By Fred Delkin

The new era of Portland State University football officially began at PGE Park Saturday evening May 12 with a full contact, officiated intrasquad clash ending the spring drills under the tutelage of new mentors Jerry Glanville and Darrell ‘Mouse’ Davis (photo). We came away convinced that Mouse’s Run & Shoot offense is very much alive and well, but that Glanville’s defense needs a lot of work before the 2007 schedule begins September 1 at McNeese State in Louisiana.

The Davis offensive circus overwhelmed the defense 49-7. A field-wide choice of open receivers gathered 20 of 29 passes from quarterbacks Brian White and Tygue Howland for a total of 457 yards. The opening first team offensive play featured a 46-yard completion from White to wideout Kenneth Mackins. White, a 6-5 senior transfer from Division I Colorado, appears a possible worthy successor to Davis-trained NFL and Viking QB standouts June Jones and Neil Lomax. The defense showed frequent confusion as to proper coverage in the secondary and little success in pressuring White and Howland.

There is also much more to accomplish in marketing the product. Attendance was a paltry 2,014 paid despite a good bit of press hype for the event. Almost constant light rainfall and and unseasonably cool temperature undoubtedly inhibited fan turnout. The event did generate 119  new season tickets sold for a total of 1,006 to date, which exceeds the 2006 totalof 944.

New hires promise more fund-raising muscle

There is new blood aboard in PSU athletic administration and a sense of purpose lacking in the past decade. The new athletic director Torre Chisholm comes with a record at his previous position at Cal State Irvine of accomplishment in fund-raising. PSU is now backing him up with new 
hires...Dennis Ferguson as the Director of New Business Development and
Zack Wallace as Associate Athletics Director for Development Ferguson’s
credentials include leadership roles in  insurance, Oregon Historical Society, Easter Seals, United Way and the Multnomah Aathletic Club. Wallace will employ his experience at fund-raising and marketing for athletics at Cal Irvine, Cal Bakersfield, Cal Berkeley and the University of Oregon. As Chishom points out, "the (PSU) athletic department hasn’t had an established and experienced fund-raiser in recent memory." 

It appears that those fond and bygone memories of success during the previous coaching reigns of Mouse and the late Pokey Allen may rise again. The drought will be over if Glanville (photo)  and Davis can put crowd-pleasing victories together for a run at a national Division IAA title. Recruiting returns to health in the Park Blocks with the reputation of this pair.

We saw some evidence Saturday that a Big Sky title and national playoff success may erase the grid doldrums of the past decade at PSU. The Run & Shoot will certainly score points. Now if Glanville can construct a defense by next September, the ol’ Civic Stadium should have some packed stands after years of seats gone begging.

Last month's column on The Return: Mouse Returns to Join PSU Football Revival 

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