COURTESY HAWAIIAN ISLANDERS
Mike Tillis has made himself indispensable to the Hawaiian Islanders as both a backup quarterback and receiver.
New tour of duty
for TillisThe ex-Marine fills in
as Islanders QB for
the injured Arceneaux
Mike Tillis doesn't have a storied football past, nor does he harbor visions of playing at the game's highest levels in the future.
Instead, the former U.S. Marine is focused firmly on the present as he tries to keep the Hawaiian Islanders rolling toward a division title as he fills in for injured quarterback Darnell Arceneaux.
"I don't know if you can have aspirations as a 31-year-old backup quarterback so you just have to go with the flow," Tillis said. "I'm very content where I'm at, and I'm going to become the best player I can and help my team win."
Tillis is slated to start his third game at quarterback for the Islanders (7-3) when they take on defending arenafootball2 champion Peoria (3-6) tomorrow night at Blaisdell Arena.
Tillis' playing time this season had been limited to holding on extra-point and field-goal attempts until a broken bone in Arceneaux's throwing hand forced him into the action.
Arceneaux had taken every snap this season prior to the Islanders' game with Louisville on June 1. Tillis stepped in and threw for 250 yards and tied a team record with six touchdown passes to lead the Islanders to a 67-48 win.
"He had a good week and he moved the ball in practice and it showed," Islanders coach Cal Lee said. "It didn't surprise anyone."
Tillis and the Islanders struggled early in last week's 58-39 loss at Arkansas, but he still passed for 231 yards and five scores.
The Islanders scored just once in their first four possessions and fell behind 35-7 in the first half. They tried to mount a rally in the second, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
"Last week was a tough game for us," Tillis said. "We came out a little slow and those guys jumped on us. We've got no excuses, we got our butt handed to us. So we have to prepare for Peoria and just fight."
Tillis' football career looked like it wouldn't get past the Pop Warner level once he entered Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he started at shortstop for the school's baseball team.
He graduated in 1990 and enlisted in the Marine Corps two weeks before the start of Operation Desert Storm. By the time he completed his training, the first Gulf War was over and he was stationed at Camp Smith.
"I decided I wanted to be part of something like that, to make me grow up a little bit, get some discipline," Tillis said.
While at Camp Smith, Tillis signed up with an eight-man football league formed among local military units and helped his team to the championship.
After completing his military commitment, Tillis played semi-pro ball with the Leeward Chiefs and Na Kani Koa, and was a backup quarterback for the Islanders' local arena football predecessors, the Hawaii Hurricanes and Hammerheads.
His athleticism and soft hands earned him a spot on the Islanders' roster last year as an offensive specialist and he caught 42 passes for 538 yards and seven touchdowns. He threw just four passes last year, completing three and tossing a touchdown.
Tillis hadn't taken a snap this season until the ache in Arceneaux's throwing hand was diagnosed as a hairline fracture.
"You've got a lot more responsibility," Tillis said of throwing passes instead of catching them. "When I was an OS, I didn't have to do anything but run the routes and read the coverage. Now I have to make sure all these guys are where they're supposed to be. But I like playing quarterback, and I have to step forward and meet the challenge head-on."
Although Tillis' primary role is as a backup quarterback, his versatility enhances his value when the coaches must decide on which 19 players will suit up on game nights.
"He's a dual-purpose player," Lee said. "Most quarterbacks can only play quarterback. With a guy like him, he could step in there and be a receiver. So for us he's a valuable commodity."
Tillis understands that he'll likely be back on the bench when Arceneaux returns to the lineup. But he's not worried about his future playing time, there's too much to think about in the present.
"The whole thing about it is I don't want to let the team down," Tillis said. "So it's best that I do my homework and be ready to play on Saturday."
arenafootball2
Who: Peoria Pirates vs. Hawaiian Islanders
When: Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Blaisdell Arena
TV: None
Radio: KUMU2, 1500-AM
Tickets: Lower Level and loge sold out. Upper level adult $10, children (ages 4-17) $7.
Parking: $3
