AFA coach talks football at The Club

Published Aug. 27, 2007
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Summer is barely over, but thoughts on Peterson are starting to turn to football - Air Force football, to be exact.

To help Airmen and base employees get ready for the new season, the Air Force Academy's new football coach, Troy Calhoun, stopped by The Club Aug. 21 to talk about this year's team. A 1989 Academy graduate and former team member himself, Mr. Calhoun said fans should expect some good games this year.

"We don't have the tallest guys or the biggest guys out there," he said. "But we've got a group of guys that you'll just love to watch. They'll inspire you a bit with their moxie."

This season will be Mr. Calhoun's first as head coach of the Falcons. He previously worked as offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans before taking over for former Falcons coach Fisher DeBerry, who retired this year after 23 years with the team.

Despite his newbie status, though, Mr. Calhoun said he has big plans for the team. This year's squad won't have huddles and will focus on its running game, he said, and the team will definitely be more aggressive than it has been.

"We're going to be a group that comes after you," he said. "We're going to play defense like we're an offense, and we're going to play offense like we're an offense."

But strategy alone won't win games for the team, Mr. Calhoun said. Ultimately, the team's biggest strength is the players' attitudes, he said, and he thinks this year's squad has what it takes to pull off a winning season.

"I can sit up here and talk about schemes and offense and defense - and that's fine, that's what coaching is about - but I still think the way you win at the Air Force Academy is with passion and desire," he said. "Our strengths are the intangibles - its backbone, its guts and its attitude."

Master Sgt. Kurt Stoefen, 21st Maintenance Group, attended the coach's lunch and said he's excited to see all those intangibles and strategies in action - especially after hearing the coach speak.

"I'm definitely a fan," he said. "We try to watch all the game or at least 80 percent of them. It was really nice to have him come out here and talk."

(The Air Force Academy Falcons play the first game of the season at noon Sept. 1 at Falcon Stadium. Team Pete and Team Schriever will have tailgating barbeques in the stadium parking lot before every game this season. )