Air Force has the primary pieces in place.

Quarterback Liam Szarka last year became the first NCAA quarterback with three consecutive games of 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing since Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott.

Fullback Owen Allen has six 100-yard rushing performances to his credit.

Linebacker Blake Fletcher recorded more tackles last season than any Falcon in 11 years, and that was in his first year as a full-time starter.

From that starting point, the Falcons enter Saturday’s 11 a.m. opener vs. Duquesne with some of the most talented, intriguing puzzle pieces they’ve possessed in years.

Now, they’ll work to put the full picture together.

“Best-case scenario is just a big Falcon win,” tailback Rocco Conti said of this first test. “You know, like, start off the season right. Start off rolling right.”

Conti is expected to make his first start on Saturday as the Falcons seek to improve to 30-0 all-time against teams from the FCS level. He has played, frequently showcasing his abilities as a blocker last season, but he hasn’t occupied a featured role. That’s also the story for slot receiver Matt Long and tight end Simon Kibbee.

They’ve all seen the field, but they haven’t been asked to lead the way.

That’s the norm throughout the team. The six non-linemen expected to start for Air Force’s offense on Saturday have a combined 12 starts to their credit. The projected starting line has only one player with more than two starts in his past. The defense will have four players making their first or second start.

Of course, starting experience is only one way to look at a player’s true track record.

Allen, for example, has only one start. He also has 209 career carries for 1,085 yards and seven touchdowns.

Wide receiver Jonah Dawson has two starts, but he also has 12 catches for 260 yards and hauled in a game-tying 53-yard touchdown in tight coverage in the fourth quarter of a sold-out game at Navy.

According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the Falcons return 59% of their production. Only New Mexico (63%) returns more according to the formula among Mountain West teams.

The 41% that will be new figures to be the drywall for a team that looks to have its studs in place.

“You know, the experience that you have at linebacker … that really, really matters,” coach Troy Calhoun said, singling out the position that returns Fletcher, Dallas Daley and Vinnie Canosa. “You know, just like it does at quarterback. You don’t want to overstate a singular position. However, anytime you’re right in the middle of it, and I see linebackers in a lot of ways as being a quarterback of a defense, they tend to rub off, permeate and help the others.”

Air Force’s openers have not traditionally been competitive. A massive Mountain West showdown awaits in a week as newcomer North Dakota State travels to Falcon Stadium.

But any threat of overlooking this game seemed nonexistent for a team full of players with enough experience to understand what they’re getting into as the season opens.

“Our guys will be excited, yet I don’t want them to be so wound tight that they don’t just trust their training and their preparation as they go into the game,” Calhoun said. “You look at a good number of guys that really, this is the first time they’ve ever played college football. You can never be afraid to make a mistake. Just, let’s learn from each one of those experiences and we will benefit from it, especially later in the year.”