AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Look at it this way.
Maybe Air Force coach Troy Calhoun just wanted to put the finishing touches on the freshman class’ fitness program, knowing the members had to do push-ups to match the number of points on the board each time the Falcons scored. The freshman cadets did 137 push-ups in the fourth quarter alone Saturday.
Unfortunately, the Nicholls State players had to pick themselves up off the ground almost as many times in a record-setting AFA performance.
The Falcons gained 576 total yards (474 rushing) in their season opener on the way to a 72-0 rout of the Colonels before 42,205 at Falcon Stadium.
The 72-point margin of victory was the largest for the Falcons in 53 varsity seasons. The point total just missed setting a school record; the Falcons scored 75 points against Northern Colorado in 1984. And it was Air Force’s first shutout since beating Wofford 49-0 to open the 2003 season.
“It didn’t hurt them,” Calhoun said of the cadets’ push-ups. “They just finished basic training and they’re in good shape.”
So was his football team. Sophomore quarterback Tim Jefferson accounted for 124 yards of total offense, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing a 57-yard scoring pass to receiver Kevin Fogler.
AFA fullback Jared Tew rushed for 57 yards and scored a career-high three touchdowns. Reserve quarterback Connor Dietz led the Falcons in rushing with 83 yards.
“I know I could have done better,” Jefferson said. “I missed a couple of passes. I think I got composed much quicker in this game than in my first start last year. We stayed pretty much to our basic offense today.”
Calhoun had some mixed reviews for his team.
“The one thing that was evident was our players were excited to play a game,” Calhoun said.
Even though his defense held the Colonels to 151 total yards, seven first downs and 1-for-14 on third downs, Calhoun still thought his first unit should have created more turnovers. Air Force recovered four fumbles, returning one for the game’s final touchdown. Sophomore linebacker John Lerch forced the fumble and returned it 10 yards to make it 72-0 with 11:39 to play.
Nicholls State coach Jay Thomas said his team knew what to expect.
“We knew that Air Force was going to be really good coming in,” Thomas said. “When you play a game like this you have to try and steal some momentum. We got a break with a fake punt and turned the ball over on the next play. Everything went downhill from there.”
Fullback Marlin Meeks’ 28-yard run on the fake punt in the first quarter was the longest gain of the game for the Colonels.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
Jitters, and success
Three questions the Falcons had heading into the season opener against Nicholls State:
1. Did sophomore quarterback Tim Jefferson show improvement?
Answer: He completed 5-of-7 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. He said he’s nervous before every game, but found composure more quickly in the game than in his first start in 2008.
2. Did sophomore kicker Erik Soderberg get off to a good start in shaping a new kicking game?
Answer: Soderberg acknowledged jitters, but he was good on all seven extra points and a 23-yard field goal. Next is a game against Minnesota. He’s from Eden Prairie, Minn., which might mean more jitters.
3. Did Air Force’s pass defense hold up?
Answer: Two Nicholls State quarterbacks combined for 7-of-13 for 61 yards. The Colonels got five of their seven first downs in the air. But touted receiver Antonio Robinson was held to four catches and 32 yards.
Irv Moss, The Denver Post
Key play
It’s difficult to single out one play in a 72-0 rout as being a tide-turner. But when Air Force senior linebacker Justin Moore recovered LaQuintin Caston’s fumble at Nicholls State’s 30 in the first quarter of a 7-0 game, it stopped the momentum of the Colonels’ 28-yard fake punt run on the previous play.
Key stat
576: Total yards produced by the Air Force offense
Adrian Dater, The Denver Post
