Utah State Athletics Unveils Merlin Olsen Statue
Utah State University honored one of its greatest alumnus and the most decorated football player in school history with the unveiling of a larger-than-life-size bronze statue of Merlin Olsen on Saturday with a special ceremony on the South Plaza of Romney Stadium prior to USU's Homecoming football game against Hawai'i.
A large crowd attended the ceremony, featuring Olsen's family, friends, former teammates and former USU players among the dignitaries in attendance.
Guest speakers for the ceremony included USU Director of Athletics Scott Barnes, Steven Perry from the National Football Foundation, the statue's sculptor Blair Buswell, Douglas Mayberry, who was one of Olsen's USU teammates, USU President Dr. Stan Albrecht, along with Olsen's widow, Susan.
NFL Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, the greatest athlete in Utah State University history, passed away at City of Hope Hospital near Los Angeles on March 11, 2010 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Perry noted that the Super Bowl Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon, held the Friday prior to the Super Bowl, will be named after Olsen, one of only two Hall of Fame events named after former players.
Buswell singled out his time spent with Olsen while working on the statue, noting that Olsen wanted the sculpture to show his pride in Utah State and Logan. Mayberry told a story about Olsen's hospitality before nearly knocking off your chin strap, noting the only time he saw Olsen relax was when he scored a rushing TD.
Susan Olsen thanked Olsen's former teammates, friends and the University for their support of the family. She also read a eulogy written by Merlin Olsen prior to his death that wasn't found until after his passing, which talked about Merlin's appreciation of the love and concern from his supporters, former teammates and family throughout his time growing up in Logan, at Utah State, in the NFL and his broadcasting and acting career.
Olsen was a three-year lettermen on the offensive and defensive lines for Utah State's football team from 1959-61, earning All-American honors during both his junior and senior seasons. During his senior season in 1961, he won the Outland Trophy as the nation's outstanding interior defensive lineman. Olsen also was a three-time academic All-American at Utah State and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Kappa Phi in 1962 with a degree in finance.
The statue was created by nationally renowned Utah artist Blair Buswell and is 25 percent larger than Olsen's 6'4" frame. When mounted on its base the statue is over 11 feet high. The statue depicts Olsen during his college playing days at Utah State, in full uniform and pads, with his helmet under his arm.
The base of the statue is adorned with two plaques. One lists many of Olsen's accomplishments as a college and pro football player, as an actor and member of the media, and as a philanthropist and humanitarian. The other plaque lists Olsen's personal mission statement, an inspiring list of Olsen's personal priorities. Additionally a list of all donors to the Merlin Olsen Field Campaign whose gifts were received prior to August 1, 2010 are mounted adjacent to the statue base.
The statue, when set on it's base, has at least one unique element. According to Google maps, Olsen's gaze directly faces toward the Olsen family home in Logan where he grew up, roughly two miles in a direct line from where the statue will rest.
In preparation for the statue to be installed a small courtyard was created with seating areas for contemplation. The block cement was used to convey Olsen's personal strength, and the vertical columns represent his personal mission to celebrate others.
The Merlin Olsen Field Campaign began on December 5, 2009 when Aggie legend Merlin Olsen was introduced before a packed Dee Glen Smith Spectrum basketball crowd. Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced that "from this point forward the field at Romney Stadium will be named Merlin Olsen Field".
The Merlin Olsen Field Campaign raised over $600,000. These funds will start an endowed scholarship in the name of Merlin and Susan Olsen, support the Football Competitive Excellence Fund, and allow for the creation of a bronze statue of Aggie legend Merlin Olsen.
As part of Homecoming 2010 the final two Utah State teams Merlin played on (1960, 1961) were honored as Grand Marshals. The greatest two-year stretch in Utah State Football history was in 1960 and 1961, when these two teams, led by head coach John Ralston, combined for an 18-3-1 record and claimed back-to-back co-Skyline Conference Championships.
The 1960 team finished the year 9-2 and played in the Sun Bowl, while the 1961 squad went 9-1-1 and played in the Gotham Bowl. That 1961 team featured Olsen at senior tackle, a consensus first-team All-American and the 1961 Outland Trophy winner. Almost two dozen other members of these teams played professional football in either the NFL or CFL. Roughly 30 of the players and coaches from those teams took part in this weekend's ceremonies and Homecoming activities.
Utah State University students know how to honor a winner. Students erupted into spontaneous (and emotional) chants and cheers Saturday night as the university honored one of its greatest alumni and the most decorated football player in school history.
USU announced at a special ceremony during halftime of the men's basketball game against Saint Mary's that it is naming the playing field inside Romney Stadium "Merlin Olsen Field."
An official dedication ceremony will take place during the end of the 2010 football season in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Utah State's 1960 Sun Bowl Team, led by Olsen.
During Saturday's halftime ceremonies, students and other fans greeted Olsen with a rousing round of cheers during an unscripted power outage. As the honoree and his family stood at center court with President Stan L. Albrecht and Athletics Director Scott Barnes, the "unofficial" student cheer section broke out into rousing chants and rhythmic clapping to screams of "Merlin Olsen ... Merlin Olsen ... Merlin Olsen" and "Aggie legend ... Aggie legend ... Aggie legend."
USU President Stan L. Albrecht told the packed house that Olsen, well known for his exploits on the playing field, has had an equally significant impact on the university off the field.
“I can assure you that there has been no one in the history of Utah State University who has carried the Aggie banner more actively and with greater honor than has Merlin Olsen,” the president said.
"Merlin and Susan and the rest of your family: thank you so much."
During the official dedication of Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium in fall 2010, a larger-than-life-size bronze statue of Olsen, which will be sculpted by nationally renowned artist Blair Buswell, will be unveiled in the southeast corner of the stadium.
"Susan and I and the entire Olsen family are pleased and excited at the announcement this week that the playing field in Romney Stadium is being renamed Merlin Olsen Field," Olsen said in earlier comments. "I share this special honor with great coaches and teammates. Remembering those days brings to mind some of the happiest and most productive days of my life."
"The Utah State University family is deeply honored to be a part of this important announcement today," said Utah State University President Stan Albrecht. "There is no one who has carried the USU banner so proudly and with such distinction over the course of a lifetime than has Merlin Olsen. He has touched and influenced millions of people, not just through his success in the athletic and entertainment fields, but through the personal generosity and humanitarian service that have been so much a part of his life, and that of his wife and partner, Susan."
"Merlin Olsen epitomizes what we hope for when we think about the end result of our mission - preparing our student-athletes for life," Barnes said. "Merlin is a distinguished alumni who has given back generously of his time and financial resources over many years. He has carried the flag for our great university with dignity and honor and we are grateful to recognize him in this special way."
Olsen was a three-year lettermen on the offensive and defensive lines for Utah State's football team from 1959-61, earning All-American honors during both his junior and senior seasons. During his senior season in 1961, he won the Outland Trophy as the nation's outstanding interior defensive lineman. Olsen also was a three-time academic All-American at Utah State and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Kappa Phi in 1962 with a degree in finance.
During his senior season, Olsen anchored an Aggie defense that yielded an average of 50.8 rushing yards per game to lead the nation. USU also allowed 88.6 passing yards and 139.4 total yards per game in 1961, and all three of those averages still rank as the best single-season efforts in school history.
The 1961 Aggie defense gave up an average 7.8 points a game, which is second in school history behind Olsen's 1960 team, which allowed 6.5 points per game. Additionally, the Aggie defense held four opponents to less than 100 total yards that season, including Idaho who was held to a school-record 23 total yards in USU's 69-0 win on Oct. 28.
During Olsen's junior and senior seasons, Utah State had a combined 18-3-1 record under head coach John Ralston and were Skyline Conference co-Champions each year as USU played in back-to-back bowl games against New Mexico State (Sun Bowl, 1960) and Baylor (Gotham Bowl, 1961). Utah State finished the 1961 season ranked 10th in both the Associated Press and United Press International polls, the highest-ever final ranking for a USU team.
Olsen is a member of the State of Utah's Sports Hall of Fame, the Utah State University Sports Hall of Fame and USU's All-Century Football Team. In 2000, he was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the State of Utah's Top 50 Athletes of the Century.
Following his collegiate career, Olsen was the third overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and became a charter member of the Los Angeles Rams and the famed "Fearsome Foursome." In 15 professional seasons, he was named to an NFL-record 14 Pro Bowls and missed a total of two games during his career. Along with earning All-Pro honors nine times during his career, Olsen was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1962 and the league's Most Valuable Lineman in 1973.
Olsen, who retired from professional football in 1976, was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and in 1999 was ranked No. 25 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He was voted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and to the All-Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2008 Olsen was named to the 75th Anniversary All-Sun Bowl Team to commemorate the Sun Bowl Association's Diamond Anniversary.
About Romney Stadium
Located on the north end of the Utah State University campus, Romney Stadium is named after E.L. "Dick" Romney, USU's all-time winningest football coach and former Athletics Director. The first game inside Romney Stadium was played on Sept. 14, 1968 when the Aggies defeated New Mexico State, 28-12, and the facility was officially dedicated on Sept. 27, 1969. During the past 42 seasons, Romney Stadium has been the site for many amazing moments in Utah State Athletics, including 108 football victories.
About Blair Buswell
For over 25 years, Blair Buswell has sculpted more than 60 busts of the new inductees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He sculpted the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to the top college running back in the country. Buswell was honored as the 1990 Sport Artist of the Year by the United States Sports Academy, the first sculptor ever to be so honored. He has also sculpted former Aggie basketball All-American Wayne Estes, along with the likes of Charlton Heston, Harold B. Lee, W.A. Criswell and San Carlos Borromeo to name a few.
