FORT WORTH, Texas — The loss of Shaun Carney to a knee injury Monday was a shock for his teammates, who had watched their quarterback play an ironman role for the Air Force Falcons for four years.
“That was the last thing we wanted to see,” cornerback Carson Bird said after the Falcons’ 42-36 loss to California in the Armed Forces Bowl. “I wouldn’t say Shea (Smith) played badly (in place of Carney), but it was a loss of morale for us. I’ve never seen Shaun go down and stay down in four years.”
Carney, a four-year starter, was injured late in the third quarter.
Carney left the Air Force locker room on crutches after the game and likely is facing surgery to repair ligament damage.
“I thought we still had a chance with Shea,” Carney said. “He was able to move the ball.”
Cal overpowered Air Force on offense in the game’s 20 minutes, however, and finished with 507 total yards. Air Force wasted a 21-0 lead.
Try anything.
AFA defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said he searched his mind for every possible stunt while trying to put pass-rush pressure on Cal quarterbacks Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley.
“I tried everything I could think of,” DeRuyter said. “We couldn’t find a way.”
Air Force’s defense did not have a sack Monday. Defensive end Ryan Kemp, safety Bobby Giannini and linebacker Drew Fowler tied for the team lead in tackles with nine each.
Busy day.
Cal safety Thomas DeCoud had the assignment of shadowing Air Force star Chad Hall, the Mountain West Conference’s offensive player of the year.
“I had the pitch man on their option and he got the ball a lot of times,” DeCoud said. “You can’t worry about your assignment on defense. You just try to make plays.”
Hall was held to 63 yards rushing and one TD on 19 carries. He also had four catches for 36 yards and 80 yards on four kickoff returns. DeCoud led the Bears with 10 tackles.
