Vikings: QB battle still deadlocked
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/09/vikings_qb_battle_still_deadlo.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/09/vikings_qb_battle_still_deadlo.html
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Portland State @ Sacramento State Thread
- Thread starter martymoose
- Start date
Breaking news: Howland named PSU starter
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/09/breaking_news_howland_named_ps.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/09/breaking_news_howland_named_ps.html
MRI for Assily. Not good.
Hopefully for Assily is just a sprain like we found out Bethel-Thompson has for us (MBT is going to be out 4-6 weeks, Thank God it wasn't a tear).
PSU FOOTBALL: Former Lake Oswego QB Duncan White preps for Vikings
Ex-Laker led Sac State to late TD in last week's loss to Weber State
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122238773911382200
Ex-Laker led Sac State to late TD in last week's loss to Weber State
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122238773911382200
VIKING NOTES: Glanville says Sac State 'much quicker and faster' than in 2007
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122239102915270200
WHAT: Portland State (1-2) at Sacramento State (2-2)
WHEN, WHERE: 2 p.m. Saturday, Hornet Stadium, Sacramento, capacity 21,195
RADIO: KTRO (910 AM)
• PSU quarterbacks Drew Hubel and Tygue Howland have yet to produce a breakout game, but Hubel has the better stats. He’s completed 58.5 percent to Howland’s 39.5 percent.
• Injuries haven’t shaken up the Vikings, but they are a bit of a nuisance.
Cornerback Reggie Jones (strained arch) is questionable. He could give way to veteran Stanley Jackson on Saturday.
Backup defensive end John Shackford (sprained ankle) is questionable, along with free safety Jordan Brown (torn hamstring), who has yet to play this season.
Robert Truax, a freshman from West Linn who was kicking off, is out for the season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament last week at Washington State. Place-kicker Danny Urrego has resumed kickoff duties.
Starting defensive end Joseph Ma’aseia (torn thumb ligament) is in a soft cast and expected to give it a go on Saturday.
Inside linebacker Andy Schantz (sore shoulder) got banged up at WSU but kept playing.
Inside linebacker Erik Pederson missed the Cougar contest with a groin injury but is expected back for Sac State.
Slotback Mario D’Ambrosio has been playing despite what was termed a dislocated shoulder.
Safety Chris Assily banged a knee in practice on Wednesday and is questionable for Sacramento State.
Outside linebacker Jake Fetzer (back) remains out indefinitely.
• Portland State beat Sac State for the eighth straight time last year, winning 35-24 at PGE Park.
Viking coach Jerry Glanville says he is impressed with the upgrade he sees in the Hornets.
“They look so much quicker and faster than a year ago,” he says. “I can’t believe the difference in their three-step quickness. They’re like a different team.”
• One Hornet in particular that Glanville mentions is wide receiver Tony Washington.
“He must have worked very, very hard in the offseason,” Glanville says. “He’s not the same guy.”
Washington, 5-11 and 195 pounds, caught 29 passes as a junior last season for 414 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t a factor against PSU.
In four games this season, Washington has 23 receptions for 425 yards and three TDs.
“He’s an incredible talent,” says Sac State quarterback Duncan White, the probable starter from Lake Oswego High. “He and (wideout) Kyle Hill have good acceleration to the ball. Tony’s also one of the most humble people I’ve been around.”
• Sacramento State has been using three running backs: Evander Wilkins (410 yards, 5.5 per carry), Jake Croxdale (155 yards, 4.7) and Bryan Hilliard (141, 5.4).
Hilliard is by far the biggest of the three; he’s 5-11, 2115 pounds, while Wilkins is 5-6, 180 and Croxdale 5-6, 190.
Hilliard is still rounding into form after an early-season shoulder injury. He was fourth in the Big Sky in rushing as a freshmen last season with 826 yards (5.4 average).
Wilkins is a sophomore and Croxdale, whose playing time has dropped off, is a freshman.
“It’s a good combination of backs,” White says. “Evander is quick and great at coming out of the backfield to catch passes, and Bryan is more of a bruiser.”
Says Glanville: “Those guys (Wilkins and Hilliard) look so quick on film. They can make good cuts.”
Sperbeck says Hilliard and Wilkins will both get 15 to 20 carries against Portland State, if all goes according to plan.
• Portland State is looking to win its Big Sky opener for the fourth year in a row.
• Sac State has committed only three turnovers in four games.
• White says the Hornets don’t use Portland State’s eight-game winning streak in the series as motivation.
“Our new (second year) coaching staff doesn’t talk about the old records that much,” White says. “It’s supposed to be a new program.”
• The Hornets went 3-8 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky last season, the same as injury-plagued Portland State. Sac State beat Northern Arizona a week after losing to the Vikings, and then finished 2007 with wins over Northern Colorado and Idaho State.
Are the Hornets better this year?
“It’s hard to tell,” White says. “I think our offense has gotten a lot better, but our defense is a lot younger. Our defense was a lot better than our offense last year. The defense held Montana to something like 115 yards, but our offense couldn’t score (Montana won 17-3). That was really frustrating for the team.”
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122239102915270200
WHAT: Portland State (1-2) at Sacramento State (2-2)
WHEN, WHERE: 2 p.m. Saturday, Hornet Stadium, Sacramento, capacity 21,195
RADIO: KTRO (910 AM)
• PSU quarterbacks Drew Hubel and Tygue Howland have yet to produce a breakout game, but Hubel has the better stats. He’s completed 58.5 percent to Howland’s 39.5 percent.
• Injuries haven’t shaken up the Vikings, but they are a bit of a nuisance.
Cornerback Reggie Jones (strained arch) is questionable. He could give way to veteran Stanley Jackson on Saturday.
Backup defensive end John Shackford (sprained ankle) is questionable, along with free safety Jordan Brown (torn hamstring), who has yet to play this season.
Robert Truax, a freshman from West Linn who was kicking off, is out for the season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament last week at Washington State. Place-kicker Danny Urrego has resumed kickoff duties.
Starting defensive end Joseph Ma’aseia (torn thumb ligament) is in a soft cast and expected to give it a go on Saturday.
Inside linebacker Andy Schantz (sore shoulder) got banged up at WSU but kept playing.
Inside linebacker Erik Pederson missed the Cougar contest with a groin injury but is expected back for Sac State.
Slotback Mario D’Ambrosio has been playing despite what was termed a dislocated shoulder.
Safety Chris Assily banged a knee in practice on Wednesday and is questionable for Sacramento State.
Outside linebacker Jake Fetzer (back) remains out indefinitely.
• Portland State beat Sac State for the eighth straight time last year, winning 35-24 at PGE Park.
Viking coach Jerry Glanville says he is impressed with the upgrade he sees in the Hornets.
“They look so much quicker and faster than a year ago,” he says. “I can’t believe the difference in their three-step quickness. They’re like a different team.”
• One Hornet in particular that Glanville mentions is wide receiver Tony Washington.
“He must have worked very, very hard in the offseason,” Glanville says. “He’s not the same guy.”
Washington, 5-11 and 195 pounds, caught 29 passes as a junior last season for 414 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t a factor against PSU.
In four games this season, Washington has 23 receptions for 425 yards and three TDs.
“He’s an incredible talent,” says Sac State quarterback Duncan White, the probable starter from Lake Oswego High. “He and (wideout) Kyle Hill have good acceleration to the ball. Tony’s also one of the most humble people I’ve been around.”
• Sacramento State has been using three running backs: Evander Wilkins (410 yards, 5.5 per carry), Jake Croxdale (155 yards, 4.7) and Bryan Hilliard (141, 5.4).
Hilliard is by far the biggest of the three; he’s 5-11, 2115 pounds, while Wilkins is 5-6, 180 and Croxdale 5-6, 190.
Hilliard is still rounding into form after an early-season shoulder injury. He was fourth in the Big Sky in rushing as a freshmen last season with 826 yards (5.4 average).
Wilkins is a sophomore and Croxdale, whose playing time has dropped off, is a freshman.
“It’s a good combination of backs,” White says. “Evander is quick and great at coming out of the backfield to catch passes, and Bryan is more of a bruiser.”
Says Glanville: “Those guys (Wilkins and Hilliard) look so quick on film. They can make good cuts.”
Sperbeck says Hilliard and Wilkins will both get 15 to 20 carries against Portland State, if all goes according to plan.
• Portland State is looking to win its Big Sky opener for the fourth year in a row.
• Sac State has committed only three turnovers in four games.
• White says the Hornets don’t use Portland State’s eight-game winning streak in the series as motivation.
“Our new (second year) coaching staff doesn’t talk about the old records that much,” White says. “It’s supposed to be a new program.”
• The Hornets went 3-8 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky last season, the same as injury-plagued Portland State. Sac State beat Northern Arizona a week after losing to the Vikings, and then finished 2007 with wins over Northern Colorado and Idaho State.
Are the Hornets better this year?
“It’s hard to tell,” White says. “I think our offense has gotten a lot better, but our defense is a lot younger. Our defense was a lot better than our offense last year. The defense held Montana to something like 115 yards, but our offense couldn’t score (Montana won 17-3). That was really frustrating for the team.”
STEVE SAYS: Tough call, but go with the green (and gold) Hornets over PSU
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122236926441132900
I’m not sure Portland State can beat anyone in the Big Sky right now, and this from a guy who predicted a few weeks ago that the Vikings would go 5-3 in the conference.
After two straight losses by PSU — even to teams that would beat Sacramento State — I need the Vikings to prove to me that they can win on the road.
Of course, Sac State doesn’t look awesome, either.
But I think the Hornets are improving, and they have a decent running game. Can PSU stop it? That easily could be the determining factor on Saturday.
The green- and gold-clad Hornets, however, gave up 32 points last week to Weber State in a five-point loss. Weber State isn’t bad, but the Hornet defense seems only average.
Can Sac State, with some quarterback injuries, win a shooting match, if Saturday’s game turns into that?
I throw out the fact that the Vikings have won eight in a row in the series. The Hornets would like to snap that streak, but mostly they would love to just get to 1-1 in the Big Sky.
On thing that does interest me, though, is that PSU bounced back fairly well twice last year after being outclassed or playing poorly (and both were the case for PSU last Saturday at Washington State).
A year ago, after losing 52-17 at San Diego State, the Vikings knocked off No. 21 Eastern Washington 28-21. And, at the end of the season, after a 50-36 defeat at home to Montana State, the Viks won at Northern Colorado 31-21.
OK, so it was only Northern Colorado, but the point is, Portland State showed some resiliency, and I still believe this year’s Viking team is better than last year’s squad.
In PSU and Sac State, we have two teams still trying to find themselves and hit stride. Especially Portland State, which has some injury concerns, as well.
While I think the Vikings will win if it turns into a high-scoring affair, their best football is going to come a bit later.
THE PICK: Sacramento State 31, Portland State 28
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122236926441132900
I’m not sure Portland State can beat anyone in the Big Sky right now, and this from a guy who predicted a few weeks ago that the Vikings would go 5-3 in the conference.
After two straight losses by PSU — even to teams that would beat Sacramento State — I need the Vikings to prove to me that they can win on the road.
Of course, Sac State doesn’t look awesome, either.
But I think the Hornets are improving, and they have a decent running game. Can PSU stop it? That easily could be the determining factor on Saturday.
The green- and gold-clad Hornets, however, gave up 32 points last week to Weber State in a five-point loss. Weber State isn’t bad, but the Hornet defense seems only average.
Can Sac State, with some quarterback injuries, win a shooting match, if Saturday’s game turns into that?
I throw out the fact that the Vikings have won eight in a row in the series. The Hornets would like to snap that streak, but mostly they would love to just get to 1-1 in the Big Sky.
On thing that does interest me, though, is that PSU bounced back fairly well twice last year after being outclassed or playing poorly (and both were the case for PSU last Saturday at Washington State).
A year ago, after losing 52-17 at San Diego State, the Vikings knocked off No. 21 Eastern Washington 28-21. And, at the end of the season, after a 50-36 defeat at home to Montana State, the Viks won at Northern Colorado 31-21.
OK, so it was only Northern Colorado, but the point is, Portland State showed some resiliency, and I still believe this year’s Viking team is better than last year’s squad.
In PSU and Sac State, we have two teams still trying to find themselves and hit stride. Especially Portland State, which has some injury concerns, as well.
While I think the Vikings will win if it turns into a high-scoring affair, their best football is going to come a bit later.
THE PICK: Sacramento State 31, Portland State 28
PSU: Game 4 at Sacramento St.
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/09/psu_game_4_at_sacramento_st.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/09/psu_game_4_at_sacramento_st.html
travelinman671
Member
Prognostication:
The Vikings have the ability to cream Slac State. Even with our injuries, we still out-talent them. Hilliard's the real deal, but we can stop him if we hit them head on: No arm or shoe-string tackling.
Keys...our OL needs to keep an eye on their outside pass rush...they'll blitz all day: they have some speed demon ends (Nash is a real threat) that are great pursuers, and at LB, Mulitalo has a great read and the speed to put a damper on our inside routes. On D, we're going to have our hands full with Hilliard, but with Bethel-Thompson out, the long ball threat has been reduced (not saying White can't throw, but he doesn't have the arm of B-T.) I suspect our biggest battle will take place on the DL, and will require our guys to dig in and fight hard to keep their rush game at bay.
Finally, we must stop making the killer mistakes we have the past two weeks. We've got plenty of depth, and should have made a better battle of the contest last weekend. If we can do this last step, we've got the game: If not, it will be another brutal day.
The Vikings have the ability to cream Slac State. Even with our injuries, we still out-talent them. Hilliard's the real deal, but we can stop him if we hit them head on: No arm or shoe-string tackling.
Keys...our OL needs to keep an eye on their outside pass rush...they'll blitz all day: they have some speed demon ends (Nash is a real threat) that are great pursuers, and at LB, Mulitalo has a great read and the speed to put a damper on our inside routes. On D, we're going to have our hands full with Hilliard, but with Bethel-Thompson out, the long ball threat has been reduced (not saying White can't throw, but he doesn't have the arm of B-T.) I suspect our biggest battle will take place on the DL, and will require our guys to dig in and fight hard to keep their rush game at bay.
Finally, we must stop making the killer mistakes we have the past two weeks. We've got plenty of depth, and should have made a better battle of the contest last weekend. If we can do this last step, we've got the game: If not, it will be another brutal day.
Sac St.'s game notes for the PSU game:
FOOTBALL ENDS THREE-GAME HOMESTAND AGAINST PORTLAND STATE FOR HOMECOMING
http://www.hornetsports.com/sports/football/release.asp?release_id=7512
FOOTBALL ENDS THREE-GAME HOMESTAND AGAINST PORTLAND STATE FOR HOMECOMING
http://www.hornetsports.com/sports/football/release.asp?release_id=7512
Just a thought. If you look at the trouble the Ducks have had trying to find a QB that can throw AND run and the success they had with Dixon, it would appear that Kavanaugh is the man. I would like to see how he looks throwing the ball in a game situation. Think about running behind Bobby Mac as an option. This dropback/short pass to the middle or right is too predictable. Go long and mix it up a little bit huh? Neither Hubel nor Howland has stepped up to date. Put in Connor and let him throw. Also, I would like to see our D come out ready to play ball. Go Viks!!
Quarterback woes plague Vikings' foe
Sacramento State's passers keep getting hurt, leaving the job to Lake Oswego's Duncan White
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1222482330138190.xml&coll=7
and
Hornets: Sac State's defensive backs face test vs. Portland State
http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/1270138.html
and
PSU FOOTBALL: By a fraction, QB Howland gets starting nod
Coordinator Mouse Davis says he's never had competition as close as it was this week
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122250169371530400
Sacramento State's passers keep getting hurt, leaving the job to Lake Oswego's Duncan White
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1222482330138190.xml&coll=7
and
Hornets: Sac State's defensive backs face test vs. Portland State
http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/1270138.html
and
PSU FOOTBALL: By a fraction, QB Howland gets starting nod
Coordinator Mouse Davis says he's never had competition as close as it was this week
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=122250169371530400
oldbonz1 said:
I'd like to see CK too, but I think at this point (going into Sac State) we should stay with either Howland or Hubel for now. Let's say we drop our first two BSC games, and let the CK era begin. Not sure if it was posted here, but two knocks on CK are mechanics (wind up) and arm strength. You can tell the difference in arm strength between Howland and Hubel, and the difference between Howland and CK could be even greater. You have to have a deep threat in the run and shoot. On the flip side, CK could open up the offense with more of a spread look. Imagine CK getting about 5 yards deep into the defense on and option and pitching to Bobby in full stride. Not a lot of free safeties will want to hit that.
I'm hoping Howland steps up today and we can put the QB discussion to rest for a while...
Go Viks!
Kickoff is just 15 minutes away.
Kickoff is just 15 minutes away.
ManOfVision
Active member
I can't get Big Sky TV to work. Grrr...
PSUVikings2
Active member
ManOfVision said:
I got it up, try again, it took a minute for me.
We need to continue to look way up field, Woods was all alone on that big play.
woodbutcher
New member
23 yards rushing aint gonna cut it. defense is fucking terrible
VikThunder1
Active member
This team has now lost to both Davis and Sac St. Two teams that we used to own. I don't like the direction this program is taking. I am not happy with either offense or defense. I was hoping for a lot more from both offense and defense teams. Will we win any games this year? Sac St. got beat at home by Weber St.
31 points is enough to win a football game.
Hopefully Assily, Jones, and Brown will be available for the EWU game. Otherwise it's going to be a long, long day at the stadium this weekend.
Hopefully Assily, Jones, and Brown will be available for the EWU game. Otherwise it's going to be a long, long day at the stadium this weekend.
VikThunder1
Active member
31 points should win but Run and Shoot isn't a ball control offense. Total Possession Time: PSU: 25:36 Sac St.: 34:24. We left our vulnerable defense out on the field for 10 more minutes. We also had a lot of 3 and outs. The offense also allowed an interception by Howland for a TD and missed 2 field goals. Plus we need the offense to score more points in the second half. We only scored 10 points in the second half vs. Sac and only 3 points in the second half vs. Davis. If we can't put more points on the board in the second half, we will continue to get outscored and beat.
