Josh Johnson loosely moved with the music piped into Falcon Stadium between warmup tosses on Saturday morning.

The junior then led the first-team offense effectively in scrimmage situations.

Liam Szarka heaved a 50-yard strike downfield. The pass, to a defended receiver, fell incomplete, but the sophomore’s arm was certainly not at fault.

Air Force football continues on without a clear starter at quarterback with the opener two weeks away. The two frontrunners look comfortable, competent and have earned the full support of the three offensive players who have been made available to media this month — slot receiver Cade Harris, fullback Dylan Carson and center Costen Cooley — all of whom shared a version of the sentiment that they would trust either and believe the coaches will make the right decision.

But there’s no telling when, or if, that decision will be made public prior to the first series on offense vs. Bucknell on Aug. 30.

“I’m just not into naming a starter,” coach Troy Calhoun said. “Now, you can, and I’m not saying there maybe is or maybe isn’t merit to it, I just, after one play someone else could be in there too.”

Calhoun pointed to the 2013 season opener when Kale Pearson left in the first quarter with an injury and didn’t return until the next year.

“You just can’t say it’s one person,” Calhoun added. “That’s why.”

While Calhoun hasn’t named a starter, it was evident that at least on Saturday it was Johnson taking the field whenever the first-team offense was playing.

Johnson has the advantage from an experience standpoint, having appeared in six games and starting against Colorado State. He ran 14 times for 94 yards as a sophomore and completed 6-of-14 passes for 129 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions — though those passes were primarily attempted late in games and in obvious passing situations, which rarely set up well for a team built to run first and attack through the air off the play action.

Szarka, a Grandview High School graduate from Aurora, has yet to see a game snap but is more compactly built at 6-feet, 195 pounds compared to the more slender Johnson, who is 6-1, 185.

Tight end Bruin Fleischmann, speaking last month at Mountain West media days, called Szarka “super-versatile” and “the stereotypical service academy quarterback,” while also praising Johnson as “beyond athletic, one of the most athletic guys on the team.”

“At the quarterback position as a whole, we will be set,” Fleishmann said.

Asked about the position that has been on the minds of Air Force football fans since it was determined Quentin Hayes would not return to the team, offensive coordinator Mike Thiessen said the decision hasn’t been made.

“It’s on my mind, too,” said Thiessen, who coaches the quarterbacks. “Everybody’s asking. The good thing is I don’t have to lie about it. I don’t have the answer yet. It’s to be determined.”

Both quarterbacks were largely effective in all facets in scrimmage settings on Saturday, though those don’t paint a complete picture as quarterbacks are not tackled — and that is a big part of the offense for a team that often asks its QBs to run the option.

The other wild card in the quarterback situation is Kemper Hodges, the 6-foot, 245-pound junior who played fullback last year.

It is widely assumed that the Falcons will incorporate some plays specifically for Hodges, who would provide a load for defenses to stop in short-yardage situations.

Hodges drew a 12 rating from the NCAA 2025 video game, the lowest possible mark, but a team source noted that he actually has the strongest arm among the team’s quarterbacks.

“We just aren’t there to consider that,” Calhoun said of using Hodges, who has missed practice time this month with injuries.

Notes

• Sophomore cornerback Korey Johnson made a pair of interceptions on Saturday morning, including one on a throw from Szarka.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Arizona native was listed as a starter on the preseason depth chart and continues to be with the No. 1 defense.

“Very good anticipation,” Calhoun said of Johnson. “Really strong field awareness. Mature, high-quality communicator. Good competitor.”

• The first-team defense saw a change at inside linebacker on Saturday, with sophomore Jonah Bowman joining junior Blake Fletcher with the top unit.

Calhoun noted that the position, which featured Fletcher and junior Luke Fisher with the starters last week, is not yet set.

“No, we have four guys there who can play a good number of snaps there,” Calhoun said, lumping junior Dallas Daily into the group.