Air Force football head Fisher DeBerry participated in a chat that ESPN.com ran in
cooperation with FANSonly and the Mountain West Conference on Tuesday
morning, Dec. 19, 2000. He talked about coaching at the Air Force Academy,
the upcoming Silicon Valley Football Classic and much more. Read about it below.
Fisher DeBerry
Hello everyone. I am here and ready for your questions. Let's get started.
Derek Pennington from [205.188.192.178], at 1:09pm ET
How do you think your team did overall this past season?
Fisher DeBerry at 1:10pm ET
I think we did extremely well considering we had the fewest number of returning starters of anyone in our conference and we were picked anywhere from 4th to 6th. We didn't win the conference but we beat the conference champs.
I am very proud of what we accomplished. If we can pull of one more, I think this team has a chance to be in the final top 25 in the country.
Steve Sanders, AFA 95 from [199.20.16.9], at 1:11pm ET
Hey Coach! Congratulations on a great season. It's always nice to see REAL student athletes not only competing, but winning in today's world of sports where most college athletes are not required or even persuaded to get an education. Anyway, my questions to you are: 1. What is your biggest challenge in the recruiting process?
2. Do you feel you are at a disadvantage coaching at a school with such high academic standards?
Fisher DeBerry at 1:13pm ET
The biggest disadvantage is the opportunity for these kids to play in the NFL. But it is possible for a player drafted to play after two years in active duty. If he makes the team he is put in a reserver status. A lot of schools we recruit against paint and unrealistic picture of the day to day military requirements which they don't know anything about.
As far as the academics, we are proud of that but it does limit some of the great athletes we can recruit. So we have to look longer and harder across the whole country. We don't look at anything as a negative. We feel a young man will get one of the best educations in the country and ensure his future. Isn't that what college is all about?
Carlos G. from [131.30.121.4], at 1:14pm ET
The Option is a wonderful thing to watch when it is executed to perfection. Air Force is one of the last bastions of the Option. Do you stick with this offense primarily because it offers advantages for your smaller team? Carlos G. USAFA Class of 92'
Fisher DeBerry at 1:16pm ET
That is very accurate. You don't have to have mamoth offensive linemen. In most instances we don't measure up to most of our opponents. We can see that our players are as quick and as strong as our opponents. We think it gives us an advantage because most of our opponents don't see this offense very often and it is tough to get ready for in a two or three day period.
Sam Glantzow from [206.176.115.43], at 1:16pm ET
Congratulations on your success at Air Force, but the other academies haven't had nearly that kind of success. There has been talk that the academies should consider moving down to I-AA. What are your thoughts on this?
Fisher DeBerry at 1:18pm ET
We certainly have not entertained that here. I would not remain as head coach if we did drop backward. There is a certain expectations Americans have of the academies. We want to play at the highest level. We are trying to teach leadership and teaching these men and women to defend our country. They have to compete at the highest level to be fully compared. I think you can equate being prepared on the field to being prepared to becoming an officer. The expectations are too high here to consider moving. We have great attendance and have had great success.
So it just has never been entertained and we are proud to be able to compete at the highest level. But I can't speak for the other academies.
ndfan488 from [136.142.23.161], at 1:19pm ET
against fresno St.'s defense will you try to run and overpower them or will you pass and pick apart their secondary
Fisher DeBerry at 1:20pm ET
They are a very good defensive team and I have a lot of respect for Kevin Coyle their defensive coordinator. They run extremely well and don't give up a lot of points. We have a plan and that is to run and pass the football. But we adjust our plan during the game depending on what the defense is giving us and how the game is developing.
AFAfaninWI from [208.137.64.251] at 1:20pm ET
Coach DeBerry, one of the most exciting aspects of watching Falcon football is the higher than average number of blocked kicks your teams have year in and year out. Is there anything that you would attribute that accomplishment to? Best of luck in the Silicon Valley Bowl from the daughter of an AFA football alumni. GO FALCONS!!
Fisher DeBerry at 1:23pm ET
We take great pride in our kicking game and we feel you win or lose more games through the kicking game then on offense or defense. We work extremely hard on it in practice. I can't think of another play that switches momentum faster in a game then a blocked kicked. We take a lot of pride in it. We have nine blocked kicks this year and we go into every game thinking we will block kicks because of the importance of it. On the other side of the ball we do everything we can to not get kicks blocked on our side. We have our best players out there.
Dennis Roberts from [24.162.16.133] at 1:23pm ET
Why do you believe that USAFA performs so consistently better in football than USMA or USNA? Do you think the lure of flying jet aircraft following graduation has any impact in recruiting better athletes?
Fisher DeBerry at 1:25pm ET
I really don't have the answer to that. I would like to say it is better coaching, but I have a lot of respect for the other academies coaching staffs.
I think the Air Force is the only place to guarantee you a chance to fly if you qualify and more people are interested in flying. We have such a shortage of pilots today and there is a infatuation with flying. Plus, there are so many opportunities in the commerical world for flying.
But I have to give our coaches a lot of credit for doing a great job in recruiting and work hard at it because we recruit the whole country. We will go anywhere we hear about good candidates.
Rich Mumford from [199.91.35.127], at 1:26pm ET
Do you see yourself coaching elsewhere, I mean recruiting people to play at AF is great. But don't you see yourself at a bigger college were more kids want to go and play.
Fisher DeBerry at 1:29pm ET
I have been flattered to have the chance to coach elsewhere, but I respect the academy so much and what we are doing here in relationship to football and training leaders. We love Colorado -- my kids and grandkids are here and I finally built my wife a house. Plus, we have had great support here and we have been able to keep our staff in tact and keep some of the greatest minds on our staff. We have been able to get good players and our attitude is that we are here to serve our players. Certainly I could make more money elsewhere but that is not the driving force in my life. I am motivated in helping kids becoming contributors to our society. I love living here and have a great respect for the Military.
Mark McLaughlin from [216.229.41.254], at 1:29pm ET
What is the special relationship between Air Force and Notre Dame?
Fisher DeBerry at 1:32pm ET
I don't know really how special it is. They like to beat us and we like to beat them. We have great respect for NB and our players look forward to the challenge of playing Notre Dame. The Academy is grateful for ND agreeing to have a series and keeping it going and it shows the respect they have for our school. Plus, there are a lot of similarities between the schools in terms of offerings and academics. It has been a great rivalry. It is a mutal respect thing and you always want the challenge of playing the best.
Fisher DeBerry at 1:34pm ET
That is all the time I have for now. I appreciate all the support and interest in Falcon football. We appreciate it.
I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas and hope everyone enjoys spending time with their families. Take care.
