Local knows what SCSU is up against

By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Daniel Yawn is still "flying high" two years after earning his commission at the Air Force Academy.

Now a first lieutenant completing Pilot Instructor Training at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, the former Holly Hill Academy graduate and a three-sport athlete still has fond memories of his days as a cadet.

An Air Force tradition, Yawn most enjoyed was "Parents’ Weekend." Usually taking place the weekend of Air Force Academy’s first home game, it was a time where Yawn could spend time with his visiting parents and attend a football game at Falcon Stadium.

"Parents get to tour the grounds, see what kind of classes they’re taking," he said. "You get to sit in on a class with your parents and take them to the different monuments and stuff and they come to see the football game which is always a highlight."

While not exactly as loud or festive on Gameday as the University of South Carolina or Clemson University, Yawn said a spirited student section and large military presence around Colorado Springs still provide a somewhat intimidating presence for opponents.


"For one, there’s usually a ton of local fans," he said. "It’s a rowdy student section. You kind of feel outnumbered out there, at least from what I saw, because there’s so much military down there."

There’s pre-game traditions which include flybys and the cadets storming the field after each Falcons’ score to do pushups. And the, there’s the altitude. South Carolina State will see a new sign standing above the bus entrance at Falcon Stadium which reads ‘Welcome to 6,621 feet’ - referencing the stadium’s elevation level in the Rocky Mountains.

"That’s a huge thing that (South Carolina) State will definitely feel, because you’re just not used to it," he said. "You just can’t get use to it in a day."

"You get short of breath just walking up the stairs. An athletic person feels very non-athletic at the time. It takes a couple of weeks to acclimate. So just showing up for the weekend doesn’t give you time to do that, no matter how good of shape you’re in. You’ll still feel short of breath."

And what does Yawn expect from his alma mater and new head coach Troy Calhoun? "From what I can tell, Air Force has always been a running team," he said. "With the new coach in place, it opens up for maybe more of a balanced attack."