For the time being at least, it looks like the UCLA football
team is once again locked in a quarterback derby to decide who
should lead the team into the new season.
Last year it was incumbent senior Drew Olson competing against
redshirt freshman Ben Olson, the all-everything recruit from
Thousand Oaks who transferred in after completing his Mormon
mission.
It looked as if Ben Olson would perhaps win the job before a
finger injury forced the coaching staff’s hand. Drew Olson
was named the starter and had perhaps the best season for any UCLA
quarterback in history.
This year, however, was supposed to be Ben Olson’s show.
It was supposed to be the time for the No. 1 recruit in 2002 to
show what he’s got and lead the Bruins, continuing the
momentum built up from last year’s success. That plan seems
to have hit a snag, however, as Olson is still locked in a battle
with redshirt sophomore Pat Cowan for the starting job, as the two
have so far been splitting repetitions with the first-team offense
in training camp.
It appears Olson currently has the edge and will eventually win
out, but it’s time for him to take charge and own the
position.
The consensus among the national media is that the Bruins will
take a giant step back from last year’s 10-2 record, based on
the effect of the losses of Drew Olson, Maurice Drew and Marcedes
Lewis along with the number of close wins UCLA had. College
Football News goes so far as to predict only a 5-7 season for the
Bruins.
If the Bruins are going to defy expectations and approach last
year’s record, they will need Ben Olson to step up and become
a leader for the team. He needs to let his play show that he is
capable and willing to live up to the hype with which he arrived on
campus two years ago.
Coach Karl Dorrell has held off naming a starter as of yet, but
says there might be a possibility of doing so before the scrimmage
at the end of the week. Hopefully, Ben Olson will prove himself
beforehand so he can emerge as the clear-cut starter in preparation
for Utah’s visit to the Rose Bowl on Sept. 2.
E-mail Jonathan Lee at jlee3@media.ucla.edu.