Phil Olsen - College

College

Phil Olsen was a three-year letterman and three-year starter and in 1969 was a consensus All-America selection for the Utah State University Aggies, in Logan, UT. Olsen was an Alpha Sigma Nu Honorary as one of top 12 USU Seniors, 1970, and like his brother Merlin is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Olsen was also the Aggie Team Captain, 1969 Team MVP, and the 1969 USU Athlete of the Year. Wayne Estes Memorial Award, 1970 for "Top USU Student/Athlete/Citizen". His jersey No. 90 was retired in 1970. After his senior season he played in the East West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl, and College All-Star games.

In Olsen's junior year of 1968 the Aggies were 7–3 and had wins over the University of Wisconsin, Memphis State University, West Texas State, Utah and BYU. He was voted honorable mention All-America honors that season.

In his sophomore year of 1967 the Aggies were 7–2–1 that year and were seven points from a 10–0 season. USU lost to Colorado State University 16–14 on a controversial officiating call that cost the team potential game-winning field goal attempt. The Aggies also lost to New Mexico State 10–9 on a failed two-point conversion that tipped off the receiver’s hands in the end zone which would have won the game. USU tied Wichita State 3–3 in the season opener in which the Aggie defense held Wichita State to 65 total yards and −2 yards rushing. (Former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson was the WSU coaching staff at that time). Wichita State amassed only 65 yards in that game, the third-best effort in USU history. The Aggies held San Diego State University to −5 yards rushing and the University of the Pacific to −35 yards rushing, setting the then school record in that category in the process.

Olsen was co-Captain of the freshman football Team and played on the freshman basketball team as well. (Freshman were not allowed to play NCAA varsity sports until 1972). Dale Brown, of LSU fame, was Olsen's hoops coach as a freshman. That 1966–67 freshman basketball team still holds the record for most wins by a freshman team at USU.

Member of the State of Utah’s Sports Hall of Fame (inducted 1985) and USU’s All-Century Football Team. Inducted into the Utah State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2000, was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the State of Utah’s Top 50 Athletes of the Century. From 2002–2006 was a finalist for the College Football Hall of Fame. He is also a Sigma Chi from the Gamma Kappa Chapter at Utah State University.