AIR FORCE ACADEMY — If there is reincarnation, Air Force defensive end Jake Paulson could possibly be traced to the likes of Magellan, Lewis and Clark and Kit Carson.
Whether it is football, roaming the Rampart Range to the west of the academy or life in another country, Paulson doesn’t stop at the horizon; he goes beyond.
His adventures have packed enough excitement and wonder into his 23 years to last a lifetime. But last week, as he looked toward the end of his collegiate career, it was obvious he is just getting started.
“I go into everything with open eyes, open arms and an open heart,” Paulson said. “I’m going to experience everything I can.”
Right now, his focus is on Saturday’s game at No. 15 TCU. He’s looking at it as just another game of his football life, although it’s the final regular-season game for Paulson and 17 other Air Force seniors.
“It has been a long road with lots of heartbreak but some of the best times you could have,” Paulson said. “I like to think I’ve learned from each loss as much as I’ve learned from each victory. I’ve played for two awesome coaches (Fisher DeBerry and Troy Calhoun) and some different players each year.
“But it’s time to move on in my life.”
Paulson has plans for after football and the academy. He will get 60 days of leave after graduation, and he plans to spend all of it in South Africa, where he will join a friend who is interning as a professional hunter. Paulson wants to learn as much as he can about tracking and scouting from the locals.
One of the most harrowing experiences of his life will be fresh in his mind, although it happened when he was 14 and on safari with his family.
“I was charged by a bull elephant, and that was pretty exciting,” Paulson said. “I was in a Jeep, but it was a pretty cool experience, to say the least.”
Paulson’s ways have earned him the nicknames “Mountain Man” and “Tarzan” from his teammates. He takes the jests and moves on. He fills his spare time even in the training room reading books. His current interest is James Michener’s “Centennial,” which traces the history of the northeast Colorado plains.
“Jake is very thoughtful,” defensive line coach Ron Burton said. “He’s an outdoorsy-type person and a deep thinker. He understands everything.”
Paulson spent the summer after his sophomore year living in Berlin as part of the academy’s immersion program to learn German. During spring break, he spent Easter in Jerusalem.
On the field, Paulson operates much of the time in the opponent’s backfield and has 14 tackles for losses, including 8 1/2 sacks.
“It’s not something that’s going to blindside me when my time here is done,” Paulson said. “I’m prepared to move on.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
The Lowdown
By Irv Moss, The Denver Post
AIR FORCE (8-3, 5-2 MWC)
Player to watch: QB Tim Jefferson.
Air Force’s freshman quarterback is facing his toughest challenge of the season, and how he responds could determine Air Force’s fate. TCU’s defense is rated tops in three categories, including a nation’s-best 39.5 yards rushing allowed.
Key for the Falcons: Near perfection.
They need an almost perfect game from the offense, the defense and the special teams. They didn’t get a quality game from the special teams last week against BYU, and the result was a 38-24 loss.
TCU (9-2, 6-1)
Player to watch: LB Jason Phillips.
Although a lot of attention has been given the 17 1/2 sacks by teammate Jerry Hughes, the 70 team-leading tackles by Phillips could be a more important statistic against the run-oriented Falcons.
Key for the Horned Frogs: Stifling defense.
Smothering Air Force’s offense is a must, and the Horned Frogs could do it. They also lead the nation in total defense at 220.0 yards a game, and their opponents have converted only 29 percent of third-down tries.
