PROVO, Utah — Former BYU and NFL lineman Hans Olsen has been named the new football game analyst for Cougar radio broadcasts on the Nu Skin BYU Sports Network.
Olsen, who played defensive line for BYU from 1996-2000 before a seven-year professional career playing defensive and offensive line, is entering his 17th year as a radio broadcaster in Utah, including five years as a national football game analyst. He succeeds former Cougar quarterback Riley Nelson in the analyst role alongside Greg Wrubell, the longtime Voice of the Cougars.
“I’m elated to have Hans Olsen join our broadcast team, and I’m eager to work with him as a commentary partner,” Wrubell said. “I have known Hans since his BYU playing days, and I’ve always enjoyed being around him. I know our listeners in Cougar Nation will appreciate Hans’ expertise, wit and engaging personality. He is an excellent broadcaster with a passion for BYU football, and I’m sure our audience will value his insights and energetic delivery. I can’t wait to experience the Big 12 football era with him in the booth.”
Wrubell, who is entering his 23rd season as the play-by-play voice of BYU football games, welcomes Olsen to the BYUradio football broadcast team that also returns former Cougar receiver Mitchell Juergens in his sixth season as the sideline reporter and veteran broadcaster Jason Shepherd as studio host.
Olsen has hosted a daily sports radio show in the Salt Lake City market since 2006. He has also worked as a football analyst for Bowl Season Radio’s national coverage of college football bowl games since 2018. A native of Weiser, Idaho, Olsen is the nephew of longtime television football analyst and Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fame inductee and legendary Utah State defensive lineman Merlin Olsen.
“I’ve always loved what my Uncle Merlin did in the booth, and I had a dream to see what it was like,” Olsen said. “I’m grateful to Brian Estridge and Bowl Season Radio for giving me the chance to pursue that dream, and I’m beyond thrilled to now work with Greg, Mitch and Jason to bring my passion for the game to the BYU fans I played for years ago.”
Olsen, whose analysis has been heard as part of Bowl Season Radio’s national broadcasts for many Big Ten and SEC matchups over the past five seasons, also called the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato bowl between BYU and Western Michigan as well as BYU’s 2021 Independence Bowl against UAB.
“I’m excited to have Hans join our BYUradio broadcast team,” said BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. “He is a former player and teammate of mine here at BYU, who played both defensive and offensive line in the NFL, something not many people have done. I know he has a great perspective and understanding of the game that Cougar Nation will enjoy listening to alongside Greg Wrubell in the booth for our games.”
Olsen was an All-Mountain West Conference player at BYU under Hall of Fame head coach LaVell Edwards before going to the NFL, where he signed and played with the Indianapolis Colts for the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons. He also played for three teams in the Arena Football League, including the Utah Blaze. He was a state champion wrestler and all-state football player at Weiser High School before attending BYU.
Olsen currently works for Bonneville International as a sports radio host on KSL Sports Zone 97.5 FM, where he will continue as co-host of the daily Hans and Scotty show. Olsen and Scott Garrard have hosted the show together since 2014.
Nu Skin BYU Sports Network
The Nu Skin BYU Sports Network provides live national broadcasts of every BYU football game on BYU Radio SiriusXM 143 as well as over-the-air flagship KSL Radio and network affiliates in Utah and southern Idaho. BYU is the only program in the country with its own institutional satellite radio station.
With its 50,000-watt clear-channel signal, KSL Radio (102.7 FM/1160 AM) in Salt Lake City not only provides unmatched over-the-air access along the Wasatch Front to BYU football games but also offers Cougar Nation across much of the Western United States its powerful signal during the evening hours. BYU football games are also available on the BYUradio app, streamed live and archived for on-demand listening at BYURadio.org and streamed live on KSL.com.
In addition to the outstanding play-by-play call of BYU games, radio broadcasts for every game feature a two-hour pregame show and provide comprehensive postgame coverage, including live player and coach interviews.
The Nu Skin BYU Sports Network also provides BYU football coverage of the weekly coach’s show “BYU Football with Kalani Sitake.” The live Tuesday night (8:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. MT) show, which features coaches, players and staffers, is simulcast live on both BYUtv and BYU Radio SiriusXM 143 in addition to over-the-air on BYU Radio 107.9 FM and KSL Radio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM. The shows are also archived for on-demand viewing and listening on the BYUtv and BYUradio apps and online at BYUtv.org and BYURadio.org.