Calhoun addresses AFA football program in Q&A

In his first season as coach at Air Force, Troy Calhoun replaced the legendary Fisher DeBerry and pumped life into a program that had stumbled through three straight losing seasons. He led the Falcons to a 9-3 regular season, a second-place finish in the Mountain West Conference and their first bowl berth since 2002.

His second season brings new challenges. While he inherited an experienced team when he arrived at the academy, this season's squad has been hit hard by graduation. Calhoun must replace 14 offensive and defensive starters, including Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year Chad Hall and four-year starting quarterback Shaun Carney.

In addition, injuries to potential starters have taken a toll, Calhoun likely will have as many sophomores as seniors making major contributions and he's decided to use a platoon system at quarterback - a somewhat radical and controversial move. Senior Shea Smith and junior Eric Herbort both will play, Calhoun said, "especially the first few ballgames."

A week before the eve of the Falcons' 2008 season opener, Calhoun sat down with The Gazette to discuss last season, this season and the future.

Q: Did the 2007 season surpass your expectations?

A: It was a phenomenal year. You look at it with your feet on the ground, you realize you're a service academy and you're playing in an extremely stout conference. That was a remarkable season.

Q: You have a bunch of freshmen and sophomores on your two-deep chart. Does that make you nervous?

A: It doesn't make you nervous so much as it's the reality right now of where we are. And yet they wouldn't be there if they didn't have some ability. I think ultimately the thing is to get them to grow to a point where they can perform on a consistent basis. You've just got to get to a point where you have juniors and seniors. That's the way you have to play at the Air Force Academy.

Q: There's a saying that if you have two quarterbacks you have none. What do you think of that?

A: It's a saying. Last year did we have no safeties because we played three at the two spots? I don't think so. I thought we got quality work at that position. We played at one of the (cornerback spots) with Garrett Rybak and Reggie Rembert the second half of the season. And both guys were strong contributors.

Q: You've said you're impressed by how quickly your freshman quarterbacks, Tim Jefferson and Asher Clark, have picked up the offense. If your older QBs struggle, will you hesitate to use one of the freshmen?

A: I think you've got to show that consistently you can operate. That's all you're looking for. At some point you've got to remove what year a guy is. (Safety) Chris Thomas wasn't an old guy last year, and he played as a sophomore and played very well. ... So you can't just hold yourself completely to say that you're only going to play an older guy.

Q: Who are some of the freshmen who will play and make an impact?

A: I think (cornerback) Anthony Wright will play a good bit. He'd be the first guy that comes to mind. Can Jonathan Davis get to a point as a safety? He's still got a ways to go - all those kids still have some progress they've got to make. Maybe Jon Warzeka a little bit at Z (receiver).

Q: Will you call plays for the offense again this year?

A: I will.

Q: You were courted by a handful of other schools after last season, and if you have another successful year, more offers will come. Do you think about that?

A: No. No. I don't.

Q: Can you say how long you'll be at Air Force?

A: No. I just want to get up in the morning and go to work. I want to see - and I know it's hard, it's really hard - but I want to see if the Air Force Academy in the Mountain West Conference, can you have a bunch of years where you win four or more Mountain West Conference games? Can you have a bunch of years where you play in bowl games? And I've heard it repeatedly - it's probably a little bit of a burr in my saddle - that there's no way a service academy can play in a major conference and be competitive. ... I've been told it's nearly impossible. And I think you can build a program at a service academy where that can be done.

To see more of the Q&A with Calhoun, visit our Air Force blog at www.gazetteafasports.freedomblogging.com