably need two more wins the way this conference (Mountain West) is going."



The Falcons and TCU are the primary contenders to represent the MWC in the Dec. 31 bowl in Fort Worth.



Starr and the former Falcon players witnessed Air Force rack up 542 yards total offense, including 444 rushing yards.



Air Force averaged 6.9 yards per play, compared to 3.1 yards per play for Army.



The Falcon defense held the Black Knights, 3-6, to 17 yards rushing but Army quarterback Carson Williams was sacked five times and that accounted for 46 yards in lost yardage.



"This was a very complete team effort," Calhoun said.



It was the first victory over a service academy team at Falcon Stadium for the Air Force senior class.



Senior quarterback Shaun Carney completed nine of 12 passes for 105 yards that included a 48-yard scoring pass to Spencer Armstrong. He was intercepted once in the second quarterback that set up a tying touchdown for Army.



Carney also rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown.



Ryan Harrison kicked three field goals of 35, 40 and 56 yards.



"They outplay us, they outplayed us in the second half and they deserved to win," Army coach Stan Brock said. "Chad Hall got loose a couple times because guys missed tackles. He’s a heck of a running back and does a good job as a wide receiver but you’ve got to tackle him."

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