Portland State University Athletics

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15 AND COUNTING… IN THE CHISHOLM ERA
October 26, 2011
by Mike Lund, Media Relations Director

One hundred years from now, Portland State historians will look back on the recent successes of the Viking Athletic program and deem it to be the "Chisholm Era." The reason for doing so will be in reference to the overall program success since Torre Chisholm was named Director of Athletics in the spring of 2007.

Since that time, Chisholm has hired all nine current Portland State Head Coaches. With the 2011 soccer team recently winning the Big Sky Conference co-Championship, Viking teams have won 15 conference titles under Chisholm's watch (Portland State won eight conference championships from 1996-2006, prior to Chisholm's arrival at PSU). Five of those coaches have been named Conference Coach of the Year.

That's pretty impressive stuff.

On a side note: When current Portland State President Wim Wiewel (vim VEE-vell) was hired on the Park Blocks a few years ago, a local sportswriter suggested that the Athletics Program should be dubbed "The Forces of Wiewel." Clever. In that vein, I think any reference to future athletics' success should be described to as "Chisholmy." Well, maybe not...

Congratulations to Women's Soccer Head Coach Laura Schott and her team for being co-champions this season in the Big Sky Conference along with Northern Colorado. The Bears will host the Big Sky Tournament on Nov. 4-6 by virtue of a 1-0 win over the Vikings on Oct. 14. But that was the only loss the Vikings had in conference play this season. PSU and UNC each finished at 4-1-2 in conference play. At 8-7-2, the Vikings had the best overall record of any Big Sky team.

For Schott, it is the second time in three years that her team has been at the top of the conference. In 2009, the Vikings won the regular season title, but lost in the tournament semifinals. If the Vikings can win a semifinal match over Weber State, then the championship over either Northern Colorado or Montana, they will reach the NCAA playoffs for the first time in school history (PSU beat Weber State, 1-0, and tied Montana, 2-2, this season).

PORTLAND STATE'S CONFERENCE/TOURNAMENT TEAM TITLES SINCE 2007:
Women’s Golf – 2008, 2010, 2011
Women’s Soccer – 2009, 2011
Men’s Basketball – 2008 (season/tournament), 2009 (tournament)
Women’s Basketball - 2010 (tournament), 2011 (season)
Women’s Volleyball – 2007 (season) , 2008 (tournament), 2009 (season), 2010 (season/tournament)
Softball – 2009, 2011

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAM APPEARANCES SINCE 2007:
Women’s Golf – 2008, 2010, 2011
Men’s Basketball – 2008, 2009
Women’s Basketball - 2010
Women’s Volleyball – 2008, 2010
Softball – 2009, 2011

… DON'T LOOK NOW, BUT SWEET 16 MIGHT BE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
After a sluggish start to the season, the women's volleyball team is suddenly tied for second place. The Vikings have won seven of their last nine and at 7-3 trail only Sacramento State (6-2) in the standings.

One thing is certain, the Vikings will host, and play in, the Big Sky Conference Championship, Nov. 25-26, at the Stott Center, whether they win the regular season title or not.

Head Coach Michael Seemann's team has won either the season or the tournament title (or both) each of the last four years.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?
The Viking football team faces defending national champion Eastern Washington this Saturday in Cheney. It is the start of four straight Big Sky Conference games over the final month of the season. At 2-2 in conference play, the Vikings still have a lot to play for.

• Another win would give PSU five on the season - the most since the Tim Walsh era (7-4 in 2006).
• Two wins would guarantee PSU a winning season for the first time in five years.
• Three wins would get PSU to 7-4 and make it one of the biggest turnaround teams in the country (after a 2-9 season last year).
• If the Vikings can find a way to run the table - and it won't be easy - that would make them 8-3 on the season. That would be the best regular season record since 2000, but more importantly would mean PSU is 6-2 in the Big Sky Conference and no worse than third place overall, and possibly second place.

What would that mean with regard to the NCAA playoffs?

Well, while it is true that the NCAA has expanded its Division I playoffs to 20 teams, it is still questionable whether the Vikings could make the playoffs in that scenario.

First of all, there is a bit of a misconception as to how many teams from the Big Sky get into the playoffs each year. The common thought is that three usually get in. The reality is that since 1999 at least two teams have gotten into the playoffs every year, but only twice (2003, 2009) have three teams gotten in.

That means the second place team is almost a slam dunk to earn a playoff nod.  But the Vikings would need a little help to get to second (can you say "two more Montana losses?"). Also, the Big Sky is currently ranked as the fifth-strongest conference in the nation at the FCS level. That seems a little low considering the strength of Montana State, Eastern Washington and Montana in recent seasons, but it means three teams in the playoffs would be unlikely. And, considering a possible tie with Montana in that scenario at 6-2, the Griz would have the advantage of a 30-24 win over the Vikings.

Some could make the argument that playing two lower division teams hurts us. I don't believe that really enters into the equation when the NCAA committee looks at teams for playoff consideration. They will look at our eight games against FCS schools. There would be a 6-2 record and no bad losses (Montana State and Montana are both top 10 teams right now).

What PSU really needs is a convincing win at Eastern Washington that might get it serious votes toward the top 25. PSU won't jump into the top 25 unless it can win at least its next two in a row. Currently the Vikings are 45th in votes received. And it certainly won't hurt for some of the teams in the lower portion of the top 25 to take some losses as well.

Still, if the Vikings can get into the top 20 teams by seasons end - which would be very realistic with four straight wins on the way out - who knows?

Eastern Washington is no bargain to start this four-week march. The Eagles feature Bo Levi Mitchell, one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. All Mitchell did last week was rally his team from a 28-13 deficit entering the fourth quarter at Sacramento State to a 42-35 overtime win. Included were three fourth-quarter touchdown passes.

Mitchell averages 342 yards passing per game and has thrown 20 touchdowns this season.

So why have the 2010 national champs struggled to a 4-4 record, 4-2 in the Big Sky? Injuries have played a big part in that (and Viking fans know all about injuries, wink, wink). Eastern's top two senior defenders, twin brothers Zach (LB) and Matt (DB) Johnson are out for the season, as is top returning receiver Brandon Kaufman (76-1,214-15 in 2010). The Johnsons accounted for nearly 240 tackles and 10 forced turnovers in the Eagles' championship run last year.

Seven Eagles' starters have been lost for the season and 11 were kept out of the lineup at Sacramento State with injuries.

Eastern Washington lost its first four games of the year, with the first three were on the road. The Eagles lost at Pac-12 Washington, 30-27, and were driving for the win in the late-going before turning the ball over. EWU lost at South Dakota, 30-17, in week two (and USD is currently ranked 15th), then 17-14 at Montana (8th). That was followed by a home loss to Montana State, 36-21 (4th, 7-1 overall and in first place in the Big Sky).

Since then, the Eagles have run off four straight wins (so it can be done!!), beating Weber State (27-21), Northern Arizona (36-28), Northern Colorado (48-27) and Sacramento State.

The Eagles can wing it - no pun intended - behind Mitchell (who also has 10 interceptions this year, due more to volume than inaccuracy). EWU averages 420 yards a game on offense, and the Vikings average 426. That said, the Eagles have not been very good against the run, allowing about 190 yards per game to opponents.

It should be an intriguing matchup, and one that begins four exciting weeks for the Vikings.


THE GREAT SPORTS OVERLAP
October 11, 2011
by Mike Lund, Media Relations Director

The month of October is home to "The Great Sports Overlap." At least that is the case in collegiate athletics when every program is practicing and/or competing at some level (did you know the Viking softball team has played six exhibition games in the past two weeks?). It's the same in professional sports as virtually every major professional sport is going strong: baseball, football, NASCAR, hockey, golf, soccer, basket… er, never mind, let's get back to college sports.

Let's see, Laura Schott has the Viking women's soccer team in first place with a pair of home matches coming this week: Friday at 5 p.m. vs. Northern Colorado and Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. Northern Arizona. Both matches take place at Hillsboro Stadium. PSU hosts Weber State on Oct. 20, then travels to Idaho State on Oct. 23. If the Vikings can win the Big Sky - and they have a pretty good shot - they will host the Big Sky Tournament, Nov. 4-6. Portland State is looking for a first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I Soccer Tournament. That would come with a Big Sky Tournament Championship.

The volleyball team is 4-3 in the Big Sky and hosts Eastern Washington this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Stott Center. The Vikings are battling to climb in the Big Sky and are already scheduled to host the Big Sky Tournament, Nov. 25-26.

The golf team completed its four-tournament fall schedule this past weekend. The two-time defending Big Sky Champions return to play in February. Big Sky Coach of the Year Kathleen Takaishi will be leaning on her two stars - first team All-Big Sky players Tiffany Schoning and Britney Yada - if they are to have a shot at winning three straight.

Both men's and women's tennis teams are in the midst of fall tournament play as well. The cross country teams are in the midst of their season while indoor track and field is just around the corner. Zach Carpenter and Amber Rozcicha haves paced their respective cross country teams this fall.

Portland State's basketball teams begin their full practice schedules at the end of this week.

Fifth-year Head Coach Sherri Murrell, who led her women's basketball team to the Big Sky regular season title in 2010-11, thinks she might have her best team yet. That's heady talk for a program that has won 83 games in Murrell's four years. But, when you have the Big Sky Player of the Year (Eryn Jones) and the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year (Courtney VanBrocklin) returning to the Viking backcourt, that is a pretty good start on the competition.

It will be a bounce-back year for a men's team that had to overcome a lot of injuries to win 14 games in 2011-12. Seniors Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott are going to be two of the better - and more exciting - players to watch in the Big Sky Conference.

The result of all this sports activity is exhausting schedules for everyone who works in the athletics department, including yours truly (not that I'm complaining, mind you).

ANOTHER MILESTONE TO RUN THROUGH
This week, the football team returns to Montana in search of its first win on Missoula soil since the 1980s. The Vikings exorcised the Pocatello demon two weeks ago, beating Idaho State at Holt Arena for the first time since 1999. Unfortunately, the agony of defeat in Missoula has lasted a decade longer. PSU has lost all seven Big Sky Conference games at Montana (since 1996) and eight in a row overall under the big M (since 1989).

One thing is for sure, Coach Nigel Burton's crew plans to clean up some of the sloppiness that affected an exciting, although ultimately disappointing 38-36 loss to third-ranked Montana State last Saturday. The Vikings had 15 penalties for 151 yards in the game. That came a week after a Big Sky-record 21 penalties for 209 yards at Idaho State. PSU won that one, 42-35, which just shows how costly those mistakes can be against a high-caliber team like MSU (or Montana). In fact, Montana comes into Saturday's tilt as the least penalized team in the league with 32 flags for 268 in six games, while the Vikings have 61 penalties for 599 yards in just five games.

Not really sure what has happened with the penalties the past two weeks. The Vikings had just 25 for 239 through three games - fairly pedestrian totals. But the past two games they have totaled 36 for 360 yards.

Besides the desire for their team to eliminate penalties, Vikings fans learned one thing last Saturday - Montana State is REALLY good. Quarterback DeNarius McGhee - last year's Big Sky co-Offensive Player of the Year - is only a SOPHOMORE. The Bobcats have only one senior among their two-deep at the offensive skills positions, and only two seniors on their two-deep for the ENTIRE defense.

I haven't seen Montana yet, but I have to believe - like last year - the Big Sky Conference Championship is going to have to go through Bozeman this year and for the next two. It is nice to note, however, that the Vikings appear to be knocking on that door.

This Saturday's game will pose a huge challenge again as the Vikings are in the midst of the toughest part of their schedule. The McCaffrey/Kavanaugh freight train coming out of the PSU backfield is averaging 292.8 rushing yards per game. The Vikings ran for 213 yards against MSU, the third-ranked team in the country. However, this week they will face the toughest run defense in the league in recent weeks.

Two weeks ago, 14th-ranked Montana held Northern Colorado to 21 yards on 24 carries. Last week, Idaho State had just nine running plays for -26 yards. That is -5 rushing yards on 33 carries (although the NCAA includes sack yardage in rushing stats which is a truly silly measure of a running game. Why not just count it against team passing like the NFL does? A sack IS a pass play). Still, in all, it will be interesting to see what the Vikings can do with their ground game. Go back three weeks, in a 42-28 loss to Sacramento State, and the Griz gave up 238 rushing yards to the Hornets (49 carries). That game was a road contest for Montana, though. This week, 25,000 screaming Montanans should spur on that run D.

A forced turnover or two by the Viking defense could have a big impact. The Vikings forced five turnovers in the first two weeks of the season, but only two in the last three games. Montana, even with a 33-0 win at Idaho State, commited three turnovers.

I posted this in my game notes this week, but the remarkable play of Vikings' special teams so far this season is worth revisiting. New Special Teams Coordinator Stacy Collins might be the Viking coaching staff's “Coach of the Year” so far this season. His special teams have been terrific through the first five games. No more so than last Saturday against Montana State when the Vikings blocked two punts, one field goal, and recovered a late pooch kickoff giving the Vikings a chance to tie the game in the closing moments.  
• With six total blocks (four punt, two FG), PSU is tied with Drake, Dartmouth and North Dakota for the most in the nation at the FCS level.
• The Vikings had gone five years without a punt block, but now have four this season. JR WR Nevin Lewis has two blocked punts, JR LB Dionte Brooks and FR TE Taylor Martinek have one each... Lewis also made a tackle for loss on a fake punt in the first game.
• The Vikings hadn't blocked a field goal in two years, but now have two in 2011, both by GR DT Myles Wade. Wade's block in the closing moments against Northern Arizona allowed the Vikings to hang on for the win. He also had one against Montana State.
• The Vikings' JR K Zach Brown is working on a string of 13 straight field goals made, including 7-7 this season. That is a new Portland State record and also extends his career field goal record to 43.
• The Vikings benefitted from a high snap on a punt attempt in the fourth period at Idaho State. FR WR Ronnie Simmons ran down the ISU punter for a 23-yard loss. The Vikings took over and two plays later SR RB Cory McCaffrey scored the game-winning touchdown.
• PSU's kick return team averages 23.3 per return this season. Lewis (26.6) and SR FS DeShawn Shead (24.1) lead the way in that department.
• Lewis and Wade have each earned Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors this season.

SOME THINGS TO LOOK AT THIS WEEK

The Oregonian's Ian Ruder write about the Viking secondary  - from Tuesday's O

More from Ian Ruder on his blog - The Ruder Reality

Video - The Portland State Football Story - Week 5 - by Quarter 4 Sports


JOINING THE CONVERSATION
October 4, 2011
by Mike Lund, Media Relations Director

Wow, have I ever been waiting for this. And I’m sure you have too. The Vikings playing in a big, important football game this Saturday. It has been a while.

Here is hoping the straight ahead burst of Cory McCaffrey is intact. And that the silky smooth moves that Connor Kavanaugh put on a befuddled Idaho State defense last week resurface on the JELD-WEN turf.

Here is hoping that a seven-play defensive stand inside the five-yard line against ISU, and a key late forced turnover are part of the equation as well.

Here is hoping the Vikings are ready for the big stage against the nation’s third ranked team in Montana State.

Nigel Burton will tell you that a truly “big game” can’t be played in the third conference contest of the year. He’ll tell you that the really big games come in November. And to an extent he is correct. I’m not sure the outcome of this week’s game will have a lot to do with my long term outlook on the Vikings. But a win this Saturday will have everyone believing this team will have “big games” in November.

The winner of Saturday’s Portland State and Montana State game will have sole possession of first place in the Big Sky Conference at 3-0 as well as a tie-breaker advantage in league play if that becomes a factor later in the season. Sounds kind of like a big game to me... despite what may happen over the following five weeks.

If the two-headed monster of McCaffrey and Kavanaugh continue to riddle Big Sky defenses this season will continue to be a lot of fun. If an improving defense can make more big plays, who knows?

Lest anyone think I am putting the cart before the horse here, I have been around too long and seen to much to know just how hard it is to win ANY Big Sky Conference game, let alone a lot of them. I don’t presume the Vikings are suddenly one of the best teams in the Big Sky - at least not until they can beat a team the caliber of Montana State. But, I certainly think they are on the right path, finally, after spending some years lost in the wilderness.

Coming off a pair of two-win seasons, winning five or six this year would be a huge step forward. Keep in mind, after Montana State the Vikings face Montana, defending national champion Eastern Washington (don’t be fooled by the Eagles’ record), and Sacramento State (winners over Oregon State and Eastern Washington) in consecutive Big Sky games. So, the next month will truly test the Viking mettle, not just this week.

I won’t deny the hype machine has been working overtime in the Portland State Athletics Department this week. Yours truly has played a role in that. Generating fan and media interest has been paramount. But this is what everyone from the Athletics Director on down to the 95th man on the football team has been working toward.

Two weeks ago, Nigel Burton told a reporter “we will always be the underdog” this season, until proven otherwise. This week’s game is a chance for the Vikings to prove otherwise. And people know it.

In the last three days, Portland State football has had its quarterback named National Player of the Week, had five appearances on local sports radio talk shows, three stop-bys from local television stations at football practice, a pair of front page articles in the Oregonian, and Burton will appear on Comcast SportsNet’s “Talkin’ Ball” Show tonight. (And as I write this it is only noon on Wednesday!)

That’s pretty well-earned stuff from a program that battles for attention against the down-state Pac-12 schools, an NBA franchise, and preps-heavy local media coverage.

Hey Viking fans, once again Portland State football is part of the conversation. Isn’t that nice?


SOME THINGS TO LOOK AT THIS WEEK
Here is a sampling of the attention the Vikings have gotten this week:

• John Canzano's Wednesday's column in The Oregonian.

• Ian Ruder of the Oregonian wrote a great article on Myles Wade that appeared on the front of the sports on Tuesday.

• Nigel Burton will be on KPAM 860 AM on Wednesday at 6:25 p.m. and then Wednesday night's "Talkin' Ball" Show on Comcast SportsNet (ch. 37/HD 737).

• Portland State Athletics Director Torre Chisholm will be on 750 The Game tonight at 6:35 p.m.

• A feature on offensive lineman Adam Kleffner is coming on Thursday in the Portland Tribune.

• Take a look at the new Viking Football video from Quarter4 Sports reviewing the TCU game.

• Enjoy this radio mashup of the Viking win over Idaho State last week by Bryan Griggs of Alpha Broadcasting.



Viking Blog - September 2011
(includes previous months)