Air Force players develop a taste for takeaways

A familiar refrain can be heard across Air Force’s football practice fields whenever Falcon defenders converge on a ball carrier.
“Get the ball out!” defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter will shout.

Air Force’s defense has blossomed this season, ranking eighth in the nation in scoring (13.2 points allowed per game) and ninth in total defense (266.8 yards per game) heading into today’s game at Colorado State.

But the calling card of the unit has been its ability to force turnovers. Air Force has forced 23 in 2009 (10 interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries), third most in the country. And in two-plus campaigns under coach Troy Calhoun and DeRuyter, the  total is 81 (37 interceptions, 44 fumble recoveries), already more than they produced in four seasons from 2003 through 2006.

So how have they done it?

The Falcons play a more aggressive scheme, taught by DeRuyter, which includes blitzes and pressures designed to give players the chance to hit opposing quarterbacks when they’re not looking. And Calhoun has funneled his best recruits to the defensive side of the ball, so it is quicker, more athletic and more talented than earlier this decade.

But the Falcons’ taste for takeaways goes beyond that.

Forcing turnovers is “preached every day,” DeRuyter said.

“It’s such an emphasis,” senior inside linebacker John Falgout added.

That’s apparent in practice. Twice each week, defenders go through what coaches call their “turnover circuit,” in which they work on techniques for stealing the ball from offensive players.

There’s a punch-and-strip station, where players try to pop the ball free or rake it out, depending on how the opponent is carrying the ball. There’s a “second man” station, where one player holds a ball carrier while another goes for the ball. The interception station teaches players not only to pick off a pass but to secure the ball after the catch so they don’t give it right back to the offense. And there’s a station where players weave through obstacles, as if they were rushing the passer, and then try to rip the ball from the quarterback’s passing arm.

And Air Force doesn’t want its defenders simply to recover a fumble or pick off a pass. They immediately are looking to take turnovers to the end zone — something they’ve done five times this season.

In practice they go through “scoop and score” drills in which they work on proper techniques for plucking the ball off the ground on the run. And they work on blocking after an interception, stressing the need to knock down the intended receiver (the player who most often makes the tackle after a pick) and the quarterback.

The work done in practice has created a mentality that turnovers are not simply the result of lucky bounces or mistakes by the offense. They are, as Calhoun said, “things you can control.”

Players have bought into the concept. Nine have forced fumbles, 11 have recovered fumbles and six have picked off passes.

“We’re always looking for tipped balls, running backs who are holding the ball out,” senior inside linebacker Justin Moore said. “We’ll come back and talk about it on the sideline amongst ourselves — ‘That running back’s holding the ball a little wide, see if you can grab it with one hand, punch through with the other.’ We all talk about it, and we practice it twice a week, and that helps when it comes time to execute it in the game.”

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

1. WHO CONTROLS THE FIRST QUARTER
How important has getting off to a good start been for Air Force? The Falcons are 4-0 when they score first and 0-4 when their opponent scores first. In their four victories, they’ve outscored their opponents a combined 44-0 in the first quarter and haven’t trailed. In their four losses, meanwhile, they’ve been outscored 23-10 in the first quarter. A fast start will be especially important today against a Colorado State team that has outscored its opponents 72-24 in first quarters. “They’re exceptionally well prepared,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said of the Rams. “I think probably the greatest indicator of that is the way they play in the first quarter. They’ve been great in the first quarter.”

2. AIR FORCE’S PASSING ATTACK
Colorado State has been vulnerable to the pass, allowing 279.5 yards through the air per game, the fifth-worst mark in the nation. But can the Falcons take advantage? They rank second-to-last in the nation in passing offense and in the past four games have averaged just 46.4 yards through the air on 24-of-54 passing. The Falcons will start sophomore Tim Jefferson at quarterback in place of Connor Dietz, who is sidelined with a broken hand, and Jefferson is considered a better passer than Dietz. Last year in a 38-17 victory over Colorado State, Jefferson completed 6-of-8 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.

3. BIG PLAYS
The Air Force defense has made a bunch. The Falcons’ offense? Not so much. In seven games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents, Air Force’s offense has made just two plays of 30 or more yards. In their first seven games against FBS opponents last season, the Falcons made 11 plays of 30 yards or more. Last season in a 38-17 victory over Colorado State, Air Force had touchdown runs of 41 and 45 yards, a 74-yard touchdown pass and another pass that covered 53 yards.

KEY MATCHUP

Air Force’s defensive backs vs. Colorado State’s receivers

The Rams like to pound the ball on the ground and then let quarterback Grant Stucker go up top with deep passes. They rank sixth in the country in yards per completion (15.35) and have hit 27 passes of more than 20 yards, including eight of more than 40 yards. “They throw a bunch of balls down the field,” Calhoun said. “At least once a quarter — probably twice a quarter — they’re going downtown either with a streak route by an outside receiver or running double posts or some kind of double moves. They’re going to throw the deep ball on you a bunch.”

QUOTE TO NOTE

“This isn’t like stairs, where you can jump up three steps. You’ve got to get one. And the one’s going to be hard. But it’s doable.” — Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, when asked about the Falcons needing to win two games to become bowl eligible.

NOTE TO QUOTE

Air Force’s tight ends have caught just two passes in the last six games — for a combined 9 yards.

NUMERICALLY SPEAKING

6: Touchdowns Air Force has scored in 24 trips to the red zone during seven games against Football Bowl Subdivision squads. The Falcons also kicked 12 field goals, giving them scores in 18 of 24 red zone trips.

12.4: Yards Air Force has gained per pass completion. By comparison, triple-option-heavy teams Georgia Tech and Navy average 23.5 and 18.7 yards per completion, respectively.

36.6: Average points allowed by Colorado State during its five-game losing streak.