Air Force Football: NIU Recap — Life Without Szarka and a Balanced Team Win
Air Force headed to DeKalb and took care of business against Northern Illinois, picking up a comfortable win in what was a really solid all around team performance. NIU has not won a game yet this season so let’s be real, nobody is going to call this a statement win. But you still have to go execute, and that is exactly what the Falcons did.
Here is a breakdown of everything worth talking about from this one.
Life Without Szarka
The biggest storyline going into this game was obvious. Liam Szarka was out with a lower leg injury suffered against Navy, and for a team that has been leaning on him for 30 plus carries a game, the question was simple. Can this offense function without him?
The answer was yes, and that should give Falcons fans a lot of confidence.
Evan Medders stepped in and honestly looked really good. The guy is fast. Like legitimately fast. You could see it on his touchdown run. He has a kind of breakaway speed through the hole that honestly might be different from what we have seen from Szarka. Medders finished with 16 carries which is a far cry from the 30 Szarka was averaging, but the carries were spread out across the backfield and the offense never really missed a beat.
It is also worth noting that Szarka averaging 30 plus carries a game was never really sustainable. As much as we love watching him truck people, he is a quarterback at a service academy. The guy is a psychopath out there and you kind of always had this feeling watching him that it was only a matter of time. The committee approach against NIU might actually be healthier for this offense long term.
Kemper Hodges Used the Right Way
Something that stood out immediately was how they used Kemper Hodges in this one. Eleven carries on the night which is a big jump from what we have seen from him this season, but more importantly they used him as a running back lined up in the backfield rather than trotting him out as the Wildcat quarterback.
The Wildcat package was a dead giveaway every single time. The moment Kemper walked on the field everyone in the stadium knew exactly what was coming. Using him as a power back in the backfield keeps the defense honest and lets him do what he does best, get downhill and get you three or four yards a carry. In a triple option offense that is all you need. Four yards every play and you are moving the sticks all day.
He also had an interesting jump pass attempt that did not quite work out, but the concept was good. A couple defenders got in his throwing lane and he had to loft it up there and it ended up going out of bounds.
Defense Handled a Legitimate Quarterback
NIU’s quarterback was actually pretty good. Quick, accurate, and a different kind of challenge than the athletic service academy quarterbacks Air Force has seen this year. Army and Navy have athletic guys but they are not really drop back passers.
The defense kept him in check all night. Blake Fletcher came up with a huge interception when NIU was driving and looking like they might get something going. Fletcher just popped right into the throwing lane and the quarterback never saw him. That is the second big timely interception from Blake this year after the pick six against North Dakota State. That kid has a nose for the ball in big moments.
The Numbers That Matter
A few stats from this game that jumped out:
Third down conversions: Air Force went 10 for 13. That is remarkable and it tells you everything. When you are converting that many third downs you are simply not putting yourself in third and long situations. And third and long is the kryptonite of the triple option offense. Staying on schedule on first and second down and converting when it matters is exactly how this team needs to play.
Time of possession: Air Force had the ball for just under 40 minutes. NIU had it for about 20. That is textbook triple option football. Control the clock, wear down the defense, keep your own defense fresh. When you are doubling the other team’s time of possession you are just making life miserable for them.
Penalties: only three for 24 yards. Second straight game with under five penalties after a rough stretch earlier in the season. This has to be one of the least penalized programs in the country and when they play like this it shows. There is actually a great ESPN video on YouTube from a few days ago about the Air Force triple option that breaks down how all three service academies are among the least penalized teams over the last 20 years. Go watch it if you have not already.
One Passing Attempt
Air Force threw the ball exactly once all night. And honestly in this game that was fine. The offense was rolling, they were not in third and long situations, and there was no reason to force it.
But UNLV is a different animal. They just beat North Dakota State 13-7 this past weekend. They are a legitimate opponent and Air Force is going to need Medders to throw the ball more than once. That will be the real test of what we have at quarterback moving forward without Szarka.
Looking Ahead: UNLV
The Rebels come to Colorado Springs next week and it is going to be a real game. UNLV’s win over North Dakota State was a little strange. They did not score an offensive touchdown, got a pick six early, and won on field goals. But a win is a win and they are a good team.
Air Force handled North Dakota State earlier this season in a game that was way closer than it should have been. If they play UNLV the way they played NIU, disciplined, balanced, converting on third down, they have a real shot.
The fact that the offense barely skipped a beat without Szarka is encouraging. This is a team that is improving week by week and a home game against UNLV is the kind of game this program needs to win to make a statement.
Go Falcons.