Air Force Academy – Mark Carlson was pondering Thursday what he was going to say when it was his turn to speak in the annual passing-of-the-torch ceremony tonight for the Air Force football team.
The symbolic passing of the torch from the seniors to the underclassmen will be carried out in Albuquerque, where the Falcons play New Mexico at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Carlson and more than 20 other seniors will step to the microphone after the evening meal tonight and offer words of advice for the underclassmen.
“I hope I’ve been the right example,” Carlson said as he thought about what he would say. “I hope the younger players can look up to me and remember that I put 100 percent into the team. There can be leaders in attitude and practice effort. I hope I stood out as a leader on and off the field.”
This year’s passing of the torch comes at the end of one of the most frustrating seasons in two decades, with the Falcons 3-7 heading into the season finale. No one understands the disappointment better than Carlson, one of a handful of second-generation players at Air Force. His father, Joel, was a three-year letterman in 1970-72.
Carlson’s dedication to football was tested when he lost his role as starting safety from a year ago to be special-teams captain during his senior season. Carlson led last year’s team in tackles with 73.
“I’ve been blessed with the time I’ve been able to play football here,” Carlson said. “This has been a humbling year. My role might have been smaller, but it was significant. I hope I have instilled a strong thirst to be great on special teams for next year because of how seriously I took special teams.
“I wish we could have been 10-0 going into this game. It hasn’t worked out like that. But our seniors have worked hard with a positive attitude. I didn’t let anything linger. In every team you get a role, and you do it to the best of your ability.”
The Falcons need a victory Saturday to avoid becoming the first team with fewer than four victories in coach Fisher DeBerry’s 22 years.
“Our expectations were much higher,” DeBerry said. “If we could end the season as we did last year against CSU, it would make the winter a little shorter and little more pleasant. I don’t worry about the record. Just go out and have fun. I want them to win for themselves and the academy.”
The Falcons beat Colorado State in the finale a year ago, 47-17, to finish 5-6.
Carlson feels a bit sad as he looks toward his final game.
“I was in awe (growing up) of players such as Chris Gizzi and Beau and Blane Morgan,” Carlson said. “They were competitors who fought to win every week. We’ve lost a little bit of that.
“We’ve always made up for less talent than other teams with effort, attitude and intensity. If we’re missing any of the three, we’re behind.
“It’s weird thinking that I’m finally here, the last football game of my life. There is some sadness, but I can become an alumni and a fan of Air Force football.”
AIR FORCE AT NEW MEXICO
KEY MATCHUPS
Air Force (3-7, 2-5): The Falcons have to be prepared for a scoring fest. That puts the focus on the arm of quarterback Shaun Carney. Carney has completed 62.7 percent of his passes and needs a big day to keep the Falcons close. Air Force’s ground game, led by Carney’s 719 yards, hasn’t been as productive as in recent years. Air Force has scored 24 rushing touchdowns, led by Carney’s 10, but the opposition has 26 rushing touchdowns.
New Mexico (6-4, 4-3): Running back DonTrell Moore is playing his final regular-season game, and he likely will have a huge game against a defense that has been soft against the run. He leads the Mountain West Conference in rushing with 1,115 yards and rushing touchdowns with 13. But Moore has plenty of help from quarterback Chris Nelson, who is completing 54.2 percent of his passes, and receiver Hank Baskett, with nine touchdown catches and 106.3 receiving yards a game.
KEY STAT
7: For New Mexico, a seventh victory secures a bowl invitation.
KEYS FOR AIR FORCE
Carney needs to have a good game throwing to receivers Jason Brown and Greg Kirkwood. With the team’s defensive troubles, the offense needs to score touchdowns. New Mexico is averaging 30.2 points a game.
KEYS FOR NEW MEXICO
Air Force is thinking its best defense is a great offense. The Falcons want to control the clock. New Mexico, with a defense led by its linebacker crew of Mike Mohoric, Cody Kase, Aleem Harris and Quincy Black, ranks second in the conference in stopping opponents on third down. Opponents have converted only 36.1 percent of third-down chances.
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303-820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
