Air Force Falcons vs South Dakota Coyotes Football Preview

All in all, 2010 was a solid year for head coach Troy Calhoun and the Air Force Falcons. There’s a positive spin and a negative spin one can apply to the state of the program. This spin shapes the way you might view the 2011 season, which begins this weekend against South Dakota of the Football Championship Subdivision.

First, the positive spin: The Falcons’ 2010 season, on one hand, seemed much stronger than the 9-4 posted record. Of the team’s four losses, two were to teams that went on to win BCS bowl games ( Oklahoma and TCU). The set of three losses to  Oklahoma,  San Diego State, and  Utah came by a combined 10 points. Only TCU truly outclassed the Falcons by a considerable margin. The boys from Colorado Springs ended the season with an Independence Bowl win over Georgia Tech, and for the first time since 2002, the Falcons won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy. 

That last achievement – finally wresting the CIC Trophy away from Navy – represents by far the most significant moment in recent Air Force football history. The Falcons used to own that particular piece of hardware in past decades, mopping the floor against Army and Navy in the 1980s and ‘90s under former coach Fisher DeBerry. Knocking off Navy, the holder of the CIC for the past seven seasons, allowed 2010 to acquire a special place in the life of Air Force Academy football. 

Here’s the negative spin on 2010: In a year when Utah was inconsistent and longtime nemesis BYU endured a very tough campaign, Air Force could not capture second or even third place in the Mountain West. Air Force played an extremely sloppy home game against Utah, losing to the Utes because of a series of missed opportunities. Utah was markedly frail last season, but the Academy couldn’t take advantage on home soil. Air Force whacked BYU, but with the Cougars falling to a 7-6 record, second or third place should have been attainable. Yet, a disappointing road loss at San Diego State helped bury the Falcons in the Mountain West Standings. For all the team did in fact achieve, especially the CIC Trophy, the fall to fourth place in the conference had to cut deep. Now, all eyes are on 2011, and we’ll see if Air Force can reach third place behind backyard bigwigs Boise State and TCU.

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Tim Jefferson returns at quarterback to lead the patented Air Force option, which ranked second nationally in rushing last season.  Jefferson is joined by Asher Clark, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. The Falcons will also add more Jonathan Warzeka into the mix. Warzeka was reliable in the return game and should fit quite nicely alongside Clark. Air Force also returns three offensive linemen led by all-conference guard A.J. Wallerstein. The defense should be very solid for the Academy. Seven players return from a defense that allowed just 21 points per game and was 10th-best in pass efficiency defense. That defense will be led by tackling machine Jordan Waiwaiole at linebacker and Jon Davis at safety.

South Dakota returns from an eventful and not entirely wasted 4-7 season that included a road upset over Minnesota of the Big Ten. The offense will be led by senior quarterback Dante Warren, who passed for 2,137 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2010. Senior running back Chris Ganious also returns for the Coyotes; he has averaged 800 rushing yards per season as a three-year starter.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer