DeBerry steps down at Air Force

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2698568

Kind of curious what attention a job like this gets. Not quite Army, but still has some serious recruiting restraints.
DeBerry was third behind JoePa and Bowden in coaching years.

 

Air Force might never be a power again. His reputation is one of the main reasons they were able to recruit much at all.

I think we'll see a lot of very good coaching candidates, but I have a hard time seeing the Air Force being a Top 25 team in the near future. I think they'll be best served going for a passing game type coach that can move the ball with fast, quick plays that will not allow the smaller offensive line to be manhandled as much as they have been recently -- even using an option running attack hasn't been very effective.

 

I think all the service acadamies have a chance at being reasonably successful, but it takes the right coach and approach. DeBerry was the right guy at Air Force, Paul Johnson is the right guy at Navy. There's a level of pretty good football player you can entice to go to the academies, pulling in somebody on patriotism or providing a career path to the guys who know they aren't going to play on Sundays. You're never going to have pure knuckle-draggers running around, a curse (cutting off part of the recruiting pool) and a blessing (smarter guys can be coached easier). It's somewhat a lightning-in-a-bottle type deal, but I think you gotta run some form of option. Oh, and schedule the right way.

 

I realize the size limitations the academy has does dictate the style of play, but I would love for Air Force to live up to its name and throw the ball.

Hard to get a pass-blocking line at an academy and an undersized quarterback would need a Flutie-type arm. But still, it would be fun to watch.

 

They won't be good until they get some more Afro-Americans to play in Colorado Springs.

 

Maybe Michael Richards can rebound as Air Force's recruiting coordinator

 

Given the limitations on size, talent, etc at Air Force, I don't think a passing game is the way to go. The offense where they try to run the ball and control the clock - I think they called it the flex bone but it kind of was like the wishbone - might be the right fit. The premium is on not making mistakes and having players able to deal with a complicated system. The type of speed a passing attack would require probably would be hard to come by at Air Force.

 

Wlat to Air Force

 

Which is why the Bobby Ross Experiment at Army is not working.

 

How about a triple-headed monster of Wlat, Coker and Shula ?

 

Toss in Amato and you gotta' deal!

 

The knees of AFA opponents everywhere breathe a sigh of relief.