Five Air Force football players no longer on team
According to the Colorado Springs Gazette:
Safety Anthony Wooding, receiver Mikel Hunter, receiver Brandon Hirneise, linebacker Jamil Cooks (a Sierra graduate) and tight end Devin Durden are not with the Falcons, who began training camp Friday. Coach Troy Calhoun said they were not suspended, but he confirmed they are not on the team.“Right now, they’re not practicing, they’re not here,” Calhoun said.
Another player, safety Jay Fullam, is going to miss the season with a shoulder injury, Calhoun said.
Regarding the five players who aren’t with the team, Calhoun would not elaborate on why they weren’t on the roster or if they can return this season.
“They’re not here,” Calhoun said, in a refrain he repeated to most questions about those five players. “They’re not on our team.”
Calhoun said those players are still enrolled at the academy. In the past, when a player has not been allowed to participate in intercollegiate athletics for Air Force, one of four issues is usually the reason: a violation of the honor code, academics, military performance problems or a physical fitness issue.
EDIT: HTTV lists Jamil Cooks as possibly the most talented player on the AF defense.
I wonder how many times he had to say "they're not here" before the idiots at the presser finally stopped asking the question?
multiple times, just like you
I wonder how many times he had to say "they're not here" before the idiots at the presser finally stopped asking the question?
multiple times, just like you
As I was trying to explain before you made it impossible by replying, all you have to do is get "the yips" on that right index finger, accidentally double-click the save buttton, and boom, you get two posts.
Who would have thought that semi-competence could be so easy?
I think we got this one guys.
Even though Air Force is supposedly a trap game, it looks like Air Force lost a lot even without these players gone. Now they lose even more of their production which should help the team recover a week after the Alabama game.
The way Mattison's defense played against the option running attack of Illinois and Nebraska towards the end of last season, it is hard to imagine seeing AFA outscore Michigan. It is an awkward style to prepare for defensively, but the offense should have a field day.
Last season they placed 72 in scoring defense. Right there with WMU and about ten spots below Northwestern and Purdue. They lose a ton of starters, but even if they can repeat last years performance, we hung 34 on WMU, 42 on Northwestern and 36 on Purdue, which were all within ten spots of AFA in scoring defense.
Using last years stats as a rough guide, AFA would have to outscore everyone but maybe Ohio or ND, and they have nowhere near the firepower to do it.
We may well stuff AFA, but just because they all feature an option doesn't make AFA = (Ilinois, Nebraska). AFA runs a different scheme.
August 4th, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
Yes AFA runs a different system from Illinios and Nebraska, their system is closer to Georgia Tech, and they will score some points... They hung 30 something on Notre Dame last year, but unless something goes terribly wrong, Michigan should be able to comfortably outscore them.
Yes, the flexbone generally doesn't feature zone blocking. The Illini will be doing *nothing* but zone blocking, and Nebraska is a predominantly zone blocking outfit as well.
In recent years Navy has done a little zone blocking here or there. Not much and when they do it you can't tell without running the video back.
OT: there are indications Navy will be introducing some wrinkles this season. If AFA was later in the season it could have given us something else to prep for. AFA/Navy/Army/GTech all have the ability to quickly adopt something one of the others introduce.
I am going to this game. It is my first game in nearly 20yrs. WOOT!!!!
August 3rd, 2012 at 10:06 PM ^
Have fun baldy. The place looks a bit different than 20 years ago. It's kind of like a Double Big House now.
Double Big House?
(sobs)
What does it mean?!
August 3rd, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^
With most schools, I would think this would portend better results for Michigan. However, five guys with the Air Force are no longer visible, that can mean (a) they left, or (b) they're circling overhead in slow, lazy, fuel efficient circles waiting for the opportunity to strike.
Where's HOCKEYBEAR when you need him?
August 3rd, 2012 at 11:54 PM ^
August 4th, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^
Honor code is definitely the issue (maybe grades for 1-2, but doubt it). That’s the only reason he wouldn’t discuss the issue.
The other more horrifying possibility is that this is tied into the thing that got Asher Clark kicked out right before graduation.
Could’ve sworn that is what I said? 8/
August 4th, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^
That's a Navy movie...........
August 4th, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
and a Navy term.
No, you’re not imagining anything, not sure where the other is coming from as its pretty much just a navy or nautical term. Not many air force or army personnel, (even in other countries unless they are a "combined service"), call the ground or floors “decks”; which is where its derived.
The Defense Department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.