Here’s a full position-by-position breakdown for Thursday’s game in Colorado Springs, Colo., between TCU and Air Force.
QUARTERBACK
(Probable Starter)
TCU: Andy Dalton, redshirt freshman
Air Force: Shaun Carney, senior
Advantage: Air Force
The road for Dalton does not get any easier as he travels again, but this time he is on short rest. Factor in the thin Colorado air and a much-improved Air Force defense, and it could be a long night. While Carney is not Texas’ Colt McCoy, he is a dual threat coming out of Air Force’s famed triple-option offense and is coming off a 113-yard rushing performance against Utah.
RUNNING BACK
(Probable Starter)
TCU: Justin Watts, junior
Air Force: Kip McCarthy, senior
Advantage: Air Force
With Aaron Brown’s status still up in the air, Watts and Ryan Christian have to prove they can get it done after an ugly outing against Texas. The running game is the obvious centerpiece to Air Force’s triple-option attack, averaging more than 300 yards a game on the ground in its first two games. McCarthy and a slew of Falcons’ backs should present a challenge for a TCU rush defense that just gave up 140 yards to UT’s Jamaal Charles.
WIDE RECEIVERS and TIGHT END
(Probable Starters)
TCU: Marcus Brock, Ervin Dickerson, Donald Massey, Derek Moore, Shae Reagan (TE)
Air Force: Chad Hall, Mark Root, Ty Paffett, Sean Quintana, Travis Dekker (TE)
Advantage: Even
Dalton failed to get into a rhythm with his playmakers against UT, and it will be of the utmost importance to develop a good rapport with them early and often. Like TCU, the Falcons lack a bona fide go-to man, but its skill players can make plays when called upon and are effective blockers for the running game.
OFFENSIVE LINE
(Probable Starters)
TCU: Matty Lindner, Blake Schlueter, Marshall Newhouse, Giles Montgomery, Marcus Cannon
Air Force: Chris Monson, Keith Williams, Caleb Morris, Nick Charles, Blaine Guenther
Advantage: TCU
Although the line gave up three sacks and faced constant pressure against UT, it held its own and gave Dalton enough time to operate. Despite the good efforts of an experienced Air Force line that has only allowed two sacks thus far, the group has yet to face a quality defensive line such as TCU’s.
DEFENSIVE LINE
(Probable Starters)
TCU: Tommy Blake, Chase Ortiz, Cody Moore, Kelly Griffin
Air Force: Josh Clayton, Jake Paulson, Jared Marvin
Advantage: TCU
For a line that brought back three starters from last season, it is safe to say the starters have gotten off to a slow start with just 11 tackles and no sacks. The group needs to pick it up against one of the nation’s best rushing teams. While Paulson is a monster at left end for Air Force, Marvin is a bit undersized at nose guard.
LINEBACKERS
(Probable Starters)
TCU: Jason Phillips, David Hawthorne
Air Force: John Rabold, Aaron Shanor, Drew Fowler, Hunter Altman
Advantage: TCU
It should comes as no surprise that Hawthorne, Phillips and Robert Henson are three of the team’s top-four tacklers. These three need to make plays to reestablish confidence back in the defense following Saturday’s collapse. Fowler, coming off a 14-tackle performance against Utah, is a ball hawk that can flat out hit people in the mouth.
SECONDARY
(Probable Starters)
TCU: Brian Bonner, David Roach, Steven Coleman, Nick Sanders, Rafael Priest
Air Force: Carson Bird, Garrett Rybak, Chris Thomas, Aaron Kirchoff
Advantage: TCU
There’s no doubt that the secondary continues to make plays as evident by Torrey Stewart’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown Saturday. Maintaining high intensity and concentration levels for four quarters should be a point of emphasis in practice. Air Force’s secondary is not overwhelming, but Thomas’ playmaking ability at free safety cannot be taken lightly.
SPECIAL TEAMS
(Probable Starters)
TCU: Chris Manfredini, Derek Wash, Brian Bonner, Donald Massey
Air Force: Ryan Harrison, Chad Hall, Reggie Rembert
Advantage: Even
Wash’s punting, which includes punts of 57 and 63 yards, has been one of the leading bright spots through the first two games. Harrison handles kicking and punting duties for Air Force and does what Manfredini has yet to prove this season: kick long field goals.
HEAD COACHES
TCU: Gary Patterson, seventh year (55-21, 34-15 in conference)
Air Force: Troy Calhoun, first year (2-0, 1-0 in conference)
Advantage: TCU
During his tenure, Patterson is 5-1 on short weeks, but that one loss was last year against BYU. Patterson knows how much it means for an academy to have a home football game from his days at Navy, and will mentally prepare his team for that environment. Calhoun has reenergized a program and brought excitement back to Colorado Springs. His NFL pedigree has rubbed players the right way thus far.