FORT WORTH, TEXAS — For three seasons, Jim Ollis’ playing time always was just one play away.
The idea that he should be ready to enter the game at any given time was his motivation for sticking with the Air Force football program most of the time as the Falcons’ backup quarterback.
But this year, his senior season, Ollis didn’t have to wait to play for new AFA coach Troy Calhoun. He stepped into the competition at tailback and almost packed a career into the last two regular-season games he played. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder from Columbus, N.C., played a big role in Air Force’s 41-24 victory at Notre Dame and in the Falcons’ 55-23 rout of San Diego State at Falcon Stadium, totaling 216 yards rushing on just 23 carries. He had touchdown runs of 54 and 31 yards against the Aztecs, his final home game.
“I heard that about being one play away and being the second most important person not on the field for a long time,” said Ollis, awaiting Air Force’s game Monday against California (6-6) in the Armed Forces Bowl. “It has been a roller-coaster ride for me just about the whole time.”
Ollis remembered something said by former Air Force offensive coordinator Chuck Petersen that put him in his place.
“I threw a pass in practice that wasn’t very good,” Ollis said. “When I got back to the huddle, Coach Petersen said, ‘Forget about it. I recruited you for your legs, not your arm.’ A quarterback doesn’t like to hear that, but I was needed at quarterback behind Shaun Carney.”
When asked if Ollis’ career was wasted as a backup, Calhoun quipped: “He almost didn’t have a career.”
Ollis is the Falcons’ second-leading rusher this year with 581 yards in 10 games. He has averaged 6.5 yards per carry and scored five touchdowns.
Craig’s list. Craig Morton, a former Broncos and California quarterback, took time out from his duties as a member of Cal’s athletic department to applaud Broncos owner Pat Bowlen for his work in keeping the Broncos Alumni an active group.
Morton also saluted Randy Gradishar’s candidacy for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gradishar starred for the Broncos as a linebacker.
“It’s amazing to me that he isn’t already in the Hall of Fame,” Morton said of Gradishar.
Morton’s title in the Cal athletic department is “Major Gift Officer for Football and Rugby.”
Small talk. Told that Calhoun is playing the small card in pregame discussions about Cal’s advantage in size, Golden Bears coach Jeff Tedford offered his assessment.
“They don’t play small,” Tedford said of the Falcons, who are 9-3.
Irv Moss: 303 954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
