Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, the superintendent of the Air Force Academy, was as excited as anyone when Troy Calhoun put out a statement earlier this month reaffirming his commitment to the Air Force for next year and beyond. At the Independence Bowl, Gould expressed his gratitude.

“I gave him a big hug and told him how proud of him I am, and we are at the academy for his commitment, what he stands for and what his players stand for,” Gould said.

For Gould, Calhoun’s achievements as Air Force’s coach are excellent, but he kept going back to the example Calhoun set for the cadets by staying with the Falcons.

“It’s marvelous you have a guy who says what he says about commitment, and not just say it but shows it to his players,” Gould said. “It pays great dividends.

“Troy Calhoun’s commitment is reflected by what you see in our cadets. When they see a guy turn down what he may be worth elsewhere for the commitment he’s made to us, it shines through in the cadets.”

The football achievements are pretty nice, too. Calhoun won his second bowl game in a row this week, and the 2011 team should be strong. Gould said when the football team is winning, a positive attitude spreads through the academy. He also is hoping for big things next season.

“We’ve got a lot of guys coming back, and Coach Calhoun’s recruits are maturing,” Gould said. “He has gone through this methodically, and he has a plan.”

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