Air Force Academy – New Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun brings his players together today for the beginning of spring practice, but it will seem more like a tryout camp.
Calhoun, a former AFA quarterback, said everyone is starting from scratch with a rebuilt staff welcoming players returning from last season’s 4-8 team.
“Everything is as fluid as it gets as far as roster spots are concerned,” Calhoun said. “We’ve seen our players in the weight room and now we want to see them on the playing field.”
The Falcons will divide their spring drills into two parts, practicing for roughly two weeks before spring break and returning for the final two weeks after the break.
Even though he has yet to see his team on the field, Calhoun already has had a change in his coaching staff. Brian Schneider, a former Colorado State linebacker and assistant coach who was hired as the Falcons’ special- teams coordinator, left to join the Oakland Raiders’ coaching staff. Calhoun said the NFL job was too good of an opportunity for Schneider to turn down. AFA special-teams coaching assignments are to be divided among the remaining staff.
Calhoun retained Brian Knorr, Ron Burton, Jemal Singleton and Blane Morgan from Fisher DeBerry’s Air Force staff.
DeBerry retired Dec. 15 with a 169-109-1 record, including 6-6 in bowl games, in 23 years as Air Force’s coach.
Calhoun has indicated Air Force’s offensive scheme will shift from the triple option to more of an I-formation.
The Falcons open spring drills with veterans Shaun Carney and Jim Ollis as the top quarterbacks on the depth chart. Carney is a three-year starter.
