AFA Sports   Air Force Academy sports

Here’s the game story – a list of Air Force’s regrets. The Falcons could have won that game but gave it away.

Ramsey talks about the comeback.

I guess the great turnover margin Air Force had in the first three years under Troy Calhoun couldn’t remain that high, but I didn’t expect it to get so low. That leads the notes.

Utah news: Utah was thinking about TCU moments after the final gun. That’s going to be a heck of a game. … The Utes are aware they escaped on Saturday.

Around the Mountain West/service academies:

TCU 48, UNLV 6: Honestly, I’m shocked the Rebels got 6 points.

San Diego State 48, Wyoming 38: The Aztecs still aren’t a juggernaut away from home. Good thing their bowl game will be at home.

Colorado State 38, New Mexico 14: The Rams almost rolled up 600 yards. Which, actually, doesn’t come as a surprise.

Army 29, VMI 7: Ho hum. I think Army-Air Force is going to be a good game next week, looking forward to it.

Duke 34, Navy 31: Shocker here. Navy just laid an egg in the first half.

On most of Air Force’s mistakes, Utah deserves some credit. The Utes knocked the ball out to cause a few fumbles. They were in the right position to make a couple of interceptions. Air Force won’t like those plays in the morning, but there was some reason for them.

The first-down play with 3:21 remaining can’t be explained so easily. The Falcons, who had cut the lead to 28-23 and had a chance to drive down for the winning score, lined up in the wrong formation. Instead of a reverse to Mikel Hunter, Tim Jefferson clumsily ran to his right and was lucky he lost just 2 yards.

“We didn’t get lined up right,” Jefferson said. “That’s day one, simple stuff. There’s no excuse for that. That’s just really poor.”

Three plays later, the Falcons came up a half yard short of a first down. They could have used a gain on that failed first-down play.

Before the play, Calhoun came running down the sideline, but didn’t say if he wanted a timeout. The Falcons had two left. Jefferson – who was shaken up on a big hit earlier in the fourth quarter – didn’t call timeout either. The Falcons just went forth with a play that had little chance of success.

That mental mistake will sting for a while.

“We didn’t execute it, point blank,” Calhoun said. “In hindsight, yeah, you would have liked to change, especially with the way they were lined up defensively.”

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Nose guard Ryan Gardner and receiver Zack Kauth were dressed out, participating in warmups and appear like they might return to the lineup tonight.

Gardner has been out with a groin injury since the Navy game. He did not line up with the starting defense. Bradley Connor was with the starters. Kauth hurt his ankle against San Diego State. If he can play it could help Air Force’s deep passing game.

Tight end Chaz Demerath, who was out last week with a knee injury, also participated in warmups.

Nice day today, breezy but warm. Supposed to get much cooler tonight, however. Couple of quick injury updates: Nose guard Ryan Gardner (groin) is warming up. We’ll see if he plays today. Also, there is some hope receiver Zack Kauth (ankle) can go. Again, I’ll keep it updated here.

I think there’s two keys to today’s game: turnovers and how Air Force deals with Utah’s speed.

First, the speed issue. TCU shut down Air Force’s offense for most of the game last week, and Utah is just as fast, Falcons coach Troy Calhoun said. What hurt the Falcons most last week might have been the lack of a deep-pass threat. Without receivers Kevin Fogler and Kauth playing, TCU’s safeties didn’t worry about getting beat over the top, and seemed shot out of a cannon when Air Force tried to get outside on an option play. Against many teams, the Falcons’ offensive linemen can get to the second and third level to pick up those key blocks. The Falcons tried to simulate Utah’s speed in a few ways: Giving the scout team defense the snap count and letting them know where the play was going, but it’s tough to fully prepare for a defense as athletic as the Falcons will play today. One thing to key on early in the game is if Utah’s safeties give any respect to Air Force’s passing game, and if the Falcons can block them if they don’t.

Defensively, Air Force has to create some turnovers. The problem has been, teams don’t have to pass the ball because the run has worked so well. Air Force has to put Utah in some passing situations today. The Falcons have just two turnovers the past two weeks, and just 12 in eight games this season – far below the Falcons’ normal numbers. If the Falcons don’t win the turnover margin today, it’s tough to see them upsetting a top 10 team.

Here are a few ways Air Force can turn its season back around.

Cool timeline on the Utah-Air Force series.

Ramsey says the schedule will get easier. After today, of course.

Some game-related tidbits.

Utah news: Utah’s schedule gets tougher, starting today. … A viewpoint that Air Force’s defense, not the offense, is the reason so many of the games in this series have been close. … Jordan Wynn is hoping for a perfect game.

Around the Mountain West/service academies: UNLV tries to score on TCU today. I’m going to predict a shutout. … TCU, meanwhile, is trying to not overlook UNLV. Realistically, the Horned Frogs are not going to lose. But, a sloppy win over the Rebels will give the voters even more reason to send them behind the sacred-cow BCS conference teams behind them. … I don’t know how Colorado State could overlook anybody, even New Mexico. … Some keys to the San Diego State-Wyoming game. … Time for San Diego State to get bowl eligible. I can’t imagine a scenario in which the Aztecs aren’t playing Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Gauntlet … THROWN DOWN:

WEEK 9

As you might expect, The BlogDog is incredibly loyal.

As you also might expect, he’s got a great memory.

You might not expect – given his laid-back demeanor – that he’s also hyper-competitive.

Those three attributes contributed to a fired-up and focused Norm this week.

I’ll back up a bit.

The BlogDog got word that Gazette columnist David Ramsey aimed his venom at yours truly earlier this week. Ramsey even went so far as to wonder what I’d been feeding The BlogDog considering Norm picked Air Force to upset TCU last week.

This didn’t sit well with The BlogDog. And not just because Ramsey didn’t offer the BlogDog any kudos after he called San Diego State’s upset a week earlier.

See, Norm has my back (Attribute No. 1 – loyalty), he also hasn’t forgotten (Attribute No. 2 – memory) something that happened in Denver a few years back. Norm and I were giving Ramsey a ride, and Ramsey climbed into shotgun, taking the BlogDog’s spot. The BlogDog stood and glared at curbside before angrily jumping in back.

He hasn’t forgotten, Ramsey.

That brings us to Attribute No. 3 – hyper-competitiveness. He wants to take out his anger and defend his and my honor by going head-to-head with The Gazette’s illustrious columnist.

So here’s the challenge, Ramsey. Starting this week, you make a pick on your blog while BlogDog makes his pick on Frank’s blog. We’ve got five games left (including the bowl). Loser sends the winner a bottle of local wine.

What do you say, Ramsey? We’ll understand if you don’t take the bet. We’re sure you haven’t forgotten what happened last time you went head-to-head with BlogDog picking the Super Bowl.

Norm’s Pick: Utah 30, Air Force 28

Norm’s 2010 Record: 5-3

Norm’s Overall Record: 30-17

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Here’s some football: Air Force is scrambling to get another game next year, after it became official Nevada and Fresno State were staying in the WAC one more season.

Some basketball too: The Falcons want to allow fewer open 3s. It’s shocking what a high percentage of opponents’ field goals came from 3.

Utah news: QB Jordan Wynn is developing nicely. He’s going to present some problems for Air Force. … A preview of the game.

Around the Mountain West/service academies: UNLV is preparing to face TCU and Andy Dalton this week. Oh, boy. … CSU is scrambling for a game next year too. … Wyoming as well. … Interesting story on the 2007 Aztecs, a bad team with 10 pro players on it. And a “wow, now THAT was throwing someone under the bus” quote from Lynell Hamilton in there. … Army is ready to play VMI this week. … Ricky Dobbs is closing in on records.

Wednesday’s tragedy at Notre Dame, in which student Declan Sullivan was killed when a camera tower fell over in gusty winds as Sullivan filmed football practice, will have football teams reevaluating their own policies on filming practice.

Air Force spokesman Troy Garnhart said the Falcons already had policies in place.

“We have a strict policy on the lifts,” Garnhart said. “It’s certainly safety first, without question.”

The Falcons don’t take the lifts over 20 feet (Garnhart said the sturdier “boom lift” might go to 30 feet) and don’t go up at all if winds are greater than 25 miles an hour. Reports have varied on how high the scissor lift was at Notre Dame when it toppled over.

The weather reports come in from the academy’s airfield. Garnhart said video coordinator Dan Whisenhunt gives coach Troy Calhoun the latest on the weather and a decision is made whether to keep practice outside. On Monday there were strong winds at Air Force, and the team practiced inside the cadet field house.

“When they talked Monday and ‘Whiz’ said they couldn’t go up because of winds, Troy said no issues and moved practice inside,” Garnhart said.