On his first pass of 2018, Air Force quarterback Arion Worthman dropped back and saw Ronald Cleveland running slightly open in the Stony Brook secondary. Worthman ripped a 15-yard throw … straight toward the hands of free safety Synceir Malone.

Bad throw. Bad start. Bad omen.

“I turned and it was there,” Malone said of the errant throw. “It shocked me a little bit. I told myself before the game that I wanted to be the person to make a play.”

Malone saw the ball headed straight to his hands and, better yet, he saw only green between him and Air Force’s bright blue end zone.

Was he going to score?

Malone, a jolly soul, was slightly insulted by the question.

“I mean, I would hope so,” he said, laughing.

But his teammate, linebacker Elijah Duff, prevented Malone’s pick-six journey. Duff reached for the ball, tipped it out of Malone’s hands and Worthman’s first pass bounced harmlessly on the turf.

The interception that wasn’t had virtually no role in the game. It would have pushed the Seawolves to a 38-7 loss instead of a 38-0 loss.

But looking forward, the near-interception is meaningful, and troubling. If the Falcons are to thrive this season, Worthman must thrive. He must return to the dynamic, dangerous force that carried the Falcons to six straight wins and rescued the 2016 season. He must frighten defenses both as a runner and a passer.

And his throws weren’t scaring anyone but Air Force coaches Saturday. He completed only 2-of-8 passes.

The Seawolves tried to be polite about Worthman.

Malone has watched a heavy dose of Worthman video, and he experienced Worthman in reality Saturday.

“I think he was fine,” Malone said of Worthman’s passing skills. “I didn’t see anything that was wow.”

Safety EJ Fineran paused to gather words as he considered Worthman’s arm.

“Ah, I don’t have too much to say about him as a passer,” Fineran said. “He did his best. I didn’t really see him do anything special, but I’m not going to talk down about anyone.”

Coach Chuck Priore shrugged when asked about the Worthman air show, or lack of it.

“They don’t practice it all that much, I’m sure,” Priore said. “He’s a good athlete. He runs the show. He’s a physical runner. He makes plays for them. They just need him to be what he is, to just be OK at it.”

Disagree with you, coach.

Moments will arise this season, and those moments could arrive as early as next Saturday against Florida Atlantic, when an opponent stifles the Falcons’ rushing attack and dares Worthman to pass.

This happened last season against Army, a day that will live in Air Force infamy. Army shut down the Air Force running game, and Worthman failed to revive the offense with his passing.

Saturday’s game was a glorified exhibition.

Worthman must make future opponents respect his right arm.

To his credit, Worthman realized his Stony Brook show was not enough and will not be enough. He called his performance “subpar” in “all aspects.”

I disagree with “all aspects.”

Worthman was fine running the ball, except for a fumble. He showed the power and speed required to lead the Falcons’ option.

But he was right about his passing.

It must improve, or Worthman and the Falcons are marching into a long, painful season.