Before Gophers, Calhoun says there is plenty to fix

In the aftermath of his team’s 72-0 demolition of Nicholls State on Saturday, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun had a list of problems that his Falcons will need to fix before traveling to Big Ten country and facing Minnesota.

Most glaring was allowing the Colonels to gain 28 yards on a fake punt on their second possession when they faced a fourth-and-14 from the 4-yard line.

“The punt fake was inexcusable,” Calhoun said Sunday. “It’s something where you think you’ve gone over it repeatedly, but you had not gone over it enough.”

Calhoun also said the offense committed too many penalties and could have been better maintaining blocks. He said the defense didn’t create a “contact turnover” with a big hit, and at times defenders were not able to shed blocks as well as they should have.

Wallerstein fills in well

Calhoun said senior guard Nick Charles (hamstring) “could” be back for Saturday’s game. He said he wants to see Charles practice “without holding back.”

Calhoun said offensive line positions — along with quarterback and inside linebacker — have the steepest learning curve, but that sophomore A.J. Wallerstein was “adequate” in relief of Charles.

“And yet what’s really exciting with A.J. is what he’s going to be down the road,” Calhoun said. “He lifts, he’s spirited, he loves to play, he’s smart and he’s what we want in an Air Force Academy offensive lineman.”