U. prepares for tricky Air Force offense

Utah spends a lot of time preparing for Air Force's famed triple-option offense.

Defensive coordinator Gary Andersen said the Utes devote portions of spring ball and bye week practices to it.

"It's a completely foreign type of offense that you have to defend," Andersen said. "It's so assignment sound."

One wrong decision, he added, could lead to some real issues.

"They're going to make you be honest. The thing about it is — even if the play is going away from you — they're going to look and really try to see where they can gain an advantage," Andersen said. "They've done it for so many years. They know exactly what you're sitting in and what you're doing to them. They're going to find your weakness and they'll exploit it very early."

Air Force (4-5, 3-2) enters Saturday's home game against Utah (6-4, 4-2) with the top-ranked rushing offense in the Mountain West Conference. The Falcons average 259.4 yards per game, third-best in the nation.

"We've just got to focus on our assignments every single play," senior cornerback Shaun Harper said. "It's all 11 guys. Every down we have to be assignment sound and we have to execute every play. If not, they'll do something big on us.

"It's a different kind of animal," he continued. "It's not an offense you see every weekend."

Besides being disciplined, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said the best defense for Air Force is a good offense that keeps the Falcons off the field as much as possible.

Utah's defense, which has given up an average of 111.8 yards rushing this season, has specific goals this week.

Andersen said the Utes need to tackle well, be assignment sound and give extra efforts. Especially, he continued, in situations where they may be outmanned.

Players will need to get back up off the ground at times and make plays.

"It's repetitive football, but it's assignment-sound football," Andersen said. "It's a great challenge."

And in more ways than one.

"They are always going to keep fighting. They're going to keep coming at you," Andersen said. "Those kids work extremely hard. From where they come from and from what they do, you know they're going to be tough guys who work hard. They're as tough a team as you'll ever see."

Four of the past eight meetings between the Utes and Falcons have been decided by a field goal or less. The last time the teams squared off in Colorado, Utah escaped with a 45-43 victory in triple overtime.

"They never quit. It's going to be a great ballgame, a great physical game," Harper said. "Whoever makes plays is going to win the game."

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Utes on the air

Utah (6-4, 4-2) at Air Force (4-5, 3-2)

Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

Falcon Stadium

TV: The mtn.

Radio: 700AM

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E-mail: dirk@desnews.com