New success in old-school look

During the past two weeks, Air Force simultaneously has gotten younger and gone retro.

The Falcons have turned their offense over to a freshman quarterback - Tim Jefferson - but have relied more on the triple-option play-calling of years past. Air Force even has pulled the old-school, double-wing flexbone formation out of the archives.

Back to the future, indeed.

"The last two weeks have been a lot more like their old offense than the four weeks or five weeks before that," said New Mexico coach Rocky Long, whose Lobos face Air Force at Falcon Stadium tonight at 6 in a Mountain West Conference clash.

"I think (Jefferson) is the primary reason why they are now a lot more triple-option football team and speed-option football team and counter-trap-option football team than they were before that. They ran a little bit of that stuff before the last two games, but the last two games they're majoring in that sort of thing."

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said his team still calls for more zone rushing plays than triple-option, but he acknowledged the Falcons have run more option in October. He said that's because of the defenses the Falcons were facing and his personnel.

"Our quarterback, he executes (the triple-option) fairly well," Calhoun said.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Jefferson has far more speed than senior Shea Smith, who started the Falcons' first five games. So Jefferson is able to exploit creases created by the triple-option that would close on Smith.

In addition, according to coaches, Jefferson has excellent decision-making and ball-handling skills, which are paramount in running the triple-option. The quarterback must make several reads during each play. And he must be able to pull the ball away from the fullback if he wants to keep it and also make pitches with both hands to trailing backs - often while absorbing a hit.

That Jefferson is adept at running the triple-option is in part due to his high school experience. At Woodward Academy in Georgia, Jefferson ran the triple-option almost exclusively.

"All through high school I threw maybe five touchdown passes - we just didn't throw my four years," Jefferson said. "I'm a better runner than I am a thrower, so might as well take advantage of it."

In addition to a skilled quarterback, the triple-option requires "a horse back there (at fullback) that's going to get you those 4 yards a carry or more," Air Force running game coordinator/running backs coach Jemal Singleton said.

Senior Todd Newell has been that horse. In the past three games, he's compiled 261 yards on 56 carries (4.7 yards per rush) after gaining just 41 on 18 carries (2.3 yards per rush) in the first four contests.

Because the Falcons are running more triple-option plays, throwing the ball has been a rarity the past two weeks. But when Air Force has called for passing plays it has been efficient and effective.

The Falcons attempted just 14 passes (compared with 145 rushes) against San Diego State and UNLV, but they completed 11 of them for 234 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

With opposing defenses stacking the box and committing more players to the triple-option, play-action passes have been deadly. Both of Jefferson's touchdown passes against UNLV on Saturday were set up by play-action fakes.

"It's obvious when we throw the ball and the (defensive backs) aren't expecting it at all," said receiver Josh Cousins, who in each of the past two games has caught a touchdown pass set up by a play-action fake. "They're running up to play run defense, and we can surprise them with the throw every once in a while. It definitely helps set up a big pass play, but it's definitely a lot less passes, too."

Upon his arrival at the academy before the 2007 season, Calhoun promised a more balanced offense. But he isn't forcing triple-option pegs into pro-style holes.

"In these last couple games (the triple-option) has been a bigger part of us, and you've seen that old, traditional Air Force," Singleton said. "And it's been pretty effective for us with what we've been doing."

Olympians to attend game

A group of U.S. Olympic athletes will be honored at halftime tonight. The athletes also will be available to sign autographs from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Falcon Pride Club Tent.

Among the athletes expected are Hunter Kemper (triathlon), a three-time Olympian; Allison Jones (Paralympic cycling); 2000 Air Force graduate Eli Bremer (modern pentathlon); and Jason Turner (shooting), who won a bronze medal in Beijing.

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Contact the Writer: 636-0365 or jake.schaller@gazette.com . Check out our Air Force blog at gazetteafasports.freedomblogger.com