FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Air Force coach Troy Calhoun brought his players together Friday evening at their hotel headquarters to begin the quick switch from the holiday season to the bowl season.
Calhoun said all of his players except for a half-dozen who still were traveling were on hand for the first meetings. The Falcons will have their first bowl-site practice Saturday morning in preparation of Wednesday’s Armed Forces Bowl against Houston at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Air Force played in the same bowl last year, losing 42-36 to California.
The top concern is finding if injured players fullback Todd Newell (ankle), receiver Kyle Halderman (mononucleosis) and inside linebacker Brandon Reeves (shoulder), who all started games during the regular season, are healed enough to play in the game.
“We’ll have a little better idea where they are when we practice,” Calhoun said. “We’ve had nine days between practices. There’s a decent chance that Justin Moore will start at inside linebacker.”
Calhoun said that senior receiver Spencer Armstrong, who missed the last nine games of the season with a broken leg, would play in the bowl.
In facing the Cougars, the Falcons are playing a team they beat 31-28 early in the regular season. However, Calhoun pointed out that both teams are much different than when they met Sept. 13, in a game moved from Houston to Dallas because of Hurricane Ike.
“For us, it’s a phenomenal opportunity we’re able to play in a bowl game,” Calhoun said. “Houston is a terrific team. When you watched them against Tulsa and East Carolina, Houston was sensational. They were clearly a better team later in the season, and we were too.”
While Calhoun’s focus was on the bowl game, he wasn’t as clear about the future. At the end of the season, Calhoun said there were possible questions in his mind about the resolve of the academy to have a national-class football program.
The coach said Friday night that he and athletic director Hans Mueh had met briefly, but had not come to any conclusions. One of the issues is pay increases for the assistants.
“We still have a ways to go,” Calhoun said. “Every bit of our energy and focus right now is getting ready to play in a bowl game. The crosshairs are set on the game right now. I would think as talented as this group of coaches is, there are a bunch of places that would love to have them to be part of their staff. But the Air Force Academy is a special place as well.”
Mueh has said earlier that he wants to keep the football coaching staff together.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
