Air Force Academy – Air Force coach Troy Calhoun has the last major preseason practice session behind him and now is focusing on details in preparation for Saturday’s season opener against South Carolina State at Falcon Stadium.
After saying he was pleased for the most part with the work of his first units in a scrimmage Saturday at Falcon Stadium, Calhoun said those lineups are not necessarily set.
“There still could be some competition for a starting position this week,” said Calhoun, awaiting his first opener as the Falcons’ coach. “We don’t have five solid players up front on the offensive line on our second unit. We’re probably seven deep overall on the offensive line and that number has to grow.”
Calhoun said he is seeing better overall work from the centers and guards, but some freshmen at tackle have to step up quickly. Injuries to sophomore tackles Chris Campbell and Anthony Schelstrate have placed a high priority on the play of senior Chris Monson and junior Keith Williams as the starters.
Calhoun pointed out some highlights from Saturday’s scrimmage. Ryan Harrison kicked a 62-yard field goal and has improved his punting. Calhoun pointed to several plays in the open field by senior outside linebacker Julian Madrid, but said Madrid has to play better when lined up on the tight end. Calhoun also mentioned a difficult third-down catch by sophomore wide receiver Sean Quintana. And senior tailback Kip McCarthy drew praise for his tough running with the first unit.
But the longest comment from Calhoun was about freshman cornerback Reggie Rembert.
“Number 8 (Rembert) has some electricity to him,” Calhoun said of the 5-foot-7, 175- pounder. “On his punt returns, he has to learn to put the ball away. He was swinging it all over the place. We have to fix that.”
Senior quarterback Shaun Carney said the Falcons were “pretty crisp” in their final preseason workout. “I think in a regular game, we’ll still be quicker.”
Senior linebacker Drew Fowler, the team’s leader in tackles last year with 123, claimed it was time to focus on another team.
“It’s getting old playing against our own teammates,” Fowler said. “But we’re still fortunate to have another week to get everything polished up.”
Fowler said preseason practices in the first year of the Calhoun era were about the same as before in intensity, but the coaching staff crammed a significant number of additional plays into each practice session.
Footnotes
Calhoun said the Air Force defense was limited in Saturday’s scrimmage because it was scripted to match up with the offense. He promised the defense would show more activity in games. … Former academy players were invited to have lunch with the Falcons in the press box area after Saturday’s scrimmage. Calhoun estimated 60 former players, from as far back as the class of 1959, were on hand.
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
