2013 College Football Performance.com FCS Linebacker Watch List
2012 College Sporting News FCS Fabulous Fifty
2012 College Sports Journal FCS All-America Honorable Mention
2012 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team
2012 MVFC Defensive Player of the Week
2012 College Football Performance.com FCS Playoffs Weekly Award
2012 College Football Performance.com Weekly H.M.
Hard-working player who has played a key role on defense and special teams in 44 games including 16 starts ... One of four team captains in 2012 ... Named to College Football Performance.com FCS Linebacker Watch List ... Has six games with double-figure tackes including a school record 29 stops vs. Wofford (12-8-12) in NCAA FCS quarterfinals ... Broke the old mark of 26 set by FS Ken Clark vs. Nebraska-Omaha in 1989 ... Contributed as true freshman ... 2012 SEASON (JUNIOR): Earned all-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team honors ... Named to College Sporting News FCS Fabulous Fifty and honorable mention on College Sports Journal FCS All-America team ... Started all 15 games ... Led Bison defense with 148 tackles including 51 solos, 11.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks ... His 148 tackles was the first 100+ tackle effort since 1998 (LB Ben Ahneman, 116) ... School record is 167 charted by LB Jim Dick in 1985 ... Added four QB hurries, a pair of fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble ... Bout with appendicitis couldn't keep out of NCAA FCS Championship game vs. Sam Houston State (1-5-13) ... Ranked 5th in the MVFC and 24th in NCAA FCS in tackles (9.87 avg/g) ... His 29 tackles vs. Wofford (12-8-12) included a school record 23 assists ... Finished with five double-figure tackle games ... Twice earned College Football Performance.com FCS Playoff weekly honors ... Had 12 tackles including 11 solos in 38-20 win at Illinois State (11-17-12), coming up one solo shy of matching school record ... NDSU boasted the nation’s top scoring defense (11.53 ppg) in 2012, and also led the country in total defense (234.47 avg/g) and first downs allowed (12.67 avg/g). The Bison ranked 2nd in pass defense (140.6 avg/g), 4th in rush defense (93.87 avg/g), 9th in turnover margin (+1.00 avg/g) and 17th in pass efficiency defense (113.67) ... 2011 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Played in all 15 games ... Recorded 44 tackles including 13 solos, a pair of sacks ... Logged five quarterback hurries ... Had a season-high eight tackles in NCAA FCS semifinal win vs. Georgia Southern (12-17-11), matching a career-high with six assisted tackles and two QB hurries ... Part of nation’s top scoring defense (12.73 ppg) that also ranked 8th in turnover margin (+1.20 avg/g), 16th in pass efficiency defense (110.53 rating), 17th in rushing defense (118.73 avg/g), 19th in sacks (2.67 avg/g) and 20th in total defense (315.93 avg/g) ... 2010 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Played in all 14 games including one start ... Finished with 52 tackles including 24 solos, 4.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a pair of QB hurries and one sack ... Recorded a season-high 11 tackles including five solos, three tackles for loss and two QB hurries in NCAA playoff start vs. Robert Morris (11-27-10) ... Had season-high six solos at Montana State (12-4-10) ... Twice had six assisted tackles including vs. Indiana State (10-23-10) ... Part of the Bison defense that ranked 7th nationally in both scoring defense (18.21 ppg) and turnover margin (+1.07 avg.) ... HIGH SCHOOL: 2010 graduate of Wayzata High School ... All-state performer for Wayzata High School and head coach Brad Anderson ... Member of 2008 state championship team ... Wayzata compiled 32-4 record during varsity career ... Recorded 301 tackles including 51 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in three-year career for Trojans, only second behind James Laurinaitis of the St. Louis Rams ... Added three interceptions, three forced fumbles, a pair of blocked kicks and one TD ... During junior and senior seasons, defense only allowed 11 TDs and 75.3 percent of defensive series were 3 and outs ... Two-time all-conference football selection, while also picking up all-area and all-metro honors ... Three-year state tournament qualifier and all-conference wrestler at 215 pounds ... PERSONAL: Son of Lee and Betty Olson ... Has one brother, Luke ... Majoring in industrial engineering ... Worked at Johnson’s Pest Control.
Olson’s Career Bests
Solo Tackles: 11 at Illinois State, 11-17-12
Assisted Tackles: 23 vs. Wofford, 12-8-12
Total Tackles: 29 vs. Wofford, 12-8-12
Game W/Double-Figure Tackles: 6 (5, 2012 / 1, 2010)
Tackles for Loss: 3.5 vs. Indiana State, 10-13-12
Sacks: 1.5 vs. South Dakota State, 11-10-12
Forced Fumbles: 1 vs. three teams, last vs. Prairie View A&M, 9-22-12
QB Hurries: 2 vs. three teams, last vs. Georgia Southern, 12-17-11
