Added stability

After two seasons full of inconsistent performances on the field, the enthusiasm head coach Jerry Glanville displayed after the Vikings’ first spring practice cannot be overstated. For the first time in a while, Glanville has some returning talent with which to work.

Last year the Vikings struggled to a 4-7 record—one win better than their record in 2007—and featured a chaotic and erratic team on both sides of the ball.

The squad struggled with either of its two starting quarterbacks deployed, and Glanville’s 3-4 defense and offensive coordinator Mouse Davis’ run-and-shoot offense never managed to simultaneously click on any given Saturday.

The short-term result was another disappointing season for Portland State fans who saw the team go 4-1 at home but drop each of their six road games by an average of more than 18 points.

“We have all worked really hard to overcome some of those things that we struggled with last season,” said senior receiver Aaron Woods, who was sixth in the nation last season with an average of 178.9 all-purpose yards per contest.

The losing seasons have served as motivation for the players as well as coaches. For the second consecutive season, the spring practice schedule will feature plenty of new faces, many of them talented players that will contribute immediately.

Three of those faces—defensive end Carl Sommer and safety twins Donte and Michael Almond—will be expected to log heavy minutes when the season starts on Sept. 5, and Glanville and his coaches will use the spring practices to help prepare other newcomers.

“We will fix a couple of things each day,” Glanville said. “For the first day, we did alright, but it will be a lot more exciting when we put the pads on later this week.”

In addition to assimilating new bodies into the offensive and defensive schemes, spring practice is an important time for the coaching staff to continue to assess the progression of some of the young talent that Glanville hopes will continue to be featured in the Vikings lineup in 2009.

“We are just so young,” the head coach said, seemingly echoing the same statement he has made each season. “This is a really good time for us to look at some of the young kids and see how they are doing.”

The Vikings could potentially start as many as five players that saw little or no action last season. Included in that group are one offensive line position (right guard) and two linebacker positions.

Andy Schantz and KJ McCrae, both standout linebackers on a defense that struggled to slow opponents most of the year, have graduated and their vacancies will be filled by some combination of young talent.

One position that will be cemented down heading into the season opener against Oregon State is quarterback.

Junior Drew Hubel and senior Tygue Howland shared reps last fall, but Hubel enters spring camp the clear-cut starter, a move that Glanville and his players hope will give the team more offensive consistency and rhythm.

“It is really important [for a receiver] to develop that feel and chemistry with your quarterback and spring practice is a great time to do that,” Woods said.

Despite the influx of youth that Glanville has worked with over the last two seasons, the Vikings will likely start 11 seniors. This group includes three along the offensive line, a group that gave up more sacks than any other in the Big Sky Conference last season.

“We have some talented guys out here,” Woods said. “Everybody’s in good shape, making plays and looking forward to Oregon State.”

Portland State will practice 13 more times before holding their annual spring scrimmage on May 16 at the Stott Community Field. The Vikings will head to Corvallis for their 2009 opener on Sept. 5.