Branden Oliver

Branden Oliver (born May 7, 1991) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Buffalo and signed with the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played in the NFL for the Chargers and in the Alliance of American Football for the Salt Lake Stallions.

Branden Oliver

Oliver playing for Buffalo in 2013
No. 32, 43
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1991-05-07) May 7, 1991 (age 32) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:	208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:	Miami Southridge (Miami, Florida)
College:	Buffalo
Undrafted:	2014
Career history
San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers (2014–2017) Indianapolis Colts (2018)* Salt Lake Stallions (2019) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2020–2021)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-MAC (2011, 2013)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 226 Rushing yards: 773 Rushing touchdowns: 3 Receptions: 55 Receiving yards: 409 Receiving touchdowns: 1
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early years

Oliver was born in Miami, Florida, and attended Miami Southridge High School, where he played football and ran track.^[1] At Southridge, Oliver was a two-time captain and two time letter winner for head coach Rodney Hunter. As a senior, he rushed for 1,159 yards on 194 carries (6.0 ypc) and scored 15 touchdowns, and also had three catches for 61 yards and a score. He was selected to play in the North Florida vs. South Florida All-Star Classic and the Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game. Oliver has said that growing up in the competitive football environment of South Florida motivated him to perform to his full potential for fear of being overlooked. Buffalo was the only school to offer him a football scholarship out of high school.^[2]

In track & field, Oliver competed in sprinting, jumping and even throwing events. In sprints, he recorded a PR of 11.26 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the 2009 Sam Burley Hall of Fame Meet, where he placed 11th.^[3] In jumps, he cleared 13.5 meters in the triple jump. He was also a member of the 4 × 100 m (42.81s) relay squad.^[4]

College career

Oliver played college football at the University at Buffalo from 2010 to 2013.^[5] He set the school record for career rushing yards, breaking a record previously held by James Starks.^[6] Starks had predicted that Oliver would break his record in 2009 when Starks was a senior and Oliver was still in his redshirt year.^[2] He ended his career with 4,049 career rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns.^[7]

2010 season

See also: 2010 Buffalo Bulls football team

Oliver earned the starting running back job as a redshirt-freshman during the preseason. His season-high rushing performance came in a road loss against the Baylor Bears in September, where he had 71 rushing yards.^[8][9]

2011 season

See also: 2011 Buffalo Bulls football team

Oliver finished his sophomore season gaining 1,395 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns on 306 carries. Oliver also caught the ball 38 times for 365 yards and no touchdowns.^[10] On October 8, the Bulls tailback gained 179 rushing yards and 43 receiving (221 total). He scored three times in a 38–37 win over the Ohio Bobcats.^[11] On November 19, Oliver ran 29 times, totaling a career-high 235 yards in a 51–10 win over the Akron Zips.^[12] In the final game of the season, Buffalo lost to the Bowling Green Falcons 42–28.^[13] However, Oliver surpassed NFL running back James Starks for the Bulls single season record for most carries, rushing yards and all-purpose yards.^[14] He also became the first Bulls running back to gain at least 100 yards eight times in a season.^[14]

Prior to the 2012 season, Oliver was named to the Doak Walker Watch List, the Walter Camp Watch List, and Maxwell Award Watch List.

2012 season

See also: 2012 Buffalo Bulls football team

Oliver suffered a grade-two MCL tear in a game against Kent State which caused him to miss five games and hindered him for four other games in the 2012 season.^[2] He recorded 821 yards on 148 carries and had five rushing touchdowns. In the seven games he played in, he went over 100 rushing yards four times.^[15] Buffalo lost four of the five games he missed and ended the season with a 4–8 record.^[16] In a 56–34 win over the Morgan State Bears, Oliver rushed for 238 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns.^[17]

2013 season

See also: 2013 Buffalo Bulls football team

Oliver had 43 carries for 216 yards and a touchdown in a 32–3 victory over UMass.^[18] He rushed for 185 yards on 31 carries and a career-best four touchdowns in a 41–21 win over Kent State.^[19] He rushed for 249 yards and two touchdowns to lead Buffalo to a 30–3 victory over the Ohio Bobcats.^[20] He finished the season with 1,535 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, while averaging 5.0 yards a carry. Oliver personally had a stretch of seven games going over 100 rushing yards.^[21] The Buffalo Bulls finished the year with an 8–5 record and a bowl berth to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.^[22][23]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)	208 lb (94 kg)	4.62 s	1.56 s	2.63 s	4.22 s	7.04 s	33.5 in (0.85 m)	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)	26 reps
All values from Buffalo Pro Day^[24]

San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers

After Oliver went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft, he agreed to a three-year contract with the San Diego Chargers.^[25]

On September 21, 2014, against the Buffalo Bills, Oliver recorded his first stats, running for 11 yards on 3 carries.^[26] On October 5, 2014, he had 19 carries for 114 yards, a rushing touchdown, four receptions for 68 yards and a receiving touchdown against the New York Jets, who had had the number one rushing defense in the league coming into the game.^[27] For that performance, Oliver was named Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week.^[28] During that game, Donald Brown, then the starting running back for the Chargers, suffered a concussion. As a result, Oliver started in Week 6 against the Oakland Raiders. Against the Raiders, Oliver rushed again for over 100 yards and scored a last minute one-yard touchdown to help win the game.^[29] Oliver was named Pepsi Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week.^[30] In the final game of the season, Oliver ran for 71 yards and scored a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.^[31] Oliver finished the season leading all in rushing yards (582), attempts (160) and touchdowns (4).^[32][33]

Oliver only saw 31 carries for 108 rushing yards in eight games the 2015 season.^[34] His playing time was adversely affected by the Chargers' selection of Melvin Gordon in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft as well as a foot injury which caused him to miss eight weeks of the season.^[35][36]

On August 30, 2016, Oliver was placed on injured reserve after injuring his Achilles tendon in a preseason game.^[37]

Set to be a restricted free agent, Oliver was not tendered a contract by the Chargers in 2017, however on March 23, 2017, Oliver re-signed with the Chargers.^[38]

Overall, in the 2017 season, Oliver finished with 35 carries for 83 rushing yards in eight games.^[39]

Indianapolis Colts

On August 12, 2018, Oliver signed with the Indianapolis Colts.^[40] He was released on September 1, 2018.^[41]

Salt Lake Stallions

On January 12, 2019, Oliver signed with the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football, eventually making the final roster.^[42][43] He was placed on injured reserve on March 8, 2019. The league ceased operations in April 2019 and he was released from his contract.^[44] In four games played prior to injury, Oliver earned 210 yards on 54 rushes, caught six passes for 35 yards, and scored both a touchdown and a rushing two-point convert.^[45]

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

On April 13, 2020, Oliver signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.^[46] After the CFL canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oliver chose to opt-out of his contract with the Tiger-Cats on August 31, 2020.^[47] He opted back in to his contract on January 12, 2021.^[48] On May 17, 2021, the Tiger-Cats announced that Oliver had retired.^[49]

Personal life

His parents are Edwin Oliver and Alena Lee. Though he is the cousin of former NFL wide receiver Roscoe Parrish, he has attempted to but never been able to establish contact with him.^[1][2] Oliver is also a fervent Miami Heat fan and devout Christian - he points to the sky after touchdowns as a gesture to God.^[2] He is commonly referred to by the nicknames "The Little Guy," "Bo," "B.O." and "BoDozer."^[2][50] During the 2015 spring semester, Oliver returned to Buffalo to complete his bachelor's degree in sociology.^[51]

References

1. . BuffaloBulls.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
2. Harrison, Eric (February 28, 2014). "Behind The Helmet: Branden Oliver". FakePigskin.com. from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
3. "Sam Burley Hall of Fame Meet 2009 - Complete Results (Raw)". flrunners.com. from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
4. . Tracking Football. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
5. "Branden Oliver College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
6. "Oliver breaks school's career rushing record as Buffalo routs UMass 32-3 for 5th straight win". FOX News. Associated Press. January 13, 2015. from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
7. "Branden Oliver Career Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
8. "Buffalo at Baylor Box Score, September 11, 2010". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
9. "Branden Oliver 2010 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
10. "Branden Oliver 2011 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
11. "Ohio at Buffalo Box Score, October 8, 2011". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
12. "Akron at Buffalo Box Score, November 19, 2011". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
13. "Bowling Green State at Buffalo Box Score, November 25, 2011". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
14. Roberts, Charles (November 25, 2011). "Record-setting day for University at Buffalo's Oliver during loss to Bowling Green". Metrowny.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
15. "Branden Oliver 2012 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
16. "2012 Buffalo Bulls Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
17. "Morgan State at Buffalo Box Score, September 8, 2012". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
18. "Massachusetts at Buffalo Box Score, October 19, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
19. "Buffalo at Kent State Box Score, October 26, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
20. "Ohio at Buffalo Box Score, November 5, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
21. "Branden Oliver 2013 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
22. "2013 Buffalo Bulls Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on June 18, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
23. "Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Buffalo vs San Diego State Box Score, December 21, 2013". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
24. http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=89998&draftyear=2014&genpos=RB October 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine^{[bare URL]}
25. Henne, Ricky (May 21, 2014). . Chargers.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
26. "Rivers leads Chargers to 22-10 win over Bills". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 21, 2014. from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
27. Williams, Eric D. (October 5, 2014). "Branden Oliver solves Chargers' run-game woes with breakout performance". ESPN.com. from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
28. "Oliver wins Rookie of the Week". Bolts from the Blue. SB Nation. October 11, 2014. from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
29. "San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders - October 12th, 2014". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
30. "Chargers Branden Oliver Voted As Pepsi Rookie Of Week". CBS. October 17, 2014. from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
31. "San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs - December 28th, 2014". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
32. "Branden Oliver 2014 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
33. "2014 San Diego Chargers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
34. "Branden Oliver 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
35. "Branden Oliver's Achilles Injury Hits Bolts Hard". San Diego Chargers. August 28, 2016. from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
36. "Branden Oliver 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
37. Henne, Ricky (September 3, 2016). . Chargers.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017.
38. Henne, Ricky (March 23, 2017). "Bolts Bring Back Popular RB Branden Oliver". Chargers.com. from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
39. "Branden Oliver 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
40. "Roster Moves: Colts Sign WR Matt Hazel, RB Branden Oliver; Place WR Deon Cain On IR". Colts.com. August 12, 2018. from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
41. Walker, Andrew (September 1, 2018). "Colts Announce Final 2018 Roster Cuts". Colts.com. from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
42. "Salt Lake Stallions Daily Update". Our Sports Central. January 12, 2019. from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
43. Riordan, Tim (January 31, 2019). "Bulls in the Alliance of American Football". Bull Run. from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
44. Rothstein, Michael; Wickersham, Seth (June 13, 2019). "Inside the short, unhappy life of the Alliance of American Football". ESPN.com. from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
45. Swanson, Matt. "Branden Oliver". NoExtraPoints. from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
46. "Tiger-Cats Add Three Americans, Including Former NFL Running Back Oliver". Hamilton Tiger-Cats. April 13, 2020. from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
47. "Tracking players who have exercised opt-outs". CFL.ca. August 26, 2020. from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
48. "2021 CFL Transactions". CFL.ca. from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
49. "Tiger-Cats add quarterback Smith and offensive lineman Vornkahl". Hamilton Tiger-Cats. May 17, 2021. from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
50. Riordan, Tim (March 3, 2014). "Buffalo Bulls Pro Day - Branden Oliver". Bull Run. SB Nation. from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
51. Bronstein, Jonah (June 1, 2015). "'Bo' Knows". University at Buffalo Athletics. from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2015.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Pro Football Reference
• Buffalo Bulls bio