AIR FORCE ACADEMY — On a September Saturday afternoon that felt like fall — rather than the blast-furnace conditions of August in Colorado — Air Force got off to a cool, flying football start.
The Falcons’ first offensive play of the 2011 season — a sleight-of-handoff, zippity-zoomie wide receiver reverse — went for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Very cool.
The triple- or quadruple-option offense of the academy led 7-0 in 16 seconds and before 39,105 Falconfanatics could settle in and the South Dakota Coyotes could gasp their first breath of thin air.
The Falcons were on pace for 1,575 points, but managed to lead by 23 at halftime and win by 17.
The 308-yard rushing game by the Falcons Four — running back Asher Clark (97 yards), reversing receiver Mikel Hunter (82), quarterback Tim Jefferson (69) and running back Wesley Cobb (60) — will not make anyone forget the Four Horseman of Notre Dame or the Four Presidents on South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore.
But no other NCAA team likely will rush more (61 times against the Coyotes) — and pass less (nine) — than Air Force this year.
In 2010, the Falcons averaged 306.5 rushing yards, second in the nation. They had 391 rushing yards (298 at the half) Saturday. Air Force has ranked second a dozen seasons of the last 29, and in the top 10 all except one year.
But Coach Calhoun and the Young Men of Troy weren’t particularly impressed by their own performances. “Fair,” Calhoun said.
“Tale of two stories,” Jefferson said. “We played good in the first half, awful in the second half.
“I think a lot of the guys were looking ahead to TCU.”
Oh, yes, the Horned Frogs, who gave the Falcons their only thumping (38-7 in Fort Worth) in a 9-4 2010. Retribution is on the cadets’ mind next Saturday.
Jefferson even “was pulling for them (Frogs)” in TCU’s opener Friday night against Baylor. “Because they are going to be angry now.”
When a horned frog becomes angry or frightened, the Texas reptile will squirt a 4-foot stream of blood from its eyes.
The Horned Frogs will be spitting blood at the Falcons after a 50-48 upset loss to the Bears.
Calhoun refused to say the initials TCU to the players, the media or the public before the South Dakota game, and didn’t mention much about the Toads afterward. Instead, he praised Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin, who threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns.
TCU’s “defense is going to be charged up,” Jefferson said.
Don’t expect him, though, to throw for 359 yards against the Frogs.
Calhoun told me in the summer that he wanted the Falcons to pass more often off the play-action, but that’s not in the team’s DNA. Jefferson completed four and had two intercepted by the Coyotes.
AFA will need more points than 37 and probably 400 rushing yards to beat TCU. Last year the Frogs stymied the Falcons, limiting them to 184 yards on the turf. TCU finished with running yardage of 377.
I reminded Calhoun late Saturday afternoon of the old-school bromide that claims a college team usually has its biggest improvement from Game 1 to 2.
“We want to be playing our best football in November,” he said, “after you pick out the (Halloween) costumes and eat the Tootsie Rolls.”
Forgive me, Troy, but the Falcons had better be playing their best football next Saturday at home against TCU, on Oct. 8 at Notre Dame and on Oct. 22 at Boise State. Those three were ranked in the country’s top 16. Two down, and the other played late Saturday.
In the next poll, Air Force no doubt will be higher in the “others receiving votes” category — based on, if nothing else, that opening play.
The coaching staff had scripted the first “seven to eight” plays nine days before the South Dakota game. The first was to be (following the Calhoun Halloween theme) trick-or-treat. “We were trying to get some misdirection right out of the blocks. If you’re able to do it effectively . . . but if it doesn’t work, you think, ‘What in the world were you thinking?’ “
It worked — and the opening scene of the staff’s script looked as strong as Julie Andrews’ first song on the hilltop in “Sound of Music.” The next six to seven weren’t so special. Rush for 6 yards, fumble (kept by Air Force), rush for 1 yard, pass interception, and, next series, runs for 3, 11 and 6 yards.
But autumn was in the air, and triumph was on the ground for Air Force.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
