CFLTicats QB Boltus understands life as 3rd stringer

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When Ticats third-string quarterback Jason Boltus concluded his college career, he finished as the NCAA Division III all-time leader in total offence. (Ed Clough/Associated Press)

Justin Goltz was living the third-string-quarterback's dream back in week 12, and don't think the other seven guys in the league doing the same job didn't notice.

The Winnipeg signal caller started the game with a CFL record of zero passes completed on zero attempts for zero yards.

Nine minutes from the end, however, with his team down seven and needing the two points, Goltz found himself in the game. His first pass attempt as a pro was for a touchdown, and he almost pulled off the comeback.

"That's a spot you dream about, nine minutes left in the game and you've got a couple of drives to go down and win one for the team," says Jason Boltus, who missed most of the drama because his Hamilton Tiger-Cats were at a charity bowling event.

"Anytime you can play, it's an opportunity to show what you've got, and help your team win, and ultimately set yourself up for the season and show the coaches you belong."

We should stop here and answer a question you might have: Just who in the name of Bob O'Billovich is Jason Boltus?

Why, he's the pride of Hartwick College, a beautiful little liberal arts school nestled in the Catskill Mountains where the native of Baldwinsville, N.Y., (pop. 7,053) became the NCAA Division III all-time leader in total offence.

That was before disappearing onto the Cats' injury list for two seasons.

Now, he's the third stringer - a role so under the radar that if he were to wear his game sweater through the Lime Ridge Mall no one would recognize him.

Ready for the moment

What Boltus really is, however, is ready. Ready for the moment when horrid luck might befall Kevin Glenn and Quinton Porter and the fate of the Black and Gold suddenly will ride on his shoulders.

Or not. And that's the point. You probably won't get the chance, but you'd darn well better be ready if it does.

"You are always one injury away, so that's the way I look at it," says Boltus, who was an interesting study on the Cats' sideline against Toronto this past week because, unlike some of his 3rd string brethren, he's never more than two yards away from his offensive coordinator (in this case Khari Jones) for the entire game.

There, he's studying the defence, making suggestions, helping with the half time adjustments. Oh, and holding for field goals.

"Whether it be Kevin or Q who goes down, I'm mentally ready," he says.

It's kind of unfair, in a way, that third stringers have to be ready despite getting next to no reps with the starting offence in practice, instead relying on "mental reps" - a modern term for standing 10 yards back of the starter and watching him run plays all game.

Oh, you get to watch all the film and attend the meetings and eat with the guys, but with the limit on work time imposed by the union agreement (4 ½ hours a day), there's just not time for the third guy.

Modern CFL

The modern CFL has created a new job for the No. 3 - running him in on third-and-one to bash helmets with defenders on a quick sneak. Saves your starter from concussion.

Boltus doesn't get to do that, either, because Porter handles the job. So he waits.

Check out the numbers across the league and you can see how frustrating this job could get for guys, remember, who were almost all starters going back through college, high school and Pop Warner.

Check out the stats for third stringers and you find in the East there are Ricky Santos (Montreal), BJ Hall (Toronto), Boltus and Goltz, who are a combined 14-of-19 career, with Montreal's Santos the veteran at 11-of-13 in three seasons.

In the West, Cole Bergquist of Saskatchewan, Calgary's Brad Sinopoli, Edmonton's Eric Ward and B.C.'s Mike Reilly are a whopping 2-for-3 career.

Thus, you can never know what you have until you run it in there when there's no other choice.

Wally Buono is the dean of finding third-string quarterbacks and training them for either emergency situations or, perhaps, to be a future star.

Buck Pierce was a three. Henry Burris was a three. Jeff Garcia was a three.

But finding them is not easy, says the B.C. Lions' GM and head coach.

"You've got to make sure you understand that not everybody you choose to be your third string quarterback develops into more than that," Buono says.

"There isn't one team or one coach that says 'Hey, every guy I put as my No. 3 quarterback will be Travis Lulay or Dave Dickenson."

After 21 seasons of trying to figure it out, there is a template, however.

"You look for a certain quality of guy who you think can fit your offence," Buono believes. "You have to have certain athletic skills, and then you have to also look at the intelligence quotient, and personalities.

"Because at the end, the quarterbacks have to be more than just guys who can throw the football."

If there is an exact formula, "I probably wouldn't tell you," says Buono, laughing.

Mostly you want a guy who won't panic. Because he might be standing there at the Grey Cup one November night, when suddenly ...

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