Set as No. 1 Quarterback, Olson Begins Taking Charge

As UCLA went through drills Wednesday, quarterback Drew Olson was clearly the person in charge. Completing one pass after another, he had the Bruins’ offense running more efficiently than it did during much of the regular season.

He had the look of a confident player who no longer had to worry about being replaced by sophomore Matt Moore, who was granted his release this month by Coach Karl Dorrell.

“He’s assumed the role now,” Dorrell said about Olson’s work this week as the Bruins began preparation for the Silicon Valley Classic against Fresno State on Dec. 30.

“Obviously with Matt gone and he being the guy, [Olson] has assumed that, ‘Hey, I’m going to put this on my shoulders now.’ That type of attitude is now out there because he knows that he has to carry this offense and he’s accepted that responsibility with eagerness.”

Now that he’s officially the Bruins’ No. 1 quarterback, Olson is not taking the position lightly.

“It’s nice just coming out here and just playing football,” he said. “Not really worrying about whether I make a mistake and then having to wonder if [Moore] is going to go in or not. It’s nice and reassuring.”

The biggest jump for Olson has been his ability to go through defensive reads on passing plays. Instead of getting caught looking for a certain receiver to get open, Olson has been going to his secondary options more quickly.

“I’m staying on schedule, going from one receiver to another to another and then back to our [running backs],” Olson said. “I’m also staying on my toes and being aware of blitzes better. My grasp of the offense has dramatically improved since the start of the season.”

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Dorrell has been pleased with the effort that he has been getting from his young players. One doing his best to catch the attention of the coaching staff has been sophomore Marcus Cassel.

Whether he’s defending UCLA starting wideout Craig Bragg or working hard in a kickoff coverage drill, Cassel has stood out because of his effort.

“I’m getting a decent amount of reps in practice, but practices are a lot different than the games,” he said. “I feel that I need to be more consistent. I need improve on being good every play. I know that I’ve improved since my redshirt year until now. That’s important to me. To make sure that I keep improving every day ... every time I get a chance, whether it’s at cornerback or special teams.”

Cassel did not get to play much during the season as a backup to starter Matt Clark.

“I’ve been playing hard all season,” said Cassel, who was suspended for the Bruins’ opener at Colorado after being arrested last summer on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence. “I just want to be ready for any opportunity that may come.”