<p>Ex-Falcon is jacked up about play of freshmen</p>
<p>October 17, 2008
JAKE SCHALLER
THE GAZETTE</p>
<p>Former Air Force player and assistant Brian Knorr marveled this week about the success his alma mater has had this season with rookies.</p>
<p>Knorr, a 1986 graduate, left the academy in the offseason to become Wake Forest’s wide receivers coach. But he keeps an eye on Air Force and called the Falcons “a fun program to watch.”</p>
<p>“We’re uneasy about playing redshirt freshmen,” at Wake Forest, Knorr said. “I’m amazed (Air Force coach) Troy (Calhoun) is getting so much out of kids straight out of Jack’s Valley.”</p>
<p>Knorr was referring to the area in which freshman cadets go through the most difficult portion of basic training. Coaches often refer to the physical struggles of their freshmen by saying they have “Jack’s Valley Legs.” But this year’s class has gotten over them fast.</p>
<p>Air Force has played 10 freshmen, the most of any Mountain West Conference team. And three freshmen - quarterback Tim Jefferson, tailback Asher Clark and cornerback Anthony Wright - are expected to start tonight at UNLV.</p>
<p>Wright has started three games, while Jefferson and Clark made their first career starts last Saturday against San Diego State and energized the Air Force offense.</p>
<p>Clark ran for 109 yards, becoming the first Falcon to eclipse the 100-yard mark this season. And Jefferson became just the fourth Air Force freshman to start at quarterback, joining Dave Ziebart (1976), Dee Dowis (1986) and Shaun Carney (2004).</p>
<p>What a great game against UNLV. We sat in the endzone with a bunch of UNLV Fanatics. Friend of mine caught Harrisons first PAT. The defensive stand at the end of the game was amazing. Go Falcons!!!</p>
<p>LAS VEGAS -- Ryan Harrison made a 19-yard field goal with 2:36 to play to give Air Force a 29-28 victory over UNLV on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Tim Jefferson threw two touchdown passes to help the Falcons (5-2, 3-1 Mountain West) improve to 4-0 on the road this season.</p>
<p>Jefferson, a freshman, led the Falcons on a 91-yard drive to set up Harrison's winner, his third field goal of the game. The freshman quarterback ran for 105 yards on 13 carries and completed six of seven passes for 167 yards.</p>
<p>Jefferson and Clark make an awesome pair. Reggie Rembert is all over the feild making plays. The Falcons will do well this year, but as Jefferson matures BYU, and Navy will have a lot to contend with over the next three years.</p>
<p>I watched Shea Smith throwing balls during warm-up. I think Calhoun just realized where his future is, and knows who has the required inner strength. Jefferson is a tough kid, just have to hope he stats healthy playing up the gut football.</p>
<p>New Mexico....2-2...........4-4
Colorado St....1-2...........3-4
UNLV.............0-3...........3-4
San Diego St..0-3...........1-6
Wyoming.......0-4...........2-5</p>
<p>AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Safety Aaron Kirchoff returned a fumble 96 yards for a game-changing touchdown and Air Force overcame three early turnovers to beat New Mexico 23-10 Thursday night.</p>
<p>The Falcons (6-2, 4-1 Mountain West) are bowl eligible for the second straight season under coach Troy Calhoun, who is 15-6 at the academy.</p>
<p>WEST POINT, N.Y. -- After just three plays from scrimmage, Army had Air Force where it seldom has in the recent past -- behind.</p>
<p>Then Falcons kicker Ryan Harrison took over.</p>
<p>Harrison made field goals from 20, 29 and 48 yards and was solid on eight punts as the Falcons overcame a 47-yard Army touchdown pass 78 seconds into the game and beat the Black Knights 16-7 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory.</p>
<p>"I had a hunch coming in it was gonna be exactly like this," Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said. "You didn't think there would be a whole lot of points scored. The last five games they have had a bunch of low-scoring games. They fought their guts out, our guys did, too."</p>