Utah Football

Archive for October, 2009

James Boyd asked:




When you think of the Air Force, you might not think about a football team. You might think of beautiful, efficient planes or the disciplined and highly-trained pilots who fly them. However, a football team is exactly what you should think of-a highly-trained, efficient, and disciplined football team whose talent level is often underestimated. For anyone who watched the 2009 Houston-Air Force bowl game, you know what we’re talking about. This team’s fierce commitment and trust can eliminate a more skillful offense in the blink of an eye.

Offense: Air Force’s triple option offense is an extremely potent one even against some of the best defenses. It controls possession time by running constantly and using screen and shovel passes along with tosses (thanks to these strategies, Air Force was in control of the ball more than any of their opponents, by 1.17 times!). It also uses reverses and play actions on occasion to keep defensive coverage honest. The offense also likes to force plays outside when the cornerback is unsupported and create one on one situations.

As a true running team, Air Force only averaged 88.4 passing yards per game in 2009 while exploding onto the scene with 283.5 rushing yards per game. They also turn over the ball less than one time a game, with a total of 12 turnovers in the 2009 season including the postseason. The real weapon against Air Force’s opponents is Air Force’s extremely good stamina and their ability to keep playing even at the end of a difficult game. Statistically, they manage to gain the same number of points every quarter, which shows that they don’t get tired or slow down.

Perhaps their most noted player, Tim Jefferson, will return as quarterback again this season. Jefferson isn’t your classic dual-threat, but still has too much arm-strength to just be a glorified running back. He is also very durable and brave, playing the triple option like few others can. He had only 93 total passes last year, but his 88 rushes for 254 yards really speak to his spectacular ability. Jefferson’s passes usually find Kevin Fogler, the fast, 6’5″ and 205 pound receiver who averages 22.7 yards per carry. In addition, Jefferson’s running back, Asher Clark, ran for 865 yards in 2009 and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Jared Tew, who only weighs in at 210 pounds, is a key part of many of Air Force’s downhill runs and frequently takes down the much larger, opposing linebackers. He also is a key part of Air Force’s red zone offense, with 4.1 yards per carry and 9 rushing tds..

Defense: The term “disciplined,” which was used to describe the entire team, is especially applicable to the defense. They managed to pick up 2/3 of the fumbles other teams dropped in the last season. They intercepted 20 passes overall, although 6 of those are from their bowl game against Houston in 2009. With the amount of unity that they display, the fact that Air Force’s defense is less talented than other teams is completely hidden.

They may have lost two of their most important linebackers in the past year, but they are still returning necessary players, Andre Moore and Rick Rocketts, who both had an average of 6.5 tackles for a loss last year. They will have an experienced run defense with no starting freshmen, and they will not tally too much below the 134 yards per game from 2009′s defense. Their pass defense managed 20 interceptions last year and their veterans, Anthony Wright and Jon Davis, will definitely improve.

Prediction: 4th in the Mountain West, and +5000 to Win the BCS Championship

See the rest of expert Jimmy Boyd’s picks for the 2010 Mountain West in his 2010 Mountain West Football Predictions.

Remember, for the best in sports predictions, be sure to check out what the experts are picking! For your college football picks, always go with the people who know the college football lines the best!