Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Air Force season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Air Force Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in Mountain West
Head Coach: Troy Calhoun, 13th season: 87-67
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE AIR FORCE OFFENSE
– As always, the running game is going to try to control things. This year, the experience is in place to keep it all going after finishing third in the nation with 284 rushing yards per game to hold on to the ball for over 34 minutes an outing.
– The top six rushers are back, starting with the good quarterback combination of starter Donald Hammond and veteran No. 2 man Isaiah Sanders. They have the prerequisite quickness, but they don’t have to do it all with FB Cole Fagan back after leading the way with 997 yards and seven scores and top tailback Kade Remsberg.
– Helping the cause is a line with four of the top five linemen back and enough decent depth to play around with the options. The passing game will continue to be along for the ride – it only averaged 131 yards per game – but it’s efficient. Hammond threw five touchdown passes and just two picks last season, and Sanders averaged close to 11 yards per throw with a team-high 844 yards with four touchdowns and three picks. Watch out for Beau English to play a role, too, after a strong offseason.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE AIR FORCE DEFENSE
– Technically, the run defense was fine last season, but that’s partly because the secondary was being regularly torched. Three of the four starters are back – starting with star S Jeremy Fejedelem – but the group got hit for 244 yards per game and gave up 24 touchdown passes. Worse yet, it only generated seven picks with two coming in the finale win over Colorado State.
– The four-man linebacking corps has to come up with more big plays. Three starters return from the young group, and there’s decent size, but there wasn’t enough happening in the backfield and the run defense has to be a whole lot stronger. The tackles for loss were lacking from this group, and the pass rush was non-existent for long stretches.
– Jordan Jackson is the team’s best pass rusher from his spot up front in the 3-4, but the D needs 312-pound Mosese Fifita to hold his one on the nose. There’s not a whole lot of bulk up front, but the run D did a great job overall, only allowing one 200-yard day to Army.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP AIR FORCE PLAYERS
Best Air Force Offensive Player
QB Donald Hammond, Jr.
The 6-2, 210-pounder missed time last season with an ankle issue, and he split time with Isaiah Sanders, but he was still able to run for 374 yards and nine touchdowns, and he threw for 623 yards and five scores with two picks. He’s able to bring some thump with his size with the toughness to be used as more of a workhorse. If he can get his completion percentage up to over 60%, look out.
2. FB Cole Fagan, Sr.
3. QB Isaiah Sanders, Sr.
4. OT Parker Ferguson, Jr.
5. RB Kade Remsberg, Jr.
Best Air Force Defensive Player
DT Jordan Jackson, Jr.
The key cog in the 3-4 defense, he’s got the 6-5, 270-pound size to work as a true tackle, but he’s quick enough to get into the backfield on a regular basis, too. The All-Mountain West performer was fourth on the team with 54 tackles with 4.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
2. FS Jeremy Fejedelem, Sr.
3. LB Kyle Johnson, Sr.
4. CB Zane Lewis, Sr.
5. DT Mosese Fifita, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Air Force Offense
The running game really, really, really, really, really has to work. The passing game was more a part of the fun late in the year, but that’s only because the ground attack was getting stuffed too often. Only one of the five wins last season came without the Falcons hitting the 300-yard rushing mark, and that’s because it went against a Navy O that went nowhere.
In 2017, Air Force went 5-0 when it ran for 400 yards or more, and 0-7 when going under. Last season, it was 4-1 when running for 330 yards or more, and 1-6 when it was under.
Biggest Key To The Air Force Defense
The pass rush has to get better. On the plus side, Air Force doubled its sack total from 2017. On the negative, it only came up with 20, not helping a beleaguered secondary that got ripped to shreds on a regular basis. Getting to 30 sacks or more was a given for this defense over the years, and when it wasn’t – like in 2013 – the season was a disaster. Last year, 12 sacks came in the five wins, and eight were generated in the seven losses.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Donald Hammond, Jr.
The running game has to do even more even though it finished third in the country. As good as it was, the 3,402 overall rushing yards were the fewest by the program since 2013. The improvement starts with more quarterback consistency – Hammond has to stay healthy – and converting on third downs. It’s not enough just to make sure the rushing attack is special; it has to set up easy plays to keep the chains moving. That starts with Hammond – or Isaiah Sanders, or Beau English – adding more pop to the position.
Key Game To The Air Force Season
Utah State, Oct. 26
It’s a rough first part of the season for the Falcons with four road games in six beginning in mid-September. More than that, they have to go to Boise State and Hawaii, and they have to deal with Fresno State. Any hopes of being a player in the Mountain division race should revolve around being able to get by Utah State. Lose, and with the next two conference days coming on the road, there’s a big problem.
– Air Force Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Air Force Fun Stats
– Penalties: Opponents 71 for 617 yards – Air Force 54 for 521 yards
– Time of Possession: Air Force 34:22 – Opponents 25:38
– 4th Down Conversions: Air Force 24-of-39 (62%) – Opponents 8-of-18 (44%)
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. AIR FORCE WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
How does Air Force get its groove back?
This was a regular program on the bowl circuit, and with a. ten-win 2016 season not all that terribly long ago. But the offensive style hasn’t been enough to overcome a mediocre defense, and there haven’t been enough close wins in two straight 5-7 seasons.
How bad have things been? Over the ten wins in the last two seasons, only one came against an FBS team that finished with a winning record. They’ve stopped being able to beat the good teams.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 6
Last year’s team lost five games by a touchdown or less, but not the experience is there to change all of that. The offense has to go from good to dominant, the defense has to come up with more big plays, and team needs to win every close game.
This season, even with several tough games like road trips to Colorado, Boise State, Navy and Hawaii, the team should be improved just enough to be one win better overall.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
