Aug. 18, 2001

LOGAN, Utah - Despite earning All-America honors in 1968 and 1969, being a first-round National Football League draft pick in 1970 and playing seven seasons in the NFL, Phil Olsen never earned all-conference honors while playing football at Utah State.

The reason? Utah State was an independent during his tenure from 1967-69, just like this year's Aggie team. Olsen, who was a three-year starter at defensive tackle, a finalist for the Outland Trophy, given annually to the nation's top defensive lineman in 1969 and the fourth pick overall of the 1970 draft by the Boston Patriots, dropped by Utah State's August 17 practice and spoke to the team.

He touched on a number of subjects, including not playing in a conference, which USU is doing this year for the first time since 1977 after 23 years of playing in the Big West Conference.

"I think being an independent has a number of advantages," Olsen said. "You get the opportunity to play different teams from different conferences every year and not having to play the same teams all the time. It gives you an opportunity to get exposure around the country. When I was here we were independent and played all over the country. I think that was one of the reasons I won as many as awards and honors as I did, because so many different people got to see me play. If I had played just in the mountain west, I am not sure I would have gotten the recognition that I did."

This year the Utah State football team will definitely take their game "around the country." The Aggies will play in four different time zones and travel more than 15,000 miles with trips to the states of Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, and California.

Olsen, who moved from Washington D.C. to Bozeman, Mont. last year, told the players that there are many Aggies following their progress.

"We talked about turning the program around and that they are part of a rebuilding effort here," he said. "I told them they are carrying the torch for all the old guys like me that have worn the blue and white through the years. I just encouraged them to start with personal effort. It is very important to have expectations and that an expect to win attitude is so important. I am a big believer is self fulfilling prophecy and I wanted them to focus on getting themselves ready to play through mental and physical preparation. Effort has to proceed any kind of success and winning.

"I also talked about the importance of spending time in the classroom because if all they have to show from their time at Utah State is what they did on the football field and they don't graduate and are not prepared for the next stage of their lives then I am not sure that it was all worth it for them," Olsen said.

His messages were not lost on the players.

"It is amazing to see a guy that was so great and had so much fun at Utah State, that it kind of reaffirms why you came here and what it means to you to be a Utah State football player and it makes you feel good about it, especially when you are going through two-a-days as hard as they are.," said USU defensive end Ryan Duncan. "It was nice to see someone who was afforded so many great things just by playing football here."

"I think it is great to have a local guy that did so well at Utah State come back here and talk to all these guys and talk about the legacy of Utah State football," said USU quarterback Jeff Crosbie, who grew up in Cache Valley. "A lot of these guys did not know about Utah State football until they were recruited. People need to understand that there are a lot of Aggies out there that want us to succeed and do well and Phil Olsen is a great example of that."

Olsen, who plans on commuting from Bozeman and attending at least two USU home games this year talked about how special his USU experiences were.

"I think there is something magical about going to school at Utah State and living in Cache Valley and once you are an Aggie you are always an Aggie," he said. "As I was telling these young men, it is not just me out here today, I am here in front of them representing every Aggie who has ever worn the blue and white and we are pulling for this team and really hoping they can turn it around and get it going in the right direction."

After Olsen spoke to the team on Friday, Demario Brown, who finished his USU career in 1999 as the school's career rushing leader with 4,053 yards, dropped by practice on Saturday to speak to the team as well.

It is always good to have the alums back," said USU head coach Mick Dennehy. "When you get someone like Phil who had a great career here and has nothing but special feelings about Utah State and his experiences here as a player and his education and what it has meant to him and what he has done beyond his football career it is great.

"The neat thing is that we are always hammering into the kids about playing hard, playing smart, taking advantage of your education and enjoying your experience as an athlete and giving a little back to the community when you can," Dennehy said. "It is nice to have someone come in and reinforce some of the things that we are trying to get across to the kids. The kids were attentive. It is neat for a guy that has had the kind of career that he has had to come back and tell the kids that the guys that he played with are still Aggies and still follow them."

During Olsen's three years, Utah State posted a 7-2-1 record in 1967, a 7-3 mark in 1968 and a 3-7 slate in 1969. Olsen talked about the ups and downs of success on the field.

"The biggest thing to me was him talking about how he went through some great seasons and then they went through a season where they struggled," Crosbie said. "Recently we have had seasons where we have struggled, yet if we all just work hard we can put it together and be successful."

Olsen believes this team can make the Aggie faithful proud and soon.

"I was really proud of the team last year," Olsen said. "I saw them beat Idaho here last year, which was a big moment during the season. I have met coach Dennehy and members of his staff. I am real excited about them. I think they bring a very positive attitude to Utah State football and I am very hopeful they can be successful this year."

Utah State will start its 2001 season at Utah on Sept. 1.

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