Ben Olson
Encyclopedia
Benjamen James Olson is an American football
quarterback
. He played for the UCLA Bruins football
team. He excelled in football at Thousand Oaks High School
, earning high school All-American honors in 2001.
In 2001, Olson was considered the top quarterback prospect and even top high school football recruit in the country following a highly productive senior year in which he threw for 2,989 yards and 32 touchdowns.
upon graduating from Thousand Oaks High School
in 2002 and redshirted his freshman season. Olson then went on a 2 year mission
to Canada with the LDS Church.
Olson transferred to UCLA from BYU in 2005, where he spent the year behind senior Drew Olson
(no relation) on the depth chart. Many BYU fans were disappointed by Olson's decision to transfer, but the excellent play by BYU's quarterbacks since Olson's departure has softened the blow.
Olson played in five games in 2006, completing 63.7% of his passes for 822 yards, 6.63 yards per attempt, 5 TDs and 5 INTs. Olson's season came to an end in the opening moments of his fifth start when he was injured. Though Olson regained his health, he did not regain the starting position that season.
Olson was named starting quarterback for the 2007 Season following the spring training. However, he was plagued, yet again, by injuries and only played in 6 games, completing only 48.3% of his passes for 1040 yards, 7.08 yards per attempt, 7 TDs and 6 INTs.
Entering the 2008 season, Olson was the presumptive starting quarterback after a career-ending knee injury to Patrick Cowan, the named starter during spring practice. However, on Saturday, August 9 Olson broke his foot and was sidelined. Olson, whose career has been marked by injuries, broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during practice, and X-rays taken Sunday, August 10 revealed the fracture. He suffered the same injury during spring practice. His broken right foot took longer than expected to heal and he finished his college football career without playing a game that year.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He played for the UCLA Bruins football
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
team. He excelled in football at Thousand Oaks High School
Thousand Oaks High School
Thousand Oaks High School is a high school established in 1962 and located in Thousand Oaks, California. It is a California Distinguished School, and offers curriculum at all levels for Thousand Oaks students. The mascot is the lancer...
, earning high school All-American honors in 2001.
High school career
Olson played quarterback for Thousand Oaks High School for 4 years. For 3 of those years, he played on the varsity team, alongside David Anderson.In 2001, Olson was considered the top quarterback prospect and even top high school football recruit in the country following a highly productive senior year in which he threw for 2,989 yards and 32 touchdowns.
College career
Olson signed with Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
upon graduating from Thousand Oaks High School
Thousand Oaks High School
Thousand Oaks High School is a high school established in 1962 and located in Thousand Oaks, California. It is a California Distinguished School, and offers curriculum at all levels for Thousand Oaks students. The mascot is the lancer...
in 2002 and redshirted his freshman season. Olson then went on a 2 year mission
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to Canada with the LDS Church.
Olson transferred to UCLA from BYU in 2005, where he spent the year behind senior Drew Olson
Drew Olson
Drew Martin Olson is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at UCLA...
(no relation) on the depth chart. Many BYU fans were disappointed by Olson's decision to transfer, but the excellent play by BYU's quarterbacks since Olson's departure has softened the blow.
Olson played in five games in 2006, completing 63.7% of his passes for 822 yards, 6.63 yards per attempt, 5 TDs and 5 INTs. Olson's season came to an end in the opening moments of his fifth start when he was injured. Though Olson regained his health, he did not regain the starting position that season.
Olson was named starting quarterback for the 2007 Season following the spring training. However, he was plagued, yet again, by injuries and only played in 6 games, completing only 48.3% of his passes for 1040 yards, 7.08 yards per attempt, 7 TDs and 6 INTs.
Entering the 2008 season, Olson was the presumptive starting quarterback after a career-ending knee injury to Patrick Cowan, the named starter during spring practice. However, on Saturday, August 9 Olson broke his foot and was sidelined. Olson, whose career has been marked by injuries, broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during practice, and X-rays taken Sunday, August 10 revealed the fracture. He suffered the same injury during spring practice. His broken right foot took longer than expected to heal and he finished his college football career without playing a game that year.