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.