Lobos’ Jordan almost a Falcon
AIR FORCE ACADEMY» Lamar Jordan allowed two pieces of paper folded in an old, rugged New Orleans Saints hat to determine the course of his future.
The option quarterback, then a senior in Frisco, Texas, was sought by Air Force and New Mexico to operate their runfirst offenses.
He was torn. His father, Lamar Sr., had served in the Air Force with deployments to Germany and the Middle East during Lamar’s childhood. So the youngster was accustomed to a military lifestyle and undeterred by its sacrifices.
What’s more, when he played the video game “NCAA Football,” he would choose Air Force. Sure, his dad had served, but he also thought the lightning bolt was “cool” and blue was his favorite color.
So, Air Force had builtin advantages when former quarterbacks coach Blane Morgan presented Jordan with his first college offer during an inhome visit.
“He told me straight up, we’re going to give you a chance to run this offense when you first get here,” Jordan said. “The fact that he believed in me meant a lot. They were the first ones to pull the trigger, the first to say this guy can play.”
But then Arkansas came calling, and who can turn down the SEC? So Jordan committed fast, only to have the offer pulled when the Razorbacks changed coaches.
At that point it came down to the Falcons and Lobos. Jordan couldn’t decide, so he and his mother, Sharon, wrote the school names on pieces of paper, folded them and put them in his father’s favorite hat.
Sharon then shook it up, and Lamar selected New Mexico.
“Don’t tell him, but his mom liked us so much that she put two New Mexicos in there,” Lobos coach Bob Davie joked. “But I can see it coming down to Air Force and New Mexico. His family is very much a militarystyle family with discipline and everything you’d expect from a family like that.”
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said he wasn’t aware Jordan had come that close to choosing Air Force, particularly since he never made an official visit to the academy.
“We initiated some contact there and I do remember him,” Calhoun said. “Very, very good high school film — acceleration and quickness.”
Perhaps Jordan is one Air Force shouldn’t have allowed to slip away. In two starts against the Falcons he is 7-of-15 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns with 18 carries for 119 yards and another score.
The Lobos have won both games, scoring a combined 92 points.
Jordan is expected to be back Saturday after missing last week following a crushing hit Sept. 14 that earned Boise State defensive tackle Chase Hatada a targeting penalty.