2026 NEMFCA 8-Man Hall of Fame Inductee Salutes - Mark Olson, Hampton High School

This is our eighth of fifteen 2026 Nebraska Eight Man Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees. We proudly salute one of 8-Man football’s most dependable, versatile athletes of the 1970s, Mark Olson of Hampton.

MARK OLSEN – HAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL

There was no more dominant player in 8-Man Football during the early 1970’s than Mark Olsen of Hampton. From 1970 to 1973, he became a star dual-threat quarterback for Hall of Fame Coach Jim Connick and the Hawks. He was an elite multi-sport athlete, but Mark was best known for his exploits on the gridiron as a 3-year varsity stand-out. During his prolific junior and senior campaigns, he led the team to back-to-back undefeated seasons and the 1973 Eight-Man State Title. Along the way, Mark compiled 4,232 career yards and scored 95 total touchdowns (37 Rushing/58 Passing). He was named 1st Team All-Crossroads Conference, 1st Team All-Area, and 1st Team All-State on multiple occasions and was also selected to play in the 1974 Nebraska Shrine Bowl (an extremely rare honor for 8-Man players in that era and a true reflection of the level of his talents). Mark finished his athletic career playing basketball at Wayne State College, but he is most proud of playing for Coach Connick and with superb teammates throughout his high school career at Hampton. The NEMFCA is honored to now welcome him into the Eight Man Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

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*1000 Yard Guy sez…..They say Mark Olson was a better basketball player than football player. A guy that scores 1,536 career points and leads his team to a State Championship in 1973 would certainly indicate that claim, but the night I saw him eat up Monroe’s defense with TD runs of 10, 10 and 41 yards and a paIr of TD passes while mowing over defenders like duck pins, I was convinced the dude was as good if not better on the gridiron.

You just did not see that many 197 lb quarterbacks with great footwork and fine speed back in the ‘70s in 8-Man football. Mark Olson had it and was a STUD on the football field for sure!