With the continuation of KWC’s series, we’ll highlight former Panthers star quarterback Dalton Oliver. Oliver stepped on campus as a walk-on in 2011 and left as the most decorated quarterback in Kentucky Wesleyan football history, claiming first or second in every major passing category.
Similar to Xavier Mitchell, the Muhlenberg County High School product had to wait his turn. Oliver redshirted his first season in Owensboro and sat the majority of his second season in 2012 as well, besides the Panthers September 29th matchup against McKendree, in which the field general threw for 91 yards and a touchdown on just nine pass attempts.
“Coach Holsclaw blessed me with an opportunity to continue my career as a walk-on at Wesleyan,” Oliver explained. “I came in to camp my freshman year on the bottom (6th) of the depth chart, and I was thrilled! There are a lot of things I could’ve complained about, but the bottom line is, I was blessed to be in that situation. After a few years of watching other quarterbacks take all the reps, I took advantage of some early opportunities.”
Oliver started the 2013 campaign out with a bang, throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns against Lindsey Wilson, and preceded to hang 351 passing yards on Lindenwood-Belleville the following week. He would split time the remainder of the season and finish with just under 1,000 passing yards.
Dalton would put it all together for a monumental redshirt junior season, where he threw a for a record-breaking 3,510 passing yards and 35 touchdowns, which still stands today. He also set the record for passing yards and touchdowns in a game with 526 yards and six touchdowns on October 18th. He didn’t do it alone as two 1,000-yard receivers, Xavier Mitchell and Keelan Cole, aided Oliver in producing one of the most electric offenses in the nation in Division II in 2014. The elite trio helped turn the team around, improving to 7-4 in the 2014 season.
“I was lucky enough to come into Wesleyan with a group of guys who had the same mindset as me,” Oliver said. “The three of us knew there was a chance to be special and we did everything we could to make sure we accomplished that. Those two dudes got the work in every chance they had and that’s what set the standard for me. Playing, working out, and practicing with those guys were some of the best memories I have in football.”
Oliver put up similar numbers in his final season as a Panther, going for an outstanding 3,108 yards and 31 touchdowns. This was enough to put him in first place all-time in KWC history in touchdowns passes (73) and second in passings yards (7,690) in just over two full seasons.
The three continued to workout together after the season, chasing their dreams of playing professional football. Mitchell, who we covered last week, signed to play in the German Football League and Cole signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL.
“To be such a big part of [Xavier’s] journey and be able to witness his growth first-hand was special to me,” Oliver said. “Keelan played one more season after X and I graduated, but I was back in town and throwing to him while he prepared for the NFL draft. That was a lot of fun and special to me too. Whenever he signed with the Jaguars, I knew his journey was just getting started. He always used a hashtag “#ProIsTheGoal” and we kind of adopted that.”
Oliver recieved his first professional opportunity when he signed with the Paris Musketeers in January of 2017. After his one season in France, he signed with the Kragujevac Wild Boars from Kragujevac, Serbia just four months later.
“I was blessed to sign my first professional contract and it meant everything to me to be able to do that with my mom and dad by my side, accomplishing the goals they always encouraged me to chase,” Oliver said. “My dad was the reason I started playing ball and for me to be able to sign a professional contract with him by my side, I can’t put it into words.”
Oliver was extremely successful with his new squad, winning two championships in two seasons with the Wild Boars. After three seasons in Europe, Dalton decided to bring his talents back to the states with plans of playing arena league football. After a short stint with a team in Iowa, Oliver got the opportunity to sign with the Louisville Xtreme.
“Signing with a team in Louisville was a great opportunity for me to play near my family again,” Oliver said. “After the first week of camp I was named the starting quarterback. Just a few days later, Covid-19 hit and cancelled the season. We started back up the following year in 2021, and I was able to start a few games before the team was dissolved for some undisclosed reason. So, another season cut short from circumstances out of my control.”
In March of 2022, Oliver was invited to play in the Fan Controlled Football League, alongside names like Johnny Manziel and Terrell Owens. He was named a starting quarterback once again for the first game of the season. Oliver began the game by throwing a touchdown pass on the first drive of the season, and as if he hadn’t endured enough adversity throughout his professional career already, he tore his Achilles on the very next drive.
Although he has faced tribulations in his playing career since returning to the United States, Oliver has been very successful in his coaching career. He began at Daviess County High School, coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers before being named Offensive Coordinator in 2022. In the offseason he coaches Dynasty Sports Performance (DSP) 7on7 teams as well as his own Quarterback Workshop, doing small-group quarterback training. Oliver is known as ‘Coach O’ by many athletes and students across the city of Owensboro.
“We had a group of kids at Daviess County who had the same work ethic and drive that I remember seeing from my early Wesleyan days,” Oliver said. “We were able to have a lot of success and they helped me by matching my energy to work hard. Those kids pushed me as hard as I pushed them. They don’t know how proud of them I always will be and how much they have helped me along this journey.”
Although he’s been very successful in the coaching ranks, Dalton believes that his playing career isn’t over yet.
“I recently had surgery on the torn Achilles and I’m rehabbing that,” Oliver said. “I’m continuing to coach and still have the drive to pursue my playing career. It will be a long recovery, but I am determined to return to play.”
What advice do you have to players who signed to play football at Wesleyan in the Fall:
“To all the kids at KWC, take it in! Those moments are ones that can’t be recreated, they are special. Find whatever it is that motivates you, do everything you can to be great, and bring your teammates along with you. You have sacrificed a lot to get where you are, now you must look inside and determine what you are willing to sacrifice to take that next step.”
