AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Some day, Wesley Cobb may have a service number like 007.
One of the career paths he is considering when he leaves the Air Force Academy is the intelligence field, such as the Secret Service.
According to running backs coach Des Kitchings, Cobb’s name already has a ring of James Bond or maybe Sherlock Holmes to it.
But for now, Cobb will settle for beating back the villains on opposing team’s defenses as the fullback in coach Troy Calhoun’s multiple offense. He won’t have any fancy gadget or speedy sports car — Bond’s trademarks in getting the upper hand in his battles — but he has what it takes to stand up to the rugged job ahead.
“He’s a powerfully built player,” said Matt McGettigan, Air Force’s strength-and-conditioning coach. “Low body fat, natural power, great lower body strength — he has all those things. There’s a lot of muscle in his lower body.”
McGettigan concluded by noting that the 5-foot-9, 196-pound Cobb has calves that measure 21 inches around.
Some might call the Air Force junior a tank, but a flimsy person need not apply for a job in the Falcons’ backfield. Last year, senior fullbacks Jared Tew, Nathan Walker and Ryan Southworth combined for 1,117 yards and 11 touchdowns on 244 carries.
“He (Cobb) is a complete warrior and a winner and a guy who’s going to play good football for us this fall,” Calhoun said.
Only a few college football programs still use a fullback in the offensive schemes that have become popular. But it remains a staple in the Falcons’ offense.
With previous playing time, Cobb knows what to expect. He has played in 10 games over the last two seasons, with eight carries for 22 yards.
“Fullback is a tough position, especially in this offense,” said Cobb, who comes from Houston. “Coach said it takes a hard-hat kind of player. I was recruited to be a tailback, but I played fullback in high school. It was an easy transition for me when they asked me to move back.”
Playing fullback puts Cobb at the forefront in almost every play.
Kitchings is in his first season on the Air Force staff, but he has seen enough to believe Cobb is up to the task.
“He (Cobb) is put together pretty well,” Kitchings said. “He can hold up at the position.”
Kitchings is grooming 6-1, 220-pound junior Mike DeWitt to share some of the burden.
“I’m a different runner than the fullbacks we had last year,” Cobb said. “I’m a tough runner, and I think I bring that to the table along with the elusiveness to squeeze through small holes. I think acceleration is one of my best qualities.”
One of his assignments this preseason has been working on catching the ball out of the backfield, an assignment he said is adding variety to the Air Force offense.
As for his first name, Cobb said it was a compromise between his parents. His father is Leslie Cobb, but his mother, Bessie, didn’t want a junior.
Cobb also is considering pilot training as a path after graduation. However, a service number like 007 seems to fit.
Footnotes. The Falcons were the only Front Range team to receive votes Saturday in the first Associated Press college football poll. They also received votes in the first USA Today coaches poll. . . . Calhoun is aiming at Wednesday or Thursday to set his depth chart. After Saturday’s practice, he still was looking at a significant number of position battles. . . . On Tuesday, the Falcons begin detailed practice work for their Sept. 3 opener against South Dakota at Falcon Stadium.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
