Air Force quarterback Jefferson misses practice to focus on academics

Air Force opened spring practice on Monday without freshman quarterback Tim Jefferson.

Jefferson, who started the last eight games of the 2008 season and earned Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year honors, did not participate, Falcons coach Troy Calhoun said, because he was doing academic work.

"There's a grasp that's got to occur that you go to school here, and even though you think you're a pretty good football player, you're going to hit school first," Calhoun said.

Calhoun said it was uncertain how many of the 15 spring sessions Jefferson would miss. He said Jefferson definitely would practice on Saturdays.

"You're going to see throughout spring there are going to be days when we come out here and some guys are missing," Calhoun said. "We'll have a few guys that what they're going to do, they're going to realize that their priority is academics. And today he was a member of that group."

Calhoun said last week that freshman Asher Clark would compete for the starting quarterback job - a somewhat surprising move considering Jefferson's success as a rookie and the fact Clark, who was recruited as a quarterback, moved to tailback and started eight games there. Calhoun said Monday that Jefferson's academic struggles had nothing to do with his moving Clark back to quarterback. "We were going to do that anyway," he said.

Clark ran plays with the Falcons' first-team offense Monday.

"I guess I was a little rusty, but the practice went well," Clark said. "I felt comfortable at times, but there were some plays where I kind of messed up a read."

Etc.
Freshman tailback Paul Weatheroy will miss the 2009 season because of reconstructive knee surgery. Weatheroy missed all of last season with a torn ACL in his left knee and then re-injured the knee in the offseason. ... Air Force will not increase season ticket prices for the 2009 season and for the first time will offer a payment plan.