AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Recruiting messages sometimes can be deceiving, but Air Force receiver Zack Kauth didn’t head to the academy from Ohio under any false pretenses.
When Air Force assistant coach Ben Miller came through Dayton and talked to him at Chaminade-Julienne High School, Kauth remembers the coach told him the way it would be for a pass receiver in Air Force’s modified triple-option offense.
“He said that I wouldn’t get many catches, but the catches I’d get would provide huge chunks of yardage,” Kauth said as the Falcons practiced for the Dec. 28 Military Bowl game in Washington, D.C., against Toledo.
Kauth already had decided he would attend Holy Cross out of high school, but Miller’s persuasion and some family ties changed his mind. Kauth’s father, David, graduated from the Air Force Academy, so the son decided to follow in his footsteps.
Miller’s description of Kauth’s role on the field has been spot on. In two seasons, he has averaged 19 yards a catch (817 yards on 43 receptions). This season, he led the team with 543 yards on 27 catches.
In the regular-season finale at Colorado State, he and quarterback Tim Jefferson managed to up the average in just one quarter. The seniors teamed for touchdown pass plays of 33, 40 and 50 yards in the second quarter alone.
“I was excited after the first one,” Kauth said. “It was a great call, and I knew we’d have another opportunity. After the third catch, we even talked about a possible fourth, but we pretty much went to our running game after that.”
While the touchdown spree was going on, it seemed as if it was a normal part of the team’s offense, which was far from the case for a team that relies on its option running attack.
“I didn’t see it happening,” receivers coach Mike Thiessen said. “It was fun to have a quarter like that. It was fun to call it and fun to watch the players execute it.”
The magnitude of that second quarter in Air Force’s run-oriented offense sank in afterward.
“I wonder if that ever has happened before on an Air Force team,” coach Troy Calhoun asked.
Three touchdown catches in a quarter by the same receiver? The conclusion was: probably not. Those at the academy began thinking of Ernie Jennings, who gained All-America status as a receiver in the late 1960s. Even Jennings didn’t have a day like that.
“We’ve passed more this season,” Kauth said of Jefferson’s 161 attempts, which is about four games worth for many college quarterbacks. “Our offense changes all the time. One of the things we do best is taking our shots over the top.”
Jefferson sees Kauth as a big target downfield. At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, Kauth is an example of a lanky receiver easy to locate from a distance.
“He’s been the go-to guy on our deep pass routes all year,” Jefferson said. “He’s faster than he looks, and he can gain separation on the defensive backs. It might seem a little odd to see Air Force score three passing touchdowns in a quarter, but it shows the type of damage our offense can do.”
Calhoun believes there’s plenty of room for tall receivers in Air Force’s offense. Kauth followed Kevin Fogler, who was of the same build and effectiveness while Kauth was an understudy.
“We really like having a tall receiver,” Calhoun said. “Zack has been a good player for us. He made a key catch in overtime against Navy and a long catch against Army that brought us back to within three points.”
Besides the three touchdown catches in one quarter, Kauth has another career statistic that most receivers don’t have. In his sophomore season, he blocked a field goal against Wyoming. He was on the kick-blocking team because of his height and reach.
Now, with his time at Air Force winding down, his schoolwork has become lighter too. He has time to help his younger brother Alex, a member of the academy’s lacrosse team, cope with the rigors of the academy’s academic and military standards.
“It’s a tough place, but it gets a little better each year,” Kauth said. “Tough places make you a better person overall.”
He has prepared himself for his last game. “I’ve had a lot of lasts this season,” Kauth said. “There was the last home game. Then the last regular-season game.
“Now it’s the last game. All I can do is play as hard as I can and take in every second of the experience. Football has been a big part of my life.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
