Heading into the 2010 football season, the most obvious areas of concern for Air Force on both sides of the ball are up front. The Falcons must replace all five starting offensive linemen and two of three starting defensive linemen from their 2009 squad.

But coach Troy Calhoun seemed plenty concerned about his linebacker corps Tuesday at the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation’s Football Kickoff Luncheon. While talented and experienced, it was not healthy in the spring. Senior inside linebacker Ken Lamendola (knee), senior outside linebacker Patrick Hennessey (shoulder) and sophomore outside linebacker Alex Means (foot) all missed the spring practices.

“I really thought there was only one linebacker (in spring drills) that truly showed he’s ready to go for this year, and that was (senior outside linebacker) Andre Morris,” Calhoun said. “We’ve been a group that’s either going to play three or four linebackers, depending on what we have out there. And that was a concern. And it still is, until it’s proven otherwise.”

Calhoun said Lamendola and Hennessey “have pushed the bounds of rehab, in the right way.”

“They’re both guys that are flat nuts and goofy and fanatical and the whole bit about football,” Calhoun said. “And yet that will be something we’re going to find out in August. It’s an ‘if,’ and that’s all it is. But if those guys were healthy and were able to contribute, you would have guys that are seasoned, you’d have guys that are passionate about football, and that gets contagious with the rest of your guys.”

Asked if Lamendola – who attended a spring practice in a wheelchair after a surgery – was running pretty well, Calhoun said, “he’s still got a ways to go.”

Wildcat for Dietz?Calhoun said his staff has “discussed in pretty good detail” having a special package for junior Connor Dietz if junior Tim Jefferson, listed as the starting quarterback after spring practices, remains entrenched as the No. 1 signal-caller.

“When it comes to game time, whether we’re going to do it or not, that’s something we’ll go into August and explore a little more,” Calhoun said.

No offense, ReggieCornerback/kick returner Reggie Rembert was used as a slot receiver at times during his sophomore season. But Calhoun said “initially, starting out,” he doesn’t plan to use the senior on offense in 2010.

“His contribution’s going to be on defense playing corner, it’s going to be as a returner in some capacity and then it’s got to be leadership,” Calhoun said. “There may be a chance down the road maybe where he does something in a game or two in terms of running a misdirection play or an end-around play or catching a ball or a screen or something like that. But not in a scenario where I see him playing 15 snaps on the offensive side.”

This Teller County house was top prize in the Pikes Peak Rotary Club raffle, but it’s out of the pot now due to not enough sales of $100 tickets. The house required the sale of 18,000 tickets. Only about 1,800 tickets were sold as of Tuesday. Photo by