Montana's Olson, Buck Buchanan Award Finalist
STATS – Montana linebacker Dante Olson is one of three finalists for the 2018 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, the organization announced Tuesday. The award goes to the outstanding defensive player in college football’s Division I subdivision.
Olson will join Southeast Missouri junior linebackers Zach Hall and senior defensive end Derick Roberson of Sam Houston State at the annual event.
Olson led the Big Sky and FCS with a school-record 151 tackles – 57 solo and 94 assisted at the end of the regular season. He ranked fourth in the league in sacks (6.0) and eighth in tackles for loss (11.0). The junior forced a trio of fumbles, had two interceptions for 51 yards, five quarterback hurries, and three pass breakups.
He recorded double-digit tackles in 9 out of 11 games. Olson’s top seven tackling performances were 24, 19, 18, 16, 15, 13, 13, 18. He tallied at least 1.0 tackles for loss in six games with a season-high of 3.5 in a single game. For six straight weeks Olson led the FBS and FCS in tackles per game. He finished his season first in the FCS in tackles at 13.7 a game.
The Buchanan, named for the Pro and College Football Hall-of-Famer and presented since 1995, will be handed out at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas – on the eve of the national championship game. Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats and Kyle Emanuel are among past winners who have gone on to the NFL.
Olson looks to become the first linebacker in league history to win the award and the first honoree since fellow Griz Tyron Holmes won the accolade in 2015. UC Davis linebacker Mason Moe finished 12
th in the voting.
A national panel of 153 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries voted on the Buck Buchanan Award following the regular season. Voters selected a Top 5 on their ballot.