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Blind USC fan Jake Olson cleared to play for USC as long snapper

By Patrick Schmidt

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Blind long snapper is cleared by the NCAA to play for the USC Trojans.

Jake Olson was cleared by the NCAA after a lengthy process for the blind long snapper waited for clearance to walk-on the USC football team, sharing the news on his twitter account on Tuesday night.

Olson was accepted to USC and after playing high school football at Orange Lutheran he planned to walk-on, according to the The Los Angeles Times. But there was a hiccup and couldn’t join the team, because he counts toward the 85 scholarship limit after receiving the Swim With Mike, given to athletes with physical challenges.

USC had to file a waiver for Olson to be eligible but Olson’s family didn’t lose faith during the lengthy process that cost Olson time with his teammates.

“We’re putting faith in the process that there’s a positive outcome for Jake,” Olson’s father, Brian, told the Orange County Register in April. “We’ll take it as it comes.”

Olson lost his left eye to cancer when he was 10 months old and underwent chemotherapy and radiation for the next 11 years. Eight times his cancer came back and eight times Jake beat it, but the ninth time would cost him his sight entirely by the time he was 12. But before Olson could no longer see, he had to see his beloved USC Trojans one more time.

ESPN’s Shelly Smith tells the story in this wonderful video that first appeared on College GameDay.

That was the first time I heard of Olson’s story.

The next chapter started with Olson learning how to be a long snapper at Orange Lutheran and the timing and rhythm he relies on and how his teammates protect him. ESPN updated his story with Olson again providing another emotional testimony about not having his sight, but his “mind, heart and spirit remains whole.”

Now, Olson is ready to write a new chapter and Steve Sarkisian said it’s only a matter of time until Olson snaps in a game for the team he grew up wanting to play for.

“Someday, he’s going to snap in a game for us,” Sarkisian said, via the Los Angeles Times. “When? I don’t know. But it will happen.

“When that day comes, it will be awesome.”

It will be awesome and is already one of the greatest stories of the year in college football.

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