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Fifty-Two Starts in the Trenches
10/22/2021 3:08:00 PM | Football
Conner Olson is poised to become Minnesota's record holder for all-time starts
By Sadie Keller
Communications Assistant
There are a few records in sports that seem near-certain to stand the test of time. Someone will eventually score more points or gain more yards but there's one type of record that is hard to topple.
That record is one of endurance. With today's sports being so physical and fast — particularly football — an athlete will have to keep their body in prime condition as well as have a bit of luck on their side to be available every single time their team takes the field during the span of their career.
That is why Payton Jordahl's record of 51 career starts is remarkable. It also seemed impossible to break. Enter Conner Olson.
The redshirt senior has started all 51 games of his career, seeing action at left guard (22 starts), center (15 starts) and right guard (14 starts). Olson tied the program record for career starts against Nebraska and will claim that mark for his own when he trots on the field Saturday against Maryland to start his 52nd career game.
"I thought to myself early on that maybe it was possible, but did I think it would take six years to get there? Not necessarily," Olson said, "It is a long and winding path but it is one I am happy to be on."
As a native of Monticello, Minn., Olson grew up watching Gopher football and knew that playing at the U would be a dream. When it became more realistic that he would play offensive line in college, he looked back to the likes of Zac Epping for inspiration, the former offensive lineman along with others Olson admired in his youth.
"I was a Gopher fan for most of my life, and I have a lot of connections to the University of Minnesota through family and past generations coming through this university," Olson said. "Being able to come to Gopher games from a young age and then put on the uniform when the time came was a tremendous honor. Representing my state is something that I love doing and I am so grateful for that opportunity. I am thankful that it has lasted so long too. As long as they keep letting me wear the jersey, I am going to."
After redshirting his first season at Minnesota in 2016, Olson is entering his sixth year with the Gophers and has played in and started every game since, including all 326 first-team snaps during this 2021 season. He was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List earlier this year, the award that goes annually to the top interior offensive lineman in college football. He's shown his versatility, toughness and consistency over those six years, and will be cemented in the record books when he breaks the program career starts record, set by Jordahl. The prior record for offensive players was set by quarterback Adam Weber, who made 50 straight starts.
Jordahl, a native of Perham, Minn., competed for the Gophers from 2014-2018, starting his 51st and final football game at Ford Field in Detroit in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl against Georgia Tech.
"To be honest I didn't really think about the record and didn't even know about it until someone told me on the sidelines," Jordahl said. "Someone told me I was breaking the record that day and I was surprised. I remember asking them what record that would be. My main focus was always doing my job and doing it well."
Throughout his 51 career starts, Jordahl snapped 507 times including 270 punts, 140 PATs and 88 field goals. In addition, he made 10 tackles and recorded one fumble recovery. Despite his personal accomplishments, Jordahl is quick to give all credit and praise to Olson.
"College football is difficult both physically and mentally," Jordahl said. "I was fortunate enough to be in the position as a long snapper that wasn't physically grueling compared to all the other positions. Kickers, punters and long snappers are the ones who don't have as much collision, so my side was more mental. It is a combination of being a well-rounded person that allows someone to do this. I know Conner is a brilliant person who is going to move on and do great things. Him breaking this record is far more impressive in a position where he is slamming his body around every single play and going into an extremely admirable line of work with his hopes of medical school. I am very proud of my ability to do it, but it is far more impressive in his shoes."
Before Jordahl, another Minnesota native held the record. Weber, who owns nearly every Minnesota career record for a quarterback, started 50 straight games from 2007-10.
"It was about being able to remain consistent but also being able to become better and grow as a player because at the collegiate level, you are always fighting for your starting position," said Weber, who threw 72 career touchdowns. "That is a good thing because you never want to feel too comfortable. You have to show them week in and week out that you deserve that spot and you are capable of being a starter.
"It was an awesome opportunity for me when I was named a starter as a redshirt freshman, knowing that I had the potential opportunity to play for four years. To be named a starter as a redshirt freshman was unbelievable, especially being a hometown kid and growing up watching the Gophers. It was extremely exciting, humbling and fun for not only myself but also my family and friends. To then be able to play for those four years and remain injury-free, that is something I am proud of. Anyone who can play that amount of games is a testament to good luck, but also to their toughness and willingness to put themselves out there for their teammates, their school and their state."
Weber also owns a Big Ten record for most career offensive plays (1,992) and is second in conference history in career yards gained with 11,790. He is one of only five Big Ten quarterbacks to pass for more than 10,000 career yards and ranks third in the league history books with 10,917 yards. Yet, similarly to Jordahl, Weber shines praise on Olson and what the lineman has accomplished in his career.
"As an offensive lineman, you are having contact every single day in practice and then of course every single week in the game you are being hit," Weber commented. "As a quarterback, you might get hit occasionally, but you don't make contact with the other biggest guy on their team every single play. To see Conner, an offensive lineman, remain healthy is really impressive at his position. On top of that, it is also impressive that he has played as many games as he has. The fact that he was able to come in and become a viable starter as a redshirt freshman is a testament to his skill set, work ethic, attitude and his character really shines through with a record like this. It really encompases many things that make up who he is as a person, so it is well deserved"
As Jordahl and Weber attested to, the game is different in the trenches, where offensive and defensive linemen clash every play.
"A lot of people instilled toughness in me growing up," Olson said. "I had a tremendous network of high school coaches and my family. My father was more about hard work but my mother was tougher on me. In that sense, that is where some of that toughness comes from. I learned from my older brother too. There have been a lot of people who have helped me along the way to get me where I am now."
Offensive linemen need to be brutally strong and physical on the field to dominate the line of scrimmage, however a proper recovery routine is just as vital as a strength and conditioning program to keep players performing optimally.
"The biggest thing is your recovery," Olson said. "I have played a fair amount and I tell all the young guys I am old now. I actually am for the first time. I am one of the oldest guys on the team and the biggest thing is taking care of your body. Not only during the season but also in the offseason when it is about preparation. If you are not helping yourself, you are hurting yourself. That was the mentality that I have approached it with."
Looking at all the positions on a football team, offensive linemen are usually very tightly knit — a band of brothers who like to rock a defensive line and watch a running back squeeze through a hole. That goes for the Gopher line, especially the tight-knit group that Olson has gone to battle with throughout his career.
"Going back to it, I had a lot of older guys when I came in to help prepare me and now that script has flipped to where I am preparing younger guys," Olson said. "At the same time, this line has played a lot of games together and there is a lot of chemistry in that room right now. I have a lot of trust in the guys on each side of me in Sam [Schlueter], Blaise [Andres] and John Michael [Schmitz]. My success is greatly attributed to the guys around me and everyone who has helped me get here."
The feeling is mutual. Ask any member of the offensive line about Olson and each would immediately acknowledge his impact as the leader. Fellow lineman Sam Schlueter was quick to credit Olson for his example, hard work and dedication to his craft.
"Conner is one of the most dedicated people I have ever met," Schlueter said. "He is very dedicated to the sport of football and I think his dedication in life shows through the way he plays on the field. Nobody deserves to have as many starts as he does based on how hard he works."
When Olson runs out on the field at Huntington Bank Stadium with his band of brothers to start the game against Maryland, he will rewrite the record book and claim sole possession of the career starts record. Teammates and coaches will be there to acknowledge the accomplishment and there will be time spent with friends and family following the game. Jordahl and Weber will be quick to congratulate Olson as well.
"I am going to be happy for him," Jordahl said. "It is cool to see anyone do great things, but it is even better to see someone who you know is a great person do them. Conner is a great all-around person as a football player, academically and with his personality. There is nothing but happiness from this side."
"It is going to be awesome to watch," Weber said. "There are only a few records like this where there are a set number of games that you can actually start total in your career. It's not infinite like other records surrounding yardage where there is no limit to the amount of yards you can throw or run for. With this record having a set number and for Conner to be able to capitalize on that as best he can, it is really cool. This is really a gladiator type record that I am very happy to see Conner be able to achieve."
They say records are meant to be broken, but not all of them. There are some records that are seemingly too hard to take down, too improbable to best that will stand the test of time, immortalizing the players, coaches and teams that accomplished the achievements.
"The thing that I am thinking about now at the moment is that it means I am getting really old and that I've been here for a really long time but I am grateful that I am able to leave my mark in some way on the University of Minnesota," Olson said with a smile. "I think this is one of the ways that I do leave my mark in a nice, positive way."
Communications Assistant
There are a few records in sports that seem near-certain to stand the test of time. Someone will eventually score more points or gain more yards but there's one type of record that is hard to topple.
That record is one of endurance. With today's sports being so physical and fast — particularly football — an athlete will have to keep their body in prime condition as well as have a bit of luck on their side to be available every single time their team takes the field during the span of their career.
That is why Payton Jordahl's record of 51 career starts is remarkable. It also seemed impossible to break. Enter Conner Olson.
The redshirt senior has started all 51 games of his career, seeing action at left guard (22 starts), center (15 starts) and right guard (14 starts). Olson tied the program record for career starts against Nebraska and will claim that mark for his own when he trots on the field Saturday against Maryland to start his 52nd career game.
"I thought to myself early on that maybe it was possible, but did I think it would take six years to get there? Not necessarily," Olson said, "It is a long and winding path but it is one I am happy to be on."
As a native of Monticello, Minn., Olson grew up watching Gopher football and knew that playing at the U would be a dream. When it became more realistic that he would play offensive line in college, he looked back to the likes of Zac Epping for inspiration, the former offensive lineman along with others Olson admired in his youth.
"I was a Gopher fan for most of my life, and I have a lot of connections to the University of Minnesota through family and past generations coming through this university," Olson said. "Being able to come to Gopher games from a young age and then put on the uniform when the time came was a tremendous honor. Representing my state is something that I love doing and I am so grateful for that opportunity. I am thankful that it has lasted so long too. As long as they keep letting me wear the jersey, I am going to."
After redshirting his first season at Minnesota in 2016, Olson is entering his sixth year with the Gophers and has played in and started every game since, including all 326 first-team snaps during this 2021 season. He was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List earlier this year, the award that goes annually to the top interior offensive lineman in college football. He's shown his versatility, toughness and consistency over those six years, and will be cemented in the record books when he breaks the program career starts record, set by Jordahl. The prior record for offensive players was set by quarterback Adam Weber, who made 50 straight starts.
Jordahl, a native of Perham, Minn., competed for the Gophers from 2014-2018, starting his 51st and final football game at Ford Field in Detroit in the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl against Georgia Tech.
"To be honest I didn't really think about the record and didn't even know about it until someone told me on the sidelines," Jordahl said. "Someone told me I was breaking the record that day and I was surprised. I remember asking them what record that would be. My main focus was always doing my job and doing it well."
Throughout his 51 career starts, Jordahl snapped 507 times including 270 punts, 140 PATs and 88 field goals. In addition, he made 10 tackles and recorded one fumble recovery. Despite his personal accomplishments, Jordahl is quick to give all credit and praise to Olson.
"College football is difficult both physically and mentally," Jordahl said. "I was fortunate enough to be in the position as a long snapper that wasn't physically grueling compared to all the other positions. Kickers, punters and long snappers are the ones who don't have as much collision, so my side was more mental. It is a combination of being a well-rounded person that allows someone to do this. I know Conner is a brilliant person who is going to move on and do great things. Him breaking this record is far more impressive in a position where he is slamming his body around every single play and going into an extremely admirable line of work with his hopes of medical school. I am very proud of my ability to do it, but it is far more impressive in his shoes."
Before Jordahl, another Minnesota native held the record. Weber, who owns nearly every Minnesota career record for a quarterback, started 50 straight games from 2007-10.
"It was about being able to remain consistent but also being able to become better and grow as a player because at the collegiate level, you are always fighting for your starting position," said Weber, who threw 72 career touchdowns. "That is a good thing because you never want to feel too comfortable. You have to show them week in and week out that you deserve that spot and you are capable of being a starter.
"It was an awesome opportunity for me when I was named a starter as a redshirt freshman, knowing that I had the potential opportunity to play for four years. To be named a starter as a redshirt freshman was unbelievable, especially being a hometown kid and growing up watching the Gophers. It was extremely exciting, humbling and fun for not only myself but also my family and friends. To then be able to play for those four years and remain injury-free, that is something I am proud of. Anyone who can play that amount of games is a testament to good luck, but also to their toughness and willingness to put themselves out there for their teammates, their school and their state."
Weber also owns a Big Ten record for most career offensive plays (1,992) and is second in conference history in career yards gained with 11,790. He is one of only five Big Ten quarterbacks to pass for more than 10,000 career yards and ranks third in the league history books with 10,917 yards. Yet, similarly to Jordahl, Weber shines praise on Olson and what the lineman has accomplished in his career.
"As an offensive lineman, you are having contact every single day in practice and then of course every single week in the game you are being hit," Weber commented. "As a quarterback, you might get hit occasionally, but you don't make contact with the other biggest guy on their team every single play. To see Conner, an offensive lineman, remain healthy is really impressive at his position. On top of that, it is also impressive that he has played as many games as he has. The fact that he was able to come in and become a viable starter as a redshirt freshman is a testament to his skill set, work ethic, attitude and his character really shines through with a record like this. It really encompases many things that make up who he is as a person, so it is well deserved"
As Jordahl and Weber attested to, the game is different in the trenches, where offensive and defensive linemen clash every play.
"A lot of people instilled toughness in me growing up," Olson said. "I had a tremendous network of high school coaches and my family. My father was more about hard work but my mother was tougher on me. In that sense, that is where some of that toughness comes from. I learned from my older brother too. There have been a lot of people who have helped me along the way to get me where I am now."
Offensive linemen need to be brutally strong and physical on the field to dominate the line of scrimmage, however a proper recovery routine is just as vital as a strength and conditioning program to keep players performing optimally.
"The biggest thing is your recovery," Olson said. "I have played a fair amount and I tell all the young guys I am old now. I actually am for the first time. I am one of the oldest guys on the team and the biggest thing is taking care of your body. Not only during the season but also in the offseason when it is about preparation. If you are not helping yourself, you are hurting yourself. That was the mentality that I have approached it with."
Looking at all the positions on a football team, offensive linemen are usually very tightly knit — a band of brothers who like to rock a defensive line and watch a running back squeeze through a hole. That goes for the Gopher line, especially the tight-knit group that Olson has gone to battle with throughout his career.
"Going back to it, I had a lot of older guys when I came in to help prepare me and now that script has flipped to where I am preparing younger guys," Olson said. "At the same time, this line has played a lot of games together and there is a lot of chemistry in that room right now. I have a lot of trust in the guys on each side of me in Sam [Schlueter], Blaise [Andres] and John Michael [Schmitz]. My success is greatly attributed to the guys around me and everyone who has helped me get here."
The feeling is mutual. Ask any member of the offensive line about Olson and each would immediately acknowledge his impact as the leader. Fellow lineman Sam Schlueter was quick to credit Olson for his example, hard work and dedication to his craft.
"Conner is one of the most dedicated people I have ever met," Schlueter said. "He is very dedicated to the sport of football and I think his dedication in life shows through the way he plays on the field. Nobody deserves to have as many starts as he does based on how hard he works."
When Olson runs out on the field at Huntington Bank Stadium with his band of brothers to start the game against Maryland, he will rewrite the record book and claim sole possession of the career starts record. Teammates and coaches will be there to acknowledge the accomplishment and there will be time spent with friends and family following the game. Jordahl and Weber will be quick to congratulate Olson as well.
"I am going to be happy for him," Jordahl said. "It is cool to see anyone do great things, but it is even better to see someone who you know is a great person do them. Conner is a great all-around person as a football player, academically and with his personality. There is nothing but happiness from this side."
"It is going to be awesome to watch," Weber said. "There are only a few records like this where there are a set number of games that you can actually start total in your career. It's not infinite like other records surrounding yardage where there is no limit to the amount of yards you can throw or run for. With this record having a set number and for Conner to be able to capitalize on that as best he can, it is really cool. This is really a gladiator type record that I am very happy to see Conner be able to achieve."
They say records are meant to be broken, but not all of them. There are some records that are seemingly too hard to take down, too improbable to best that will stand the test of time, immortalizing the players, coaches and teams that accomplished the achievements.
"The thing that I am thinking about now at the moment is that it means I am getting really old and that I've been here for a really long time but I am grateful that I am able to leave my mark in some way on the University of Minnesota," Olson said with a smile. "I think this is one of the ways that I do leave my mark in a nice, positive way."
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