Air Force Academy – Those just getting to know first-year Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun find out quickly he’s a man who follows his roots. And it was going back to his roots that proved the key to his decision to leave a promising career in the NFL to return to his alma mater.
“Sometimes I still pinch myself to make sure that I really got the opportunity to be here as the football coach,” Calhoun said. “The academics and the quality of education here are phenomenal. Everybody here majors in leadership.”
Calhoun, 40, is considered to be entering his prime years as a coach. He has the Falcons off to a flying start, 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the Mountain West Conference heading into’s tonight matchup here against preseason conference favorite TCU (1-1).
He hasn’t forgotten the NFL and his time with the Broncos and Texans, but he’s determined to put Air Force back on the collegiate football map.
“I try to make the most of each day, especially here at the academy,” he said. “Each day you’re able to be part of coaching. No matter where you are, you better make the most of it. The NFL is a phenomenal venue. It’s a classy league. Every day that I was part of it was cherished, just as it is here at Air Force.
“In the NFL, if you knew your stuff as a coach, you had the respect of your players. It’s the same way here. The players here are pretty sharp cookies. They know when you’re on the ball.”
The Air Force players have learned they’d better be on the ball.
“In my first meeting, I told the players that we were going to be a team in phenomenal shape,” Calhoun said. “They looked at me as if to say ‘Are you serious?”‘
They quickly found out he was serious. Their first assignment was running a mile and a half in the allotted time of 11:45, which is part of the academy’s fitness test.
His players have found Calhoun to be both a taskmaster and a teacher.
“He’s a perfectionist out there,” linebacker Aaron Shanor said. “Everything is right down to the minute – practice time, meetings, everything.”
Calhoun doesn’t have to look far to find the source of his organizational skills.
“I lean hard on the lessons that were taught me right here at the academy,” he said. “Everything here has to be crisp and well planned. That’s a credit to our assistant coaches.”
Calhoun acknowledges that his parents provided the strongest influence. His mother, Joan, was the leading influence in him choosing the academy. His father, Terry, was a longtime high school basketball coach.
“My mother was an emergency-room nurse,” Calhoun said. “I couldn’t call her and say anything about being under a lot of pressure here at the academy. She was making audibles with a heck of a lot more on the line than whether I could pass a chemistry test.”
Calhoun said he’s also found it rewarding to associate with the parents of his players.
“When you start meeting with the parents of these players, it hits you right in the heart,” Calhoun said. “These are salt-of-the-earth people.”
As for following in the footsteps of Fisher DeBerry, his former coach, Calhoun prefers to look ahead.
“You have to be yourself,” Calhoun said. “It’s still football and we’re going to have some fun coaching here.”
The lowdown
AIR FORCE (2-0)
Player to watch | QB Shaun Carney
Air Force’s offense hasn’t played well the past two games against TCU. Carney is faced with making a new-look offense create more dividends. The senior leads the Falcons in total offense with 395 yards, 232 in the air.
Key for the Falcons | Stay in it early
Last year, the Horned Frogs were ahead 38-0 after three quarters. Air Force scored 14 points in the last quarter to make the outcome appear closer than it was.
TCU (1-1)
Player to watch | DE Tommy Blake
Blake plays at an All-America caliber. He missed the season opener against Baylor, but returned last week against Texas. TCU’s defense has dominated Air Force the past two years, but the Falcons have a different look this year.
Key for the Horned Frogs | Forget Texas
It would seem that all they have to do is play their game. However, the 34-13 loss last week to nationally ranked Texas was an emotional setback. The question is how they rebound.
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
