The feel good story of the Air Force football offseason was linebacker Ken Lamendola coming back to the team to participate in practice, as he prepared for his second chance at a senior season after misssing almost two full seasons.

That’s why the sight of Lamendola being carted off the field today was heartbreaking for the Falcons. Lamendola, who hasn’t played since early in the 2009 season, was trailing a ballcarrier downfield when he suddenly went down with what appeared to be a lower leg injury. For a player who has had knee and ankle surgeries, going down without being hit is not a good sign. Trainers looked at the fifth-year senior for a few minutes before he was carted off.

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun wouldn’t speculate on the severity of the injury, and it’s possible Lamendola will come back soon. For a player that gained the respect of his teammates and coaches for how hard he worked to come back (“You just can’t do any more than that kid has done, as far as making a commitment to getting himself healthy,” Calhoun said in February), the Falcons hope he is back on the field sooner rather than later.

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