Northwestern State University of Louisana

In his fourth season on the Northwestern State football coaching staff, Jake Olsen continues to showcase his versatility.       
          
For the second time in his NSU tenure, Olsen will coach the Demon safeties while adding special teams coordinator responsibilities for the first time.

In 2019, Olsen coached the Demon outside linebackers, tutoring Jomard Valsin in a breakout season in which the sophomore led NSU with nine tackles for loss and seven quarterback hurries.

Olsen’s reputation both as a position coach and as NSU’s recruiting coordinator has placed him among the most admired young coaches in the nation as he was a member of the American Football Coaches Association’s “35 Under 35” in 2018.

As part of the 35 Under 35, Olsen took part in the AFCA’s Coaches Leadership Institute in San Antonio, Texas, this past offseason at the annual AFCA Convention.

Olsen’s one season tutoring NSU’s safeties resulted in Hayden Bourgeois being named to HERO Sports’ Sophomore All-American Team as well as picking up first-team All-Southland Conference honors. Under Olsen’s tutelage, Bourgeois led the Demons in tackles (83) and ranked third nationally in turnovers forced with seven (five interceptions, two fumbles). His five interceptions led the Southland Conference and ranked eighth nationally.

Olsen was a pivotal member of head coach Brad Laird’s transition team, taking over recruiting coordinator duties.

In his first season (2017) as the Demons linebackers coach, Olsen helped a pair of seniors, Nick Pierotti and Peyton Guidry, enjoy career years in their final NSU seasons. Guidry and Pierotti finished as the team’s top two tacklers with Guidry earning Stats LLC National Defensive Player of the Week honors in his final game as well as a pair of LSWA Defensive Player of the Week awards.
          
Olsen spent the 2015-16 seasons as a graduate assistant at ULM, earning his master’s degree in educational technology leadership while assisting with the Warhawks safeties and defensive line. Prior to arriving in Monroe, Olsen spent the first half of 2015 at Southwestern Oklahoma State as the defensive line coach.
          
In 2014, Olsen had his first Southland Conference experience, coaching outside linebackers at Nicholls where he tutored honorable mention All-Southland selection Davin Bovie.
          
Olsen’s first collegiate coaching experience came at his alma mater, Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota. In his lone season (2013) as a coach at Valley City State, Olsen developed a pair of all-conference defensive linemen, Matt Craft and Dwayne Fearon.
          
Olsen was a four-year letterman at Valley City State as a defensive end/outside linebacker. Olsen was a team captain for the Vikings during the 2012 season, helping Valley City State post a 7-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark in the North Star Athletic Association.
          
Olsen earned his undergraduate degree in math education from Valley City State in 2012. He has been an active participant in football camps as both a student-athlete and a coach, working the Valley City State camps from 2010-12 and then the Day of Champions Camp from 2013-15.