PSU Viking Gridders 
Show Spring Promise 

     By Fred Delkin

     It was a cold May day in PGE Park, but a turnout of 2008 season ticket holders were 
warmed by a promising performance by an obviously improved defensive corps in the  Portland State spring windup scrimmage.  Coaches Jerry Glanville and Mouse Davis had a  rough '07 season, handicapped in their debut by the inheritance of a squad not of their making. It appears that the upcoming '08 season will be a far different story.  Glanville has crafted an 
impressive group of aggressive front linemen and linebackers.  They put relentless pressure on the Davis run&shoot QB's in the spring finale and gave new cornerback Reggie Jones an 
opportunity to shine.  Jones is a senior transfer from the University of Idaho, with a sprinter's 
speed.  The PSU defense will be further buoyed by a late signee, Texas all-state prep 
cornerback Cody Worthen, who will join the Viking secondary this fall.

Four quarterbacks were tested, but offensive results were limited until redshirt freshman  Connor Kavanaugh took the field.  Kavanaugh, making his PSU varsity debut just a block away from the Lincoln high school field where he earned all-state prep honors, engineered a 
pair of TD's, one by pass and another by an athletic scramble when seemingly smothered.  
Mouse granted, post game, that Kavanaugh's performance will make his choice for a fall 
starter "a definite challenge."  Projected starting signal-caller,  junior Tygue Howland,  was 
sidelined for the '07 season by injury and looked tentative in his spring showing, as did 
sophomore Drew Hubel.   Junior Jimmy Collins outshown both Howland and Hubel in maneuverability.

The Viking gridders face a daunting early 2008 season.  They open at home against Western 
Oregon, then travel for three straight weeks to Cal Davis, Washington State and Sacramento 
State before coming home (the Cougar game will be the new Vik coaching staff's first matchup against a Pac10 opponent).  We saw enough talent on spring display to believe that the Viks will be a threat for the Big Sky title and a possible bid to the national 1AA playoffs if they can dump perennial conference winner Montana here in November.

Roses & Raspberries...a passel of posies to PSU cage coach Ken Bone for recruiting a pair 
of new centers: 6-10 JC transfer Donata Visockis and 6-11 frosh Jason Conrad (looks like 
the PSU cagers are equipped to repeat the school's appearance in the NCAA March  Madness...nothing but boos for anyone doubting that athletic success pairs well with academic honors for an ambitious university...and here's to new PSU athletic director Torre Chisholm's 
drive to expand on-campus  Stott Center as a basketball arena worthy of a Divsion I 
program...we applaud Nike founder Phil Knight's contributions to his UO alma mater, benefitting both sports and study facilities...we wonder, however at the wisdom of the Oregon State athletic department in hiring an Ivy League mentor to revive a basketball program that was once a national power (oh well, he is Barrack Obama's brother-in-law).

© 2008 Oregon Magazine