Olsen wants to step in on ‘D’

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 15, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

Derek Olsen has been a key contributer on UNLV's coverage teams the last two seasons. Now the hard-hitting 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior from Indian Springs High School hopes to do the same thing for the Rebel defense.

Olsen and senior Billy Cofer are battling for the starting outside linebacker spot that was supposed to be occupied by preseason all-conference pick Ryan Claridge. But Claridge is expected to miss at least the first month of the season with a muscle strain in his stomach.

Now Olsen, who was recruited out of high school more for his hurdling skills in track, is being counted on to help fill the void for one of UNLV's defensive leaders.

"You never like to see a guy get hurt, but I'm not going to turn down the opportunity to play, either," Olsen said. "I'm going to try and make the most of the opportunities I've been given here."

Olsen originally played safety at UNLV but was moved in the spring to provide depth.

"I love it," he said of the switch. "I've had as much fun there as I've had at the other position. The possibility of maybe getting to start makes it even more fun for me."

"He doesn't have a lot of beef, but he has great speed," UNLV head coach John Robinson said. "I think he has a chance to play a great deal when we play somebody in a passing situation or a team that doesn't try and take the ball and cram it down our throats."

Olsen was one of the conference's top special teams defenders each of the last two years, sprinting down the field kamikaze style to make a number of big hits. He had eight solo tackles as a sophomore and scored the first touchdown of his career when he returned a fumble 22 yards on the opening kickoff against Brigham Young.

"That was fun," Olsen said. "My dad (Richard) had talked to me about how you have to take control of opportunties and not be surprised when they come. It popped right out and I just thought, 'This is it, don't kick it.' I just picked it up and ran it in. It was an awesome feeling."

It was a feeling Olsen almost didn't get to experience despite rushing for more than 2,000 yards in each of his final two seasons at Indian Springs, which plays 8-man football.

"Actually, I was mainly recruited for track and not even for football," Olsen said.

Olsen was one of the top hurdlers on the West Coast, clocking a best of 14.18 in the 110-meter high hurdles and 38.9 in the 300-meter intermediates. Among the schools which recruited him in track was Washington State, where both his father (Richard) and mother (Debra) had run.

But Olsen decided to give football a try at UNLV.

"I do miss running track," Olsen said. "But I love football just the same. I love Coach Robinson for giving me the chance to play here. It's been great."