Football
2/25/2022 10:15:00 PM

Air Force Second Lieutenant Demonte Meeks and former Falcon Major Nathan Walker, class of 2011, were honored at the Air Force football banquet Friday, Feb. 25, at the Marriott Hotel. Meeks won the Bullard Award, while Walker and his family earned the Carson Bird Award.
 
Meeks, who graduated in December with a degree in civil engineering, recorded 36 total tackles and 3.5 sacks this season. He had a season-high nine tackles and a career-high two sacks for nine yards at Navy. He recorded four stops on third down to force punts and one on fourth down to force a turnover on downs. Meeks was named College Sports Madness defensive player of the week for the MW vs. Navy for his efforts. He finished his career with 150 total tackles and 15 tackles for loss for 65 yards.
 
The Bullard Award, established in 1984 and voted on by the football team, is based on the criteria that typifies the late Brian Bullard – unselfishness, 110 percent effort, total team commitment and pride in his role on the team whether he’s a starter or not. Bullard was a 1982 graduate of Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs. He attended the Academy the following year and played on the football team for two years. During Thanksgiving vacation in 1983, Bullard and his girlfriend, fellow cadet Dianne Williams, died from carbon monoxide poisoning while returning from a trip to Kansas in a snow storm.
 
Walker lettered in 2009 and 10 as a fullback. He helped the Falcons to a 19-9 record in those seasons and a pair of bowl wins. The Falcons beat Houston, 47-20, in 2009 and Georgia Tech, 14-7, in the Independence Bowl in 2010. Air Force secured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in 2010. Walker and his family suffered a loss of a family member killed during a military training exercise last summer.
 
This Carson Bird Award was established to honor the 2008 graduate who was a three-year starter and All-American in 2007. The award goes to an Air Force football family member that has proven themselves to be courageous, selfless, relentless and tenacious. In addition, the award goes to someone who made a difference in a positive way. The award is not just a celebration of feats conquered, but also a charge to continue to attack every day no matter the odds stacked against you.
 
Air Force finished the season 10-3 overall and was co-champion of the Mountain West Mountain Division with a 6-2 mark. The Falcons posted double digit wins for the second time in three seasons (2019), fourth time under Head Coach Troy Calhoun and ninth time in school history. Air Force capped the season with a 31-28 victory over Louisville in the First Responder Bowl in Dallas, Texas, to record its third consecutive bowl win dating back to 2016, including two straight over a Power 5 team.