Drew Olson in New York ...

by Nestor on Nov 14, 2005 6:44 AM PST in Football

If Drew Olson doesn't end up in NYC as one of the finalists of this year's Heisman's awards, then you can officially call the whole process a big joke. Here is Kuwada on DO having one of the best seasons in the history of Pac-10:

Olson also might be having the best all-round season for a quarterback in Pac-10 history; it's certainly one of the most efficient and productive.

[...]

Olson, who had to fight off a challenge from Brigham Young transfer Ben Olson in fall camp just to retain his starting job, has completed 218 of 322 passes (.677) for 2,909 yards this season with the 30 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Elway, perhaps the most prominent name on the list of single-season leaders for touchdown passes at the Pac-10 schools, completed 248 of 379 passes (.654) for 2,889 yards when he set the Stanford record with 27 scoring passes. He was intercepted 11 times in 1980.

Leaf completed 227 of 410 passes (.554) in 1997, with 11 interceptions to go along with his 34 touchdown passes. Smith completed 215 of 371 passes (.579) in 1998, with eight interceptions. And Barnes completed 250 of 420 passes (.595) in 1996, with eight interceptions.

Olson broke the UCLA record of 25 set by Cade McNown in 1998. That season, McNown completed 207 of 357 passes (.580) for 3,470 yards with 11 interceptions and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the top senior quarterback in the nation.

Dohn has more on Olson's mindblowing season in comparison to some of CFB's best:

Matt Leinart owns the Heisman Trophy and it is fruitless to argue about USC's winning streak and his guidance of the top-ranked Trojans. He also has Reggie Bush and LenDale White, and receivers like Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.

Texas' Vince Young is a remarkable talent, combining much-improved passing skills with a remarkable ability to run with the ball, and a wonderful supporting cast.

Olson, who has completed 218 of 322 for 2,909 yards, has thrown for five touchdowns in two games and a school-record six touchdowns in another, and led four comebacks despite trailing by double-digits in the fourth quarter each time.

Olson also made good on a promise 11 months ago to reassess his game, and backed up his speech during a players-only meeting he called the day after the Bruins' undefeated season ended last week at Arizona.

And his value is well beyond throwing the ball.

"He's more relaxed," Drew said. "It's unbelievable how relaxed he is in the huddle. When I fumbled on the goal line, he was like, 'Whatever. We'll get the ball back and drive down,' and that's what we did."

Again, if Olson has a big game and leads this Bruin team in ending the streak on December 3rd, he should get serious Heisman considerations from around the nation. Sure as Dohn notes Young is having an incredible season, but if Olson beats the evil empire it will be very difficult to put some kind of numerical value on what he has meant to the blue and gold. He'd be the second Heisman QB in UCLA's history in our book. In any event as it is right now ... Drew Olson should be headed to NYC. Go Bruins.

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Amen.

What's even more amazing is that DO's receiving corps - with the big exception of Marcedes Lewis - boasts no stars or flat-out burners. Yet DO and the offensive coaching staff have used that to their advantage. By spreading the ball around, and showing confidence in every wideout, he's given defenses nothing to key on. And, of course, it means that our passing attack should start off at a very high level next year, even with a new QB.

DO certainly deserves a world of credit (and a plane ticket to NY.) But IMHO, the entire offensive coaching staff -- Cable, Jim Svoboda and Dino Babers -- have done more to exploit their players' talents than just about any Bruin staff in recent memory.

by BlueBear on Nov 14, 2005 7:35 AM PST reply actions

Better than Cade

Actually, I think he is much better than Cade McNown was, because Cade would mostly throw long passes up in the air and expect his receivers to jump up and get them. Drew Olson has a much better completion percentage, and is doing it with slightly worse receivers than Cade had.

Of course, I have a bias against Cade because he lived below me in Sunset and he was a dick...but Drew's numbers are still more impressive!

by uclawarren on Nov 14, 2005 8:44 AM PST reply actions

Uhm no ...

Cade was 4-0 against USC. He is the greatest UCLA QB of all time. Drew has the numbers in this season. Let's see if he can finish it November 3rd.

by Nestor on Nov 14, 2005 8:48 AM PST up reply actions

USC sucked when Cade played

While Cade was QB, USC was 9-2-1, 6-6, 6-5, and 8-5...not exactly championship material. In none of Cade McNown's years did he have the accuracy or low interception totals that Drew Olson is having this year. Olson may not be better over the course of his career, but his performance this year is better than any year of Cade McNown's. You can't determine how good a QB is by his record against 1 team. This team has won something like 157 games in a row. Plus, like I said, Cade would just throw the ball up and expect his receivers to go up and get them (which is why he threw something like 11 INTs the year he set the UCLA record for TDs). Even in his best year, he had a 58% completion percentage. Regardless of his record against USC, Olson this year is doing better than any of McNown's years.

As for all time, I think Heisman winner Gary Beban may have something to say about that.

by uclawarren on Nov 15, 2005 9:43 AM PST up reply actions

Best year for McNown

When I said, "his best year," I meant the year he put up the most yards and touchdowns (1998), not his best year for completion %, which was 60.6% in 1997.

by uclawarren on Nov 15, 2005 9:47 AM PST up reply actions

Doesn't matter

He still went 4-0. Records do not and should not matter when UCLA and SC gets together. And Cade won all of his four including as a true fresheman against a SC team, which I believe was going to the Rose Bowl. He had a heart of champion when it came to college football and UCLA. And nothing DO does will match Cade's until he notches a win against SC. Period.

by Nestor on Nov 15, 2005 10:09 AM PST up reply actions

Then by that argument...

was Tee Martin a better QB than Peyton Manning, because Manning couldn't beat Florida, and Martin won a National Championship?

I think the numbers speak for themselves.

Over his career, Cade was a better QB. But he had a habit of throwing INTs because he didn't have the good accuracy (not to mention how he constantly blamed his teammates, which is one of the many reasons he didn't do well in the NFL).

This year, unless Olson throws 5 INTs against USC, I would say that his year this year has been the best by any UCLA QB since I have been watching them.

by uclawarren on Nov 15, 2005 11:27 AM PST up reply actions

Not good comparison

Manning and Tee Martin were different kind of QBs. Manning despite his four losses against Florida had four great aggregate years in TN. Manning was the Troy Aikman of Tennessee, who also at UCLA despite his two losses against SC had some big wins, which included victory in high profile games against Nebraska and Arkansas.

DO has had a great season, but none of his 9 wins came against great or even good teams. Cade in comparison had 4 wins against and some huge victories against some great Pac-10 teams. Not to mention he was the heart and sould of a football program that notched 20 wins in a row. Drew has earned a place near some of the elite UCLA QBs, but to say that he is better than Cade is downright silly. Just silly. Losing bowl games against Wyoming and Fresno State, or winning games against mediocre Cal and Oklahoma programs do no compare to what CM accomplished in Westwood. If DO wins on December 3rd, then we can talk. I am certainly pulling for him.

by Nestor on Nov 15, 2005 12:01 PM PST up reply actions

Cade had 5 career wins over Top 20 teams

1995 #12 USC
1997 #18 Washington
1997 #20 Texas A&M
1998 #15 Texas
1998 #4 Arizona

As of this writing DO has no wins ever over ranked teams.
Obviously USC will end the year ranked somewhere, and Oklahoma (6-3) with games left against Texas Tech, Okie St., & a bowl oppoonent, might end the year ranked. So he will end up with, between zero and two wins, over ranked teams.
Prior to this year, DO had won two games against opponents with winning records;
2002 Washington (7-6)
2003 Cal (8-6)
2004 nobody
2005 (aside from Oklahoma & USC), maybe Cal, maybe Stanford, maybe Oregon St., maybe ASU.
Any, all, or none of them could end the year with a winning record.

So he will end his career with somewhere between 3 and 8 wins, in 4 years, over winning teams.

Not quite Cade McNown

by McCloskey on Nov 15, 2005 1:55 PM PST up reply actions

Also include the win over Oregon in 98

I thought that was a huge game now. Last time and the only time ever the GameDay crew from ESPN came to the Rose Bowl for a UCLA game. Cade beat Teford Coached Akili Smith and Ruben Droughns in a huge epic game. Again, DO has nothing close to that. Stats are nice. Ask that to any college football followers who were fans of David Klingler or Andre Ware. But heart and leadership in huge games are entirely different matter. I hope DO gets to show all of that and pull out a win on December 3rd or in a New Year's Day Bowl game.

by Nestor on Nov 15, 2005 3:01 PM PST up reply actions

That was a giant win,

with that epic "vomiting" photo...

The fact is, Drew Olson has never beaten a team that had less than 6 losses.

And if he doesn't beat USC, it's possible that statement will still be true at the end of the season; Rice, SDSU, Washington, WSU, & Arizona all have 6 or more losses already.

Oklahoma has 3 losses and 3 games to play
Cal has 4 losses and 2 games to play
Stanford has 4 losses and either 2 or 3 to play.
Oregon St. & ASU have 5 losses and 1 or 2 to play.

The Bowl Opponent is TBD

If Stanford beats Cal and losses to Notre Dame and,
Oklahoma loses to Texas Tech and Okie St.

All those teams go to a bowl at 6-5
(except ASU & OSU might lose their rivalry games and go 5-6)

It's possible, though improbable, that DO never beats a team with less than 6 losses.

Anyway, USC is the only possible marquee win for DO.

Like I said, hardly the stuff of Cade...

by McCloskey on Nov 15, 2005 3:34 PM PST up reply actions

Cade or Drew?

Statistically speaking, Drew is better hands down. SC speaking, Cade is better hands down. It's however you look at it. You really can't compare the two quarterbacks. It's like comparing apples to oranges. Different quarterbacks, different teams, different eras. UCLA dominated when Cade was quarterback. USC is dominating right now with Drew as quarterback. I say: just sit back and enjoy our quarterback success rather than bicker over who is better. Let's not forget that it wasn't too long ago that our quarterback position was our weakest link (i.e.: Cory Paus).

by ucla2k3 on Nov 15, 2005 11:12 AM PST up reply actions

Congrats to Olson

He certainly deserves it. His performance is not only statistically better than Leinart's this year (and last year for that matter!), but his performance this year is better because it means so much more to his team. Olson is doing it with a less-heralded supporting cast. Take Leinart away from SC and they are still favored in just about every game they play. You can't say the same for Olson and UCLA.

If he doesn't get an invite to New York, it would be a sham award.

by Koach Karl I on Nov 14, 2005 11:07 AM PST reply actions