AIR FORCE ACADEMY — With only five returning starters, perhaps the lowest number among the 124 Football Bowl Subdivision programs, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun has found a world of difference in this preseason camp compared with a year ago — when the Falcons had 28 seniors.
A world of difference, such as 12,416 miles as the crow flies.
“The South Pole and the North Pole, they are far apart,” Calhoun said when asked the difference Tuesday at his weekly news conference. “Every year is a new year, but this is a really, really, really new year.”
It will be the Falcon’s greenest lineup in Calhoun’s six seasons.
“But I will say this, I like this group,” he added. “We badly need to gain game experience, but this isn’t a group that requires a pep talk.”
The Falcons open their season at noon Saturday against Idaho State at Falcon Stadium.
Senior linebacker Alex Means, one of the returning starters, cautions against panic. Calhoun’s previous five teams all finished with winning records and played in bowl games. The last two won the Commander- in-Chief’s Trophy in battles with arch- rivals Army and Navy.
“We’re replacing a lot of people, but the thing that most everyone doesn’t understand is that we have a lot of players who had playing time last year,” Means said. “We’re a little more experienced than people think.”
Idaho State’s passing game, led by senior quarterback Kevin Yost, could be a tough test for the Air Force defense. Yost completed 300-of-493 passes last year for 2,973 yards and 15 touchdowns. Senior receiver Rodrick Rumble was his primary target with 112 catches for 1,348 yards and nine touchdowns.
“They make you defend the whole field,” Calhoun said. “Their passing game utilizes the entire depth and width of the field.”
Calhoun has challenged his defense to play better on third down, and junior cornerback Chris Miller believes Yost’s passing ability will provide a good first-game test. In 2011, Air Force opponents converted 92-of-183 third-down attempts.
“We have to make third-down defense a learning process,” Miller said. “Sometimes you have to take some calculated risks.”
Going into Air Force’s season, the consensus seems to be: As the defense goes, so go the Falcons.
“I have to like that because I’m on the defensive unit,” Miller said. “But you can’t win with just one part of the game. You have to have all three phases (offense, defense and special teams) to win.”
Either or. Calhoun’s initial depth chart lists senior Wes Cobb, senior Cody Getz or sophomore John Lee as the starter at tailback.
Cobb, who played fullback last year, said that each of the three brings something different to the offense. With the logjam at tailback, could he move back to fullback?
“I’m ready to do whatever the coaches need,” Cobb said. “I know we’re all anxious to go out and go full speed against another team.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
