The Associated Press

IRVING, Texas - Erik Bickerstaff's debut with the Dallas Cowboys last week was nothing remarkable: nine carries for 41 yards, two kickoff returns for 24 yards.

What is remarkable: The last time he played that much he was a junior. In high school. In 1996.

Convinced he could make it to the NFL, he refused to give up on his dream. He certainly had plenty of chances - such as this time last year, when he was a janitor cleaning Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium.

"I just knew that I had the talent to play at any level," Bickerstaff said. "I got calls from my friends in the league. They told me, 'You've got the talent, just keep it up and you're going to be right here with me.' "

Before Sunday, Bickerstaff's last action at tailback was in 1996, his junior year at North High School in Waukesha, Wis. He was named all-league and was looking forward to a big senior season when he was caught drinking and suspended for a year.

Forgotten or ignored by colleges, his only scholarship offer was from Division I-AA Northern Iowa. And it was to run track.

Bickerstaff walked on at Wisconsin instead. But the Badgers already had Ron Dayne and Michael Bennett at tailback, so Bickerstaff was moved to fullback.

He paid his dues for four years - a redshirt season plus three more - with just one carry to show for it.

Fully prepared for his senior season, Bickerstaff was found ineligible because of a low ACT score. Coaches steered him toward an NAIA school, but he eventually made his way back to Wisconsin, where he couldn't play but could sweep floors for $8.50 an hour. He paid his own tuition.

After nothing but fleeting looks by NFL teams, Bickerstaff set out to put his sociology degree to work.

In June, Dallas offered him a tryout, an event for which Bickerstaff wasn't prepared. Coaches told him to get in shape and wait for a call.

His second chance came in August and Bickerstaff nailed it, earning a spot on the 53-man roster.

He became the scout-team tailback but seemed out of the picture. Bickerstaff was inactive the first eight games, then waived and re-signed to the practice squad.

His big break came last week.

"This is a player who was a very, very long shot coming to training camp," coach Bill Parcells said. "But he's not without some skill, and he's done everything we've asked him to do."

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