Salt Lake City – It was a nice autumn evening for day dreaming with fall colors showing on the mountains outside of Rice-Eccles Stadium and the Utah Utes almost fell victim of the setting.
Seemingly safely ahead 38-21 with 11:17 left in the third period, Air Force reserve senior quarterback Adam Fitch hit the Utes like a winter storm with two fourth period touchdowns, but still left the Falcons short in a 38-35 Mountain West Conference thriller. The rally wasn’t enough to catch the slick play of Utah quarterback Brian Johnson, who gave a creditable performance of a magician.
Johnson completed 21 of 29 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 39 yards and three touchdowns.
Before Fitch came on to trigger the rally, Carney completed nine of 16 passes for 145 yards, but he gave up a key second half interception. Air Force receiver Jason Brown, who caught Fitch’s 15-yard touchdown pass that started the laterally, had a monster game of nine catches for 184 yards and the score.
But it was Johnson’s 60-yard touchdown pass play to Brian Hernandez that put the Utes up by 17 points as the Falcons faded badly in the third period after a good start in the early part of the game. But with the victory, the defending conference champion Utes became 3-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play, remaining in contention for a repeat title. Air Force dropped to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play and all but out of contention for the title. The 60-yard pass completed a 24-7 run by the Utes.
“I’m proud of the way out tam came back, but you have to play 60 minutes against the Conference champions,” coach Fisher DeBerry said. “If the TV audience didn’t enjoy that game, I don’t know what you have to do. We didn’t enjoy it. We got on our heels there a little bit in the third quarter. Our offense played well in the first half. Our defense really played good in the second half.”
DeBerry noted that Fitch came off the bench in place of starter Shaun Carney and rallied the Falcons.
“I thought Adam gave us a spark and we made a run at it,” DeBerry continued. “We had another break down in the kicking game which really has me baffled. I think you’ll see a competitive football team next week, but this team has to go out and win a game and I think we will.”
The Falcons continue their season next Thursday in Fort Collins against Colorado State, but the Falcons have to get their problems corrected on special teams play.
After the first half began as a good old fashioned shoot out, with the Falcons taking leads of 7-0 and 14-0 and the Utes coming back to tie, the latest chapter of DeBerry’s Special Team Follies entered the picture and contributed to a 21-14 Utah lead with 5:05 left in the half. The Utes had given the Falcons a chance on Eric Weddle’s fumble on a punt return, but the Falcons had to punt the ball back.
Air Force punter Donny Heaton tried to fake a punt, but decided to Rugby kick the ball and it was blocked and recovered by Utah strong safety Antonio Young. The Utes scored from the 33 in six plays to take their first lead of the game. They Carney’s errant pitch on the next series was recovered by Weddle and the Utes scored two touchdowns in 17 seconds to open a 14-point lead.
“That was huge,” Weddle said of the exchange. “I fumbled the punt and that was a huge mistake on my part. They gave up some plays on their special teams the last couple of games.”
After showing some fire early, Air Force couldn’t keep up.
The Falcon showed the effects of a second game in five days after losing 29-28 Saturday to Wyoming in Falcon Stadium. Their game was hampered early by poor tackling, but Utah’s team speed with Johnson, running back Quinton Ganther and receivers Travis LaTrendresse, Brent Casteel and Hernandez was a major factor.
Air Force’s inability to take advantage of Utah turnovers, one in each half, made their task way tougher.
After Weddle’s fumble, the Falcons gained only five yards in three plays from the 40-yard line.
Then early in the third period, Falcon safety Bobby Giannini intercepted Johnson’s pass at the Air Force 47-yard line. Again the Falcons were out in three plays after gaining two yards.
Mistakes continued to plague the Falcons. Along with the adventure in special-team play, Air Force’s second half was dulled by a halfback pass by Chad Hall that was intercepted in the third period before Carney’s interception early in the fourth period on the Falcons’ last real chance to stay close in he middle part of the game..
Air Force used the fullback game to good advantage, especially early with Jacobe Kendrick gaining 43 yards and Ryan Williams adding 68. -30-
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached on 303 820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
