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Air Force report: Surprise team

By Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 2, 2008 at 7:16 p.m.

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AIR FORCE ACADEMY — With a 3-1 record, the Falcons have to be considered one of college football's surprise teams this season.

Air Force, one of the youngest teams in school history, was picked to finish seventh in the Mountain West.

Air Force lost 14 players with 30 career games played, and four others with 25 career games. The Falcons have only 17 seniors.

So, what does coach Troy Calhoun think of the Falcons one-third of the way through the season?

"I like the differential in fumbles (nine recovered, two lost)," he said. "The ones you're causing and making some things happen."

The coach also offered his views on what he hasn't liked.

"I want to see us be more resilient," he said. "We've relinquished some yards the last couple of games. And then, offensively, just being able to sustain more drives and have a little bit larger gains in the open field and just more play-making."

Calhoun is hoping to see solid play from his team Saturday when the Falcons host Navy in this season's first game in the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy round-robin competition.

"I do get a sense that they want to play superb football every single week. And in this week, you go to the practice field and you realize this (game) is something that is very important to them."

NAVY QB? NO MATTER

Navy's starting quarterback is still up in the air, but whoever starts doesn't make much difference, according to Calhoun.

The Midshipmen list starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada - he rushed for two touchdowns, 101 yards and had 180 yards total offense in a victory against Air Force last season - as day to day after aggravating a hamstring injury Saturday.

So fellow senior Jarod Bryant could be the starting quarterback Saturday.

"I don't think it makes a great deal of difference, because what you have is two experienced guys," Calhoun said. "They both have been strong contributors to their football team. So I don't think you're going to see a drastic difference in the way that they attack.

"They are both tremendous leaders, and they are both service academy quarterbacks that have been able to play a lot of football. They're playmakers."