Impatient as he has been to stake his claim to UCLA’s
starting quarterback job, junior Drew Olson wasn’t ready last
year.
There’s reason to believe he might be now. And
that’s not just because he says he is, either.
Olson doesn’t act like the skittish young pup who could
not command respect when he stepped into the huddle a year ago.
No, he conducts himself like a leader now. And for better or
worse, it appears the fate of the UCLA offense will rest on his
right arm.
That was a scary notion as recently as New Year’s Eve
2003, when Olson and the Bruin offense slogged their way to a
wretched 17-9 defeat against Fresno State at the muddy, sloppy
Silicon Valley Classic.
But the silver lining that has emerged from that storm cloud
appears to be the change that cloud made in Olson.
Calling that loss the most embarrassing of his career, Olson
says he is determined never to experience that feeling again.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so
humbled,” he said. “There is a whole lot of motivation
coming from last year.”
Indeed the new year has ushered in a new attitude for Olson.
He helped organize a players-only meeting in the spring,
demanding accountability from everyone in the program.
He spearheaded the team’s daily 6 a.m. workouts this
summer.
He embraced the role of unofficial team spokesman, taking his
place alongside coach Karl Dorrell at Pac-10 Media Day.
That’s right. Gone is the apprehensive 20-year-old who
never quite did enough to seize the starting job from former Bruin
Matt Moore. In his place is a savvy field general.
A veteran.
A quarterback finally comfortable with himself and his role.
“I haven’t felt as good about things in the last two
years I’ve been here,” Olson said.
But he does now.
Part of the reason Olson is more at ease is that the brash,
sometimes abrasive Moore has since departed. It’s much easier
to look ahead, he says, when he doesn’t have to look
constantly over his shoulder.
“The controversy isn’t there (this year),”
Olson said. “It’s really comfortable that I have this
team and this offense. For this team, it’s one less
distraction for us.”
No distractions this fall. And no excuses for Olson to fall
back, on either.
Olson is unquestionably the starter this season. He won’t
be yanked after one bad series, and fans won’t be yelling for
the second stringer, either ““ probably because they
won’t know who to yell for.
UCLA’s backups ““ David Koral and Brian Callahan
““ have yet to take a snap in college, and, if either one has
to take over for Olson, Dorrell might as well start planning for
2005. If, of course, he survives that long.
“We are expecting big things from Drew,” Dorrell
said.
So it’s up to Olson to make the most of his fresh start.
He knows the system and his receivers. He says he has an excellent
relationship with first-year offensive coordinator Tom Cable and
quarterbacks coach Jim Svoboda. He’s ready.
That’s why Olson says he has never been more confident in
going into a season, even though UCLA is picked to finish eighth in
the Pac-10 this year.
“When you’re comfortable, it’s easier,”
he said.
And that might make all the difference for the UCLA offense this
fall.
Eisenberg’s column will run every Monday during
football season. E-mail him at jeisenberg@media.ucla.edu