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Blind long-snapper Jake Olson takes the practice field with the Trojans

Jake Olson walks to the Trojans practice field on Tuesday.

Jake Olson walks to the Trojans practice field on Tuesday.

(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
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Jake Olson entered USC’s Brian Kennedy-Howard Jones Field on Tuesday ready for his first practice as a member of Trojans football team.

Olson, a blind long-snapper, wore jersey No. 17. His jersey was yellow, like those worn by quarterbacks, as a precaution for contact.

Olson, who lost one eye at 10 months and the other age 12, was brought into the USC football program as a preteen by former coach Pete Carroll. He went on to play high school football and golf and was awarded a “Swim with Mike” scholarship to USC, awarded annually from the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship fund.

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Olson, a freshman, needed to be cleared by the NCAA and USC to participate in football.

Trojans Coach Steve Sarkisian told The Times in April that Olson would one day take the field in a game for the Trojans.

The sixth-ranked Trojans play Stanford on Saturday at the Coliseum.

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