Just after Air Force kicker Erik Soderberg’s field goal sailed through the uprights, ESPN play-by-play announcer Dave Lamont shouted, “Wow!”

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See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJbPjX9B-IQ&feature=related)

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Lamont wasn’t impressed so much by the kick itself — from 27 yards, it was a relative chip shot. But he was amazed that the Falcons simply got the field goal off under the circumstances. Time was running out in the first half of the 2009 Armed Forces Bowl against Houston, and Air Force was without a timeout. In less than 14 seconds, however, the Falcons took six players off the field and put six players on, lined up for the field goal, snapped the ball and then kicked it.

“It’s as if they practice that,” Lamont continued.

Well, actually, they do.

Every Thursday, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun has his team practice hurry-up field goals, mimicking end-of-half (or game) scenarios.

For nearly three full seasons, the Falcons did not encounter such a situation. But when they finally did against Houston, they were ready.

“It was pretty crazy,” Soderberg said. “But thankfully we all had practiced that, and it was just like running through practice.”

Here’s a look at the play, which can be found on YouTube, titled “Fastest Field Goal Ever?”

0:16

Coming out of a timeout, Air Force faces third-and-goal from the Houston 2-yard line on the left hash mark. The Falcons call for a bootleg to give quarterback Tim Jefferson a run-pass option. “We thought, ‘Hey, we’re either going to get in a position where he can score the touchdown or throw it away,’” Calhoun said. An incompletion would have stopped the clock.

0:14

Just after Jefferson fakes a handoff to tailback Asher Clark, however, he slips and falls at the 10-yard line. The play is blown dead, but Jefferson has the presence of mind to hop right to his feet and immediately toss the ball to the referee so “the official was able to get the ball and put it down,” Calhoun said.

0:13

Jefferson and five other players who are not on the Falcons’ field goal unit (fullback Jared Tew, tight ends Sean Quintana and Chaz Demerath, tailback Asher ClarkClark and receiver Jonathan Warzeka) sprint to the sideline. Meanwhile, the six players who need to come into the game (kicker Erik Soderberg, holder Brandon Geyer, deep snapper Colton Reid and three guys up front — offensive lineman A.J. Wallerstein and defensive linemen Ben Garland and Ben Kopacka) sprint onto the field.

(The players who ran onto the field had been waiting with helmets on and chin straps fastenedat the edge of the sideline — “even inching out on the field a little bit,” Calhoun said — and they’d put themselves in position to sprint to their spots without crossing each others’ paths. “They were side-by-side saying, ‘You’re gonna go there, you’re gonna go there,’” Calhoun said. “So the deep snapper knew he could go right to the ball, and the other guys went right to their spots —It’s really like you’re flying based upon your wing man.”)

0:08

Geyer quickly finds a spot 7 yards behind the ball where he sets up.

0:05

With all the players lined up, Geyer looks backat Soderberg to make sure he’s ready.

(This was key. For as rushed as everything felt to this point,Geyer knew how much time was left and took a moment to make sure his kicker was ready. “Because if you rush out there and you snap it and the kicker’s not ready, you have a botched attempt,” Calhoun said.).

0:03

The ball is snapped. Geyer catches it and puts it down.

0:02

Soderberg strikes the ball.

0:00

The ball flies through the uprights, and Air Force goes into halftime up 24-6, instead of 21-6, and riding a momentum boost.

“That’s one of the most amazing things I’ve seen all season,” Lamont said.

Calhoun said: “That was just incredible on the part of the kids.” Calhoun said. “It just shows you there’s a discipline that’s involved among our guys that was just about as sharp as you’re gonna see.”

Air Force kicker Erik Soderberg (99) makes the score 16-2 with a field goal at the end of the first half against San Diego State on Sept. 26, 2009, at Falcon Stadium. Photo by KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE FILE

Kevin Kreck

Air Force football head coach Troy Calhoun keeps time during sprints on a Tuesday morning practice at the Air Force Academy on Tuesday, August 4, 2009. Photo by JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE FILE

Jerilee Bennett