TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Linebackers coach
Grant Olson had a bit of a Homecoming when head coach
Curt Mallory brought him from Wyoming to join his staff here at Indiana State. However, the last time Olson had stepped foot at Memorial Stadium it was in the yellow and green of North Dakota State.
Olson was a key figure in the beginning of the Bison dynasty that started his sophomore year in 2011 with the first of five-straight FCS national titles – a streak that was snapped just this past season by James Madison.
At NDSU, Olson was a two-time All-American and two-time First-Team All-MVFC honoree with 326 career tackles – eighth in NDSU history. Olson's junior year in 2012 was an especially prolific one, recording 148 total tackles (third-most in NDSU history), including a school-record 29-tackle game against Wofford in the playoffs. In four career games against the Sycamores, Olson tallied 28 total tackles. Olson had a stellar game in 2012, recording 15 of those tackles along with 3.5 TFL, one pass breakup and one QB hurry.
Olson probably doesn't remember that 2012 game for his stat line, though. That was the day that, for the first time in Indiana State history, the Sycamores toppled the No. 1 team in the nation. The Bison would not forget that game for a very long time. NDSU didn't lose a single game until two years later at UNI (23-3) in 2014, and remained perfect inside the Fargodome for three years before falling to South Dakota 24-21 on a last-second field goal in 2015.
That said, Olson is happy to be back in familiar territory in the MVFC.
"This conference prepares you," Olson said. "There's nothing like going into the playoffs and playing teams from other conferences who aren't used to the physicality and the week-in, week-out competition that the Missouri Valley brings. There's nothing that prepares you for the FCS Playoffs like the Missouri Valley regular season."
Olson first teamed up with Mallory out in Wyoming, where he followed former NDSU head coach Craig Bohl after the 2014 season. Olson was a graduate assistant there in 2015 and 2016, where he developed a bond with Mallory on the defensive side of the ball.
"My first impression was that he was a professional," Olson said. "He was just on top of everything that he did. Very detailed, very organized, and worked extremely hard. He treated people great as well."
Now in charge of the linebackers here at Indiana State, Olson has a lot in common with defensive coordinator
Brad Wilson in the type of linebacker they're seeking.
"We're looking for people that like to hit," Olson said. "We're looking for linebackers that can fly around and make a lot of plays, and this scheme allows them to do that."
Most importantly, Olson is looking to bring some of that winning mentality and championship pedigree he learned during his historic time with the Bison here with the Sycamores.
"I want to work with people that want to be the best in the conference, they want to go after national championships, they're not going to settle for good," Olson said. "They want to achieve that greatness and excellence."
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Saturday morning marked the second scrimmage of Spring Ball for Coach Mallory and the Sycamores. The offense regained the upper-hand after the defense took control in the first scrimmage last week.
However, the scrimmage was overshadowed by a scary moment involving walk-on Dante Gray, who suffered a neck injury. Gray was awake following the hit and is now doing fine, but was carted off the field and taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.
Just two weeks remain in the spring practice schedule, culminating in the Spring Game on Friday, April 21, at 4 p.m.
Day 10 (April 11): 5:15-7:15 a.m.
Day 11 (April 13): 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Day 12 (April 14): TBA
Day 13 (April 18): 5:15-7:15 a.m.
Day 14 (April 20): 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Day 15 (April 21, Spring Game): 4:00 p.m.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including
Facebook and
Twitter.
