See The Video From Day 1

Portland State opened its fall practice on Sunday at Stott Community Field. Warm, but comfortable, temperatures gave the Vikings an excellent afternoon for a nearly three hour workout.

PSU begins its quest to turn a program around that has not had a winning season since 2006, when it finished second in the Big Sky Conference.

Forty-nine returning letterwinners and 21 returning starters give the Vikings a lot of experience on the field. Second-year Head Coach Nigel Burton is also excited about the increase in depth he has at every position.

The Vikings will practice at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, then twice on Friday at 10:30 and 5:30. A Saturday scrimmage begins at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Here are a few opening lines from the coach as the Vikings prepare for 2011.

Nigel Burton on the 2011 team's experience:
"A year of experience will help, but I think the best part is we have been able to build up a lot of depth on our team. So being a returning starter won't mean a lot. You will have to earn your job every week. The guys under understand the expectation. We didn't have to twist any arms to get guys to stick around for the summer. They realize that if you don't work hard through the summer… "

Nigel Burton on the battle for playing time entering camp:
"Every position is an open competition. I would be surprised if Connor (Kavanaugh) didn't play. I would be surprised if Cory McCaffrey didn't play or DeShawn Shead didn't play, but outside of that, its going to be fun with the competition level and guys battling for playing time. There are going to be guys looking behind them and knowing the talent level is just as high, so they are going to have to keep up that level of play. That's what makes your football program better."

Nigel Burton on his quarterbacks:
"(Drew Hubel) was great all summer. He has been throwing and he has taken on a leadership role. It's going to be a very interesting competition (with Connor Kavanaugh). I'm looking forward to the things we can do with our offense with those two guys. They are pretty polar opposite. But we have told Drew, 'when you pull it (in to run), all you have to get us is five or six yards. That's all we need.' The throws the guy can make are just tremendous."

"Each one of those guys brings so much to the table in terms of leadership and presence, the ability to run the offense, intelligence, all of those things. Those guys have great sets of parents and great families that have instilled those values in them, that 'its not all about you. Its whats best for the people around you.' I'm a very lucky man having those two guys run the show for us."

"The thing we have to give them is a receiving corps that can match the run game that we have. And I think the receiving corps  - athletically - is night and day from what it was last year. Its just a matter of getting those guys - the young guys - to understand what it takes to be successful at the Division I level. The fact that we have upgraded that area will really help Drew in his ability to take advantage of the other aspects of the offense."

Nigel Burton on Cory McCaffrey:
"He understands now when he has to stick it in and just get the yards that he can, but that guy is so special in the open field. Now with Willie Griffin being healthy - he was banged up going into last season - and the influx of freshmen who wowed the guys during the summer, that's pretty good. Its exciting for that position."

Nigel Burton on the defense:
"I think the biggest thing is, this (4-3) defense has a history of being very successful against the run and we didn't do that last year. So, there has been a lot of trust built in terms what we are doing. And there has been a big influx of talent and depth, so I expect our run defense to be better and our secondary to be among the best in the country, as long as they fulfill what their potential is."

Nigel Burton on winning games at the end:
"When you are a team that knows how to win, on that last and final drive when something bad happens… they don't sweat it. They keep moving. They have the confidence to finish. When you are not used to winning those games it doesn't take much to throw you off and say, okay this is it, it's not going to work out. Our team had to work through that last year. Now that they know how close they were, they are ready to take the next step to pull out those games."

"Talent plus the ability to prepare equals wins. We've increased the talent pool and the depth. Now when they feel prepared they are confident and good things can happen."

Nigel Burton on returning to JELD-WEN Field:
"It will be the premier facility at our level. There are a couple of facilities that are bigger, but in terms of what we have there with facilities, the field, the club level, having 85% of the seats covered. It has got our players excited and it has got the recruits excited."

"There was a time when there was an element of fear when teams came into (JELD-WEN Field). We have to get some of that back. What is more important to us is the way we play and the way we execute. When people walk out of that stadium, we want them to say 'that team was well-coached, well-prepared and pretty athletic.'"