Pete Carroll says he couldn't stop crying watching Jake Olson's 'incredible moment'
Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he got emotional watching USC long-snapper Jake Olson take the field in the fourth quarter on Saturday.
Carroll was the Trojans’ coach and invited Olson to meet the team in 2009 after Olson lost his eyesight because of a rare form of eye cancer.
On Monday, Carroll said he “couldn’t stop crying” when he saw Olson take the field and snap for USC’s final extra point in the Trojans’ 49-31 win over Western Michigan. From the Seahawks’ website:
“That was an incredible moment,” Carroll said following Monday’s practice. “I’m so glad that (USC) Coach (Clay) Helton figured out a way to create the opportunity for Jake to show what he could do. This is just an extraordinary young man. Jake has done stuff throughout his life. From the time he was 10 years old, he has been doing remarkable things—he wrote his first book at 10—and onward. For a guy to out there and play in a college football game, snap a ball, they kick the extra point and make it, that’s just something, that’s just something about Jake. Jake’s a huge story. He’s one for all of us about courage and character and grit and vision and special qualities that few people would be able to hold onto.”
Western Michigan coach Tim Lester was aware of Olson’s entry into the game. He said USC coach Clay Helton called him earlier in the week about his potential plans for putting Olson into the game if the opportunity arose.
The extra point was Olson’s first game action with the Trojans. He started practicing with the team in 2015 after getting an NCAA waiver and participated in USC’s 2016 spring game, where he snapped for two extra points.
Tuesday, Olson was on the Dan Patrick show and discussed his talent for golf.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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