Facts and figures from Air Force’s third consecutive loss.

Air Force Player of the Game

Liam Szarka, so., quarterback

Tailback Kade Frew had to patiently await an option pitch on an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, as Szarka stretched the play to the last possible moment before taking a hit to deliver the ball.

“Had he not taken that shot, I wouldn’t have scored,” Frew said.

Frew also noted the hard yards Szarka found up the middle.

“Seeing him put his head down, not afraid to get yards between the tackles,” Frew said. “It’s pretty impressive.”

Szarka, who is not made available to media by coach Troy Calhoun’s policy to allow only juniors and seniors to speak, set a program record with 417 total yards (278 passing, 139 rushing) in his first-career start.

The passes included a 73-yard touchdown to Cade Harris, a 52-yard score to Quin Smith and a pair of throws to Bruin Fleishmann, including a touchdown, where Szarka bought time with his legs and kept his eyes on his targets.

He also sprinted for 64 yards on the first play from scrimmage.

“I think he’s just playing overall great football,” said Harris, who caught three passes for 116 yards. “I love to see that. I love to see him improving each and every week.”

What I watched

The Gazette’s Brent Briggeman follows up on items of intrigue he identified prior to the game.

Encore?

Liam Szarka was a revelation at quarterback last week, throwing for 246 yards and rushing for 111 and accounting for three touchdowns. He was even better this time, making his first start and setting a school record with 417 yards (278 passing, 139 rushing).

Pass defense

Hawaii had no issues moving the ball through the air, passing for 457 yards. The Falcons started two freshmen and three sophomores in the secondary, and in the first half nearly every Rainbow Warriors reception came by a receiver who was open by at least a few yards. That gap was tighter in the second half, as Air Force lined up closer to the line of scrimmage, but this pass defense very much remains a work in progress.

Experience

Hawaii played its sixth game of the season with a largely veteran team, and it looked like it. The Rainbow Warriors committed no turnovers (Air Force had one), they were penalized just four times for 17 yards (Air Force was flagged five times for 32 yards), and they were an unflappable 14 of 19 on third-down tries.

BY THE NUMBERS

1

Career start for Air Force freshman cornerback Jordan Elie-Stuart, who joined the first unit and made six tackles and broke up a deep pass.

3

Tackles for loss for Air Force outside linebacker Isaac Hubert, who leads the team with seven.

10

Touchdown plays of 24 or more yards given up by Air Force in three Mountain West games.

23

Years since Air Force had seen a quarterback rush for 100 or more yards in consecutive games before Liam Szarka. Chance Harridge did it vs UNLV and San Diego State in 2002.

24

Plays for Hawaii during a second-quarter drive that chewed up 12 minutes, 14 seconds and led to a field goal.