By Matt Gade

605 Sports

SPEARFISH — When Black Hills State University head coach Josh Breske first took the job at his alma mater in 2019, he and four of his assistants sat on metal folding chairs on the hardwood floor in the Belle Fourche Armory and had a conversation with Bronc wideout Kelby Olson.

Six years later, Breske and Olson are enjoying their final season together.

“Kelby was a guy, his first year, he really struggled with his grades and wasn't taking class seriously and all those things. We finally had a moment where we're able to kind of get together with him and just call him out on those things and what's going on. Boy, he's really turned it around,” Breske said. “The guy's got an incredible GPA. He's a straight-A student. He crushes it.

“A quiet guy, kind of a lunch pail guy, just shows up and goes to work every day and doesn't require much praise or much feedback. He's just a hard-working dude that loves his teammates and loves ball.”

Olson, who redshirted in 2020, is now a grad student playing in his final season for the Yellow Jackets.

Olson said he came back for his grad year because of his family and because he didn’t want any regrets 20 years down the road.

“My family and all my teammates really wanted me to come back,” Olson said. “And I didn't want to be later in life and think, ‘oh, man, I really wish I would have taken that year.’ So I took it and I'm going to make the most of it.”

So far this season, Olson is second on the team with 15 catches for 231 yards, including a career best, six receptions for 110 yards in the Yellow Jackets' game against Colorado School of Mines on Sept. 27.

BHSU's Kelby Olson fights for extra yards while being hit by a pair of Colorado School of Mines defenders. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Junior wide receiver TJ Chukwurah leads BHSU in receiving with 36 receptions for 558 yards and nine touchdowns. 

With his close proximity to Belle Fourche, Olson said he’s been fortunate to have his family and friends able to come and support him so much throughout his time at BHSU.

“That was one of the decisions going into it when I came here, just all the support that I can get from home,” Olson said.

Breske said he’s enjoyed getting to know Olson’s parents, Alan and Darla Olson, and credits them for helping Kelby stick it out even though he didn’t see as much playing time early in his career.

“It's really cool to see Darla and Allen, his parents, come out to the games and support us and in so many different ways… they've been so supportive as a family. I think they would have killed him if he would have quit. They love Black Hills State football.”

Kelby Olson's dad Alan, in yellow, applauds a Yellow Jacket first down during Saturday's game. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

The 2024 season was Olson’s breakout year at the wide receiver spot. The Bronc alum caught 30 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns with a long of 45 yards.

While the Yellow Jackets, 1-4, haven’t had the start to this season they were hoping for. Breske said Olson has been a constant for the team to rely on.

“He probably has the most catches per target of any receiver. Seems like every time we target him, he finds a way to receive the ball, catch it, make a big play, get us into a great position,” Breske said. “Maybe he's a guy we need to be throwing the ball to even more, because he's been so productive for us this season and so dependable.”

Olson and the Yellow Jackets will play host to their biggest rival, South Dakota Mines, in the Black Hills Brawl on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Lyle Hare Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets currently hold the Homestake Trophy after defeating Mines 22-20 last year in Rapid City.

Olson said he wants to close out his career with the Yellow Jackets retaining the trophy.

As far as his collegiate career, Olson said having Breske his entire time at BHSU and being just 15 minutes from his hometown has made his time with the Yellow Jackets that much more memorable.

“So glad that he came in right when I was coming out of high school, and when he came and visited me. I liked him right away from the jump. Just glad I can be playing for him.”

BHSU's Kelby Olson makes one of his six receptions against Colorado School of Mines on Saturday. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Breske said, early on, he wasn’t sure if Olson was going to stick it or if Olson even liked Breske.

“I couldn't tell if he hated me or if he was excited,” Breske said after offering him a scholarship. “He's completely emotionless, but he ended up committing and just was kind of a guy, like, I wasn't sure if he was going to find a way to contribute in his time. We had the red flags of the bad grades, and there were just quite a few receivers that were above him as a young guy. 

“But he stuck it out. He continued to get better and better and better, and just stronger and stronger and stronger and more confident. And confident, and now he's a dude for us. So, I love that about him.

“We call him the Belle Fourche Bandit. We don't have any other Belle Fourche kids on the team, and he's represented the Broncs really, really, well.”