USC searching for way to get blind player into a game
Published 4:37 pm Wednesday, September 23, 2015
LOS ANGELES — Blind long-snapper Jake Olson got his first taste of live action with No. 19 Southern California on Wednesday, and coach Steve Sarkisian is already thinking about scenarios to get him into a game.
Currently limited in what drills he can participate in and wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, Olson delivered a perfect snap to begin a successful field goal try during practice. The USC freshman, who is on a special scholarship for physically challenged athletes, did not face a live rush.
Olson frequently attended USC games and practices as a guest of former coach Pete Carroll before a form of cancer took his sight as a 12-year-old. He was a long-snapper for his Orange County high school team.
Though there is no timetable for when Olson might get into a game, Sarkisian said he would come to a “mutual agreement” with an opposing coach so Olson could safely participate in game action.
“Just from a sheer sportsmanship standpoint it sends a tremendous message for college athletics,” Sarkisian said. “For our program, what it would mean to our team for Jake to be able to do that would be tremendous from a morale standpoint.”
With No. 19 USC coming off a 41-31 upset loss to Stanford in its Pac-12 opener, Sarkisian said watching Olson overcome adversity sends a good message to the team.
“I think it puts a lot of things into perspective for a lot of people around here that life’s pretty good,” Sarkisian said. “You’re having a bad day and you see that guy go out there and snap the ball and do it the way he did, it’s pretty inspiring.”
