AIR FORCE ACADEMY — On the Air Force football team, Bradley Connor is known as a trouper. He’s been in the background and down on the depth chart as a defensive lineman most of the past four seasons.
Now, as the senior prepares for his last three games at the academy, he’s gratified that he stayed with it. The 2010 season is turning out to be his most productive.
Connor (6-feet-2, 270 pounds) fits the description when coach Troy Calhoun says his players love to play football.
“Being on a team is important to me,” Connor said. “I figured I’d stick it out and over the years I’d get my playing time. The players here make you want to stay and be part of a team.”
Connor’s playing time before this season consisted of eight games over three years. He was stuck behind Ben Garland, a stalwart on Air Force’s defensive line who finished playing last year.
Connor got his chance this year when junior Ryan Gardner suffered a groin injury and missed three games. He stepped in and got his first career starts against San Diego State, TCU and Utah. Gardner returned last week against Army and the two alternated series.
Connor didn’t waste the opportunity. In his three starts, he had nine tackles (six against Utah), and for the season he has 19 tackles, one sack and a pass defense.
“He ended up doing exactly what we needed of him,” defensive line coach Ron Burton said. “You never know when your opportunity will come. He’s a serious young man in a way. He can be the butt of jokes, but also hand it out. He’s great to have in our room.”
Burton won’t say if the game plan will call for Connor and Gardner to alternate each series, but he welcomes the depth he can call on in the final regular-season games — Saturday vs. New Mexico and Thursday at Nevada-Las Vegas.
Gardner, one of 14 seniors playing their final game at Falcon Stadium against New Mexico, thought the strategy worked out well in his return, a 42-22 victory over Army. The Black Knights finished with a season-low 244 yards rushing. They had averaged 281.4 coming in.
“We had good support in the middle and I think our middle run defense was a big factor in our winning the game,” Gardner said. “We stopped any momentum Army had in the second half.”
Connor, a state wrestling champion while in high school in Georgia, is taking his new role in stride.
“It’s important to everybody to have a good senior year and finish up strong,” Connor said. “You want to leave something behind for the next team to achieve.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
Three questions for AFA
1. Will Air Force’s salty defense be enough to confuse New Mexico freshman QB Stump Godfrey? Godfrey made the first start of his career last week and completed 16-of-20 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-31 victory over Wyoming.
2. Has New Mexico ended its skid and become a dangerous opponent? The Lobos had lost nine in a row going back to last season before their victory over Wyoming. They seemed to have found a bit of life with Godfrey under center.
3. Will Air Force halfback Asher Clark return to 100-yard rushing games and get closer to a 1,000-yard season? After games of 125 yards against CSU and 116 yards against San Diego State, Clark hasn’t reached the 100-yard mark in his past three games. He needs 176 yards to reach 1,000. New Mexico ranks last in the country in rushing defense.
