Ben Olson is entering his fourth season on the UIW coaching staff, and his first as defensive coordinator after being promoted to the position in December of 2025. Olson spent his first three seasons on staff as defensive line coach, co-defensive coordinator and run-game coordinator. During Olson’s first three seasons at UIW, the Cardinals have won 25 games and finished the 2024 season as undefeated Southland Conference champions as well as FCS national quarterfinalists.
Olson has made a major impact on the Cardinals’ defense during his first three seasons at UIW. Over those three seasons the UIW Defense on average has ranked 10th in total according to PFF, with its best season coming in 2023 when it finished sixth in the FCS. UIW also has developed a reputation when it comes to pressuring the quarterback where they have been the 10th best defense over the last three seasons, with their best season coming in 2024 when they finished second in the FCS in both sacks and quarterback hits. UIW has also found success versus the run during Olson’s tenure, being the 18th best defense in run defense, with their best season coming in 2025 when they finished third in the FCS against the run.
During Olson’s first three seasons at UIW, the defense has produced 12 Southland All-Conference Selections, along with four All-Americans and three Buck Buchanan Award Finalists. Steven Parker also finished the 2023 season as PFF’s No.1 graded FCS edge defender and the Phil Steele’s Southland Defensive Player of the Year. The 2023 season also saw Chase Carter garner Freshman All-American honors.
Olson came to UIW after a successful three-year stint as a defensive line coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In 2022, Pete Robertson and Anthony Lanier both finished in the top five in the CFL in Sacks. The 2021 season was another successful one for the Roughriders and saw Olson coach the top two sack getters in the CFL. That season saw AC Leonard (11) finish as the league leader, while Jonathan Woodard (10) finished as the league runner-up. The success of the 2021 season also included Micah Johnson leading the CFL in tackles for-loss and saw him earn a CFL All-Star nomination. The Saskatchewan Roughriders saw their 2021 season end in the CFL Western Conference Championship Game.
Before his stint in the CFL, Olson was a successful college coach. He spent the 2019 season as the defensive line coach with McNeese State. There he coached Chris Livings to the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-American honors. He also coached Cody Roscoe to All-Conference honors. The 2019 McNeese Defense finished their season ranked eighth in the FCS in rush yards allowed, 10th in takeaways and 18th in sacks.
Olson spent the 2018 season as the defensive line coach at Yale where the Bulldogs ranked 17th in the FCS in first-down and saw them sign the No. 5-ranked Recruiting Class.
Before his time at Yale, Olson coached the outside linebackers at Colgate University. The 2017 Colgate football team shared in the Patriot League championship and finished ranked in the top-20 in scoring, total defense, sacks and rush yards allowed.
Division III Rose-Hulman in Indiana hired Olson to coach linebackers for the 2013 campaign. The Engineers went 7-3 and won the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Olson then joined Dino Babers for two successful seasons at Bowling Green in 2014 and 2015 before following his head coach to Syracuse for the 2016 season.
The Morris, Ill. native earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Sports Studies from Eastern Illinois University where he played defensive line.
Olson resides in San Antonio with his wife Shannon and their son Emmett.
