Conner Olson

Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn

Position:
OL
Ht./Wt.:
6-5 / 310
Hometown:
Monticello, Minn.
High School:
Monticello
Letters:
4
Class:
Redshirt Senior

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS:
All-Big Ten Third Team (2021, coaches)
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2021, media)
Academic All-Big Ten (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018)
All-Big Ten Third Team (2020)
CoSida Academic All-District First-Team (2021, 2020)
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2019-20)
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2019, 2018)
Outstanding Offensive Freshman (2018)

CAREER: Started a school and Big Ten record 58 games (every game of his career), seeing action at left guard (29 starts), center (15 starts) and right guard (14 starts).

2021: Started all 13 games and blocked for an offense that totaled 4,681 yards and averaged 25.46 points per game. Game-by-Game: Started against Ohio State and blocked for an offense that produced 31 points, 408 total yards (203 rushing, 205 passing) and 24 first downs • started against Miami and protected for an offense that rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two scores • started at Colorado and blocked for an offense that rushed for four touchdowns and totaled 441 (277 rushing, 164 passing) yards of offense • started against Bowling Green • started at left guard at Purdue and protected for an offense that gained 294 yards and did not allow a sack • started against Nebraska and blocked for an offense that totaled 396 yards and scored 30 points • started against Maryland and protected for an offense that did not allow a sack and one that scored 34 points and totaled 451 yards (326 rushing, 125 passing) • blocked for an offense that did not allow a sack at Northwestern and one that rushed for four touchdowns and totaled 442 yards of offense (308 rushing and 134 passing) in 40:09 with the ball • started against Illinois • started and blocked for an offense that ran 83 plays and totaled 409 yards of offense (189 rushing and 220 passing) at Iowa • set a school and Big Ten record when he started the 56th game of his career at Indiana • blocked for an offense that passed for 196 yards and two touchdowns and one that rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns at Indiana • paved the way for Minnesota to total 274 yards in a win against Wisconsin, which included 18.1 yards per completion • started at right guard against West Virginia (ended the game at center in relief of an injured John Michael Schmitz) and helped lead Minnesota to 249 rushing yards and an 18-6 win in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

2020 • SENIOR SEASON: Started all seven games at right guard and blocked for an offense that totaled 2,738 yards and averaged 27.3 points per game. Game-by-Game: Started against Michigan and at Maryland • blocked for an offense that totaled 541 yards (325 rushing and 216 passing) and 41 points at Illinois • started against Iowa • blocked for an offense that totaled 394 yards (264 passing; 130 rushing and five rushing TDs) against Purdue and did not allow a sack • started at Nebraska and did not allow a sack as the offense rushed for 206 yards and passed for 181 yards • started at Wisconsin and protected for an offense that gained 326 yards.

2019 • JUNIOR SEASON: Started all 13 games (9 and center, 3 at left guard and 1 at right guard) and blocked for an offense that totaled 5,616 yards (third most in school history), 3,293 passing yards (school record), 294 first downs (second most in school history), 443 points (second most in school history) and a scoring average of 34.1 points per game (third most in school history). Game-by-Game: Started at center (first start at center since Nov. 25, 2017 vs. Wisconsin) against South Dakota State • blocked for an offense that totaled 380 yards at Fresno State • protected for an offense that threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns against Georgia Southern • played both center and guard at Purdue and protected for an offense that threw for 396 yards (most in a game since 2009) and four touchdowns • played both center and guard against Illinois and blocked for a balanced offense, as team totaled 487 yards (15 passing, 332 rushing) and five touchdowns (3 passing, 2 rushing) • started at left guard against Nebraska and blocked for an offense that rushed for 322 yards and four touchdowns • blocked for an offense that gained 443 yards and allowed zero sacks at Rutgers • blocked for an offense that scored 52 points, totaled 498 yards and did not allow a sack against Maryland • protected for an offense that completed 90% of its passes (18-of-20) and threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns against Penn State • started at right guard and provided protection for an offense that threw for 368 yards and one touchdown at Iowa • protected for an offense that rushed for 212 yards and one touchdown and threw for 211 yards and four touchdowns at Northwestern • started at center against Wisconsin, but moved to guard as an injury shuffled the line • started at left guard and protected for an offense that gained 494 yards against Auburn and did not allow a sack in the Outback Bowl.

2018 • SOPHOMORE SEASON: Started all 13 games at left guard • blocked for an offense that averaged 28.9 points per game (tied for second most in a season since 2005) and one that rushed for 23 touchdowns and threw for 20 touchdowns (first time since 2006 Minnesota reached 20 passing and rushing touchdowns in a season) • Academic All-Big Ten. Game-by-Game: Blocked for an offense that gained 522 yards against New Mexico State • enabled Minnesota to rush and pass for more than 200 yards in the same game for the first time since Nov. 5, 2016, against Purdue (span of 16 games) • helped pave the way for Gophers to gain 307 yards of offense against Fresno State • blocked for an offense that passed for three touchdowns against Miami • blocked for an offense that picked up 23 first downs and controlled the ball for 33:29 at Maryland • blocked for an offense that threw for three touchdowns against Iowa • blocked for an offense that totaled 396 yards on 56 plays – a 7.1 yards per play average – at Ohio State • enabled Zack Annexstad and Tanner Morgan to pass for a combined 349 yards at Nebraska, which was the most for the Gophers in a Big Ten game since Adam Weber threw for 416 yards against Michigan State in 2009 and was the most in a Big Ten road game since Asad-Abdul-Khaliq threw for 388 yards at Iowa in 2003 • protected for an offense that generated 482 yards (302 passing and 180 rushing) and scored 38 points against Indiana • started at Illinois and blocked for an offense that passed for 260 yards • helped pave the way for Minnesota to gain 415 yards of total offense against Purdue • started against Northwestern • allowed zero sacks and blocked for an offense that rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns in a win at Wisconsin • helped pave the way for Minnesota to rush for 260 yards and two touchdowns and throw for two touchdowns against Georgia Tech.

2017 • FRESHMAN SEASON: Started all 12 games on the offensive line (six at center and six at right guard) • protected for an offense that rushed for 2,189 yards and 20 touchdowns and passed for 1,513 yards and nine scores • offensive line allowed only 22 sacks and 62 tackles for loss • received team's Outstanding Offensive Freshman of the Year award. Game-by-Game: Made his Minnesota and collegiate debut when he started at right guard against Buffalo • blocked for an offense that passed for 239 yards and rushed for 169 yards • played both guard and center at Oregon State and blocked for an offense that scored 48 points (most on the road for Minnesota since scoring 49 at Northwestern in 1980) and also rushed 58 times (most since team rushed 59 times against Iowa in 2014) for 253 yards (most against an FBS opponent since rushing for 326 yards at Purdue in 2015) and five touchdowns (most since rushing for five against Illinois and Purdue in 2016) • started at center against Middle Tennessee and blocked for two 100-yard backs in Rodney Smith and Kobe McCrary • started at center and blocked for an offense that passed for 229 yards against Maryland • started at center at Purdue • started at guard against Michigan State and helped provide coverage for team to pass for 216 yards and three touchdowns • started and blocked for an offense that rushed for 292 yards against Illinois • started at Iowa and at Michigan • started at center against Nebraska and blocked for an offense that rushed for 409 yards (eighth most in school history) and six touchdowns (most since 2013) • started at center at Northwestern and against Wisconsin.

2016: Redshirted.

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Monticello High School • played along both the offensive and defensive line and led the Magic to a 10-2 overall record and a 9-1 mark in conference play in 2015 • named Associated Press First Team All-State as an offensive lineman • as a senior, blocked for an offense that averaged 39.6 points per game, including six games over 40 points • paved the way for the state's fourth-highest rushing attack • coached by Jason Telecky • also lettered in track • ranked as a three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout, 247Sports and ESPN • 247Sports and ESPN ranked him as the No. 12 prospect in the state, while Rivals had him at No. 13 • Scout listed him as the No. 1 guard in Minnesota, No. 7 guard in the Midwest and the No. 33 guard in the nation, while 247Sports had him at No. 48 at his position • 247Sports tabbed him as the No. 1 guard in the state, while ESPN had him as the No. 3 offensive lineman prospect in Minnesota and Rivals listed him at No. 4.

PERSONAL: Son of Tim and Isabelle Olson • has one brother (Birk) and one sister (Isabelle) • brother Birk played linebacker at Princeton.