COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force Academy is looking into comments made by longtime football coach Fisher DeBerry, who said black athletes "run very, very well" and that the program lacks minority athletes.
Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry's comments regarding black athletes are being reviewed by Academy officials. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
The 67-year-old DeBerry, in his 22nd year at Air Force, first mentioned the academy's lack of minority players compared to other schools on Monday.
"We were looking at things, like you don't see many minority athletes in our program," DeBerry was quoted as saying in The Gazette of Colorado Springs.
DeBerry elaborated on his comments during his weekly luncheon Tuesday.
"It just seems to be that way, that Afro-American kids can run very, very well. That doesn't mean that Caucasian kids and other descents can't run, but it's very obvious to me they run extremely well," DeBerry said in remarks broadcast Tuesday night by Denver television station KWGN.
Academy officials released a statement Tuesday, saying they were aware of the remarks.
"We cannot comment further until we have a chance to review all the reports, the coach's actual statements and to speak with the coach personally," academy spokesman Lt. Col Laurent Fox said.
DeBerry is the winningest coach in service academy history with a record of 161-94-1. He has had 17 winning seasons and won 12 bowl games.
This season, the Falcons are struggling. The team lost 48-10 to No. 20 TCU on Saturday, dropping to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the Mountain West Conference.
