BOISE, Idaho — There was a sigh of relief on one side because of the end of a difficult part of the schedule, but Air Force coach Troy Calhoun wasn’t looking past Monday’s return to the practice field.
The Falcons enter what should be a lighter stretch of the season with Saturday’s game at hapless New Mexico.
“It’s not any easier,” Calhoun snapped when asked if playing Navy, Notre Dame, San Diego State and Boise State had ended a daunting part of the schedule. “We’ve got to win on Monday. We have to have achievement by the way we practice.”
The Falcons lost 37-26 on Saturday at Boise State, and quarterback Kellen Moore notched his 45th career win to tie the NCAA mark for quarterbacks with Texas’ Colt McCoy.
In that tough four-game stretch, AFA went 1-3 and was outscored 171-121.
“There’s no doubt that this stretch we just came through was one of the toughest, if not the toughest, a service academy has played,” quarterback Tim Jefferson said. “The back half of our schedule isn’t as tough.”
Outside linebacker Alex Means, who blocked an extra point, said the Falcons have no choice but to win their last five games.
“I was proud of our effort today,” Means said. “No one likes to lose.”
Costly plays.
Calhoun took full responsibility for calling a fourth-down gamble on a fake punt in the second quarter that resulted in a a fumble by Mikel Hunter and a 16-yard return for a touchdown. “If you make that call, it has to work or it isn’t a good call,” Calhoun said.
Give and take.
Nose tackle Ryan Gardner returned after missing snaps with a knee injury. But receiver Ty MacArthur suffered a broken collarbone.
