Colorado Springs – Jim Ollis is gaining the reputation as Air Force’s best quarterback in the academy’s Blue-Silver game.
For the second year in a row, Ollis guided the winning team in the spring football finale. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior-to-be scored two touchdowns and had one called back by a holding penalty Saturday to lead the Blue to an 18-17 victory at Garry Berry Stadium.
Ollis completed 4-of-9 passes for 24 yards and added 78 yards on 19 carries for a lead that held up after a bad snap on a last-play field-goal try by Ryan Harrison.
But when the Falcons return to the practice field in early August to begin preparations for the 2006 season, Ollis will be back behind Shaun Carney. Coach Fisher DeBerry played Carney for only two series for the Silver team, and he wore a red shirt, signaling no contact. Carney’s two pass attempts were incomplete. He didn’t have a rushing attempt.
“Most smart teams across the country are protecting their quarterbacks,” DeBerry said. “An injury at quarterback can have as adverse an affect as any position on your team. Shaun has had a good spring.”
DeBerry made it clear there isn’t a quarterback controversy at Air Force.
“Shaun Carney’s our quarterback,” DeBerry said. “He has the playing experience, and he knows what we do in our offense.”
But DeBerry also had good things to say about Ollis, who divided time between quarterback and halfback last season.
“He’s a competitor,” DeBerry said.
“He just has to trust his arm and he can be a good passer.”
DeBerry said he wasn’t sure how he would use his quarterbacks this season. At times last season he used a two-quarterback system, bringing in senior Adam Fitch as a change of pace. It produced mixed results.
“I don’t know that yet. It’s too premature to say,” DeBerry said when asked if he sees a similar role for Ollis.
Not everyone would be pleased with the two-quarterback system.
“I hope we’re not going to be rotating quarterbacks during the game,” Carney said. “It didn’t work all that well.”
Ollis is looking for his opportunity outside of just the spring game quarterback.
“I’ll go out there and make a play every chance I get,” Ollis said.
He said it’s reassuring to know he’s at quarterback the whole way.
“I know exactly what I’m going to do,” Ollis said.
A strong wind and mixing the top players between the teams played a role in the game’s rough edges.
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
Top issues
DEPTH
Coach Fisher DeBerry is concerned about depth for the long haul of a season.
“The foundation has been laid out, and we have our players in the right positions,” DeBerry said. “The key to this team is establishing the depth. We’ve found some. We know we have three guards and we know we have three good tackles on our offensive line, but we have to find those players throughout our team.”
MISTAKES
DeBerry let eight turnovers in the first half speak for themselves. He said the game brought out an area of concentration when the Falcons resume practice in August.
“We have to take care of the things we have control of,” DeBerry said. “We can’t take points off the board. We had some penalties, turnovers early in the game and problems with the center exchange. I think the things we have control of got us in more trouble last year.”
MESHING
Starting Monday, Air Force’s offensive skill players will start working on their own.
“They’ve got to go out there and throw and throw, catch and catch and run and run,” DeBerry said. “The way you build rapport is having your players together. We don’t have that control in the offseason. Our players will be all over the world. When they are together, they have to find the time to work together.”
2006 SCHEDULE
Sept. 9 at Tennessee
Sept. 23 at Wyoming*
Sept. 30 New Mexico*
Oct. 7 Navy
Oct. 12 Colorado State*
Oct. 21 at San Diego State*
Oct. 28 BYU*
Nov. 3 at Army
Nov. 11 Notre Dame
Nov. 18 Utah*
Nov. 24 at UNLV*
Dec. 2 at TCU*
* – Mountain West games
