Damage control

Without a chance to make the playoffs, the Vikings will be playing the rest of the season to prove to their coaches that they are better than their 2-5 overall record and 2-2 Big Sky Conference record would suggest. The Vikings’ quest to impress will begin when they take on Big Sky foe Weber State (2-5, 2-3) at PGE Park this Saturday.

The biggest news coming out of the Viking horn this week is the loss of starting senior quarterback Brian White, who listed as doubtful for this week. During last week’s loss to Idaho State, White strained his triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), which is a tendon in his right hand. He had surgery to repair his TFCC in the same wrist, during his sophomore season at the University of Colorado. Against the Wildcats, White will be available if needed.

This leaves a lot of doubt at the quarterback position with two inexperienced backups at the Division I level. Freshman Drew Hubel and junior Jimmy Collins will be the first two options.

Hubel has seen most of his action with the game out of reach. In those games, he completed 13 of 17 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown. Collins’ playing time has also been limited, as the junior has attempted just a single pass all season.

Without their starting quarterback and no longer fighting every week for a playoff spot, Portland State may loosen up when pitted against a beatable team like Weber State.

The Wildcats do not completely dominate on either side of the ball. Weber State’s defense allows a conference-low 175.9 passing yards per game, though its run defense is extremely suspect, allowing 176.4 rush yards per game.

Weber State’s ineffective defense could mean another big game for senior fullback Olaniyi Sobomehin, who rushed for a career-high 143 yards last week. The injury to backfield mate White may place added reliance on the shoulders and legs of Sobomehin to establish the Vikings’ offensive tempo and rhythm.

The Viking defense will be facing another good runner in sophomore tailback Trevyn Smith. After a 170-yard rushing performance last week, Smith stole the top spot for most rushing yards per game from Idaho State’s Josh Barnett with 98.7 yards.

In an offense with major voids, the brightest light for the Wildcats is their offensive line. The big bodies on the front line have allowed only seven sacks from opposing defenses this season and will really challenge the Vikings’ pass rush to establish position and penetrate into the backfield.

Weber State’s hogs up front have protected freshman quarterback Cameron Higgins extremely well thus far, but despite the added protection the young signal caller has struggled through an unimpressive season. Higgins has completed 53 of 100 passes for 713 yards and has thrown five touchdowns and four interceptions on the year.

On offense, the keys for Portland State to come away with a victory this week will be protecting whichever young quarterback gets the nod, and ensuring that Sobomehin gets a lot of touches. The job will be that much harder with both senior tackles Cody Feakin and Darren Heerspink sustaining injuries in the Idaho State game. Heerspink is expected to play banged up, but Feakin will most likely sit out.

The Vikings need to bottle up the run and force as many turnovers as possible on defense. Weber State has turned the ball over eight times this year, and the Vikings need as many breaks as they can get if they want to perform damage control on their season.