Air Force football made a change this past week at defensive playcaller, but coach Troy Calhoun painted the situation not as a demotion so much as a harkening back to his NFL experience.

Safeties coach Nick Toth called the defense this past week at UNLV, a decision Calhoun made after returning from the Navy game the week earlier. Calhoun said he asked defensive coordinator Brian Knorr to “look ahead” and begin preparation for Saturday’s game against Wyoming.

“We had Nick call the game last week, and we might do that moving forward, too,” Calhoun said Tuesday.

The Falcons lost 51-48 in Las Vegas on Saturday, continuing a trend of shootout losses during a five-game skid.

In revealing the move, Calhoun cited his time as an offensive assistant with the Denver Broncos.  Some weeks head coach Mike Shanahan would call plays and for other games it would fall to offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak.

The same was true when Calhoun was the offensive coordinator with the Houston Texans. Kubiak, the head coach, served as the primary playcaller, but some weeks the role was entrusted to Calhoun.

“I just think it’s so good, man,” Calhoun said of sharing the responsibility. “It just makes everybody think big-picture a little bit better.”

Knorr remains listed as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, while Toth – whose background includes four years as defensive coordinator at Fresno State as well as serving as Von Miller’s position coach at Texas A&M – remains listed as safeties coach.

“Is it a huge deal? Nah, I don’t know about that,” Calhoun said, “just because I think so much of your collaborative work (is done) during the week and your preparation.”

Though the move was downplayed by Calhoun, he couldn’t provide an example of having made a similar move in his previous 17 seasons at Air Force. And it comes during a season when the defense has been among the nation’s worst.

Out of 134 FBS teams, the Falcons are last in yards given up per game (496.7) and third from the bottom in points allowed (40 per game).

The offense has scored 30-plus points in all six games to open the season for the first time since 1998, but there is only a victory over FCS Bucknell to show for it.

Shifting playcalling responsibilities, at least at this point, does not necessarily mean different plays are available to the defense beyond the typical tweaks for situations and matchup for a new opponent.

“I guess it was a surprise, but I don’t think it was really a big effect for anyone on the team,” linebacker Dallas Daley said. “Like I said, it’s just the call coming in to the playcaller. We’ve still got to do our job.

“There’s been no change, really. No player on the team really looks into the hierarchy (of the defensive coaching staff), we’re just trying to play our game.”