Air Force football received somewhat rare preseason praise with the release of the Athlon Sports college football preview magazine.

The magazine included four Falcons among its 24 first-team All-Mountain West offense and defense picks. Only San Diego State, with five, had more. Boise State matched Air Force’s four. Wyoming had just one first-team pick and Colorado State had none.

The edition picked the Falcons to go 9-3 in the regular season, including 6-2 and second place in the Mountain West Mountain Division.

In identifying its games to watch in the conference, three Air Force games (at Utah State, vs. Boise State and at San Diego State) were among the eight contests between Mountain West teams highlighted.

Considering Air Force has gone 11-2 and 10-3 in the past two seasons that weren’t shortened by COVID-19, the team predictions are to be expected. It’s the individual preseason accolades that stand out, particularly when they see the Falcons matching up with programs like Boise State and San Diego State that generally haul in far-higher rated recruits.

Last year Air Force had no preseason first-team All-Mountain West selections as voted upon by the coaches. It had two picks for the All-Mountain West team that was announced after the season.

This year Athlon included running back Brad Roberts, offensive lineman Isaac Cochran, outside linebacker Vince Sanford and safety Trey Taylor on the conference’s preseason first-team.

The Falcons also had a pair of second-team selections (offensive lineman Everett Smalley and defensive lineman Christopher Herrera) and two more on the third-team (all-purpose receiver Micah Davis and offensive lineman Kaleb Holcomb).

Taylor, Smalley, Holcomb and Davis are juniors, the rest seniors.

Air Force opens against Northern Iowa on Sept. 3 at Falcon Stadium. Colorado visits the following week and Mountain West action opens the week after that at Wyoming.

Another familiar face returning

Anthony Wright Jr. has taken a spot on Air Force’s coaching staff, according to information in his Twitter bio that lists the 2012 academy graduate as a defensive assistant.

Wright joins Ken Lamendola, Alex Means and Kale Pearson (recruiting coordinator) as members of coach Troy Calhoun’s staff who also played during Calhoun’s time with the team.