Bruins' QB has no regrets

LOS ANGELES — If things had worked out differently, Ben Olson might be playing against Utah in the last game of this season rather than the first.

However, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound highly touted quarterback will lead the UCLA Bruins against the Utes on Saturday at 5 p.m. MDT at the famed Rose Bowl in the season opener for both teams.

Olson was a big deal four years ago, spending a year at BYU after being the top prep recruit in the nation the year before.

Soon after the 2002 season ended, Olson left on an LDS mission to Canada. But instead of returning to BYU, where he could possibly be the starter now, Olson transferred to UCLA, where he'll make his first college start against the Utes in front of a crowd of 70,000-plus.

The affable Olson said he is happy with his decision to move to UCLA and claims he has no hard feelings toward BYU. He's just excited to be making his college debut Saturday afternoon.

"Things have been going really well," he said. "I've been preparing myself to be the starter since last year. I'm looking forward to playing Utah."

When he came out of Thousand Oaks, Calif., as the top quarterback recruit in the country and enrolled at BYU, Olson could have gone anywhere he wanted. Everyone was after his services, and after narrowing his choices to Michigan, Tennessee, USC, UCLA and BYU, he decided on BYU.

"I felt that was the place for me to go at the time," Olson said. "They were 12-2, No. 1 in the nation in offense and I'd grown up watching BYU."

Olson came within an eyelash of playing in 2002 and losing a year of eligibility and, who knows, perhaps continuing his career in Provo if he'd finished the season at QB.

The Cougars went up to Utah State in early October and fell behind 34-7 at halftime. BYU coaches decided at the half they would let starter Bret Engemann play one more series and then give their freshman a try if things didn't improve.

However, Engemann promptly led his team on a touchdown drive and stayed in the rest of the half as the Cougars rallied to a 35-34 victory. Olson stayed on the bench that night and for the rest of the year. But he harbors no hard feelings toward his former school.

"I loved it," Olson said of his time at BYU. "I have nothing but good things to say about BYU. It's a great place, a great school."

So why did he leave Provo?