New Falcons quarterback has his hands full

Steve Guiremand

Monday, Aug. 20, 2001 | 11:29 a.m.

Facts and figures on the Air Force Falcons:

Head coach: Fisher DeBerry (135-72-1, 18th season)

2000 record: 9-3 (5-2, 2nd, Mountain West Conference)

Returning starters: 6

Player to watch: WR Ryan Fleming

Guy they'll miss: QB Mike Thiessen

Key game: Oct. 20 at BYU

Sun projection: 6th place

Keith Boyea has some mighty big shoes to fill.

The 5-10, 190-pound senior was named the starting quarterback for Air Force by head coach Fisher DeBerry over the weekend. He replaces 2000 Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year Mike Thiessen, who threw for an option-era (1980 and on) record 1,687 yards and 13 touchdowns while leading the Falcons to a 9-3 record and Silicon Valley Bowl win over Fresno State.

"He's had a good fall," said DeBerry, who knows a thing or two about option quarterbacks. "His leadership has improved every day. I've seen a vast improvement in him. He is on a mission to become one of the outstanding quarterbacks in our history. He has the talent to be able to do it."

Boyea's "reward" for being named the starter? How about a Sept. 1 starting debut against defending national champion Oklahoma in Colorado Springs.

Oh, well. At least the Falcons get to lick their wounds with a home game against Tennessee Tech the following week before opening Mountain West play against Utah at Falcon Stadium.

"It's nice to be named the starter," said Boyea, who gave Thiessen a run for the starting job last year. "My attitude coming in was not to think about the negatives. I just wanted to concentrate each practice on getting better and to cement my position."

Negatives? Well, Air Force does return just six starters, fewest in the MWC. And only four starters come back on a defense that allowed 373.0 yards per game, including 159.5 per game on the ground.

"On paper, as far as losses are concerned, we have a lot," DeBerry said. "We'll have a good defensive line. They will be as physical and athletic as any we've ever had. I think we have a chance to be a good defensive team."

But the Falcons have one big positive on offense.

Senior Ryan Fleming (6-5, 215) is the tallest receiver in school history and is the school's most serious All-American candidate since linebacker Chris Gizzi earned the honor in 1997.

Fleming led the MWC in receiving last season with 84.5 yards per game. He set an option-era school record with 52 receptions for 930 yards and five touchdowns, including five catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-23 win over BYU.

But the key, as always, for the Falcons will be how well they can move the ball on the ground and eat up the clock with their triple-option attack.

Although Fleming and senior left tackle Ben Miller, who had 150 knockdown blocks last season, are listed as the only returning starters on offense, the Falcons do have familiar names such as senior halfback Tom Heier, who missed all of 2000 with a knee injury, and junior Leotis Palmer (260 yards on 44 carries) back.

"That's typical of what we've been used to here," DeBerry said. "We've had some guys that have played a good bit, but were not recognized as starters."

Now they are getting recognized as starters. And how well those newcomers mesh with Fleming and Boyea will help determine whether the always well-coached Falcons can make it to a bowl game for the fourth time in the last five years.

This is the first in a series of stories previewing the 2001 MWC football teams. Tuesday: Brigham Young.