Air Force Football

by Bill

Colorado Springs might be a bit of drive from Denver, but anyone headed out to check out the Falcons are in for a great game. The Air Force Academy Football team has consistently been a high-level performer in the Mountain West conference.

Their success has come through a predominantly option-based running attack: despite their name, Air Force actually gains very few of its yards through the passing attack, often racking up more than seven times more rushing attempts than passing.

The style of Air Force football is one that's very rare at the college level and almost entirely extinct in the NFL game: a style of football that focuses on athleticism, solid play calling, and most importantly, teamwork.

Sophomore Quarterback Connor Dietz was one of the most integral parts of the team last year, racking up huge yards in the rushing attack and playing an integral role in running the game. Connor's return this year should be exciting, as he gets more familiar with the air force offense, players, and coaching staff as he continues to develop his skill.

Air Force's 47-20 win over a highly touted Houston team in the Armed Forces bowl capped off an exciting season and shows the promise of a program that continues to show excellent growth potential in the future. The successes of teams like TCU show the Mountain West to be a very high-level place for athletes to play their college football, attracting a standard of competitors that might even allow Air Force to be highly competitive at a Top 25-national level.

Checking out the Air Force rushing machine in action is a sight to behold, and should be considered one of the highlights of the Denver college sports experience.