Ben Olson - UCLA

**rjt721** · 09-19-07, 05:52 PM

Looks like his availability is still up in the air. A decision either way probably won't be made until Thursday or Friday.

Dorrell says quarterback is suffering from headaches, and it isn’t clear if he will play this week.

By Chris Foster, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
9:27 PM PDT, September 18, 2007

UCLA's problems got a little worse Tuesday, as quarterback Ben Olson did not practice because of "headaches," Coach Karl Dorrell said.

Patrick Cowan was in charge of the first-team offense in his first full practice since returning from a partially torn hamstring. Whether Olson would be ready in time for Saturday's game against Washington is unclear. Olson was not allowed to speak with the media Tuesday and Dorrell was vague about the injury. Olson was battered repeatedly in Saturday's 44-6 loss to Utah.

"Ben has a headache and he's had this headache since Saturday night," Dorrell said.

Asked the headaches were from a concussion, Dorrell said, "That's not what I anticipate it being. But we just want to be smart because we had a rash of concussions lately."

On Sunday, Dorrell said Olson was OK and he did not include him in his injury report during a Monday news conference.

Last week, Dorrell said that linebacker Aaron Whittington was suffering from "nausea," then admitted Sunday that Whittington had suffered a concussion for the second consecutive week in the Utah game.

Olson missed the last eight games of the season in 2007 because of a knee injury. Cowan took over the team and led the Bruins to victories in the last three regular-season games, including USC.

Cowan said little about his chances of starting, other than "I'm preparing to play if needed."

Olson would have to practice by Thursday in order to play, Dorrell said.

"[Ben] feels better today and the doctors wanted him to stay out one more day," Dorrell said. "He feels good, but we'll see how he feels tomorrow."

The Bruins already will be without five starters: wide receiver Marcus Everett (ankle), guard Shannon Tevaga (knee), defensive tackle Brigham Harwell, defensive end Nikola Dragovic and Whittington. Fullback Michael Pitre has yet to play this season, meaning the Bruins could go into Saturday's game without seven of their 20 returning starters from last season.

LOS ANGELES - Quarterback Patrick Cowan took most of his snaps working with UCLA's first-team offense, and he could find himself in that role Saturday when the Bruins host Washington at the Rose Bowl.

Starter Ben Olson, who was battered and sacked five times at Utah, did not practice Tuesday because of a head injury.

Bruins coach Karl Dorrell would not term Olson's injury a concussion, but also was uncertain if the quarterback would practice today.

"Ben has a headache, and he's had this headache since Saturday night," Dorrell said. "He feels better, but the doctors wanted him to stay out one more day. He feels good, but we'll see how he does (today). We just want to be smart. We've had a rash of concussions, so we held him out for precautionary reasons."

Olson was requested for an interview, but he was not made available.

UCLA does not make quarterbacks available to the media on Wednesdays.

Olson's injury comes as Cowan returned to practice. Cowan pulled his hamstring a month ago, and took part in his first full practice while Olson watched while wearing a baseball cap.

If Olson does not play, Cowan appears to be the likely replacement, but Dorrell also said walk-on
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McLeod Bethel-Thompson could start.

"We'll have a quarterback in there," Dorrell said. "I couldn't tell you who right now."

**pags11** · 09-19-07, 10:19 PM

onlooker,

I watched the entire tape of last week's game...Olson got the shit beat out of him...Cowan, his back-up, is coming off a hamstring injury, and those can be tricky...lastly, UCLA's offensive line is very banged up (which is why they are having trouble scoring points)...that's all I got as of now...

**onlooker** · 09-20-07, 02:40 AM

Thanks guys.

**onlooker** · 09-20-07, 10:06 AM

Olson downgraded to DOUBTFUL for Saturday. Cowan expected to start.

**bigboydan** · 09-20-07, 12:17 PM

Heres the scoop looker:

The UCLA Bruins could be without starting quarterback Ben Olson for Saturday’s Pac-10 clash at Washington. Olson hasn't trained this week because of persistent headaches and may have suffered a concussion in last week’s 44-6 loss to Utah – a game in which he was sacked five times and took some heavy hits.

Patrick Cowan, who recently returned from a torn hamstring, will likely get the start. The Bruin’s No. 3 quarterback is walk-on McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

**pags11** · 09-21-07, 02:39 AM

you just don't return from a torn hamstring that easy...Cowan's pocket mobility will be very limited...if he's forced to scramble at all, he could easily tear it again...