Brock Olivo
Encyclopedia
James Brockman Olivo is a former American football
running back
in the National Football League
who played for the Detroit Lions
(1998–2002).
, Brock Olivo attended St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
in Washington, Missouri
, where he rushed
for 5,030 yards and 70 touchdown
s during his high school career
. He led Borgia to an undefeated season and Missouri state championship in 1993 when he was also named "Player of the Year."
where he gained a degree in English, Creative Writing, and Literature. As a member of the football team, Olivo was the first awardee of the Mosi Tatupu Award
for the top special teams player in college football
. He briefly held the University of Missouri career rushing and touchdown records, but both have since been broken (twice as of 2008). He was the seventh player in school history to have his jersey retired.
Following his NFL football career he worked for three years at the National Italian American Foundation
in Washington, D.C.
Subsequently, Olivo enrolled in a program at the University of Bologna
's Alma Graduate School of Business. where he attained a master's degree
in Marketing and Communications.
), a team in the top division of Italy's American professional football league. He helped the team to the championship semifinal game for the first time in the team's history, leading the country in rushing and touchdowns.
, losing the Republican
primary to eventual victor Blaine Luetkemeyer
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
who played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1998–2002).
High school career
Raised in Hermann, MissouriHermann, Missouri
Hermann is a city designated in 1842 as the county seat of Gasconade County, Missouri, United States. It is near the center of the Missouri Rhineland and south of the Missouri River. The population was 2,674 at the 2000 census....
, Brock Olivo attended St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
- History :St. Francis Regional High School dates back to 1901 when the school enrolled twenty three students to further their education past the grade school level. In 1910 the school became a two year Commercial School and then in 1934 St. Francis Borgia officially became four year parish high...
in Washington, Missouri
Washington, Missouri
Washington is a city on the Missouri River in Franklin County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,243 at the 2000 census. It is the corn cob pipe capital of the world, with Missouri Meerschaum located in Washington.-Geography:...
, where he rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
for 5,030 yards and 70 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s during his high school career
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. He led Borgia to an undefeated season and Missouri state championship in 1993 when he was also named "Player of the Year."
Education
Olivo attended the University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
where he gained a degree in English, Creative Writing, and Literature. As a member of the football team, Olivo was the first awardee of the Mosi Tatupu Award
Mosi Tatupu Award
The Mosi Tatupu Award was given annually to the College Football Special Teams Player of the Year by the Maui Quarterback Club and the Hula Bowl, from 1997 to 2006....
for the top special teams player in college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. He briefly held the University of Missouri career rushing and touchdown records, but both have since been broken (twice as of 2008). He was the seventh player in school history to have his jersey retired.
Following his NFL football career he worked for three years at the National Italian American Foundation
National Italian American Foundation
The National Italian American Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational foundation that promotes Italian American culture and heritage...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Subsequently, Olivo enrolled in a program at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
's Alma Graduate School of Business. where he attained a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Marketing and Communications.
NFL career
Brock Olivo was undrafted out of college but made the Detroit Lions roster with his unparalleled work ethic and his tenacious style of play on their special teams units. Olivo played for 5 seasons as a captain on Detroit's league-leading special teams where he led the team in tackles on special teams two of his five seasons and was a valuable backup at running back and fullback.Overseas career
After retiring from the NFL, Olivo coached and played football for 6 months in Italy with the SS. Lazio Marines (RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
), a team in the top division of Italy's American professional football league. He helped the team to the championship semifinal game for the first time in the team's history, leading the country in rushing and touchdowns.
Current life and career
Brock Olivo currently resides in Omaha, Ne and is the Runningbacks coach of the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks. Olivo returns to the U.S. after having lived in Rome, Italy, where he was the Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator of the Italian National Football team www.fidaf.org, which plays for the European Cup every 4 years, and in the interim, competes in international tournaments with other European national teams. He was also the Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator and Special Teams Coordinator of a Series A team, the S.S. Lazio Marines, which competes in Italy's IFL, the highest level of American Football competition in the country.]]. Brock Olivo ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Missouri's 9th congressional districtMissouri's 9th congressional district
Missouri's 9th congressional district encompasses rural Northeast Missouri, the area known as "Little Dixie," along with the larger towns of Columbia, Fulton, Kirksville and Union. Boone, Franklin, and a portion of St. Charles County comprise the highest voting centers of the mostly rural district...
, losing the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
primary to eventual victor Blaine Luetkemeyer
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Blaine Luetkemeyer is the U. S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district contains most of Northeastern Missouri. As a result of the 2010 Census Missouri will lose a Congressional district effective 2013...
.
External links
- Brock Olivo Official
- NFL Career Statistics