Troy Calhoun was asked about Jackson Arnold’s ability to turn a quarterback run into a long gain. His answer moved quickly from the player to the money behind UNLV’s roster.
The Air Force coach praised Arnold during Tuesday’s press conference, then repeatedly referenced the Rebels’ recruiting credentials and financial resources as the Falcons prepare to host UNLV on Saturday. Calhoun compared the Rebels to baseball’s biggest spenders and suggested a Mountain West salary cap might find opposition from a program with more money available.
“You think of the Yankees and the Dodgers are probably opposed to the salary cap on the horizon,” Calhoun said. “If we had a salary cap in the Mountain West Conference, someone might be opposed to that just because they have a little more liquidity in their pocket.”
Calhoun did not provide spending figures or identify particular agreements. His comments were an assessment of the talent UNLV has assembled and the role he believes money plays in attracting and retaining it.
“They’re loaded with coin,” he said.
Arnold was the first example. Calhoun pointed to the quarterback’s recruiting background and previous stops at Oklahoma and Auburn while discussing a player who can threaten Air Force through the air and on the ground. The Rebels have leaned on that running ability, including in Saturday’s 13-7 win over North Dakota State.
Asked later about the challenge facing his defense, Calhoun returned to the roster. He described UNLV’s receivers as players who “absolutely can fly,” praised the running backs’ balance and speed, and again mentioned the recruiting ratings of players on both sides of the ball.
“You guys are gonna stand out there and you say, ‘Whoa. Is this a Big Ten or an SEC team?’” Calhoun said.
Air Force enters the matchup at 4-1 after holding Navy and Northern Illinois to single-digit scoring totals in consecutive wins. UNLV is 4-2 and unbeaten in Mountain West play, with an offense that moved the ball quickly against Cal before relying on its defense and running game to beat North Dakota State.
The Falcons’ recent defensive success has come with an emphasis on preparing for the downs that can end a possession. Calhoun said defensive coordinator Steve Russ and his staff install their third-down package a day earlier than most programs, with red-zone preparation receiving similar attention.
Air Force held Nevada to field goals in both overtime periods of its 36-33 win. Calhoun also pointed to a red-zone stop that held Navy to a field goal. NIU left points behind on an interception and a failed fourth-down run.
Calhoun said that preparation has to account for an offense staying on the field after third down.
“It’s not just third down,” he said. “It’s how often third down can lead into fourth down, too, as frequently as teams go for it.”
The offense helped limit those defensive exposures at NIU. Air Force ran for 439 yards, held the ball for 39:09 and won 28-7 in Evan Medders’ first career start. Medders rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns without attempting a pass. The Falcons’ only throw came from fullback Kemper Hodges and fell incomplete.
Calhoun attributed the rushing production to adjustments by the offensive staff, blocking inside and on the perimeter, and the work of the fullback rotation. Johnique Thomas made his first start at center while handling line calls against different odd and even fronts.
Owen Allen, Hodges and Gage LaDue all have a role, Calhoun said, because of the repeated contact their position requires.
“You’re asking guys to run with force, to play with impact on every single snap,” he said. “That’s why you need to play multiple guys.”
But Calhoun pushed back on the suggestion that Air Force could simply repeat its one-pass performance against UNLV. Productive first downs allowed the Falcons to keep running at NIU, and the score influenced the calls as the game progressed. A different defensive front or secondary response could require a different approach Saturday.
“You can’t be stuck in a cookie cutter,” Calhoun said.
Medders’ preparation gives Calhoun confidence beyond the result of his first start. The coach praised how he finishes runs in practice, works through passing progressions and approaches the weight room.
Those habits will now be tested against the roster Calhoun spent much of Tuesday praising. He acknowledged UNLV’s explosiveness while declining to treat Air Force’s recent defensive results as a promise of another low-scoring game.
“There are no guarantees, man,” Calhoun said. “Every stop you have, you gotta earn it.”
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