TCU vs. Air Force Football 2009
No. 10 Horned Frogs Open Conference Schedule Against Falcons
Oct 6, 2009
The 7:30 p.m. EST contest at U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., will mark the Mountain West Conference opener for Texas Christian, which is ranked No. 10 in the nation.
TCU (4-0) is giving up just 47 rushing yards per game, ranking first in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. Air Force (3-2) is averaging 291.8 yards on the ground, rating No. 2 in the FBS.
Coach Gary Patterson's Horned Frogs, who are hoping to launch a bid for a Bowl Championship Series Bowl berth, will be in a different world than they were last Saturday. Last week, they took on the pass-happy Mustangs of Southern Methodist, and came out with a 39-14 win.
But this weekend, TCU will meet an Air Force offense that rarely – and perhaps ironically – puts the ball in the air.
The Falcons (3-2) are coming off a heartbreaking a 17-16 overtime loss to Navy, but they'll enter the TCU game with a 2-0 conference record. Coach Troy Calhoun's team beat New Mexico 37-13 and San Diego State in Mountain West games. Its other loss this season was a 20-13 non-conference decision at Minnesota.
Like TCU, Air Force has a highly rated defense. The Horned Frogs are giving up 14.75 points and 239.8 yards per game, ranking among the FBS leaders in both categories. The Falcons are allowing just 12.6 points and 260 yards per game.
But TCU didn't have much trouble scoring on the Falcons last season, winning 44-10. Air Force, though, won 20-17 in 2007. The Horned Frogs lead the series 5-2-1.
Saturday's game will be telecast by the CBS College Sports Network.
Air Force Relies Heavily on Young Players
The Falcons are a youthful team, especially in their skill positions on offense. Sophomore Jared Tew does the pounding from his fullback spot, and leads the Falcons' option attack with 83 carries for 291 yards and three touchdowns.
Tim Jefferson has taken most of the snaps at quarterback, completing 23-of-40 passes for 317 yards and two TDs. The freshman's also run 29 times for 91 yards and a pair of scores. Sophomore Connor Dietz filled in when Jefferson was injured, hitting five of 10 passes for 91 yards and one TD, and rushing 22 times for 170 yards.
Freshman backs Asher Clark and sophomore Savier Stephens have each run 49 times, with Clark gaining 277 yards, and Stephens collecting 267 and a TD.
The Falcons, who average just 81 yards passing, are recording 373.4 yards per game of total offense. They're scoring at a 32.2 point clip, with many of the points coming in a season-opening 72-0 blowout of Nicholls State. They had no offensive touchdowns against Navy.
Air Force Defense Opportunistic
The Falcons played Navy without injured DB Chris Thomas, the academy's all-time leader in tackles, tackles for losses and pass breakups. But they gave up only 209 yards and managed the only Air Force TD – a 67-yard interception return by freshman cornerback Anthony Wright.
Air Force specializes in that area, leading the nation with five defensive touchdowns. They're also doing a good job of getting to opposing quarterbacks, as they've come up with 11 sacks.
End Myles Moreno leads Air Force with three, lineman Ben Garland has 2.5, and linebacker Andre Morris has two. The top tackler is Justin Moore with 30, and fellow linebackers Morris and John Falgout have 27 apiece.
Wright has three of Air Force's eight interceptions and DB Reggie Rembert and freshman safety Jon Davis have two apiece.
The Falcons have forced 13 turnovers. But they'll be up against a TCU team that's good at avoiding them – at least most of the time.
TCU Return Teams Run Wild
The Horned Frogs had only three turnovers over their first three games, but somehow ended up committing three in the first half alone vs. SMU. TCU, however, recovered from the mistakes and ended up blowing out its rival in the second half.
A remarkably successful night on special teams certainly helped. Jeremy Kerley scored on a 71-yard punt return, ran back another punt 42 yards, and had a 52-yard kickoff return. Plus, the sophomore had a 62-yard kickoff return wiped out by a penalty.
Kerley is now tied for ninth in the FBS with a punt return average of 16.5. And he wasn't the only one to get into the act against SMU's inept kick coverage. Teammate Greg McCoy had a 53-yard kickoff return.
Turner Leads Deep Horned Frogs Running Attack
TCU is averaging 34.8 points and 423.5 yards per game, and a key to success is a bruising running attack led by Jerry Turner. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound senior has picked up 299 yards on 51 carries, scoring five TDs.
Turner shares carries with freshmen Ed Wesley (34 carries, 187 yards, 1 TD) and Matthew Tucker (32 rushes, 159 yards, 2 TDs). QB Andy Dalton gets into the act, too. He's carried 41 times for 153 yards.
Dalton is 62-for-91 passing for 814 yards and six TDs, and the junior has thrown just two interceptions. Bart Johnson is the receptions leader with 16 for 163 yards, and Kerley has 13 catches, also for 163 yards. Jimmy Young and Antoine Hicks lead the teams with two TD receptions apiece.
Horned Frogs Defense Yielding Less Than Two Yards Per Rush
The Frogs are giving up 1.76 yards per rush, best in the FBS. Yet there's little doubt that Air Force will try to run on TCU repeatedly.
TCU's been somewhat vulnerable to the pass, allowing 192.8 yards per game. But they've made opponents pay by recording 15 sacks.
Not surprisingly, defensive end Jerry Hughes leads TCU in that department with six. The preseason All-American is also second on his team with 26 tackles, which include 7.5 for losses.
Hughes is tied for third in the FBS with 1.5 sacks per game. As a team, TCU is tied for sixth with 3.75.
Linebacker Darryl Washington leads the Frogs in tackles with 33, and also has two sacks and an interception. Safety Alex Ibiloye adds 24 tackles, and linebacker Tank Carder has 22.
