For Florida State University alumni, returning to Doak Campbell Stadium on game day brings back powerful memories. For three U.S. Air Force pilots returning to their alma mater, coming home meant thundering over the stadium at hundreds of miles per hour in some of the world’s most advanced fighter jets.
The flyover before Monday’s football game against Southern Methodist University was a special homecoming, featuring a four-ship formation of F-35 Lightning II aircraft, three of which were piloted by FSU alumni. Led by Maj. Heath “Shady” Williams (B.S. ’15), the flight crew included Capt. Andrew “Cooked” Borger (B.S. ’12), Capt. Cody “Factor” Rochford (B.S. ’17) and Maj. Robert “Rambo” Kouwe (USAFA ’14).
After studying at FSU before beginning their military careers, Williams, Borger and Rochford returned to lead a flyover above the stadium where they once cheered from the stands.
“Florida State is just such a great place,” Rochford said. “I loved every moment of my experience there going through school, going through ROTC and being able to come back and do a flyover for a football game is just an incredible opportunity. To be part of that formation and fly over my alma mater, the place that has done so much for me, is a really cool feeling.”
For Williams, the moment brought his military career full circle. He recalled attending a game at Doak Campbell Stadium more than a decade ago as a freshman cadet at FSU, watching A-10 aircraft fly over the field.
“I’ll never forget that because one of the lead pilots ended up being an instructor for me, way down the line in the F-35,” Williams said. “I didn’t know that at the time, but I just thought that was the coolest thing ever: to see a group of alumni come back to Florida State, do the flyover and it’s like a life bucket-list thing to check off your list.”
Bringing the formation together required months of behind-the-scenes coordination. After last year’s scheduled flyover was canceled due to a government shutdown, the team worked with Air Force leadership and Florida State University to secure another opportunity.
To enhance the game day atmosphere, the pilots relied heavily on precision timing with the FSU Marching Chiefs to synchronize the flyover with the national anthem. Operating out of Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, the flight crew rattled Tallahassee with two practice runs over Doak Campbell earlier in the day. The preliminary passes turned heads across town and gave fans a preview of what was to come that evening.
“It’s about getting not only the players, but the fans — everybody hyped up,” Williams said. “The band does a phenomenal job at doing that, and they sustain it throughout the whole game. But in my opinion, there’s nothing better than kickoff with a bunch of fighter jets going over with a loud noise to kick off the national anthem and really start the game that way. It’s just something that our country has done for decades and will continue to do, and everybody loves it. So, why not be a part of that?”
As a retired Air Force fighter pilot with 26 years of service, former FSU Air Force ROTC commander and founding director of FSU’s Student Veterans Center, Billy Francis understands the significance of watching former students return to their roots.
“At Florida State, our goal is to support, empower and prepare our students for gratifying careers,” Francis said. “To see them come back home and inspire the next generation of leaders in the stands is as rewarding as it gets.”
To learn more about support for military-connected students, visit the FSU Student Veterans Center.