Shawn Olson was the star quarterback on the best football team in the country 12 years ago. With him at the helm, UBC made their way to the Vanier Cup, defeating the Ottawa Gee Gees 39–23 to become national champions.

Yesterday he returned to campus, not as a player, but as a coach, as UBC Athletic Director Bob Philip announced at a press conference that Olson had been signed as the head coach of the Thunderbirds, effective immediately.

“We’re turning to someone who was part of that success, the on-field leader of the team,” said Philip.

In announcing the decision, he acknowledged that “the last decade hasn’t been kind for football at UBC.” Since 2000, UBC has won only one playoff game, and have missed the playoffs for the last three seasons.

Olson, who has spent the last three years as offensive coordinator at SFU, who have beaten the ‘Birds in their last four matchups, is up for the challenge.

“I’m humble and excited about the opportunity presented to me,” he said to the media following the announcement. “This program is so storied…there are so many reasons to be excited about UBC football. I can’t wait to meet my team, can’t wait to get started.”

Following the firing of coach Ted Goveia in November, rumours had swirled over who UBC would hire for the position. While many experienced names in both the Canadian Football League and Canadian universities were floated as possible candidates for the position, the T-Birds decided to go with Olson, whose three years at SFU are the only CIS coaching experience he has. Philip didn’t think the inexperience was an hindrance.

“Everyone we interviewed was solid in x’s and o’s, including Shawn. Yes he has less experience, but if you look at other factors, getting alumni more involved, recruiting, having a passion for this, that winning attitude when he was at UBC—all those things pointed to him.”

It is unclear at this point what the fate of the assistant coaches will be, including that of Dino Geremia, who was defensive coordinator for four seasons until being promoted to interim head coach in November. Olson said that as soon as possible he would sit down with all of the coaching staff. “I’m going to see if I can work with them.”

Running back Dave Boyd, who was the athlete representative on the six-man hiring committee, praised Geremia’s work as interim head coach  and defensive coordinator, and expressed hope that the team would rally behind Olson, and “get down to business.”

“It was hard to read the vibe of the meeting when the team was told,” he said. “Guys were shocked, and didn’t know how to react.”

With three straight losing seasons, a short recruiting season due to his late hiring and the looming possibility of joining the NCAA, Olson knows that he will have his work cut out for him.

“There are a lot of mountains to move, and relationships to build, and respect to earn, and work to do, and ultimately a lot of games to win before this will get to where all of us want it to be,” he said. But for the man who once was a UBC student, it’s the chance of a lifetime.

“I remember sometimes being in the aquatic centre, and thinking about this as a dream,” he said. “I didn’t think it would come so soon.”

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