By Steve MullinsAssistant Sports Editor
COLORADO SPRINGS — Predictable, methodical, effective.
This was Air Force’s option offense against San Diego State. Likemarching cadets, the Falcons rushed for 418 yards in a 45-24 triumphthat was witnessed by 33,975 at Falcon Stadium.
Even though SDSU’s defenders had two weeks to prepare for theoption, they were powerless to stop it.
“They marched down the field,” said Aztecs linebacker Brian Berg.”When we got them to third down, they kept converting. They ‘nickeledand dimed’ us to death.”
Air Force began the day with the nation’s No. 3 rushing offense.Against SDSU, four of the Falcons’ six touchdown drives went for 70yards or more. Additionally, they converted 10 of 17 third downsituations.
“It’s the same way we do it every Saturday,” said Air Forcerunning back Qualario Brown. “We kept on attacking and we got thebest of them today.”
Individually, Brown had an outstanding game. The senior finishedwith 140 yards rushing and three scores. His 19-yard touchdown runcapped the Falcons’ 11-play, 85-yard opening drive.
“It felt good,” Brown said. “It was a great way to end the seasonand my career at Falcon Stadium.”
Down 7-0, the Aztecs came back with a long drive of their own.James Truvillion culminated the team’s nine-play, 80-yard series withhis first career touchdown.
Three possessions later, SDSU took the lead when tight end BrianGelt hauled in his first touchdown reception as an Aztec.
Up 14-10 midway through the second quarter, the red and black wasjubilant. However, its celebration was quelled less than two minuteslater when Air Force quarterback Mike Thiessen scored on a 5-yardrun.
“It was really frustrating for everybody,” said SDSU defensivetackle Jerome Haywood. “Our offense isn’t used to seeing us likethat. Every dog has his day and today wasn’t our day. We played hard,but we didn’t execute. It’s all about execution.”
Though the Aztecs would never again lead in the game, they didmanage to keep it close. With 13 seconds remaining in the first half,Lon Sheriff hit J.R. Tolver on a 22-yard touchdown to cut theFalcons’ lead to three.
For Tolver, the score was his first of the season. To histeammates, it was long overdue.
“We had been clowning him all week, saying there was a force fieldin front of him,” said fellow receiver Derrick Lewis. “He made somegreat moves and he finally got in there.”
Though Tolver and others made a few big plays, this game — likemost — came down to turnovers. SDSU committed three, all of whichresulted in Air Force touchdowns.
“They’re a good football team,” said Aztecs head coach TedTollner. “Against a team like Air Force, you can’t turn the ballover. Had we not done that, the game would have been a little closer.We had some great individual efforts, but the best team won.”
The play that put the game out of reach for SDSU occurred on thefirst drive of the fourth quarter. The Falcons were facing athird-and-4 from the Aztecs’ 40-yard line. To everyone’s surprise,Thiessen came out throwing and connected with a wide-open ChrisJessop for a score.
Because SDSU was thinking the play was a rush to the right, nobodywas in the secondary to covered the tight end.
“That’s one of the trick plays of the option,” said safety BrianRussell. “We were fooled.”
Although the Aztecs were deceived on that option pass, they knew,for the most part, the next play Air Force was going to call. Withthat in mind, one question comes to the forefront.
Is Air Force that good, or was SDSU that bad?
“You can’t take anything away from Air Force,” Russell said. “Theyexecute well and that’s why they’re 8-3. But I think everyone on ourdefense would like another shot against them because we didn’t playas well as we were capable of playing.”
Haywood agreed.
“This loss is going to be with our defense until we play themagain,” Haywood said. “After a game like this, we have to redeemourselves.”
