Air Force
Air Force

Air Force Team Report

Updated: April 25, 2012 08:26 EST

Air Force got through spring football practice knowing that there is still a lot of work to be done before training camp begins in August.

The Falcons are rebuilding this year, although they think they can be competitive. They are replacing eight starters on offense and eight starters on defense, but the staff was pleased with what it saw over spring ball. With those practices out of the way, over the rest of the offseason Air Force has to get better and gear up for the 2012 season.

"Five months. I think we need that five months," outside linebacker Alex Means said as spring practice ended. "We still need to get bigger. We're not big enough, we're not fast enough, we're not strong enough -- you never are. So five months is going to be nice."

The Falcons understood going into spring how much talent they needed to replace. Quarterback Tim Jefferson, tailback Asher Clark, receivers Jonathan Warzeka and Zack Kauth, linebackers Jordan Waiwaiole and Brady Amack, defensive linemen Zach Payne and Ryan Gardner and defensive backs Anthony Wright and Jon Davis are just some of the key players who will be missing from last year's squad.

Knowing the younger players needed to get up to speed fast, the Falcons drew up an entirely different plan for spring practice, focusing on getting the starters more repetitions and doing as much contact work as possible.

"We did, hands down, the most 11-on-11, playing football we've ever done in a spring," coach Troy Calhoun said. "Just getting guys to live and learn and have to operate as a team that way. And we did a bunch of contact work. Just trying to find guys who are durable."

The younger players responded well to the physical practices, setting a baseline for training camp near the end of summer.

"We've got to replace a bunch of guys who were terrific football players, a bunch of them," Calhoun said. "Yet, we can. You see enough moments here and there where we have guys that can do good things for us. We have to learn to do it much more frequently."

--The Falcons are going to have a new-look defense now that Charlton Warren has been promoted to defensive coordinator. He replaces Matt Wallerstedt, who went to Texas A&M. The players responded well to the scheme change, which focuses on being aggressive and putting pressure on the opposing offense.

"Last year, we felt like we were kind of playing on eggshells and sitting back and waiting for the offense to make a move," outside linebacker Alex Means said. "This year it feels like we're a little more up-tempo, a little more upbeat, and we're firing at their offense, trying to get in the backfield."

--Wes Cobb, who started for the Falcons at fullback last year, moved to tailback in the spring. Air Force needs to replace Asher Clark, a four-year starter at tailback, and Cobb has similar skills. He came to Air Force as a tailback, but moved to fullback last year because the team was thin there.

"Am I a fullback or a tailback? I just tell people I'm a running back," Cobb said.

SPRING MOVERS:

QB Connor Dietz -- Dietz did nothing to turn the starting quarterback job into a controversy. The fifth-year senior had a solid spring, as expected. Dietz can run the ball very well, and had a good spring throwing the ball as well. He'll go into training camp as the clear starter at quarterback.

WR Ty MacArthur -- MacArthur was coming on last year before he broke his collarbone in midseason. He is healthy now and had a great spring as he attempts to replace receiver Jonathan Warzeka. MacArthur has the same type of versatility and quickness that made Warzeka a star for the Falcons.

OLB Jamil Cooks -- Cooks is being expected to take on a starting role this season. In his first two years he has played part-time and shown flashes of his immense talent, but the Falcons need him to be consistent. He fits the new, aggressive defensive style well.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have to go forward. We have five-and-a-half months until we play. What we do over this half year, or five months, will be pretty important."-- Air Force coach Troy Calhoun

2012 OUTLOOK: Air Force has been to a bowl game in all five of Troy Calhoun's seasons as head coach, but making it six for six will be a challenge. The Falcons have just six starters returning, although some of the new starters got good experience in backup roles last season. The defense needs to improve, and perhaps a new coordinator, Charlton Warren, will help bring back the ball-hawking style that Air Force was known for in the first few years of Calhoun's tenure. Offensively the Falcons will be able to run the ball ? they always are productive in that area -- but finding the right mix of personnel will be key before the season starts. Another bowl game with a young team should be considered a successful year.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The offense will look a lot different without quarterback Tim Jefferson, a four-year starter who developed into one of the best passing quarterbacks in recent service academy history. The Falcons' offense might not be as balanced with new starter Connor Dietz, but it might be tough to stop. Dietz is a better runner than Jefferson, and the Falcons have showed that even with personnel losses, their system will produce a ton of rushing yards.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Air Force didn't play well enough on defense last year, and then lost eight starters. Every position group took a major hit to graduation, which has to be worrisome for Falcons fans. The defensive line is young, although there is some talent there. There are a couple of good outside linebackers, Alex Means and Jamil Cooks, but both inside linebackers are new. In the secondary there are a lot of question marks after losing cornerback Anthony Wright and safety Jon Davis, two outstanding players. The hope is some scheme changes with a new coordinator will make the Falcons a more opportunistic defense.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker Parker Herrington is coming off a fantastic season -- that is one of the few positions the coaches don't need to worry about. Incumbent punter David Baska will be pushed for his job, and the Falcons need a new batch of kickoff and punt returners.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

OLB Reggie Barnes -- Barnes was a recruiting coup for the Falcons. He is a great athlete who can rush the quarterback off the edge, but also has the talent to play receiver if asked.

QBs Jaleel Awini and Dano Graves -- Both quarterbacks split time at Air Force's prep school last year, and come to the academy with a lot of hype. Both players will have a chance to move up the depth chart during the season and position themselves to have a good shot at starting in 2013.

OLB Glynn Cheeks -- Cheeks is a natural pass rusher, and should fit the Falcons' defense well. He played defensive end in high school but should easily make the transition to Air Force's 3-4 scheme.

ROSTER REPORT:

--RB Darius Jones (foot) might not play football at Air Force again. His injury, suffered last season, has been slow to heal. He would have provided depth at the tailback position.

--WR Drew Coleman (shoulder) missed all of spring practice, but is healing well and should be healthy for training camp. He should play a lot in a reserve role.

--RB Anthony LaCoste (knee) missed spring practice, but should be in the mix for playing time once he returns for training camp.

--RB Cody Getz (knee) didn't participate in spring practice. When he is healthy, he should be a change-of-pace option at tailback for the Falcons.

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