This is a strange time to be Ben Olson.
After his eminently forgettable play in Utah’s 44-6 drubbing of UCLA, in which he threw three interceptions and led an offense that couldn’t find much rhythm, Olson suffered from concussion-like symptoms, according to coaching staff. Although never officially acknowledged as a concussion, his headaches and dizziness last week kept him out of the game against Washington. In his place, a gimpy Pat Cowan, who was nursing a tender hamstring, got the starting nod. In street clothes on the sideline last Saturday night, Olson watched his backup lead the Bruins to a 44-31 win over the Huskies to put to bed the frustration from the previous week’s loss.
It was a familiar sight. Cowan, just as he did for the second half of the 2006 season, stepped in for the injured Olson and somehow pieced together enough plays to win a ball game. Cowan’s play wasn’t pretty last week; it never is textbook. Yet it’s obvious he brought an energy and rhythm to the offense that had been sorely lacking under Olson’s leadership.
“It seemed like Pat had more energy, and Ben’s more serious,” senior wide receiver Brandon Breazell said.
However, luck would not provide us with the intrigue of a quarterback controversy. Just as Olson healed up, passing all his neurological exams to be cleared to play this week against Oregon State, an MRI revealed Cowan had partially torn the MCL in his right knee last week.
So Olson is back in, just like that. Whether or not he would have reclaimed the starting job if Cowan was healthy is pure conjecture.
And so Olson gets a shot at redemption this week. How long this second chance lasts will depend entirely upon his play. If the team is winning, which won’t happen without an efficient passing attack, then Olson will keep his job. If the team falters, we could be looking at the prolonged tenure of Pat Cowan.
“It is (a weird situation),” Olson said. “Usually when you’re hurt you’re usually out a few weeks or a little bit longer than just a week. Luckily it wasn’t such an extended period of time, and it won’t make a big difference in terms of timing or anything like that.”
Olson reiterated that he recovered from his “headaches” last Thursday night and feels fine ““ “They put me through about a million tests so I’m good.” But his pre-concussion play was downright sickly. Is it possible that sitting out a week, watching his backup rally the team and get a much-needed win at the Rose Bowl could have helped motivate him?
“You gain a unique perspective when you’re not able to be out there playing,” he said. “It’s definitely not a fun thing to watch your team out there on a Saturday night and you’re kind of just standing there.”
While the rest of his teammates have already put the Utah debacle behind them, Olson will be looked at to deliver a statement game.
Yet he will also be expected to step in for Cowan and pick up where the team left off. Does he find himself in an unfair situation? Maybe, but he would never publicly acknowledge that.
And to be completely fair, more will be required of Olson this week against Oregon State than was asked of Cowan last week. The Beavers have the best run defense in the Pac-10, allowing 0.9 rushing yards per attempt. So while Kahlil Bell and Chris Markey ran all over the Huskies, who allow 4.5 yards per run, second-to-last in the conference, the numbers figure that Olson is going to have to play well on the road for the Bruins to win. And playing well on the road hasn’t been his strength.
All of this made for an unusually interesting week of practice.
“He (was) anxious to get back out there,” offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. “He’s disappointed the way things went the last time he was out on the field, but as a player, the only way you can rectify that is to get back on the field.”
Of course, this isn’t how Olson’s season was supposed to turn out. 2007, much like his entire UCLA career, has been marred by more injuries and interceptions than anyone would have predicted just a few short years ago.
All things considered, though, it is not too late for Olson to become an elite quarterback who leads UCLA to a major bowl. But who would have thought a gimpy Pat Cowan would be looming over his shoulder?
E-mail de Jong at adejong@media.ucla.edu.