Olson takes over as Shock coach

| August 30, 2011 9:00 PM

SPOKANE - Andy Olson, who took over as offensive coordinator early last season, was introduced Monday as head coach of the Spokane Shock of the Arena Football League.

Olson, 28, replaces Rob Keefe, whose contract was not renewed after coaching the Shock the past two seasons.

This will be Olson's first season as a head coach in the AFL.

"This is the opportunity that I have been waiting for," Olson said. "As a player for the Shock, I learned what it is like to be a champion. As the head coach, I have a responsibility to continue the championship tradition that Spokane fans have enjoyed for the last six years."

Last season Olson served as the Shock's offensive coordinator for the final 17 games of the season, taking over for the fired Fred Biletnikoff, Jr. Under Olson's guidance, Spokane's offense showed immediate improvement, increasing its average points/game by 8.5 and ending the regular season averaging 58.8 points/game (fifth in the league). Despite an injury-plagued season in which the team used seven different quarterbacks, Olson's offense still posted 70 points or more in six contests, including a season-high of 76 in a victory over the Utah Blaze.

"We know that Andy is the right man for the job," Shock CEO/majority owner Brady Nelson explained. "He is truly one of the brightest offensive minds in the game and we know that he can continue our winning tradition. His intelligence on the field is matched off the field by his integrity and the kind of character our players can stand behind."

As a player for Spokane, Olson was a key member of the Shock's 2008 conference championship team and helped Spokane capture the 2009 ArenaCup. In 29 regular season games with the Shock, Olson caught 220 passes for 2,201 yards and 36 touchdowns.

Olson has retained offensive/defensive line coach Travis Crusenberry, who will return to Spokane for his fourth season as a member of the coaching staff. Over the course of the next several weeks, Olson is expected to add a second member to his coaching staff.