Air Force Academy – Anyone wondering about the resolve of Air Force’s senior class to exercise enough leadership to salvage the season need only listen to captain Chris Sutton.
Asked if the Falcons have drawn the short straw by facing two of the nation’s best quarterbacks so far in Brigham Young’s John Beck and Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn, Sutton wasn’t lost for words.
“I’d rather play against the best,” said Sutton, a senior cornerback. “You don’t want to play against the worst. I’d rather play against Brady Quinn than some high schooler down the street. I came to the Air Force Academy to play against the best, not the worst.”
Sutton gets his wish again Saturday when the Brett Ratliff- led Utah Utes (6-4, 4-2 Mountain West Conference) play Air Force at Falcon Stadium.
Ratliff has completed 56 percent of his passes this season for 1,962 yards and 19 touchdowns (eight interceptions).
As 21 Air Force seniors play their final home game, the stakes for this year’s team have reached the critical stage. The Falcons (4-5, 3-2) must win their final three games (Nevada-Las Vegas and Texas Christian follow Utah) to do what neither of Air Force’s past two senior classes was able to do – have a winning season.
“It has been a long time coming,” Sutton said. “I’ve had some great memories in Falcon Stadium and I’ve had some bad. My teammates are going to be my brothers for life, but everything has to come to an end. We need this win to keep our future hopes alive and we want a winning season. It has been a hard four years for this senior class, but how we play and perform in this last game will leave a legacy.”
Secondary coach Dean Campbell said Sutton helps bring out the best in his teammates.
“Chris isn’t a vocal guy, but he will step into a huddle and speak his mind,” Campbell said. “Sometimes leaders think the way to lead is to get on people. Chris pulls people along and he’s an encourager.”
Sutton has led an improved defense. At the beginning of the season, coach Fisher DeBerry pointed to improvement in scoring defense as a must. Air Force has done that. After allowing 31.1 points a game last season, nine opponents are averaging 23.5 points this season.
Block party
Air Force’s Robert Kraay was named MWC special-teams player of the week after blocking two extra-point attempts Saturday against Notre Dame.
Kraay, a 6-foot-8 offensive tackle, plays in the middle of the line against opponents’ field-goal and extra-point tries.
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
