Football
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator & Nickel Safeties Coach
- Email:
- luke-olson@utulsa.edu
- Phone:
- 918.631.2393
11TH YEAR
Luke Olson is in his 11th year on the Tulsa football coaching staff and is in his first season as defensive coordinator, a position he assumed in January 2022. Olson also coaches the nickel safety position for the Golden Hurricane.
A native Tulsan, Olson has been an integral part of the defensive staff that transitioned the Hurricane from a base 4-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment beginning in 2018. He spent the past four seasons coaching the nickel safeties and coordinated Tulsa’s punt return unit in 2019. Olson first came to Tulsa as a graduate assistant coach in 2012 and then spent four years as defensive quality control coach before becoming nickel safeties coach in 2018.
During his time at Tulsa, Olson has been involved in every aspect of helping prepare the Tulsa defense from directing the offensive scout team, film break down, defensive signal-calling, coordinating the punt return team, assisting with coaching the defensive line and secondary and coaching STAR linebacker and the nickel safety positions. Olson also coordinated the Philip Montgomery Football Camps for three seasons.
Olson has helped lead Tulsa to five bowl games, including the 2012 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, 2015 Camping World Independence Bowl, 2016 Miami Beach Bowl, 2020 Armed Forces Bowl and this past season’s Myrtle Beach Bowl. Olson also helped lead the Hurricane to two conference championship games during his tenure.
The 2021 Tulsa defense ranked among the top-5 in the American Athletic Conference for scoring defense, rush defense, total defense and interceptions. The Hurricane held the opposition to 369.8 yards per game to rank 56th among 130 teams nationally for total defense. The nickel safety position accounted for 81 tackles, four pass breakups and one forced fumble in 2021.
Tulsa’s 2020 defense was ranked second in The American for total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, pass defense and pass defense efficiency. Tulsa also ranked among the nation's best defenses for a variety of statistical categories. The nickel safety position was responsible for 72 tackles, five pass breakups and four forced fumbles in the 2020 season. In 2019, the position totaled 81 total tackles, three pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and one interception.
After transitioning to a 3-3-5 alignment, the Hurricane finished the 2018 season with the nation’s 8th best pass defense, while also allowing opponents 120+ yards less in total offense than a year earlier.
In 2016, the Tulsa defense held opponents to 10 points and 110.1 yards fewer than in the 2015 season. Tulsa’s defense also forced 21 turnovers with 15 of those takeaways leading to 101 points in the 2016 campaign.
Olson began his coaching career at Tulsa in 2012 as a graduate assistant coach assisting with the defensive line for one year (2012) and assisting with coaching the defensive backs the next two seasons. (2013-14).
When Olson helped coach the Tulsa defensive line in 2012, the Hurricane defense ranked among the nation’s leaders for quarterback sacks, while defensive linemen totaled 32 of 53 team sacks for -205 yards. The Hurricane won the 2012 Conference USA Championship and AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
Before coming to Tulsa, Olson was a four-year starter (2008-11) at Southern Nazarene University, where he played free safety and linebacker. Olson was an Academic all-Central States Football League (CSFL) selection each year, while earning all-conference accolades in 2009.
Olson earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Southern Nazarene in 2012, while receiving a master’s degree in May 2014 from Tulsa in Methods in Educational Research.
Olson, 32, played prep football at Tulsa’s Union High School.
He and his wife, Keisha, have two sons: Lane and Wells.
Alma Mater: Southern Nazarene ‘12
Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.
Playing Experience: Was a four-year starter at Southern Nazarene (2008-11), playing safety and linebacker.
Bowl Games as a Coach
2012 AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Tulsa)
2015 Camping World Independence Bowl (Tulsa)
2016 Miami Beach Bowl (Tulsa)
2020 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Tulsa)
2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl (Tulsa)
