ALTHOUGH he scored a touchdown against the University of Hawaii at Aloha Stadium three years ago, Brock Olivo's name isn't familiar to many local football fans. Olivo’s an example
of a special playerThat, however, could change in the next couple months. Missouri's starting tailback and special teams star might play in the Aloha Bowl and the Hula Bowl.
Yes, the Tigers face a probable pasting at the hands of No. 1 Nebraska tomorrow at home, but Larry Smith's rejuvenated team goes into the game at 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12. The conference's fifth team -- which might very well be Missouri, win, lose or slaughtered by the Huskers -- gets Christmas in Hawaii.
And Olivo is one of the 16 finalists announced yesterday by Bowl Games Hawaii for the first Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award. The winner, if a senior such as Olivo, gets an invitation to play in the Hula Bowl on Jan. 18.
The other finalists: John Avery (Mississippi), Jason Bloom (New Mexico), Tim Curry (Air Force), Matt Davenport (Wisconsin), Tim Dwight (Iowa), Martin Gramatica (Kansas State), Dane Johnson (Texas Tech), Shane Lechler (Texas A&M), Brad Palazzo (Tulane), Allen Rossum (Notre Dame), Anthony Scotti (Southern Methodist), Ryan Sutter (Colorado), Fred White (Tennessee), Marcus Williams (Arizona State) and Rodney Williams (Georgia Tech).
THE list includes kickers, punters, kick blockers, return specialists . . . and grunts like Olivo, who love the dirty work of kick coverage and setting up returns.
How do you measure the value of a player like Olivo -- and the kind of player that Tatupu was -- when there are few statistics for that purpose?
Some teams use achievements like tackles, wedge break-ups and blocks that spring return men for big gains to compile "special team points." But that doesn't account for the intangible of leadership that often is the difference between victory and defeat, between a team that is dead in the water and one that is looking ahead to a possible bowl game.
That's the difference Brock Olivo made for the Missouri Tigers.
Here's how he did it.
As Missouri's starting tailback (and the nation's No. 8 returning career rusher with 2,348 yards) going into this season, Olivo was relieved of some of his special team duties. The coaches wanted him to rest a tender hamstring muscle so he would be effective running the ball from scrimmage.
The Tigers were 3-3 at mid-season, when Olivo talked the coaches into letting him back on the coverage and return teams. Other starters on offense and defense, inspired by Olivo, also asked for special team assignments.
TALK about leadership by example.
Since then, Missouri has won three consecutive games -- over Texas, Oklahoma State and Colorado -- guaranteeing the Tigers' preseason goal of a winning season.
If you still insist on numbers to measure Olivo's special teams impact, consider these:
In the 51-50 overtime victory at Oklahoma State, he led the coverage teams that held star Cowboy return man R.W. McQuarters to zero punt returns, and forced him to fumble a kickoff, leading to a Missouri field goal. Oklahoma State was held to 78 yards on seven kickoff returns.
Olivo was credited with four special team tackles and five other key hits in the Texas and OSU games.
"He's the leading rusher in school history, but has played on all of the special teams throughout his career," said Missouri sports information director Bob Brendel. "He's not blessed with great athletic ability, but he's worked incredibly hard for everything he's achieved."
The party may be over, at least temporarily, after the Big Red is done with the Tigers tomorrow.
If you watch it on pay-per-view TV, pay extra attention to the kickoffs and punts. Nebraska might stop Olivo from getting big yards on offense, but probably not from getting big hits on special teams.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at dreardon@hmsa.com.
