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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Air Force pounded out a 35-14 victory against BYU Saturday in a game that created more questions than provided answers for the Cougars. Keys to the cadets' victory were their execution of the option on offense and their discipline in playing their assignments on defense.
BYU jumped out to an early lead scoring on two of their first three drives in the first quarter. Yet Air Force scored on its first drive of the game and its ability to move the ball and score points was apparent and would continue to show throughout the rest of the game. In fact, Air Force would score 28 unanswered points after BYU took a 14-7 lead.
Falcons' quarterback Tim Jefferson was composed, like you'd expect from a cadet, as he led the offensive attack for Air Force throughout the game. It included a combination of strikes through a variety of option formations which wore out the Cougars defense. Jefferson proved a double threat with his ability to run the ball as well as pass effectively.
"Air Force ran a lot less triple option and a lot more just what we call lead option and clearly won the matchups of their backs and receivers against our perimeter and against our safeties," Coach Mendenhall commented in a postgame conference. "A lot of success they were having in the passing and perimeter game was really secondary support. It wasn't until later in the game that they really started to run the ball in the middle."
Air Force had a total of 409 rushing yards to BYU's 221- an impressive number, but not enough to make up for BYU's porous passing attack. After an impressive first quarter, the Cougars' historically strong passing attack lacked its normal punch, totaling only 88 passing yards in the game. This pales in comparison to the 266 passing yards that BYU had against Washington last week.
It was a poor day for BYU's offense but a highly productive day for Air Force's defense that played vigorously throughout the game. BYU wasn't able to find the end zone after the first quarter, being held scoreless throughout the rest of the game. Turnovers plagued the Cougars offense with three fumbles and one interception thrown by freshman quarterback Jake Heaps, who did not play in the second half.
"I was impressed with their defense," said Mendenhall. "They played well, they had a good plan and they executed soundly. They deserved to win the game. They just played assignment football and played hard. Again, their execution overall in the football game today, in week two of the season, was superior to ours."
The explosive edge, which the Cougars often have, appeared to die down as the game progressed. With the team's first lost, it will be interesting to see what adjustments will be made against a tough Florida State team who will be hosting the Cougars next week. The Seminoles beat BYU soundly last year 54-28 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
"I think the positives simply are we have a great chance to teach now when things aren't going well and to see how our players are responding positively and negatively," Mendenhall said.
