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Calhoun names two coordinators, assigns other positions
Jan. 9, 2007 Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun announced today that two former assistant coaches, Tim Horton and Tim DeRuyter, will be returning to the Academy as offensive and defensive coordinator, respectively. In addition, Calhoun announced other staff positions, to include naming current assistant Brian Knorr as assistant head coach and the return of former player Ben Miller as an assistant coach on the staff. The coaching staff to date follows: Brian Knorr, assistant head coach Tim Horton, offensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, defensive coordinator Brian Schneider, special teams coordinator Capt. Charlton Warren, assistant coach Jemal Singleton, assistant coach Capt. Blane Morgan, assistant coach Ben Miller, assistant coach Lt. Col. Steve Senn, assistant coach The individual position coaching responsibilities of all the assistant coaches is yet to be determined, according to Calhoun, who still has additional assistant coaching positions to appoint. Brian Knorr, assistant head coach Knorr returned to the Academy in 2005 as an assistant coach and spent the last two seasons as Falcon back coach. He is a 1986 graduate of the Academy where he earned his bachelor's in management and lettered three years for Air Force as a quarterback during one of the most successful times in Academy history. Air Force won 30 games during his three years as a letterman, the best three-year run in school history. Following graduation, Knorr served in the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, before returning to the Academy as a captain in 1992. While at Wright-Patterson AFB, Knorr earned his master's in business administration from Dayton in 1991. Knorr was the assistant offensive line coach, junior varsity head coach and administrative assistant to the head coach while at the Academy. Knorr left the Academy in 1995 to become the inside linebacker coach at Ohio for former Falcon assistant Jim Grobe. He was elevated to defensive coordinator in 1999 and led the Bobcats' resurgence on the defensive front. Ohio ranked in the top five of the Mid-American Conference in scoring, rushing and total defense every year during his tenure. His 2000 unit was one of only five in the nation to hold opponents to less than 30 points in every contest. In 2001, Knorr was tabbed to replace long-time friend and mentor Grobe as head coach. He had an 11-35 record in four years, including a 4-7 mark in 2004. Affectionately known as "Sunny" when he was at the Academy because of his great personality, Knorr was born Dec. 20, 1963, and is a native of Shawnee Mission, Kan. He and his wife, Julie, have a daughter, Katie (9), and six-year-old twins, Reagan and Brett. Tim Horton, offensive coordinator After a one-year stay as the running backs coach at Kansas State, Horton is returning to the Air Force Academy as the team's offensive coordinator. Considered by many to be a top-notch recruiter as well as an outstanding offensive coach, Horton spent seven seasons on Fisher DeBerry's staff at the Academy. During his tenure from 1999-2005, the Falcons posted five winning seasons and made two bowl appearances. In just his first season at Air Force in 1999, Horton mentored wide out Matt Farmer, who hauled in 34 catches for 484 yards and earned a roster spot in both the Hula Bowl and Blue-Gray All-Star Classic that season. A year later, Horton helped develop Ryan Fleming into one of the Academy's best ever. Fleming, who is regarded as the best option-era receiver ever produced by the Academy, led the Mountain West Conference in receiving with 52 receptions for 930 yards - the second-most ever by an AFA receiver - and became Air Force's first ever first team all-conference selection at wide receiver. In 2005, Horton took the coaching reins of the Falcons' running backs. The group once again proved to be a key ingredient to one of the nation's most potent ground attacks as Air Force ranked eighth in the country in rushing while averaging 246.6 yards per game. Horton received his coaching start at Appalachian State in 1990 and helped guide the Mountaineers to a 67-32 record during his eight-year tenure that included Southern Conference titles in 1991 and 1995 and five appearances in the Division I-AA playoffs. From 1990-92, Horton coached Appalachian State's receivers and tight ends before taking over as the Mountaineers' running backs coach in 1993. While at Appalachian State, Horton coached five all-conference players and served as the program's recruiting coordinator. A graduate of the University of Arkansas, Horton earned his bachelor's degree in marketing management in 1990. While at Arkansas, he was a four-year letterman and three-year starter as a split end and punt returner for the Razorbacks under head coach Ken Hatfield. Horton's four years at Arkansas proved to be the most successful in school history as the Razorbacks compiled a 38-11 record, won back-to-back Southwest Conference titles in 1988 and 1989 and appeared in four straight bowl games. In fact, Horton's graduating class remains the winningest in school history. A two-time academic all-conference selection, Horton was a second-team all-conference selection in 1989 and served as the Razorbacks' team captain that season. Horton and his spouse, Lauren, have one daughter, Caroline, and one son, Jackson. Tim DeRuyter, defensive coordinator A 1985 graduate of the Air Force Academy, DeRuyter comes to the Falcons after two seasons as Nevada's co-defensive coordinator. He worked with the Wolf Pack safeties and directed the pass defense along with coach Barry Sacks. Among his pupils is cornerback Joe Garcia, who earned first-team All-WAC honors in 2005. Prior to his stint at Nevada, DeRuyter spent three years at Ohio University, serving as defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He helped produce the 25th-ranked defense in the NCAA and the No. 2 defense in the Mid-American Conference in 2004. Prior to his stint in Athens, Ohio, he worked for three years at the U.S. Naval Academy. He also worked at the Air Force Academy for four years as a full-time, military coach and served there one year as a graduate assistant. He also worked at Ohio University from 1995-98 as defensive coordinator. All told, DeRuyter has 16 years of coaching experience, all at the NCAA Division I-A level, and has coached in five bowl games. He has experience with both 4-3 and 3-4 defensive schemes and in pressure, attack-style philosophies. DeRuyter's defenses have traditionally been ranked among the national leaders during his 15-year coaching career at three different I-A schools. A three-year letterman for the Falcons, DeRuyter earned a bachelor's degree in management and owns an M.B.A. in market strategy from Regis University in Denver in 1992. As an outside linebacker, he helped the Falcons to three bowl game victories during his playing career. DeRuyter attended St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif., where he graduated in 1981. Born Jan. 3, 1963, the 43-year-old DeRuyter and his wife, Kara, have a son, Jake, and a daughter, Christina. Ben Miller, assistant coach A 2002 Academy graduate, Miller joins Air Force football staff as an assistant coach for the 2007 season. He spent the 2006 season as the offensive graduate assistant at the University of Illinois.
Miller was an all-conference offensive lineman for the Falcons, starting at left tackle as a junior and senior. He played under Illinois offensive line coach Ed Warinner, while at Air Force. After completing his collegiate career, Miller signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns, where he was used as a fullback/tight end/long snapper. In the fall of 2005, he joined the practice squad for the Philadelphia Eagles.
In his NFL off-season, Miller returned to Colorado to assist the Air Force Academy as a graduate assistant coach, helping with scouting reports and recruiting. Miller graduated from the Air Force with a bachelor's degree in management and still serves in the USAF Reserves as a public affairs officer. Miller married the former Kerry Klein in June, 2006.
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 Troy Calhoun |
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