GAME 1
WESTERN OREGON WOLVES vs. PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
Saturday, Aug. 30, 1:05 p.m., PGE Park (19,566), Portland, OR
TELEVISION: None
RADIO: AM 910 KTRO, and www.am910ktro.com ? Pregame Show: Noon ? Kickoff: 1:05 p.m.
Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt ? Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream with radio broadcast at www.bigskytv.org.
Live stats are available at GoViks.com
THE SERIES RECORD
All-Time Series: Western Oregon leads the series 11-8-1
Though they have not met since 1977, PSU has won five straight and seven of eight in the series with WOU.
STORYLINE
Portland State and Western Oregon will meet for the first time in 31 years. The last meeting between the schools was in 1977 when Mouse Davis was PSU's Head Coach. PSU won that game, 34-22, and Davis was 2-0 against the Wolves as a Head Coach... PSU and WOU (then-named Oregon College of Education) competed in the Oregon Collegiate Conference from 1950 to 1964. The Vikings and Wolves met every year from 1947 to 1964... Mouse Davis was the defensive coordinator for OCE in 1955 when the Wolves beat the Vikings, 36-14... the Wolves are a Division II program, and the first lower division opponent for the Vikings since facing Western State of Colorado on Sept. 2, 2004... former Viking players Cody Feakin and Ronnie Faavae are on the Western Oregon roster... former Viking player and coach Brian Harris is the offensive line coach at Western Oregon.
VIKINGS BATTLE WESTERN OREGON TO OPEN 2008 SEASON
The Portland State Vikings open their 2008 season at home this Saturday against the Western Oregon Wolves. Game time is 1:05 p.m. at PGE Park.
Head Coach Jerry Glanville begins his second season at Portland State. The well-known, former NFL coach and commentator will try to improve the Vikings' fortunes in 2008 following a 3-8 season in 2007. PSU was 3-5 in Big Sky Conference play, with wins over Sacramento State, NCAA-playoff participant Eastern Washington, and Northern Colorado. The Vikings have been picked to place sixth this season in the nine-team Big Sky Conference in preseason coaches and media polls.
The Vikings will face a Division II opponent for the first time since the season-opening game in 2004. On Sept. 2, 2004, PSU beat Western State of Colorado, 38-0.
Portland State will try to end a three-game home losing streak, having lost the last three of 2007 in PGE Park to Northern Arizona, Weber State and Montana State. It is the longest Big Sky home losing streak for PSU in 12 seasons as a member of the conference. The last time PSU lost three in a row at home was during the 1990 season (Cal Poly, Santa Clara, Eastern Washington). The last time PSU lost four in a row at home was during the 1981 season.
The Vikings also have a five-game non-conference losing streak. However, three of those five losses have come against Bowl Subdivision teams (California, Oregon, San Diego State). PSU's last win against a non-conference opponent was a Sept. 2, 2006 victory at New Mexico - also a Bowl Subdivision team - 17-6.
Saturday's game will be the first of a five-game home schedule for the Vikings. However, PSU does not play at home during the month of September, with three road contests at UC Davis, Washington State and Sacramento State, successively. The Vikings return to PGE Park on Oct. 4 to host 2007 NCAA playoff participant Eastern Washington. PSU beat the Eagles, 28-21, in Cheney in 2007.
SCOUTING THE WOLVES
The 2007 Western Oregon Wolves finished the season 9-2 and topped Colorado School of Mines in the Rotary Bowl. The Wolves return 18 starters from that team. Western Oregon is unranked in Division II but among those receiving votes in the AFCA (coaches) national poll.
The Wolves have a strong returning running game, with three backs (Ben Kuenzi, Tyler Wilson and DJ Jackson) who combined for over 1,400 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
The Western Oregon defense gave up only 260 yards per game last season - and just 69 on the ground - allowing only 14.4 points per contest. The Wolves forced 34 turnovers.
Linebacker JT Gilmore had a team-high 122 tackles and three interceptions last year. Defensive lineman Matt Cox had 19 tackles for loss and 10 sacks on the season.
Western Oregon is a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
ON THE SURFACE
PGE Park, which has a reestablished capacity of 19,566, has a new playing surface in 2008. FieldTurf, the same surface on which Portland State practices at Stott Community Field, was installed over the winter. The Vikings hope that makes a difference as they were just 1-4 in PGE Park in 2007 - the worst home mark for a PSU team since going 1-5 in 1973.
POINTS IN THE PARK
Although they went 1-4 at home last year, the Vikings were always exciting. There were 416 points scored in those five games - an average of 83.2 points per game. The Vikings were outscored at home - but by a close margin - 43.4 to 39.8.
In the last three home games - all losses - 314 points were scored, an average of 104.8 points per game. The average score was: OPP 55.7, PSU 49.0. Part of that three-game stretch was the 73-68 win by Weber State over Portland State on Oct. 27. It was the highest scoring regulation football game in NCAA history (all divisions). The 20 touchdowns scored, and SO QB Drew Hubel's nine TD passes also set NCAA records.
THE VIKINGS IN OPENERS
Portland State is 26-33-2 in season-opening games in the previous 61 years of Viking football. The Vikings are 7-5 in season openers and 8-4 in home openers since joining the Big Sky Conference.
MOUSE AND HIS ALMA MATER
Portland State Offensive Coordinator Mouse Davis is an alumni of Oregon College of Education - now known as Western Oregon University. As an offensive and defensive back at OCE from 1951-54, Davis played against Portland State - then named Vanport College - winning three of four games. In 1955, in his first coaching role as the defensive coordinator at OCE, Davis' team defeated newly-named Portland State College, 36-14. Finally, as a head coach at Portland State, Davis defeated OCE, 44-14 (1976) and 34-22 (1977) - much to the dismay of his brother, Gale, who was coaching at OCE at the time. That makes Mouse 6-1 in the series - on both sides.
GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
? Chevron Signs On And Viking Fans Benefit: Chevron has signed on to be the game sponsor for Portland State's home opener on August 30 against Western Oregon. As a result, 2,000 $5 gas cards will be handed out at the pregame Coors Light Block Party that takes place on SW Morrison Street between 20th and 21st avenues. Also, Chevron “Victor E. Van” toy cars will be given away to the first 1,000 fans through the gate at PGE Park. Chevron will also sell the Victor E. Van toys at their local outlets. Game time for the home opener is 1:05 p.m. The Coors Light Block Party begins at 11 a.m.
? Viking Sports Luncheons: Portland State Athletics will host the Viking Sports Luncheon sponsored by West Coast Bank at Old Spaghetti Factory, every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. The first luncheon does not take place until Sept. 9. The Old Spaghetti Factory is located at 0715 SW Bancroft in Portland. It is an opportunity to meet Jerry Glanville and Mouse Davis and see them break down plays on video from each week's game. Cost is $10.
? Viking Pregame Show: For all Portland State football games, the Viking Pregame Show will be one hour prior to kickoff. You can listen to the pregame show and the game on AM 910 KTRO and www.am910ktro.com.
? Viking Media: All Portland State football games can be heard on AM 910 KTRO and www.am910ktro.com. Televised games for the 2008 season include Sept. 13 at UC Davis (Comcast Sports Net), Sept. 20 at Washington State (Fox Sports Net), and Nov. 15 at Montana State (Comcast Sports Net). Live streaming video of all Portland State games against Big Sky Conference opponents can be seen free at www.BigSkyTV.org. Live stats for Portland State home games are at www.GoViks.com.
INJURY REPORT
Portland State also has injuries to some experienced players that may prevent their participation.
SR OL Clayton Rios has missed several practices due to back issues. He had back surgery in the off-season and is day-to-day. He was the Vikings' starter at RG in 2007.
JR ILB Logan Dose, who was a special teams star for the Vikings in 2007, is still recovering from a hand injury he suffered in the spring game. Dose returned to practice at the end of last week. He is questionable to play in the first game.
SO OLB Jake Fetzer has a back injury that has kept him off the field this August. His status for returning is unknown.
QUICK NOTES FOR 2008
THE MAN IN BLACK RETURNS
The 2008 season will be the second go-round for Viking Head Coach Jerry Glanville, and he plans on making it a much more enjoyable journey. Glanville took over the program in Feburary 2007, and after a change of offenses, defenses and a remarkable number of injuries to key players, PSU managed just a 3-8 record, 3-5 in the Big Sky Conference, last season. Glanville, who was a head coach in the NFL from 1986-1993, is in his first collegiate head coaching position. He was the defensive coordinator at Hawai'i during the 2005-06 seasons.
ARCHITECT OF THE RUN AND SHOOT
Viking coaching legend Mouse Davis returns as offensive coordinator for the second year at Portland State. The Portland State head coach from 1975-80 (42-24 record), Davis introduced the innovative Run-and-Shoot offense to a mass audience in those days. He has brought it back to PSU, and the result was an NCAA FCS leading 360.9 passing yards per game in 2007 despite season-ending injuries to the Vikings' top two quarterbacks. Portland State also scored nearly 31 points per game - the most at PSU since the 2001 season.
WELL-STOCKED AT LINEBACKER
Linebackers Andy Schantz and KJ McCrae, both seniors, and junior Ryan Pedersen, will lead the defense in 2008. They combined for 210 tackles, 32 for losses and 13 sacks. Schantz, an inside LB, and McCrae and Pedersen, both outside LBs, were honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference in 2007... newcomers David and Erik Pedersen (twin brothers, no relation to Ryan) figure to get significant playing time, as well as freshman Eloka Anyaorah. Freshman Colton Russi has impressed as well.
PRESEASON KUDOS
Portland State senior linebacker Andy Schantz has been tabbed as a second-team preseason All-American by The Sports Network - the main news-gathering source and sponsor of post-season awards for NCAA I FCS football.
Schantz, who will start at inside linebacker again for the Vikings this season, is the top returning player to Head Coach Jerry Glanville's defense. Schantz comes off a season in which he had 85 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles, five pass breakups and one fumble return for a touchdown. He earned honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference in 2007.
Schantz accomplished all of that in just nine games as he tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against San diego State on Sept. 22. Amazingly, the native of Santa Clarita, CA missed just two games and - without having surgery - returned to play his best football of the season over the final five weeks.
The on-field signal caller and team leader for the Vikings, Schantz has also become a local television star, as he has been featured in the Camp Glanville reality television series on Comcast Sports Net.
YOU SAY PEDERSEN, I SAY PEDERSEN...
With absolutely no research to back it up, but a lot of confidence in the statement, Portland State media relations believes the Viking football team leads the nation in linebackers named Pedersen... and probably leads the nation in the number of pronunciations of the name. JR OLB Ryan Pedersen is a returning starter and pronounces his name with a short “e” in the first syllable like in the word pedestrian. JR OLB David Pedersen and JR ILB Erik Pedersen are identical twin brothers - no relation to Ryan - and pronounce their name with a long “e” in the first syllable like in the word pediatric.. . Ryan comes from Southridge High School in Beaverton, while David and Erik are first-year transfers (David from LA Harbor JC, Erik from Hawai'i) originally from Rancho Palos Verdes... Head Coach Jerry Glanville actually coached Erik Pedersen for one season at Hawai'i (2006).
OTHER BROTHERS
FR OL Cole Giandomenico and SO OL Seth Giandomenico are the other set of brothers on the team. They hail from Canby (OR) High School. No other players with similar last names on the team are related.
DEPTH AT QUARTERBACK
There will be a battle for playing time at quarterback once again in 2008 as SO Drew Hubel and JR Tygue Howland both return. Howland, the first game starter in 2007, was injured in the opener and missed the final 10 games. Hubel took over as a starter later in the year, and set a national record with nine touchdown passes in one game. A thumb injury limited Hubel late in the year, and JR Jimmy Collins came on for effective playing time... Howland appears to have the inside track to start in the opener, but Hubel is not far behind, and Viking coaches are confident in Collins and RS FR Connor Kavanaugh as well.
BOBBY MAC IS BACK IN BLACK
The return of JR FB Bobby McClintock should have a tremendous impact on the Viking offense. McClintock, who was a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection as a freshman, missed virtually the entire 2007 season after suffering a knee injury in the opener at McNeese State. His blocking, running and receiving abilities combined with the prominent role of fullbacks in the Run-and-Shoot offense have McClintock poised for a successful 2008 season... despite being injured in 2007, McClintock was selected as to the 2008 preseason All-Big Sky Conference team.
POSITION SWITCHES
A few Vikings will switch positons in 2008. SR Reggie Jones, a redshirt wide receiver, moves to full-time cornerback, but may play some at wide receiver this year. Also, JR Jordan Brown moves from cornerback to free safety; SR Aaron Dickson moves from linebacker to strong safety; SO Jake Fetzer moves from free safety to outside linebacker... during the second week of camp, JR WR Tracy Ford moved over to cornerback and is expected to stick there.
SPECIAL TEAMS LEADER
SR P/K Danny Urrego was one of the Vikings' top players in 2007, averaging 41.8 yards per punt - the best mark by a Viking in seven years - to rank 18th in the nation. Urrego also made 8-9 field goals with his only miss from 50 yards. His field goal percentage (.889) and set a new record at Portland State.
CAMP GLANVILLE: VIKING FOOTBALL JOINS THE REALITY TV GENRE
“Camp Glanville: Tackling PSU Football” premiered on May 5, just prior to the conclusion of Portland State's spring football practice on Comcast SportsNet in the Portland area. It was the first episode in a 20-week series prepared by CSN about Viking football.
Each new episode premieres on Mondays at 9:30 p.m. as the show follows the Viking team's preparation from the start of spring practice, through the summer, to the start of fall practice and into the first game.
SCHEDULE WATCH
The 2008 Portland State football schedule features eight Big Sky Conference games and three regional non-conference opponents, including Washington State of the Pac-10. PSU will have five home games and six road contests. Portland State opens on Aug. 30 when the Vikings host NCAA II Western Oregon at PGE Park. On Sept. 20, Portland State goes to Pullman, WA for a first-ever meeting with WSU that will be televised on Fox Sports Net. The Viking program has previously played Oregon, Oregon State and California from the Pac-10. The other non-conference game is a road meeting at UC Davis (Sept. 13). Big Sky home opponents in 2008 include Idaho State (Oct. 25), Montana (Nov. 8) and Northern Colorado (Nov. 22). The Big Sky Conference road schedule includes Sacramento State (Sept. 27), Northern Arizona (Oct. 11), Weber State (Nov. 1) and Montana State (Nov. 15).
PLAYING ON SUNDAYS
Seven members of the 2007 Portland State Viking football team signed free agent contracts with NFL teams following the National Football League draft last April. It marks the most Vikings ever to sign NFL contracts in a single season.
Among the seven who signed were LB Jordan Senn (Indianapolis), FB Olaniyi Sobomehin (New Orleans), RT Daren Heerspink (Miami), C Brennen Carvalho (Green Bay), QB Brian White (Oakland), DE Casey Tyler (New England) and DB Condrew Allen (Green Bay).
