Jake Olson is a 2021 Butte High graduate who is gearing up for his senior season playing football for the Montana Grizzlies.

He is following a legacy with the Griz. His father, Bob, played basketball for the Grizzlies in the 1990s. Jake figured he would do that, too. But then he had a breakout season playing tight end for the Butte High Bulldogs during their run to the 2019 Class AA State Championship football game. Jake scored the first touchdown of that game, hauling a long TD pass from Tommy Mellott, but the Bozeman Hawks won the game.

Jake committed to the Grizzlies in September of 2020, and he officially signed while sitting at a table at the 50-yard line of Naranche Stadium on the first day of the early signing period that December.

Jake was a standout for the Bulldog basketball team, too. He earned four varsity letters on the hardwood, and he helped lead the Bulldogs to two trips to the Class AA State tournament.

Now, he is a senior for the Grizzlies. The 6-foot-7, 258-pound tight end caught his first touchdown pass last season. He also threw blocks — or at least he says he attempted to — for legendary Griz return man Junior Bergen.

This year, Jake is looking for a big season as he closes the chapter on his college football career. The Griz play eight home games, starting with a Sept. 6 battle with Central Washington at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The regular-season will wrap up Nov. 22 at home against Montana State.

Jake said he is looking forward to the season, and he expects big things from the Grizzlies. He is working extremely hard to get ready for the season, but he is also finding some time to work on his golf game.

Oh, and he is doing his part to keep the streets of Missoula passable.

When I called him yesterday for this fun phone conversation, Jake had just finished clearing the street of a downed tree. He said it gave him flash backs to last year’s huge storm that paralyzed the city and left football players sleeping in the parking lot outside the weight room so they were not late for morning weights.

Listen in as Jake talks about growing up in Butte, where he lived in the same house that produced a pair of Olympic skiers. Listen as he talks about that 2019 season and some of his coaches and teammates at Butte High.

Listen as he talks about running out of that tunnel at Washington-Grizzly Stadium and playing for the Grizzlies. Listen in as he talks about getting engaged to his high school sweetheart.

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