San José State will have one of its biggest games of the season when it faces Air Force on Friday to open Mountain West Conference play.
On the other sideline is a team who’s had the same coach and offensive scheme for 16 years.
“He's a fantastic football coach,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan Tuesday about Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun. “He’s a really creative thinker … I just have so much respect for him and the staff and the Academy in general.”
The Falcons come into Friday’s matchup undefeated, beating Utah State 39-21 in their first conference game of the season last Friday.
Air Force boasts the best rushing offense in the nation, averaging 320.7 rushing yards per game. The running game is a four-headed monster led by running backs Owen Burk, Emmanuel Michel, John Lee Eldridge III and quarterback Zac Larrier who each average over 50 yards a game rushing.
The Falcons have run the same offense under Calhoun since he became the head coach in 2007: the triple option.
The triple option is a formation that primarily uses two running backs and a fullback with majority of the actions being running plays. The formation has been around since the creation of the sport, but the majority of college football teams have moved away from the formation in favor of more spread passing formations.
Air Force made the triple option a staple of its program and has gotten very effective at creating wrinkles in the offense to throw defenses off by misdirection.
“[Their offense] changes a little bit every year,” Brennan said about the difficulties of defending the triple option. “They do a good job of adjusting their personnel. They’ve done a good job of adjusting the offense to the new rules.”
SJSU linebacker Bryun Parham said the key to stopping the Falcons rushing attack will be to stay disciplined.
“Everybody has to do their job,” Parham said. “We gotta trust that the person next to us will have their gap and be there when the ball gets there.”
The Spartans’ offense has been inconsistent through four games and injuries to key pass catchers have not helped.
Brennan announced Monday that All-Conference receiver Justin Lockhart, who missed SJSU’s first four games, will require season-ending surgery on an undisclosed injury.
During Saturday’s 21-17 loss to Toledo, starting tight end Sam Olson exited the game in the second quarter with what appeared to be a knee injury.
Junior receiver Malikhi Miller had a bounce back game against Toledo and could step into a bigger role against Air Force. The Oakland native caught 4 passes for 50 yards and provided quarterback Chevan Cordeiro a bigger target with speed.
Another key for SJSU’s offense will be winning the battle up front. The Falcons’ defensive identity this season has been to be more aggressive and physical on the line of scrimmage.
“Friday will come down to who’s going to be more disciplined,” Cordeiro said.
SJSU is scheduled to play Air Force at 7 p.m. on Friday at CEFCU Stadium and will be broadcasted on FS1.
