Oct. 6, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force (3-2, 1-1) at San Diego State (1-4, 0-1)
Saturday, Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m. Pacific
Qualcomm Stadium (54,000), San Diego, CA
Radio
KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs
1510 KCKK AM in Denver and Northern Colorado
Talent - Jim Arthur (play-by-play); Lee Douglas (anaylst); Jay Ritchie (pre- and post-game)
Television
The Mtn (Channel 616 on DirecTV, 167 on Comcast)
Talent - James Bates (play-by-play); Todd Christensen (color); Jenny Carnar (sidelines)
Air Force returns to MWC action; travels to San Diego State
Air Force (3-2, 1-1 MWC) returns to Mountain West Conference action this week by traveling to San Diego, Calif., to take on San Diego State (1-4, 0-1 MWC) on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Pacifit at Qualcomm Stadium. The game will be televised by The Mtn., which is channel 616 on DirecTV and 167 on Comcast. The game will also be broadcast on the radio on KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs and 1510 KCKK in Denver and northern Colorado. This week's game begins a stretch of Air Force playing three of the next four games on the road. AFA plays at UNLV Oct. 18, hosts New Mexico Oct. 23 and travels to Army Nov. 1.
The Falcons hold a 17-9 overall series lead. AFA is 10-4 at home, 6-5 in San Diego and 1-0 in neutral site games. Air Force's longest winning streak in the series is seven games (1981-87), while the San Diego State's is three games from 2002-04. Air Force won last year's game, 55-23, at the Academy while the Aztecs beat the Falcons, 19-12, in the last meeting in San Diego in 2006. Air Force has won two of the last three in the series overall, but has lost two straight in San Diego. The team's last win at SDSU (45-21) came in 2001.
Air Force finds itself in a familiar position after five games this season compared to last year. Air Force opened the 2007 season with three straight wins before losing back-to-back games, the second coming to Navy. The Falcons opened 3-0 this season before back-to-back losses with the second coming to Navy.
Air Force won six of its next seven games to close the regular season on the way to a 9-4 overall record and second place finish in the MWC with a 6-2 mark. The Falcons began the run with a conference win over UNLV to start a three-game winning streak. Following a loss at New Mexico, Air Force won its final three regular season games.
The series
Air Force and San Diego State meet for the 27th time overall. All 26 previous meetings have been as conference foes. The Falcons hold a 17-9 overall series lead. AFA is 10-4 at home, 6-5 in San Diego and 1-0 in neutral site games. Air Force's longest winning streak in the series is seven games (1981-87), while San Diego State's is three games from 2002-04. Air Force won last year's game, 55-23, at the Academy while the Aztecs beat the Falcons, 19-12, in the last meeting in San Diego in 2006. Air Force has won two of the last three in the series overall, but has lost two straight in San Diego. The team's last win at SDSU (45-21) came in 2001. The teams first played in 1980 in Falcon Stadium. The Aztecs won the game, 13-10. The following year the two teams played in Tokyo, Japan, in the Mirage Bowl. The Falcons won the game, 21-16, in front of 80,000 fans.
Series: AFA 17-9
First Meeting: 9/20/80
Last Meeting: 11/17/07
at AFA: AFA 10-4
at SDSU: AFA 6-5
Neutral: AFA 1-0
Year by Year
1980 - SDSU 13-10 (H)
1981 - AFA 21-16*
1982 - AFA 44-32 (H)
1983 - AFA 38-7 (A)
1984 - AFA 34-16 (H)
1985 - AFA 31-10 (H)
1986 - AFA 22-10 (A)
1987 - AFA 49-7 (H)
1988 - SDSU 39-36 (A)
1989 - AFA 52-36 (H)
1990 - SDSU 48-18 (A)
1991 - AFA 21-20 (H)
1992 - AFA 20-17 (A)
1993 - SDSU 38-31 (H)
1994 - AFA 36-35 (A)
1996 - SDSU 28-23 (A)
1997 - AFA 24-18 (H) OT
1999 - AFA 23-22 (A)
2000 - AFA 45-24 (H)
2001 - AFA 45-21 (A)
2002 - SDSU 38-34 (H)
2003 - SDSU 24-3 (A)
2004 - SDSU 37-31 (H)
2005 - AFA 41-29 (H)
2006 - SDSU 19-12 (A)
2007 - AFA 55-23 (H)
(H/A) is for AFA
* - Tokyo, Japan
Last season
AP Article - Jim Ollis, Ty Paffett and Chad Hall each eclipsed 100 yards rushing and combined for seven touchdowns to lead Air Force over San Diego State 55-23.
Air Force (9-3, 5-2, Mountain West Conference) ran for a season-high 569 yards, and Ollis and Paffett each set career highs for yards rushing.
San Diego State (4-6, 3-3) planned to stop Hall, the leading rusher in the conference, but had to deal with Ollis and Paffett in the first half.
Ollis, a converted quarterback, ran for 163 yards on 15 carries. He opened the Air Force scoring with a 54-yard run in the first and added another 34-yard touchdown to start the third quarter.
Paffett, a converted safety, scored a touchdown in every quarter except the fourth. He scored on a 4-yard run in the first quarter, added a 73-yarder midway through the second and had another 4-yard touchdown midway through the third. He finished with 105 yards on just seven carries.
Hall had just 25 yards rushing at halftime, but finished with 151 yards and two touchdowns.
The Aztecs dominated time of possession in the first half, keeping the ball for nearly eight minutes longer than Air Force, but two costly first-quarter turnovers -- a fumble by running back Brandon Sullivan and an interception thrown by quarterback Kevin O'Connell -- turned into Paffett's 4-yard touchdown and Ollis' 54-yard score.
The Aztecs opened the scoring when O'Connell took a keeper for a 1-yard touchdown to cap an 11-play drive.
The Falcons countered with three straight touchdown runs from Ollis, Paffett and Hall to build a two-touchdown lead.
Paffett's 73-yard score, Air Force's longest play from scrimmage on the season, put the Falcons up by 18 points before Atiyyah Henderson scored from the 6 to make it 28-17 at halftime.
O'Connell was 27-for-43 for 384 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chaz Schilens had six catches for 188 yards.
The teams combined for 1,176 yards of total offense.
The win gave the Falcons their first undefeated home season since 1998 and the school's most wins since 2000.
Last time at San Diego State
Air Force beat San Diego State in every area but the only one that counts -- the final score. The Aztecs defeated the Falcons, 19-12, at Qualcomm Stadium for their first win of the year.
Air Force had eight more first downs, ran 23 more plays, had the ball over 11 minutes longer and out-gained San Diego State by 60 yards but was its own worst enemy in falling for the first time in conference play.
San Diego State got a Garrett Palmer 35-yard field goal to take a 3-0 halftime lead. The Falcons got their offense going in the second half with a Zach Sasser 24-yard field goal to tie the game. San Diego State answered with a Kevin Craft to Chaz Schilens 49-yard scoring toss to take a 10-3 lead into the fourth quarter. The Falcons came back with a Jacobe Kendrick nine-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 10-9, following a missed extra point. The Falcons appeared to take the lead for good with a Sasser 38-yard field goal to take a 12-10 lead with 3:06 left, but the Aztecs answered with a Palmer 30-yarder with just two seconds left to take a 13-12 lead. San Diego State recovered a fumble on the AF kickoff return for a touchdown to make up the final margin.
Atiy Henderson led the Aztecs with 142 yards rushing on 25 carries. Craft was 12 of 19 passing for 133 yards and a touchdown. The defense was led by Joe Martin, who had a game-high 16 tackles. Russell Allen added 14 and Brett Sturm 13.
Air Force was led by Kendrick, who rushed for a season-best 92 yards and a TD.
Shaun Carney added 76 yards on 21 carries while Chad Hall chipped in with 69 yards. Carney also hit four of seven passes for 47 yards.
Career statistics vs. San Diego State
Rushing
Name G Att-Yds-TDs
Ty Paffett 1 7-105-3
Savier Stephens 1 5-35-0
Todd Newell 1 4-21-0
Passing
Name G C-A-Int-Yds-TD
None
Receiving
Name G #-Yds-TD
Travis Dekker 1 3-62-0
Ty Paffett 1 1-2-0
Spencer Armstrong 2 1-9-0
Tackles
Name G UT-AT-Total
Chris Thomas 2 9-7-16
Aaron Kirchoff 2 6-0-6
Ryan Kemp 2 2-4-6
Hunter Altman 2 3-1-4
Ben Garland 1 1-5-6
Andre Morris, Jr. 1 3-0-3
Reggie Rembert 1 1-1-2
Patrick Hennessey 1 1-1-2
Jared Marvin 1 1-0-1
Air Force-San Diego State connections
Senior Todd Newell is a native of San Diego, Calif. Newell is a graduate of St. Augustine High School and lettered two years in football and four in wrestling. He was the 2003 CIF champion at 179 pounds in wrestling.
The Falcons have three other players on the roster from the state of California. Elliott Battle is from Los Angeles, Rick Ricketts is from San Jose and Keith Madsen is a native of San Marcos.
Air Force turns around recent October trend
Despite last week's loss to Navy, the Falcons have turned around a recent ugly trend of playing poorly in the month of October.
The Falcons finished 3-1 in the month of October last season. Prior to last season's mark, Air Force had not posted a winning record in the month of October since going 4-0 in 1998. In fact, the Falcons had not won more than two games in the month since then. Air Force's three wins in 2007 matched the total from the previous three years combined. Air Force was undefeated at home last season (2-0), defeating UNLV, 31-14, and Wyoming, 20-12.
Air Force is 112-99-4 all-time in the month of October. The Falcons are 68-49-3 at home and 44-49-1 on the road. The team is 0-1 in neutral site games. Air Force is 40-26 in conference games in October, including a 25-13 mark at home and a 15-13 road record.
Recent October records
Year Overall Conference
2008 0-1 0-0
2007 3-1 3-1
2006 1-3 1-2
2005 1-3 1-2
2004 1-2 1-2
2003 1-2 1-1
2002 2-3 1-2
2001 2-2 1-2
2000 2-2 1-1
1999 2-2 1-2
Last week
Navy defeated Air Force, 33-27, Saturday afternoon at the Academy to notch its sixth consecutive victory over Air Force. Air Force allowed two blocked punts for touchdowns and lost two fumbles inside its own 20 yard line, but somehow still hung in until the final minute.
Navy opened the scoring with a Matt Harmon 35-yard field goal on the opening drive of the game. The Midshipmen added a touchdown on their first blocked punt when Blake Carter returned it 25 yards to make it 10-0. The Falcons got on the board with a Ryan Harrison 23-yard field goal and later tied the score on a Shea Smith two-yard run. Harrison gave the Falcons their first lead of the game, 13-10, with a 23-yard field goal with 2:43 remaining in the half, but Harmon hit a 48-yarder as time expired to tie the game at halftime.
Jarod Bryant scored on a three-yard run to open the second half scoring after Navy recovered an Air Force fumble on the opening play of the half at its own 10. The Falcons tied it at 20 when Smith hit Kyle Halderman with a 19-yard TD pass. Harmon then added two more field goals, the second coming early in the fourth quarter to give the Midshipmen a 26-20 lead. Bobby Doyle then recovered Navy's second blocked punt of the game in the end zone to push the lead to 33-20 with 10:02 remaining. The second field goal came following a fumble recovery at the Air Force 18 yard line.
Air Force made up the final margin when Asher Clark scored on a two-yard run with 2:32 remaining. The touchdown capped a 13-play, 84-yard drive that was engineered by backup quarterback Tim Jefferson, who came on in relief of Smith, who became ill during the second half. Air Force's final hopes were dashed when Navy recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock with one first down.
Air Force finished the game with 411 total yards, including a season-best 184 passing. Smith finished the game hitting eight of 12 passes for 128 yards while Jefferson hit four of nine for 56 yards. Todd Newell led the rushing attack with a career-high 50 yards on 15 carries. Kyle Lumpkin added 42 on 10 carries. The defense was led by Ken Lamendola, who had a career-high 14 tackles, and Hunter Altman, who had a career-best 13.
Navy was held to a season low 206 rushing yards and had 244 total yards. Bryant led the Midshipmen with 101 yards on 24 carries while fullback Eric Kettani added 75 yards on 22 carries.
Last game's notes
Team Notes
- Navy's first-quarter blocked punt return for a touchdown is the first against Air Force since 2004 when BYU's Gary Lovely returned a blocked punt eight yards for a score.
- Air Force's 10-point deficit in the first quarter marks the largest the team has faced this season. Air Force answered with the next 13 points. The previous large deficit was nine points vs. Utah. Air Force scored the next 16 points in the Utah game.
- Air Force's loss marks the first time since 2006 that Air Force has lost back-to-back home games. In 2006, the Falcons fell to eighth-ranked Notre Dame and Utah. Prior to the current two-game losing streak, the Falcons had won seven straight home games.
- Air Force's 184 yards passing is a season high. The previous best of 138 came vs. Utah.
- Navy finished the game with 244 total yards, marking the third game this season that Air Force's defense has held an opponent under 300 total yards. The Falcons also held Southern Utah to 130 and Wyoming to 140.
Individual Notes
- Seniors Ty Paffett (WR-Z) and Travis Dekker (TE) returned to the lineup for the first time this season. Both missed the first four games of the season due to injury. Paffett started the game, while Dekker entered during the first drive and made his first catch of the season.
- Senior PK Ryan Harrison kicked two field goals to move into fourth all-time at Air Force with career field goals with 29. Harrison passed Dennis Leuthauser (1967-69), who had 27, and is now tied with Joey Ashcroft (2001-03), who had 29.
- Junior WR-X Josh Cousins and sophomore WR-X Kevin Fogler each made the first start of their career. Air Force started the game in a double-WR formation. Fogler later recorded a career-long 53-yard reception in the first quarter to set up an Air Force field goal. Cousins finished the game with a career-best three receptions for 32 yards.
- Junior SS Chris Thomas forced his second fumble this season and senior DE Jake Paulson recovered it which is his second recovery this season. Paulson recorded his first recovery in AFA's last game vs. Utah and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
- Freshman CB Anthony Wright forced the first fumble of his career and Hunter Altman recorded his first-career fumble recovery. Wright later added a second forced fumble in the second quarter.
- Sophomore ILB Ken Lamendola recorded a career-high 14 tackles. His previous high of 12 came in Air Force's last game vs. Utah. Lamendola has recorded 10 or more tackles in four consecutive games (11 vs. Wyoming, 12 vs. Houston and Utah) and is the first Falcon to do so since All-American Chris Gizzi in 1997.
- Senior FB Todd Newell recorded career highs in every rushing category. Newell finished the game with 15 carries for 50 yards. He also recorded a career-long run of 11 yards. His previous highs were eight carries for 23 yards vs. Wyoming earlier this season. His previous long run was nine yards vs. New Mexico last season.
- Sophomore WR-Z Kyle Halderman made the first catch of his career, a 19-yard TD reception from Shea Smith to tie the score at 20-20 in the third quarter. Halderman finished the game with a team-high three catches for 62 yards.
- Senior QB Shea Smith hit eight of 12 passes for 128 yards before leaving the game due to illness. His eight completions match a career high, as he also had eight vs. Southern Utah earlier this season. Smith also matched his career-high with one touchdown pass.
- Senior OLB Hunter Altman recorded a career-best 13 tackles. His previous high of 12 came vs. Utah in the team's last game.
- Freshman QB Tim Jefferson recorded career highs in every rushing and passing category. He finished the game with 35 yards on six carries and hit four of nine passes for 56 yards.
One of America's top coaches
Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is quickly becoming one of America's top coaches. He is 12-6 in his second year at the helm at the Academy.
In his first year at Air Force, the 1989 Academy graduate led the Falcons to the most wins ever by a first-year head coach, along with the nine wins by Ben Martin in 1958. Calhoun led the team to six conference wins which is the most ever by a first-year head coach, breaking the mark of four set by Fisher DeBerry in 1984.
Calhoun began his coaching career at the Academy, then after serving his military committment, was an assistant at Ohio University, later becoming the offensive coordinator. He was the offensive coordinator at Wake Forest before joining the National Football League with the Denver Broncos from 2003-05. He was the offensive coorinator for the Houston Texans in 2006 before returning to his alma mater last season as the sixth head coach in school history.
Calhoun was named the AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year for 2007. Calhoun, who was also named the Mountain West Conference coach of the year, joined five other coaches to win the honor.
Calhoun is fourth in Mountain West Conference history in career winning percentage in conference games with a .700 mark (7-3).
Winningest MWC Coaches
# Name, School Tenure Record Pct.
1. Urban Meyer, Utah 2003-05 13-1 .929
2. Bronco Mendenhall, BYU 2005- 21-3 .875
3. Gary Patterson, TCU 2005- 20-6 .769
4. Troy Calhoun, Air Force 2007- 7-3 .700
Young team in 2008
Air Force features one of its youngest teams in history in 2008. The Falcons lost 15 starters from the 2007 squad that finished 9-4 overall and placed second in the Mountain West Conference with a 6-2 mark. The team lost eight starters on offense, including four-year starting quarterback Shaun Carney and all-purpose back Chad Hall, the conference offensive player of the year. Only offensive linemen Nick Charles and Keith Williams, along with tight end Travis Dekker return on offense.
Defensively, the Falcons lost six starters, including first-team all-conference linebackers John Rabold (2007) and Drew Fowler (2006) as well as first-team all-MWC cornerback Carson Bird, the conference's leader in interceptions last year. Five of the top six defensive linemen return, along with outside linebacker Hunter Altman and safety Chris Thomas.
The Falcons lost deep snapper Tony Norman, and return specialist Hall. Kicker Ryan Harrison, who handles all the kicking and punting duties returns.
In terms of games played and started, the Falcons lost 14 players with 30 career games played, plus four more with 25 career games played. In addition, Air Force only has 17 seniors on its roster this season which ranks as the 19th fewest in the nation.
Percentage of offense / defense lost to graduation
Category Lost Pct Lost Notes
Passing yards 1,491 95.7 Top passer lost
Rushing yards 3,482 89.4 Top six rushers lost
Receiving 952 61.1 Top two receivers lost
Punt returns 176 100.0 Top punt returner lost
Scoring 210 54.0 Three of top four scoreres lost
All-purpose yards 5,254 79.8 Top four lost
Total offense 4,974 91.2 Top six lost
Interceptions 14 ints 93.3 Top three and seven of top eight lost
Tackles 534 53.2 Team leader, four of top five lost
Air Force 14th nationally in terms of freshmen playing
The Falcons are the youngest team in the Mountain West Conference and 14th youngest nationally in terms of freshmen playing. The freshmen that have played for Air Force this season follow: 5 - Anthony Wright (CB), 7 - Tim Jefferson (QB), 11 - Jaquon Robinson (WR), 15 - Jonathan Warzeka (WR), 16 - Jon Davis (SS), 17 - Asher Clark (TB/QB), 33 - P.J. Adeji-Paul (CB), 73 - A.J. Wallerstein (OT), 84 - Daniel Pickett (TE), 99 - Erik Soderberg (PK). Wright, Jefferson, Davis and Wallerstein appear in the Air Force two-deep chart weekly.
True Freshmen Who Have Played
Florida State 22
Miami (Fla.) 21
Arkansas 16
Alabama 15
SMU 15
Minnesota 14
Georgia 12
Tulane 12
UAB 11
Central Michigan 11
Rice 11
Iowa State 11
UCLA 11
Air Force 10
Arizona State 10
Florida 10
North Texas 10
San Jose State 10
Air Force defense solid
Air Force's defense has been solid this season. Despite two straight losses, the Falcons are still among the league leaders in several categories. Air Force ranks third in the conference and 45th nationally in scoring defense with a 20.2 average.
Air Force's defense has had several bright spots this season, which follow below.
Defensive season highlights
- The Falcons allowed just 10 points in the first two games this season which is the best effort in back-to-back games since allowing 10 points at Army (W, 35-7) and at Wyoming (W, 10-3) in 1998. The 10 points allowed in the opening two games of a season is the second-best in school history and best since the 1963 team allowed just seven in a 10-7 win vs. Washington and a 69-0 victory vs. Colorado State. Both of those games were played in Falcon Stadium.
- The Falcons have ranked as high as fifth nationally in total defense with an average of 173.0 yards allowed per game. The ranking came in week two.
- The Falcons held Southern Utah to just 130 total yards, including just seven yards on the ground. Southern Utah managed just eight first downs, was just 2-12 on third-down conversions and never reached the red zone. Southern Utah avoided the shutout late in the third-quarter with an 80-yard touchdown drive. Outside of that one drive, the Thunderbirds managed just 50 total yards and they never got deeper in Air Force territory than the 42 yard line.
- The 130-yard effort by the defense is the fifth-best single-game effort in school history and best since holding Army to just 100 yards in 1999. The seven yards rushing is the 14th-best single-game effort in Air Force history. Air Force held Southern Utah to just 0.3 yards per rush which is the 10th-best single-game effort in school history.
- Air Force held Wyoming to 2-13 on third-down conversions and 22:46 time of possession.
- Air Force scored its first defensive touchdown of the season when senior DE Jake Paulson returned a fumble 25 yards for a touchdown vs. Utah. The score is the first by an Air Force defensive lineman since Bryce Fisher vs. Oregon in the 1997 Las Vegas Bowl.
- Air Force held Navy, who entered the game second nationally in rushing with a 335.0 per-game average, to a season low 206 yards.
n Air Force has held three opponents (Southern Utah, 130; Wyoming, 216; Navy, 244) under 300 yards of total offense.
More on the defense
Air Force has allowed just three scores on the opeing drive of the first or second half this season. Utah scored the first to open the second half, scoring a touchdown. Navy added a field goal to open the game and a touchdown following an AF fumble on its own 10 to opened the second half. The Falcons have forced two punts and a fumble to open the second half in the three other games. Air Force has forced opponents to a turnover on downs and and three punts on the opening drive of the game besides Navy's field goal.
The Air Force offense has had seven turnovers this season and the defense has allowed just 13 points as a result. Navy scored 10 points off turnovers, but took possession both time inside the Air Force 20. The Midshipmen scored a touchdown after getting the ball on the 10 and a field goal after getting it on the 18. The other score came against Wyoming. The defense forced a three-and-out, but Wyoming hit a 47-yard field goal. On the six drives (one turnover vs. Utah ended the game) combined, the defense has allowed just 37 yards on 24 plays which is an average of 1.5 yards per play.
Opponent opening drives
Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Southern Utah Punt (3-6-1:15) Punt (3-9-:47)
Wyoming Punt (3-5-:59) Fumble (1-3-:07)
Houston Punt (4-26-2:40) Punt (9-38-3:02) -- two first downs
Utah Down (5-12-2:38) Touchdown (8-69-3:53)
Navy FG (13-62-7:13) Touchdown (3-10-1:14)
Total 28 plays; 111 yds 24 plays; 129 yards
Air Force defense following a turnover
Opponent Turnover Spot Result
Southern Utah fumble AF 42 Punt (3-1-:57)
fumble Opp 20 Punt (7-21-3:52)
Wyoming Interception AF 31 FG (4-1-1:29)
Utah Interception AF 44 Fumble (3-1-:53)
Interception AF 39 End of game
Navy Fumble AF 10 TD (3-10-1:14)
Fumble AF 18 FG (4-3-1:56)
Totals 24 plays; 37 yards
Air Force sixth nationally
- Air Force has scored in 186 consecutive games dating back to 1992.
- The Falcons were last shutout by Mississippi, 13-0, in the 1992 Liberty Bowl.
- Air Force's streak is the second-longest active streak of teams in the Mountain West Conference and the sixth longest in the country.
# School Streak Last Shutout
1. Michigan 293 Oct. 20, 1984 at Iowa (0-26)
2. Washington State 279 Sept. 15, 1984 at Ohio State (0-44)
3. Florida 248 Oct. 29, 1988 vs. Auburn (0-16)
4. Colorado 240 Nov. 12, 1988 at Nebraska (0-7)
5. TCU (MWC) 196 Nov. 16, 1991 at Texas (0-32)
6. Air Force (MWC) 186 #--Dec. 31, 1992 vs. Mississippi
(0-13), #--Liberty Bowl)
- Air Force's 186-game scoring streak is the 17th longest in Division I-A college history.
- of the top 16 all-time, nine were started in the 1980s while the other five began in the 1970s.
- Here's that list: (*--329 games including I-AA games prior to joining I-A in 1992):
# School Streak Dates Ended By
1. Brigham Young 361 9/27/1975 - 11/15/2003 Utah
2. Michigan 293 10/27/1984 - present ..................
3. Texas 281 11/29/1980 - 10/02/2004 Oklahoma
4. Washington State 279 10/22/1984 - present ..................
5. Washington 272 11/14/1981 - 10/16/2004 USC
6. Oregon 267 10/05/1985 - 11/15/2007 UCLA
7. Florida 248 11/05/1988 - present ..................
8. UCLA 245 10/02/1971 - 10/17/1992 Arizona State
9. Colorado 240 11/19/1988 - present ..................
10. Nebraska 233 1/01/1974 - 11/29/1991 Miami, Fla.
11. Florida State 232 9/10/1988 - 11/11/2006 Wake Forest
12. Hawaii 219 12/04/1976 - 11/04/1995 Colorado State
13. Arizona 214 9/09/1972 - 12/15/1990 Syracuse
14. Virginia 195 9/15/1984 - 10/28/2000 Georgia Tech
15. TCU 196 11/23/1991 - present ..................
16. *Nevada 187 9/05/1992 - 12/01/2007 New Mexico
17. Air Force 186 8/04/1993 - present .......................
Been here before
Air Force finds itself in a familiar position after five games this season compared to last year. Air Force opened the 2007 season with three straight wins before losing back-to-back games, the second coming to Navy. The Falcons opened 3-0 this season before back-to-back losses with the second coming to Navy.
Air Force won six of its next seven games to close the regular season on the way to a 9-4 overall record and second place finish in the MWC with a 6-2 mark. The Falcons began the run with a conference win over UNLV to start a three-game winning streak. Following a loss at New Mexico, Air Force won its final three regular season games.
Air Force conference/national rushing numbers
- Air Force leads the conference and ranks sixth nationally in rushing with a 270.8 average.
- Air Force has won 24 conference rushing titles since joining conference play in 1980.
- In 2002, the Falcons won the school's first national rushing title with a 307.8 per-game average.
- The Falcons won their 10th straight conference title in 2007 with a 299.5 average.
Year Stats Conf. National
1980 170.7 5th 79th
1981 185.1 4th 53rd
1982 301.7 1st 4th
1983 246.5 1st 2nd
1984 326.5 1st 2nd
1985 293.2 1st 6th
1986 232.6 1st 15th
1987 386.3 1st 2nd
1988 377.5 1st 2nd
1989 356.0 1st 3rd
1990 267.5 1st 7th
1991 338.1 1st 2nd
1992 242.4 2nd 7th
1993 284.9 1st 4th
1994 304.8 1st 2nd
1995 332.4 1st 2nd
1996 328.9 1st 2nd
1997 332.7 2nd 9th
1998 266.8 1st 3rd
1999 285.5 1st 2nd
2000 294.9 1st 2nd
2001 273.2 1st 3rd
2002 307.8 1st 1st
2003 280.6 1st 4th
2004 277.4 1st 4th
2005 246.5 1st 8th
2006 229.4 1st 3rd
2007 299.5 1st 2nd
2008 270.8 1st 6th
2008 National rushing leaders
# Team G Avg.
1. La.-Lafayette 5 331.00
2. Oklahoma State 5 315.20
3. Navy 6 313.50
4. Nevada 5 308.00
5. Georgia Tech 5 290.20
6. Air Force 5 270.8
Rushing for 100 is the key
Air Force is 9-1 under head coach Troy Calhoun in games when it has a player rush for 100 or more yards and 12-3 when they out-rushed opponents. The list of 100-yard rushers for each game follows below:
Game Player Yards Result
2007
South Carolina St. Kip McCarthy 129 W 34-3
Utah Shaun Carney 113 W 20-12
TCU Jim Ollis 138 W 20-17 OT
UNLV Chad Hall 169 W 31-14
Colorado State Chad Hall 256 W 45-21
Wyoming Chad Hall 167 W 20-12
Army Chad Hall 275 W 30-10
Notre Dame Chad Hall 142 W 41-24
San Diego State Jim Ollis 163 W 55-23
Chad Hall 151
Ty Paffett 105
California Shaun Carney 108 L 36-42
Jim Ollis 101
Quarterback sacks
Air Force is among the national leaders in quarterback sacks, both offensively and defensively. The Falcons have forced 16 quarterback sacks for 115 yards which ranks second in the conference and sixth nationally. Senior defensive end Jake Paulson has recorded 7.0 sacks and leads the nation with a 1.40 per-game average.
Offensively, the Falcons have not allowed a quarterback sack this season, which is tied for the conference and national lead.
2008 National Sack Leaders
# Team G Total Average
1. Texas 5 19.0 3.80
2. TCU 6 21.0 3.50
3. Northwestern 5 17.0 3.40
Pittsburgh 5 17.0 3.40
Oklahoma 5 17.0 3.40
6. Air Force 5 16.0 3.20
Vanderbilt 5 16.0 3.20
Blocked kicks
- The Falcons have blocked 101 kicks since 1990.
- Air Force blocked two kicks last season, a field goal by Chris Thomas vs. TCU and a field goal vs. Navy by Ryan Kemp.
- Jake Paulson (PAT vs. UNLV in 2006), Hunter Altman (Punt vs. UNLV in 2006), Chris Thomas (FG vs. TCU) and Ryan Kemp (FG vs. Navy) are current Falcons with a blocked kick in their career.
Year-by-Year Blocks Since 1990
Year Total Punts FGs PATs
1990 6 3 1 2
1991 3 1 1 1
1992 8 6 1 1
1993 5 2 3 0
1994 5 4 1 0
1995 3 1 2 0
1996 4 1 3 0
1997 11* 7 3 1 * - school record
1998 7 4 3 0
1999 8 6 1 1
2000 9 4 2 3
2001 7 2 3 2
2002 4 3 1 0
2003 7 3 3 1
2004 2 0 0 2
2005 3 2 0 1
2006 7 2 0 5
2007 2 0 2 0
Totals 101 51 30 20
Air Force takes it away
Air Force has picked up where it left off last season, collecting two takeaways vs. Southern Utah, five at Wyoming, two vs. Houston, three vs. Utah and two vs. Navy. The Falcons have a +7 turnover margin for the season which second in the conference and sixth in the nation.
The Air Force defense had 28 takeaways last season which ranked second in the Mountain West Conference behind only Utah (33). The Falcons scored 120 points off those turnovers. The team's +10 turnover margin ranked second in the MWC and 15th in the nation. The Falcons forced 15 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries. Over the last two seasons, Air Force has a combined +17 mark under head coach Troy Calhoun.
Air Force takeaways and +/- in last 10 years
Year Takeaways(Int./Fum.) +/- W/L
2008 14 (3/11) +7 3-2
2007 28 (15/13) +10 9-4
2006 22 (9/13) +8 4-8
2005 17 (9/8) -7 4-7
2004 17 (9/8) +1 5-7
2003 23 (13/10) +6 7-5
2002 26 (12/14) +9 8-5
2001 28 (14/14) +8 6-6
2000 19 (7/12) +7 9-3
1999 14 (8/6) -4 6-5
1998 30 (17/13) +17 12-1
2008 National Turnover Margin Leaders
# Team Games Avg
1. Vanderbilt 5 1.80
2. Minnesota 6 1.67
3. Florida 5 1.60
Iowa State 5 1.60
5. Wake Forest 4 1.50
6. Air Force 5 1.40
BYU 5 1.40
Arkansas State 5 1.40
Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Air Force, Army and Navy compete each year for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, which is emblematic of service academy football supremacy. The trophy goes annually to the winning academy with the best record in round-robin competition. The President of the United States presents the trophy to the seniors from the winning team each year at a ceremony at the White House.
The 2008 season marks the 37th year of trophy competition. Navy defeated Air Force, 33-27, in Falcons Stadium in the opening game of this year's series. Despite the loss, Air Force has a 46-26-0 all-time CIC record and has won 16 trophy titles. Air Force's overall record and number of trophy titles are best among the three academies.
Team Record Pct.
Air Force 47-26-0 .644
Navy 36-36-1 .500
Army 25-46-1 .354
Air Force outright CIC title years:
`82, `83, `85, `87, `89, `90, `91, `92, `94, `95, `97, `98, `99, `00, `01, `02
Air Force following an open week
Air Force is 21-18-1 all-time following an open week. The Falcons are 5-9 at home and 16-9-1 on the road. The Navy marked the first in head coach Troy Calhoun's career as Air Force head coach that his team has played following an open week. The Falcons played 12 consecutive weeks during the regular season last year.
Air Force's two-game winning streak was snapped with the Navy loss. The Falcons have now lost four straight home games following an open date, losing to BYU (24-41) in 2005, Utah (43-45 3 OT) in 2003 and Navy (17-20) in 1996. Air Force's last home win following an open week came in 1995 against Army, 38-20. Air Force is 6-4 following an open week since the MWC started play in 1999.
Air Force's results following an open week since joining the MWC
Year Game Result
2007 Navy L 27-33
2006 at Wyoming W 31-24
2005 at New Mexico W 42-24
2004 BYU L 24-41
2003 Utah L 43-45 3OT
2002 at #23 California W 23-21
2001 at San Diego State W 45-21
2000 at Utah W 23-14
1999 at BYU L 20-27
at Washington W 31-21
Dekker stands out on and off the field
Senior TE Travis Dekker returned to action last week vs. Navy after missing the first four games of the season with a broken ankle. Dekker's impact was felt immediately, as he tied for the team lead in receptions with three for 32 yards. His return also sparked a season high 184 yards passing for Air Force. Dekker has been a standout on and off the field as well. A quick hit of some of the awards he's won and been nominated for follow:
- One of 71 nominees for the 71st annual Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team. The Good Works Team recognizes this group of committed and hard-working players for their off-the-field achievements.
- One of 164 semifinalists for the 2008 Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and the candidates for the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.
- One of 30 Division I football players chosen as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. This is the inaugural year that the award will be presented in football. The Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence. This prestigious awards program was launched during the 2001-02 basketball season, added six additional sports in 2007, and has now expanded this year to include NCAA football.
Two-way Reggie
Sophomore Reggie Rembert is a busy man during games. Rembert is a starter at cornerback on the defense and is a backup at WR-Z on offense. In addition, Rembert is on the punt and kickoff return teams. He ranks second in the MWC in punt returns this season with a 15.0 average.
Rembert is the first Falcon to play both offense and defense in a game at the Academy since Chris Evans, who played both tight end and defensive end due to injuries against Army in 2006. Evans did not have any statistics and played both only that week. LeRon Hudgins is the last player to play both ways significantly as a safety and running back in 1995. Hudgins was listed as a starter on defense and played most of the season as a backup halfback in the option offense.
In 1967, Carl Janssen was the first Falcon to start on both sides of the ball and on special teams. As the starting wide receiver and three-year player at that position, he led the team with 18 catches for 259 yards and a TD in 1967 and had one carry for two yards. He also started at defensive back. He was third on the team with two interceptions and also had a fumble recovery. Janssen led the team with 23 punt returns for 233 yards, a 10.1 average. He also returned one kickoff for 30 yards.
Rembert highlights
- Had 102 all-purpose yards for a 20.2 average per touch vs. Southern Utah ... also had three tackles.
- Rushed four times for nine yards at Wyoming while returning one punt four yards and one kickoff return 22 yards. He also had four solo tackles and, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble.
- Six solo tackles and the first two tackles for loss of his career vs. Houston ... also recorded his career-long punt return of 53 yards to set up an Air Force touchdown ... the return ranks as the 11th longest in school history and longest since Matt Farmer went 55 yards vs. New Mexico in 1998.
- Seven tackles and the first quarterback sack and interterception of his career vs. Utah.
- Collected a career-best 103 return yards vs. Navy, 94 on five kickoff returns.
Opponent Plays (Def/Off/ST) Tackles Rushing Receiving Returns Totals Avg.
Southern Utah 53 (42/4/7) 3-0-3 1-21 0-0 4-81 5-102 20.2
Wyoming 67 (50/7/10) 4-0-4 4-9 0-0 2-26 6-35 5.8
Houston 92 (85/0/7) 6-0-6 0-0 0-0 4-97 4-97 24.3
Utah 93 (79/0/14) 6-1-7 0-0 0-0 3-41 3-41 13.7
Navy 74 (58/0/16) 1-0-1 0-0 0-0 7-103 7-103 14.7
Totals 379 (314/11/54) 20-1-21 5-30 0-0 20-348 25-378 15.1
Paulson leading the nation
Senior defensive end Jake Paulson is having an outstanding season. Paulson has 7.0 quarterback sacks and leads the nation with a 1.40 per-game average. Paulson ranks second in the conference and fourth nationally in tackles for loss with 9.0 which is a 1.80 per-game average. Paulson is also among the conference and national leaders in fumble recoveries. He ranks second in the conference and seventh nationally with .40 fumble recoveries per game.
Paulson has been dominant in every game, recording at least one sack in four of the five. He didn't have a sack for the first time this season, as Navy threw only two passes in the game. Paulson had four tackles, two sacks, a tackle for loss and a safety in the opening game against Southern Utah. He added 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble at Wyoming. Paulson had a career-best seven tackles against Houston, including 2.5 sacks for 19 yards and a pass deflection. He added three tackles and a sack vs. Utah and scored the first touchdown of his career on a 25-yard fumble recovery. The TD is the first defensive score this season and first touchdown by a defensive lineman since Bryce Fisher vs. Oregon in the 1997 Las Vegas Bowl. Paulson matched his career-best with seven tackles against Navy and had one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery for 10 yards.
Paulson game-by-game
Opponent Statistics
Southern Utah 4-0-4, 2.0 sacks, 1 TFL, safety
Wyoming 2-1-3, 1.5 sacks, forced fumble
Houston 6-1-7, 2.5 sacks, pass deflection
Utah 2-1-3, 1.0 sack, 25-yard fumble return for a TD
Navy 3-4-7, 1.0 TFL, fumble recovery for 10 yards
Individual National Sack Leaders
# Name, Team G Total Avg
1. Jake Paulson, Air Force 5 7.0 1.40
2. Aarson Maybin, Penn State 6 7.0 1.17
3. Brian Orakpo, Texas 5 5.5 1.10
4. Clinton McDonald, Memphis 6 6.5 1.08
5. Jammie Kirlew, Indiana 5 5.0 1.00
Individual National TFL Leaders
# Name, Team G Total Avg
1. Brit Miller, Illinois 5 11.5 2.30
2. Brandon Graham, Michigan 5 10.5 2.10
3. Paul Kruger, Utah 6 12.5 2.08
4. Jake Paulson, Air Force 5 9.0 1.80
Jammie Kirlew, Indiana 5 9.0 1.80
Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh 5 9.0 1.80
Halderman hauls it
Sophomore Kyle Halderman is one of the big-play men for the Falcons. Halderman is second on the team in rushing with a 55.0 per-game average. Halderman rushed for 87 yards on six carries in the season opening win over Southern Utah and scored on a 48-yard dash. Halderman led the Falcons with 85 yards on three carries at Wyoming and broke open the game in the third quarter with a 74-yard run to set up a touchdown to give Air Force a 13-3 lead. The 74-yard run is the longest by a Falcon since Blane Morgan went 80 yards vs. New Mexico in 1998. Halderman rushed for 66 yards on 11 carries against Houston.
He showed he's a big-play receiver as well vs. Navy, recording his first-career catch which was good for a 19-yard touchdown. Halderman finished the day tied for the team lead in receptions for three for a team-best 62 yards and his first-career touchdown receiving. He also added 32 yards rushing on four carries vs. the Midshipmen.
He has rushed for 278 yards on 28 carries this season and is averaging 9.8 yards per carry.
Harrison among the best
Senior do-everything kicker/punter Ryan Harrison is tied for fourth in the nation in field goals, averaging 2.00 per game. Harrison is near-perfect hitting 10 of 11 field goals. His 90.9 percentage is the second best in school history and best since Jackson Whiting was a perfect 12-12 in 1999. Harrison in perfect in 15 extra point attempts to tie for the national lead. He is averaging 9.0 points per game which ranks third in the conference and 28th in the nation. He is also a weapon on kickoffs, collecting 19 touchbacks in 29 kickoffs.
Harrison tied a career high with three field goals vs. Southern Utah and Wyoming earlier this season. He had had three consecutive games with three field goals dating back to last year's finale vs. California in the bowl game. He hit his first attempt at Houston to extend his consecutive streak of field goals to 16 before missing from 41 yards. Harrison has hit 19 of his last 20 attempts dating back to the Wyoming game last season.
Harrison is tied for fifth in Air Force history in career field goals with 29 which is the most since Joey Ashcroft hit 29 from 2001-03. Harrison has hit 29 of 38 careeer attempts and his 76.3 percentage ranks fourth all-time at Air Force.
Harrison career numbers
Season FG Punting PATs Kickoffs
2008 10-11 (90.9) 12-39.2 15-15 (1.000) 29 total -19 TBs
2007 19-27 (70.4) 46-42.9 44-46 (.957) 77 total -32 TBs
Totals 29-39 (76.3) 58-42.2 59-61 (96.7) 106 total - 51 TBs (48.1 pct)
Career Field Goals Career Field Goal Percentage
# Name, Years FGs # Name, Years Pct
1. Dave Lawson, 1972-75 51 1. Jackson Whiting, 1998-99 82.6 (19-23)
2. Sean Pavlich, 1980-83 42 2. Joe Wood, 1989-91 79.6 (39-49)
3. Joe Wood, 1989-91 39 3. David Adams, 1998-00 76.4 (26-34)
4. Joey Ashcroft, 2001-03 29 4. Ryan Harrison, 2007-08 76.3 (29-38)
5. Ryan Harrison, 2007-08 29 5. Carlos Mateos, 1984 75.0 (12-16)
6. Joe Ashcroft, 2001-03 74.4 (29-39)
Single-Season Field Goal Percentage
# Name, Year Pct.
1. Jackson Whiting, 1999 1.000 (12-12)
2. Ryan Harrison, 2008 90.9 (10-11)
3. Joey Ashcroft, 2002 88.8 (16-18)
4. Joe Wood, 1990 85.7 (12-14)
5. Sean Pavlich, 1982 83.3 (15-18)
Air Force's 1-2 tailback punch
A pair of sophomores make up Air Force's one-two punch at tailback this season. Second-year players Kyle Lumpkins and Savier Stephens are the top two players on the depth chart at tailback.
Lumpkin leads the team and ranks eighth in the MWC in rushing with 300 yards on 77 carries and is averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Lumpkin scored the first touchdown of his career vs. Utah, hauling in an eight-yard pass to give Air Force an early 10-9 lead. Stephens is fourth on the team in rushing with 216 yards on 63 carries. He is second on the team in rushing touchdowns with two.
The pair has combined for over 100 yards in three of five games this season. They had a season-best 139 vs. Southern Utah. The pair also rushed for 108 at Wyoming and 134 vs. Houston. They were held under the 100-yard mark for the first time this season in the Utah game, finishing with 69 yards on 25 carries. The pair had a season-low 66 yards on 17 carries vs. Navy.
Game Lumpkin Stephens Total
Southern Utah 19-77-0 16-62-0 35-139-0
Wyoming 16-71-0 13-37-0 29-108-0
Houston 20-74-0 14-60-1 34-134-1
Utah 12-36-0 13-33-1 25-69-1
Navy 10-42-0 7-24-0 17-66-9
Totals 77-300-0 63-216-2 140-516-2
Together again
The Air Force trio of juniors Chris Thomas (safety) and Justin Moore (ILB) and sophomore Will Keuchler (OLB) have reunited at the Academy. The trio of classmates was first together in Westerville, Ohio, at St. Francis DeSales High School where they helped the football team to a state championship game appearance. They are together again this season. Keuchler, who attended the Academy's Prep School, is a back at outside linebacker, while Thomas enters his second season as a starter at safety. Moore is listed as a backup inside linebacker. They were coached by Bob Jacoby in high school.
Smith continues solid play
Senior quarterback Shea Smith has been solid this season in his first year as the starting quarterback. Smith has rushed for 229 yards and leads the team with six rushing touchdowns. He has hit 26 of 48 passes for 356 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a 124.59 quarterback efficiency rating. Smith rushed for a career-high 93 yards and a career-best three touchdowns vs. Houston. He threw for a career-best 138 yards and a touchdown on seven of 13 passing vs. Utah. Smith threw for 128 yards and a score on eight of 12 passes vs. Navy before leaving the game due to illness. In his last two games, he has hit 15 of 25 passes for 266 yards which is an average of 133 yards per game. Smith rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown vs. Southern Utah in his first-career start. He is the first Falcon quarterback to win his first three career starts since Chance Harridge in 2002.
Jefferson solid in first extended time
Freshman quarterback Tim Jefferson was solid in just his second career game last week vs. Navy. Jefferson rushed for 35 yards on six carries and hit four of nine passes for 56 yards. He engineered a fourth-quarter scoring drive to give the Falcons hope in the final minutes. The drive covered 84 yards in 13 plays. Jefferson rushed for 36 yards on four carries, including a career-long 16-yard run, and all four carries went for first downs. He hit four of seven passes for 56 yards on the drive and added two more first downs by pass.
Lamendola rolling
Sophomore inside linebacker Ken Lamendola is off to a great start in his first season as a starter. Lamendola leads the Falcons and is second in the conference in tackles with a 10.0 per-game average. After recording just one tackle in his first-career start in the Southern Utah game, Lamendola has chipped in with four straight games of 10 or more tackles. Lamendola had 11 tackles at Wyoming, then added 12 tackles vs. Houston and Utah and a career-best 14 vs. Navy. He has led the team in tackles three straight games and his streak of four straight 10-plus tackle games is the best since All-American Chris Gizzi set the school record with 12 in 1997.
Altman all right
Senior OLB Hunter Altman has been outstanding this season, particularly the last two games. Altman has posted two straight games with career highs in tackles. He set a then-career best with 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss, vs. Utah. Altman then set a new career high with 13 tackles vs. Navy and added his first-career fumble recovery. Altman had eight solo stops vs. Navy which is also a career best.
Altman is second on the team in tackles this season with 37, including a team-best 24 unassisted. He has two tackles for loss and two pass breakups. Altman has 113 career tackles which is the second most among active players, trailing only Chris Thomas (166).
Falcon honors
Honors for Air Force football players so far in 2008
- Ryan Harrison, PK,P - 11th best kicker in the nation by Phill Steele's Magazine ... second-team preseason all-MWC as kicker and punter by Phil Steele's Magazine ... Lou Groza National Place Kicker Award star of the week vs. Wyoming.
- Nick Charles, OL - First-team all-MWC preseason ... second-team preseason all-MWC by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Keith Williams, OL - second-team preseason all-MWC by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Chris Thomas, DB - second-team preseason all-MWC by Phil Steele's Magazine.
- Ryan Kemp, DE - First-team all-MWC preseason.
- Travis Dekker, TE - Nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team ... Inaugural class of 30 for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for classroom, character, community and compeition.
- Chris Thomas, SS - MWC defensive player of the week vs. Wyoming.
