AIR FORCE ACADEMY — After playing some high-powered multiple offenses this season, Air Force defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt has developed somewhat of a common game plan.
He’s felt that if his defense could turn the likes of Oklahoma, San Diego State, TCU and Utah into one-dimensional offenses, it would give his players a better chance to control the game. In most cases, the idea was to attempt to take away the running game as much as possible.
“We’ve had some success,” Wallerstedt said this week in practice. “But it has been a little bit of a roller-coaster ride. We’ve had some good, bad and ugly.”
The Falcons take on Army today at West Point, N.Y., and a glance at the Black Knights might indicate they’ve done the job in advance of being one-dimensional. The only problem is that Army’s one dimension is a powerful running game.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Wallerstedt said. “We can’t forget about defending the pass. We need to create more turnovers, something we haven’t done well in the last couple of games.”
Army (5-3) has almost six times as many running plays as passing attempts. The Black Knights have rushed for 2,251 yards and passed for 588.
Fullback Jared Hassin and quarterback Trent Steelman are the workhorses — Hassin with 669 yards and eight touchdowns on 110 carries, and Steelman with 499 yards and nine touchdowns on 130 carries.
“Knowing they do run the ball a lot, it’s not easier to defend them,” Wallerstedt said. “With the triple option, they have the threat of putting the ball in different player’s hands off the play action. It’s the same thing that other teams face when they play us.”
Even though the Falcons have won the past four games and 12 of the last 13 in the series, Wallerstedt remembers his first trip to West Point two years ago when the Falcons pulled out a 16-7 victory.
“We were going along pretty good, and they were struggling,” Wallerstedt said. “We have to roll up our sleeves, keep our eyes in the right place and be disciplined in our assignments. I wish it was that easy.”
Last week against Utah, linebacker Brady Amack provided the kind of game Wallerstedt is looking for.
Amack, who has been playing with a bone chip in his right leg for five games, had 15 tackles against the Utes.
“I’ve been playing week to week,” Amack, a junior, said. “The injury is getting better and better. I don’t think about it much anymore.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
