Air Force QB letting it fly

But there was Shaun Carney Saturday, his right arm going forward 23 times in a 31-20 loss at Navy. His 18 completions went for a career-best 237 yards.

It was the third game in a row Carney threw more than 20 times for the Falcons (3-2, 2-1 Mountain West), who host UNLV (2-3, 1-0) on Saturday. He surpassed that mark once last season and six times ended games with single-digit attempts.

Carney, averaging 152 yards, is on pace for the most passing yardage by an Air Force quarterback since Bob Parker threw for 2,789 in 1970. All the throwing has forced Carney to seek treatment on his arm after games.

"That’s something I haven’t done in three or four years," he said.

Carney has rushed for 196 yards and passed for 760 this season. Last season, he ran for 618 yards and threw for 1,192.

"I think the thing that makes that thing go … is they’ve got a quarterback who can do both," UNLV coach Mike Sanford said. "He’s a really good wishbone quarterback, but he’s a good passer, too."

First-year Falcons coach Troy Calhoun wasn’t kidding about adding the passing game when he took over for Fisher DeBerry, who for 23 years made a living on his run-based triple option.

This is still a run-based offense. But the Falcons are at least attempting to step into the 21st century while relying on 20th-century sports values.

"I would think in the long haul, (passing more) helps us a little bit, but at the same time our style has to be hard play," Calhoun said. "We aren’t going to be a team that lines up and impresses you with our height and weight. That’s not going to be us. Probably even movement-wise in the open field. We’ve got to make sure we play with phenomenal determination week to week."

There are still elements of the triple option, but the Falcons added more of a spread look that includes the shotgun and — perhaps most startling — the no-huddle offense.

Air Force updated out of necessity. The Falcons’ physical style typically wore down late in seasons — even a 10-loss UNLV team beat them last November — and defenses became speedy enough to contain the option.

"Teams have to prepare for much more," Carney said. "Now that we’re doing both (pass and run), they have to prepare for everything we’re trying."

UNLV safety Daryl Forte said defense must pay more attention to the Air Force passing game now.

"When the receivers come and release, it’s kind of hard to tell if they’re coming out to block the safety or release for a pass," Forte said.

There is a danger in the Falcons getting too far out of their element. They perfected the sleight-of-hand option, and mastering so many elements could be difficult.

"I think what they’re doing is picking and choosing certain elements of each thing and just practicing those each week," Sanford said. "If you have everything in every week, man, that’s hard on the players. I think the fact they have a senior quarterback, the option stuff, he can do that in his sleep."

The statistics are mixed. Air Force has assumed its usual place atop the Mountain West with 225.8 yards rushing per game, but even the added emphasis on passing still ranks last. Air Force, at 20 points per game, is seventh among the nine teams in scoring.

Calhoun’s hope is the stat that truly counts — the win-loss record — will improve as the offense takes greater hold.

"For us, when we play week to week, mathchup-wise, one to one may not be ideal," Calhoun said. "But collectively is where we can put a pretty good squad together."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.