Inside the Headset Presented by CoachComm
Grant Olson, Defensive Coordinator – North Dakota State

On this week’s episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we sit down with Grant Olson, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at North Dakota State University (NDSU).

Olson shares his remarkable journey from student assistant to defensive coordinator at his alma mater. Along the way, he reflects on the challenges and triumphs of his coaching career, including stops at Wyoming and Indiana State, his return to Fargo, and the special experience of helping lead NDSU to a national championship.

Throughout the conversation, Coach Olson talks about:

• How he discovered his passion for coaching

• Lessons learned from the lineage of successful NDSU coaches

• Transitioning from engineering studies to the coaching profession

• Managing relationships with players while growing as a young coach

• The highs and lows of adjusting to new opportunities

• His full-circle moment returning to NDSU as a position coach and coordinator

• The experience of winning the championship in 2021

• What it meant to be selected for the AFCA 35 Under 35 program

Coach Olson’s story is one of perseverance, adaptability, and passion for the game. His insights provide valuable lessons for coaches at every stage of their careers.

🔗 Listen to the Full Episode

You can listen to this episode on your favorite podcast platform or watch it on YouTube: Inside the Headset Podcast

📱 Follow Along

Stay connected with Coach Olson and NDSU Football:

• Twitter: @CoachGrantOlson

• Twitter: @NDSUfootball

Episode Timestamps

• 1:13 – Introduction

• 1:50 – Discovering a passion for coaching

• 3:30 – The successful lineage of NDSU coaches

• 5:15 – Coaching at your alma mater

• 8:45 – Balancing past success with motivation

• 10:55 – Getting started as an NDSU student assistant

• 14:20 – Moving from engineering to coaching

• 15:40 – Graduate assistant role at Wyoming

• 21:20 – Highs and lows at Wyoming

• 23:30 – Managing player-to-coach relationships

• 25:50 – Challenges as a graduate assistant

• 27:40 – First full-time position at Indiana State

• 33:45 – Takeaways from first coaching role

• 35:00 – Returning to NDSU

• 40:15 – Full-circle success coaching linebackers

• 44:30 – 2021 title run

• 46:55 – Becoming Special Teams Coordinator

• 50:35 – Taking over as Defensive Coordinator

• 55:37 – AFCA 35 Under 35 program experience

• 58:30 – Conclusion