If Air Force fullback Owen Allen carries a little extra bounce to his step as his team enters the second half of the season, there are two good reasons.

First, a 5-1 record tends to have that effect.

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Second, his steps have been closely monitored and controlled thus far in games and practice.

“All of our goals are still ahead of us,” Allen said.

And Allen is as ready, physically speaking, as he could possibly be for what is to come.

After running for 750 yards while splitting time with then-senior Dylan Carson last year, Allen was named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team and was a candidate for a prolific season this year.

Instead, the senior who carried 20-plus times in three of the final four games last season saw an average of 10.8 carries in the first four games of the season.

That has started to change. At Northern Illinois two weeks ago he ran 13 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns.…