There is little statistical debate that can be made for
inserting the prized (albeit belated) recruit Ben Olson at
quarterback in place of his veteran counterpart Drew Olson. In his
nearly two years at the helm of the Bruin offense, Drew has shown
signs of improvement while putting up some very respectable numbers
last season.
And as UCLA enters its first game in less than two weeks, Ben
has amassed exactly zero experience behind center. The raw numbers
would lead you to believe Drew should usher in the new season as
the starter.
But there’s one stat that trumps all others ““
win-loss record.
In two years as the quarterback, Drew has led the team to a pair
of .500 seasons that have been highlighted by late-season
tailspins. And while that cannot all be placed at the feet of Drew,
it can’t be overlooked either. The whimsy of potential can
lead coaches and fans to convince themselves a player has more to
offer than he really does. Maybe that’s the case here.
Yes, there is a risk in tabbing Ben as the starter when Drew is
battle-tested, staring the likes of USC and Cal down on the road
with the crowd buzzing and the snap count fading, but UCLA
hasn’t won many of those battles recently, either.
The job wouldn’t be gift-wrapped for Ben, as the Olsons
have competed stride for stride since spring practice, and Ben has
held his own despite only having a fraction of the experience. This
just speaks to the vast potential of Ben and the chance he has to
turn around coach Karl Dorrell’s program.
E-mail de Jong at adejong@media.ucla.edu.