Nigel Burton

[FormerEag]

is out at PSU.

Can't say I'm surprised, but I don't think coaching is the Vik's biggest problem.

 

[Seattle Eagle]

The only thing I am surprised at is PSU buying out his contract. Still, tough break. Good luck to him.

 

[EWU98]

Sad to say but that PROGRAM is officially DEADMAN WALKING! hno:
How in the world could a player who sees all this going on decide to go to that program knowing that maybe in a years (1 year max) time it will be dropped?
Every school in the Big Sky will win the recruiting battle with PSU regardless of who they bring in as a coach.
RIP PSU
Thanks for coming please drive through

 

[LDopaPDX]

I doubt they'll drop football. However, their AD is such a mess that I can't imagine things changing in the near future. Agree with what was said before, coaching isn't really their problem.

 

[EWURanger]

I don't think coaching is their biggest problem by any means, and Burton is an extremely good recruiter so his teams typically are not short on talent. But when you are consistently one of the most penalized teams in the conference it points to a lack of discipline...which is a coaching issue.

I don't think PSU will drop football, either. But it's very clear that they need to make some drastic changes with everything related to their football program. That's not all going to be fixed with just a good coaching hire.

 

[kalm]

I doubt they'll drop football. However, their AD is such a mess that I can't imagine things changing in the near future. Agree with what was said before, coaching isn't really their problem.

What are their problems?

 

[LDopaPDX]

Where to start? Primarily, their problems stem from the fact they have no current AD. The last guy quit when the University put a third-party marketing company in charge of their athletics program. What's worse, this company has totally failed in driving revenues. The marketing company hasn't increased attendance at all, and issued a press statement blaming the football program for their inability to succeed.

It's so bad that the university has actually made a public position that they will not invest any money in football. Starting this last year, the football program has been forced to live on a balanced budget. In theory, this might be somewhat understandable except for the fact NO OTHER PROGRAM at Portland State isn't subsidized, so football is being left on an island. Many have thought this is an effort to kill the program by bleeding it dry.

I can't understand how two universities in Oregon have recently started football programs (Pacific and George Fox) and yet Portland State won't invest a single dollar in their D1 program.

 

[LDopaPDX]

I suspect football will last, but it will be bled to become something like Idaho. Multiple money games and 1-3 out of conference slates will be the norm. Empty stadiums will continue. They will "survive," but only in a zombie-like existence akin to the living dead.

Interesting fact, when Portland first renovated Providence Park (PGE Park) at the time, their first home game drew over 20,000... And that was against SWAC no-name Grambling State.