Air Force never recovers from fourth-down failure

For the first few plays of Saturday’s game against TCU, Air Force looked pretty good.

The Falcons gained a couple first downs, and even after a reception was called back for a chop block on fullback Wes Cobb, Air Force picked up 22 yards on its next three plays to set up a fourth and 3. Then the Falcons ran a play they never seemed to recover from.

The decision itself wasn’t surprising – Air Force coach Troy Calhoun goes for it on fourth down as often as any coach in the nation. But the play never had a chance.

Quarterback Tim Jefferson was supposed to take an option play to his right. TCU guessed right and had a blitz called to that side. Defensive end Jon Koontz blew through the line and grabbed Jefferson before he could move, throwing him for a three-yard loss.

“We didn’t execute. They did,” Calhoun said. “Could have been a little more stout at the point of attack.”

TCU has defended Air Force as well as any defense over the past few years, and that play was a microcosm of that dominance. The Horned Frogs weren’t surprised by Air Force going for it, and they weren’t surprised by the play.

“They were going to try to do whatever they had to do to win the ballgame,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “That’s why we blitz. I had a feeling they were going to do that.”

Even though Calhoun often goes for it on fourth down, especially from the middle of the field, he said the opponent did factor in that specific decision.

“Just thought, this was going to be a game where we had to convert,” Calhoun said. “I just felt those were going to be some plays we had to make.”

After failing to pick up the first down, TCU went on a nine-play, 49-yard drive and took a 7-0 lead. The Horned Frogs never gave up that lead.

The fourth-down play itself was a massive breakdown. There seemed to be many missed assignments on the right side of the line, and Calhoun confirmed that was the case.

“Probably four guys who are involved,” Calhoun said. “Probably the whole team. Coach, too.”

Calhoun second guessed the play a bit after the game. He said it was an option play the team had worked on in practice. The play worked well then, but as he pointed out, it’s much tougher to execute against TCU’s physical and fast defense than it is in practice.

“You can look back and say ‘Is that a play that’s really, really going to help us?’” Calhoun said.