Rich Olson Named Offensive Coordinator
Feb. 17, 2006
Coral Gables – – Rich Olson, one of the most respected offensive coaches in football, has been named offensive coordinator at the University of Miami, where he worked for three years with great success in the early 1990s. He will also coach the team’s running backs.
A 29-veteran coach in college football and the NFL, Olson has coached some of the top names in college and pro football. He was UM’s wide receivers coach in 1992 and was an integral part of Gino Torretta’s success when the quarterback won the Heisman Trophy that year. In addition, Olson has coached quarterbacks such as Daunte Culpepper, Jake Plummer and Warren Moon in the NFL, in addition to star players like Trent Dilfer, Eric Dickerson and Craig James in college football.
“I think the University of Miami, our coaching staff and our players are fortunate to have Rich Olson as part of the football program,” said Coker. “He’s going to be a great addition because of his knowledge of football, but more important because of his ability to unite our offensive staff and get our offense going into the direction we want it to go.”
Olson said, “I am so excited to be coming back to the University of Miami. I enjoyed my time and here and now I get an opportunity to come back and compete for a national championship. That’s what college football is about. To win consistently, you have to be able to run the football. We have a really good quarterback, a tight end and receivers. But we have to be able to run the ball. We can’t throw it every down. If defenses have to defend the run and the pass, then we have a better chance to win.”
Dennis Erickson, now the head coach at Idaho, said “Rich coached for me on and off for 10 years. He’s been my offensive coordinator; he’s done everything for me. Rich is one of the great minds, offensively, in football — college and professional. He will be a great plus at the University of Miami.”
Torretta added, “I think Rich Olson is going to be a wonderful addition, and I really believe that the players will like him and respond to him. I expect us to have a more aggressive aerial attack than before.”
And Ken Dorsey, another former UM quarterback who was coached by Olson a year ago with the San Francisco 49ers, commented, “Coach Olson will be a great fit. His offensive philosophy will allow him to do a lot of things with the speed and athleticism that UM has on the team and always recruits. It’s great that he is a former coach with the Hurricanes. He knows and understands the level of success the program has had and has been a part in that success.”
Olson spent the last 11 years in the NFL, after following Erickson from UM to the Seattle Seahawks in 1994. He has also coached with the Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings.
In his 18 years in college football, Olson has worked for top coaches such as Erickson, Lou Holtz and John Robinson. At UM, he was the wide receivers coach in 1992, the quarterbacks coach in 1993, and then the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 1994.
Prior to that he spent seven years under Jim Sweeney at Fresno State, where he tutored first-round draft choice Trent Dilfer, as well as Kevin Sweeney, who broke Doug Flutie’s NCAA record for passing yardage. Olson coached on Holtz’s staff at Arkansas for three years, at Southern Methodist under Ron Meyer, and at Southern California under Robinson. He began his coaching career at Gahr High School in Cerritos, Calif. in 1971.
A native of Montebello, Calif., Olson was a quarterback at Washington State. He and his wife, Cindy, have a daughter, Kasey.
RICH OLSON’S COACHING CAREER2005 Minnesota Vikings (quarterbacks)2004 San Francisco 49ers (quarterbacks)2001-2002 Arizona Cardinals (offensive coordinator)1999-2000 Washington Redskins (quarterbacks)1995-98 Seattle Seahawks (quarterbacks)1991-94 University of Miami (receivers, offensive coordinator)1984-90 Fresno State (offensive coordinator)1981-83 Arkansas (secondary)1978-80 Southern Methodist (offensive line, running backs)1977 Southern California (assistant offensive line)1976 Fresno State (secondary)1971-76 Gahr High School (Cerritos, Calif.) secondary, receivers, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT RICH OLSONNorv Turner on Olson: “Rich is a great guy, a great person and a great coach. He has a great background in the passing game. He has a complete understanding of the passing game as it relates to the quarterback. He can relate to quarterbacks. He can evaluate what they do best. He’s been at Miami, so he’ll be comfortable there, and I know he liked his time there. I’m happy for him.”
Dave McGinnis on Olson: “Rich is very well-schooled in offensive football in a lot of areas, not just the passing game. He is equally strong in the running game. He relates well not just to quarterbacks but to everybody – offensive linemen, backs, receivers. He really has great rapport with his players. He has energy and knowledge, but it’s practical knowledge, and he can put it to use. He has great knowledge of different offenses in both college and pro football.”
Brad Johnson on Olson: “Rich is great with people and he’s been around the college and pro game for a long time. He’s very knowledgeable. He understands concepts and schemes and is going to be a huge plus for the University of Miami. I’ve been lucky to be with him for three seasons. He’s easy to work with, very organized and makes football a lot of fun. I wish him all the luck in his new position, except when they play Florida State.”
