Elevated to the status of interim track and field head coach was Ronnye Harrison. Harrison replaces Kebba Tolbert, who departed Portland State after five years for a coaching position at the University of Texas, El Paso.
Harrison has coached at high schools in the Portland area since 1998, working at Jefferson and, for the last four years, at Benson. He graduated from Jefferson in 1977.
For now, at least, Harrison leads a staff of three other coaches including Seth Henson, who works with throwers, John Parks, who works with distance runners, and Kevin Jeffers, a volunteer assistant.
Committed to join the Portland State football team next spring is former Oregon State defensive end Carl Sommer. After appearing in games with the Beavers already this fall, Sommer left the team because of a poor relationship with the coaching staff. He had played just 10 plays for Oregon State.
After a stellar high school career at Wilsonville, Sommer will join a talented defensive line for spring football and the 2009 season. Because he is transferring from a Division I to Division I-AA school, Sommer will not have to sit out any time next year.
Winless since the last time they squared off against the Vikings is Idaho State, Portland State’s next opponent.
The Bengals defeated Portland State 38-20 last season but have since lost 11 straight, including a 20-point defeat to Northern Colorado earlier this season. The victory was the first in three years for the Bears. In those 11 games the Bengals have lost by an average of 15 points per contest.
Well-rested should be the Vikings football team after receiving a four-day break from the rigors of practice last week.
Blessed with an off week, many coaches would have used the opportunity to correct some of the team’s mistakes. Instead, the Portland State coaching staff used the opportunity to recruit for next season, sending coaches to scout players in Oregon, California and Texas.
Appalled are the state of Washington’s football fans after another disappointing weekend on the field. The Seahawks possess the only victory while Washington and Washington State are battling it out with Alaska as the worst football state in the union.
Washington, who lost to Oregon State this weekend, may not have a coach should the team not find a way to split their remaining six games.
Across the state in Pullman, Washington State is losing by an average of 44 points per game and head coach Paul Wulff may not be around long enough to enjoy the game at Hawaii to conclude the Cougars’ season.
The three teams lost by a combined score of 123-10. Luckily, there is still good football to be found in Ellensburg, the home of Division II Central Washington. The Wildcats are 8-1 with their only loss coming on the road to Big Sky Conference standout Montana by three points.