Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry has never expressed doubt that the recruiting task faced by the service academies in getting the caliber of players needed to compete in Division I-A football is the most difficult job of any in the country.
Until the last three years, DeBerry and his staff had done well enough in recruiting battles to boast of a 149-83-1 record, with 11 seasons of at least eight victories in the first 19 seasons of his reign, which now has reached 23 years.
Navy coach Paul Johnson claims his staff has refined the recruiting process, and there’s a connection to Navy’s emergence as the top football power among the service academies. The Midshipmen have won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy the past three years.
The fruits of the recruiting process will be the bottom line again Saturday when Navy and Air Force tangle at Falcon Stadium. It’s the first leg of the chase for the trophy, and if Navy wins, it will gain the upper hand in keeping the trophy and the senior Midshipmen will complete a run of never having lost to Air Force.
“We’re competing with Army and Navy for the same group of athletes,” Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh said.
Johnson doesn’t question that the three academies aim at the same group of players, but he thinks Navy has found a way to do the job better.
“We’ve changed the way we recruit,” Johnson said. “We don’t go for numbers anymore as Air Force does. We try to be more specific on players as opposed to taking a big bunch of them and seeing who comes out of the mix. We’re more selective and we take a look at the players who we really think can play.”
Johnson said he aims to have a total squad of about 150 players, with an ideal breakdown of 45 freshman, 35 sophomores, 30 juniors and 30 seniors.
“That breakdown would be perfect in my estimation,” Johnson said. “We might have a few more seniors this year, maybe 34 or 35.”
Mueh countered that DeBerry has always tried to recruit the best athletes.
“I don’t know that we ever have used a fish-net approach,” Mueh said. “Every one of our players has been very specifically recruited.”
DeBerry has been complimentary of his team’s play so far, as the Falcons attempt to offset the sting of back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in his term. But he sees the challenge of this weekend.
“I think Navy should be among the top-25 teams in the nation,” DeBerry said. “They lead the nation in rushing and they’re just a machine. Their coaching staff knows what it’s doing and they have recruited well.”
If there are different recruiting methods, they have reached the same bottom line in at least one case.
When talking about the quarterbacks, Johnson said Navy’s Brian Hampton and Air Force’s Shaun Carney are on the same level.
At 5-foot-11, 208 pounds, Hampton is a little bigger than Carney (5-10, 190). Carney, a junior, has been Air Force’s starter for three years. Hampton, a senior, is the starter for the first time this year.
“They’re similar,” Johnson said. “They both can run their team’s offense.”
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
GAME BREAKDOWN
Players to watch
Navy (3-1): QB Brian Hampton had a big game last week against UConn, rushing 27 times for 182 yards and four touchdowns. He also tossed a 77-yard TD pass to slotback Reggie Campbell. LBs Rob Caldwell and David Mahoney are the heart of the defense; Caldwell is the leading tackler with 44 and Mahoney has 40.
Air Force (2-1): Chad Hall has gone a long way toward putting the halfback position back into the offense. He leads the Falcons in rushing at 86 yards per game. PK Zach Sasser has been a big factor, with three field goals in as many attempts.
Key stat
Navy’s rushing offense (357.2 yards a game) is the best in Division I-A. Air Force’s rushing defense (65.7) is eighth nationally.
Key for Navy
The Midshipmen can’t allow the Falcons to control the clock. Air Force has a 9:32 advantage in time of possession in its first three games.
Key for Air Force
Stopping the big play. Navy’s Campbell had scoring plays of 77 and 68 yards against UConn.
IRV MOSS
