The Portland State football program is getting fresh blood and a new perspective with the arrival of its incoming head coach.
On Dec. 8, Nigel Burton was hired to take over the top position of Vikings football and he arrives highly touted after coaching successful programs at both Oregon State and Nevada.
Burton, 33, fills a void left after the departure of coach Jerry Glanville, who resigned in November following a dismal 2–9 season—the worst since Portland State joined Division I play. Despite the fanfare that greeted Glanville in 2007, he left after just three seasons, and the hopes that he would bring an exciting brand of football to PSU were laid to rest after he left with a 9–24 overall record.
“I’m thrilled to have Nigel Burton as our head football coach,” said Torre Chisholm, athletics director. “Nigel brings the whole package—great recruiting skills, a focus on student-athlete success, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to teach.”
The move to Portland is a boon for Burton as well, who is returning to the Park Blocks after coaching defensive backs here from 2001–02 under then-head coach Tim Walsh. In his two seasons with the Viks, he oversaw two First-Team All-Conference performers in Richard Carrie (2001) and Mitchell Fitzhugh (2002).
“The opportunity to come back to a university that I loved being a part of before was outstanding,” Burton said. “I believe the potential is here to return to the dominance that Portland State once had. The improvement of facilities and campus life is a big part of that. Portland State is a great place to get a world-class education, to play great football and live in one of the best cities in the country.”
Burton’s focus on student success has certainly enamored him to the Portland State community, and he brings a personality to the table that should excite a fan base that has seen only one playoff team since joining Division I play.
Though Burton is a first-time head coach, his arrival as defensive coordinator at both Oregon State and Nevada was marked by stats improvements to both teams’. After Burton’s arrival in 2007, Nevada improved from 6–7 prior to his hiring to this season’s 8–4 record and a trip to the Hawai’i Bowl.
During Burton’s tenure at Nevada, the Wolf Pack defense allowed five fewer points per game and 26 fewer yards per game than prior to his arrival. From 2003–08 Burton was secondary coach for Oregon State, where he compiled a 39–24 record. As a secondary coach under Mike Riley, the Beavers were ranked among the top three teams in total defense and won four bowl games over the course of his tenure.
Gone will be Portland State’s run-and-shoot offense, as Burton plans on using a pistol offense, a staple of head coach Chris Ault of Nevada, while incorporating a 4–3 defense similar to what he coached under Mike Riley at Oregon State.
“There will definitely be an Oregon State flavor and a Nevada flavor added to what’s here,” said Burton in an interview with The Oregonian.
Helping him with this charge will be newly hired assistants Bob Simmons and Inoke Breckterfield. Simmons will serve as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, while Breckterfield will coach the defensive line.
Burton has continued to flesh out his coach staff, adding former Wolf Pack colleagues Dave Brown and Ahmed Zarrugh as run game coordinator and linebackers coach, respectively. Both are familiar with the pistol offense and will help to integrate the new style at Portland State.