AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Coach Troy Calhoun’s goal of having a junior- and senior-filled team at Air Force has taken a couple of backward steps as the season has moved along.
Players such as freshman defensive back Anthony Wooding and sophomore tailback Cody Getz are stepping up to fill roles partially because of injuries and partially out of necessity.
Wooding, from Folkston, Ga., made his first career start Saturday against TCU and made it count with eight tackles and a pass interception, which he returned 19 yards.
“By going to the prep school, I had a little knowledge of the playbook,” Wooding said. “I was very nervous at the beginning, but after the first play, I felt as if I should be there.”
Wooding got his chance to start after safety Brian Lindsay was lost this season with a broken collarbone.
Getz, from Buford, Ga., is logging playing time as a backup to junior Asher Clark in the backfield and on the kickoff return team. After making a good impression last year as a freshman, Getz earned his place on the depth chart. His showing so far is 108 yards in 17 carries.
“I’m still trying to get the offense down,” Getz said. “But when I get a shot, I try to make the most of it.”
Getz entered the program last year as a tailback but was moved to receiver for most of the season. He finished with 52 rushing yards and 13 receiving yards.
Both Calhoun and Getz believe tailback is his natural position.
“He has that wiggle when he runs. That makes for a good running back,” Calhoun said.
Getz has averaged 16.7 yards on three kickoff returns.
“I really love returning kicks,” Getz said. “It’s something that can open up games.”
Wooding entered preseason practice with the idea he was the new player on the block. He followed the advice of older brother DeVarro Greaves, a linebacker at Purdue.
“He told me to jump in and do anything the coaches needed,” Wooding said. “I never had played safety before this season. But I was ready to go on the field on special teams, running back, anything they needed. I was fighting for a spot.”
The Falcons have lost two in a row and face a big challenge today against eighth-ranked Utah at 5:30 p.m.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said there isn’t a chance his 7-0 team would overlook Air Force before next week’s Mountain West Conference showdown with TCU.
“How could anyone possibly look past Air Force?” Whittingham said. “We know the quality of the team we’re playing this week. There’s not a team in the country that runs the option offense better than Air Force. We’re fully aware of what to expect.”
“Even though we’ve had injuries, we still have players who can make plays,” Air Force quarterback Tim Jefferson said. “We have to find the right pieces to fit where we have a missing link.”
Wooding and Getz might be considered players of the future, but against the Utes, the time is now.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
Remembering Utah
Nov. 1, 2003: Utah 45, Air Force 43, 3 OTs
With Utah leaving the Mountain West, The Denver Post looks at the Utes’ history with the Falcons.
There’s one game that comes to everyone’s mind when looking at the 26-game series between the Utes and Air Force.
Just focus on the 2003 season and a 45-43 Utah victory in three overtimes at Falcon Stadium.
“It has been a very competitive series, with most games coming down to the wire,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “I don’t know the exact reason for that. I know the Air Force players don’t quit. You get the full 60 minutes from them.”
Seven years ago, the reason for Utah’s victory was tight end Ben Moa. At critical points of the game, Moa lined up in the shotgun and tormented Air Force’s defense as a running back.
He scored a rushing touchdown in the first overtime, but the Falcons answered and the game eventually went into a third overtime.
Air Force scored a touchdown. On a two-point conversion try, mandated in the third overtime and beyond, Falcons quarterback Chance Harridge lost his footing short of the goal line and the lead was six points.
The Utes scored a touchdown to tie. On the two-point conversion, Moa lined up in the shotgun and the Air Force defense geared for a battering ram. But this time Moa faked a run and dumped a pass over the goal line, and the Utes won. Irv Moss, The Denver Post
THE SERIES
Overall: Air Force leads 14-12. At the Air Force Academy: Air Force leads 7-5. In Salt Lake City: Series tied 7-7.
