AIR FORCE ACADEMY — In the life of a freshman at the Air Force Academy, Tim Jefferson deals with a hodgepodge of rigid regulations, stringent academics and a double standard in the human experience.
For example, on the most recent four of Air Force’s football game days, Jefferson’s life rose to high profile. He took over the starting quarterback job at midseason from senior Shea Smith and immediately jumped into college football’s center ring.
But Jefferson best describes the other end of the spectrum the rest of the week, his life at a service academy.
“Basically, freshmen are at the bottom of the food chain,” Jefferson said matter-of-factly. “We take orders from everybody, no matter who it is. We have to call everybody ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am.’ It can get rough some times with the academics and all the responsibilities. My roommate always says he hates this place. It’s a big mind game that you have to get through. Managing time is crucial.”
Jefferson’s calm demeanor and quiet confidence helped him move from the bottom of the depth chart in preseason drills to the starting job six weeks into the season.
His strength as a cadet — “You keep your wits about you and come back stronger than you were before” — has served him well. He’s 4-0 as a starter heading into Saturday’s game against rival Colorado State. Overall, the Falcons are 7-2 in coach Troy Calhoun’s second season.
“If he says he’s going to make something happen, you can bank on it,” said his father, Tim. “He keeps to himself for the most part and he knows what he wants. If getting the job done requires going without sleep, that’s what he does.”
While Jefferson’s story is gaining attention by the week, it almost didn’t get off the ground. Ironically, Calhoun’s arrival after the 2006 season caused initial doubts for Jefferson about leaving his home in Atlanta to go west.
Mark Miller, Jefferson’s high school coach at Woodward Academy, said Jefferson grew up running the option offense. He was recruited by coach Fisher DeBerry’s staff to run the triple option, which seemed to be a perfect fit. That was before DeBerry retired and Calhoun took over.
“When I heard that Coach Calhoun was coming in and all of the changes they were going to make in the offense, I almost went to Navy,” Jefferson said. “I knew I wanted to be a pilot after I graduated, and I had a place in my heart for Air Force. As it turned out, I definitely felt more welcome with Coach Calhoun than I did with coach Paul Johnson at Navy.”
Charlton Warren, a member of DeBerry’s staff who was retained by Calhoun, had been recruiting Jefferson since his junior year.
“I told Tim that he was going to be a quarterback at Air Force, not a receiver or a defensive back,” Warren said. “I knew he would be one heck of a football player for us. Some other recruiters were telling him that our new system wouldn’t fit his style of football. He trusted us, and it has worked out pretty good so far.”
Calhoun knew time was of the essence when he arrived on the job Jan. 1, 2007, after completing his duties with the Houston Texans.
“I think Tim Jefferson was the first player I saw on tape,” Calhoun said. “We were looking at quarterbacks, and I saw that he did a good job executing the option. I like players who play a lot of sports in high school. They seem to show better hand-eye coordination. Tim was a good basketball player. I know it got close down at the end, but Charlton did a great job keeping Air Force in front.”
Jefferson’s mother, Walda, got a text message from her son when he made his decision to go to Air Force. That message was an example of Jefferson’s quiet personality and strong character.
“He doesn’t want to follow,” Walda Jefferson said. “He insists on doing his own work. He sent me a text message that said, ‘I’m going to Air Force.’ I was home and I messaged back, asking where he was. He said he was sitting in our driveway, thinking.”
Jefferson was much more than a football standout in high school. He played the trombone and developed a strong interest in classical music. He averaged 18 points a game in basketball and also ran track.
“In the 10th and 11th grades he became very popular with the other students,” Walda Jefferson said, “but he maintained his humbleness.”
Jefferson went to the Air Force Prep School for a year before beginning his path in college football.
Since making the change at quarterback, Calhoun hasn’t wavered. He points to Jefferson’s slow start with two fumbles in a come-from-behind 23-10 victory over New Mexico as a telling experience.
“When he came to the sidelines, I was looking him right in the eyeball,” Calhoun said. “He was fine and that showed me the kind of leadership you have to have. He has a lot of work to do, but he understands being industrious.”
Blane Morgan, Air Force’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, said Jefferson has a maturity beyond his age.
“He’s improved tremendously from the first two days in preseason practice until now,” Morgan said.
Jefferson (6-feet, 200 pounds) is the good football soldier ready to follow Calhoun’s orders. Although rated as a good passer in high school, he’s stepping right into Air Force’s running game plan. He has more than twice as many carries (67 for 307 yards) as pass attempts (31).
“If our running game is working, why should we pass?” Jefferson asks. “It’s our bread-and-butter. When we do pass, we’re usually effective.”
Adding to Jefferson’s multitude of tasks is running a no-huddle offense.
“We have a unique offense because we use multiple formations and do a lot of different things out of those formations,” Jefferson said. “It’s really fun to play in this offense as a quarterback, but it can be difficult to grasp because of how much is going on.
“It’s tough for a freshman, but it’s tough for everybody here. I need to lead the team to touchdowns and not field goals. It’s not just me. I think the whole team can play better. You have to start somewhere, so I’m going to start with myself. I have to play better.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
The Lowdown
By Irv Moss and Natalie Meisler, The Post
CSU (4-5, 2-3 Mountain West)
Player to watch: LB Mychal Sisson.
The quick, athletic redshirt freshman is coming off a big game, with two fumble recoveries against BYU. Especially when CSU goes to its 3-4 packages, Sisson’s speed on the outside will be essential in trying to contain Air Force’s option attack.
Key for Rams: Ball control.
The Rams must beat the Falcons at their own game. CSU has emphasized improvement on third-down defense, and the defense needs to get off the field early. Defensive coordinator Larry Kerr had a fair amount of success against Air Force in his previous tenure, but Air Force has evolved since.
AIR FORCE (7-2, 4-1)
Player to watch: DE Jake Paulson.
The senior has been a stalwart on the line against both the pass and the run. He has 41 total tackles and 13 1/2 sacks. CSU QB Billy Farris and running back Gartrell Johnson will keep Paulson busy.
Key for Falcons: Find the end zone.
With only three TDs but six field goals in the past two games, the end zone has become unknown territory. QB Tim Jefferson may be a freshman, but he knows the difference between six points and three points. He wants six.
