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PSU ranked 2nd in Big Sky preseason poll

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forestgreen

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http://www.goviks.com/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=2898

7/16/2007
Vikings Picked Second In Preseason Football Polls

Senior defensive end Cole Smith
Park City, UT - The Portland State football team has been selected to place second in the Big Sky Conference preseason polls as voted on by both the coaches and media in the league.

Portland State, which was 7-4 in 2006, and tied for second in the Big Sky at 6-2, was picked to finish behind conference-favorite Montana in 2007.

The 2007 season begins a new era for Portland State football as Head Coach Jerry Glanville took over this past spring, installing the 3-4 defense he was famous for at numerous coaching stops. Viking legend Mouse Davis has returned to be the offensive coordinator and installed the Run-and-Shoot offense for the 2007 season.

Montana received all 33 media votes in the preseason poll. In the coaches poll, Montana received eight of the nine first-place votes as coaches do not vote for their own teams.

The Grizzlies were 12-2 last year, winning the Big Sky with an 8-0 record and advancing to the NCAA I Football Championship Subdivision semifinals. The Grizzlies return 18 starters and 54 lettermen from last year’s team.

Portland State returns 41 letterwinners, but just 10 starters from the 2006 squad. However, the Vikings were the clear-cut choice for number two in both polls.

Based on the balloting, the November 3 Portland State at Montana game figures to be a big one in deciding the conference title.

Montana State and Northern Arizona flip-flopped and three in four in the polls. The consensus five through nine spots were Eastern Washington, Weber State, Sacramento State, Idaho State and Northern Colorado.

Portland State begins football practice on Aug. 6. The opener is Sept. 1 at McNeese State, with the home opener on Sept. 8 against UC Davis.

Big Sky Conference Preseason Polls
Coaches
Rank, Team, Points
1. Montana (
icon_cool.gif
, 64
2. Portland State, 55
3. Montana State (1), 47
4. Northern Arizona, 42
5. Eastern Washington, 41
6. Weber State, 23
7. Sacramento State, 22
8. Idaho State, 21
9. Northern Colorado, 8

Media
Rank, Team, Points
1. Montana (33), 297
2. Portland State, 237
3. Northern Arizona, 192
4. Montana State, 190
5. Eastern Washington, 166
6. Weber State, 143
7. Sacramento State, 89
8. Idaho State, 86
9. Northern Colorado, 43
 
Probably the Montana coach, which is even more reason to beat Montana in Missoula this year! /users/31/07/37/smiles/zzsmile2.gif
 
ManOfVision said:
The polls are being very kind to us this year. Great for publicity and recruiting, but doesn't mean much on the field.
Click to expand...

Not sure they are being that kind. With the trouble at MSU there should really be no surprise that we are picked second.
 
No, Hauck (Montana's HC) can't vote for his team. Montana State received one first place vote, most likely by Hauck, and most likely for political reasons. Unless he really thinks Montana ST. is the second best team in the big sky.
 
Yeah, I know that Hauck can't pick Montana. I'm just wondering why Vik fans are so upset or even care that he picked MSU. Maybe he does think the Cats are the team to beat in the Big Sky this year.

These polls don't mean $hit anyway, but congrats on being ranked 2nd.
 
I for one, am not upset. On the other hand, I don't think MSU will end up either first or second, but that's why they play the games.
 
True story. I really would not be surprised if the Cats make some noise this year or shake up the conference standings as they do everywhere. Their D is pretty solid and the QB coach hire they got from UCLA will be a big boost. I don't think it's a good idea that so many in the Big Sky are writing them off already.
 
second seems about right....i really dont see us winning in missoula this year, and the only way for us to win the conference would be for Montana to be upset by someone which most likely aint gonna happen. Second place would be fine by me so long as we get into the postseason
 
From the Vanguard

http://media.www.dailyvanguard.com/media/storage/paper941/news/2007/07/18/Sports/Raising.Hell.From.The.Desk.Of.Nathan.Hellman-2924832.shtml


Raising Hell - From the desk of Nathan Hellman
Vikings earn second ranking in Big Sky preseason polls thanks to Glanville
By: Nathan Hellman
Issue date: 7/18/07 Section: Sports
PrintEmail DoubleClick Any Word Page 1 of 1 When the news came in that Portland State was selected second in the Big Sky Conference's preseason football poll, the first thing I wanted to do was call head coach Jerry Glanville and personally thank him.

We should all show our appreciation to Glanville for swaying voters into picking Portland State as the Big Sky's second-best squad in both the coaches' and media polls. And he did this, just by calling Portland State home. For that, he deserves our most sincere thanks.

Glanville should expect to receive fruit baskets, flower arrangements, chocolate and plenty of greeting cards from gracious Viking fans over the next few days. Not because he's the most charming fellow--or even because he's a former NFL coach that took a job at a program that he admits isn't on the map yet.

No, the Viking faithful should express their gratitude because in a matter of months, Glanville has single-handedly brought respectability to PSU football.

The buzz that surrounded Glanville's hire lingered throughout the city for a good five weeks, with his smile appearing on newspapers and voice booming over the airwaves of Portland radio stations. After this media frenzy, Portland was aware of his arrival. But the Vikings' high preseason ranking proves that the rest of the Big Sky Conference is well aware of this old-school ball coach's presence at PSU.

Glanville is at Portland State, which automatically means the Vikings should be stellar, right? Apparently, the media members and coaches that partook in the preseason poll think so, despite a couple of glaring red flags.

The most obvious flag is that the Vikings are operating under a new regime this year. Former head coach Tim Walsh is gone and he took his playbook with him. It's surprising the media and coaches placed so much stock in a team that will be running a new offense and defense, as Glanville inserts his patented 3-4 defense and Mouse Davis' run-and-shoot offensive attack. You never know how a team will react to such substantial scheme changes.

The Vikings were selected second in both polls, behind Montana who has been picked first for the seventh time in eight seasons, even though only 10 starters from last year's squad are returning. That means Portland State, who finished in an even tie with Montana State for second place in the Big Sky last season, will have less than half of its combined offensive and defensive starters when fall rolls around.

One of the most important starters the Vikings will miss this year is former starting quarterback Sawyer Smith. Smith's meager numbers of 14 touchdowns, eight interceptions and 165 yards per game in 2006 aren't going to get him a Hall of Fame nomination anytime soon, but the Vikings have yet to declare his replacement.

Quarterbacks Brian White and Tygue Howland battled for Smith's spot throughout spring practice, but Glanville and Davis have yet to announce the winner. That alone is a bit disconcerting, and another reason I believe Glanville's hire greatly influenced PSU's ranking.

Also, the third and fourth place teams, Montana State and Northern Arizona, seem to have an edge on the Vikings. Unlike Portland State, the Bobcats return starting quarterback Jack Rolovich and the Lumberjacks return more starters than the Viks--14 over PSU's 10.

Looking at the specifics, maybe these conference foes should have earned the nod over the Vikings.

But, then again, Jerry Glanville is in the South Park Blocks, and that makes all the difference.

Make sure to send your gifts and cards to coach Glanville for this season's first victory, because it was a one-man show this time around.

Big Sky Conference Preseason Polls

Coaches
Rank, Team, Points

1. Montana (
icon_cool.gif
, 64
2. Portland State, 55
3. Montana State (1), 47
4. Northern Arizona, 42
5. Eastern Washington, 41
6. Weber State, 23
7. Sacramento State, 22
8. Idaho State, 21
9. Northern Colorado, 8

Media
Rank, Team, Points

1. Montana (33), 297
2. Portland State, 237
3. Northern Arizona, 192
4. Montana State, 190
5. Eastern Washington, 166
6. Weber State, 143
7. Sacramento State, 89
8. Idaho State, 86
9. Northern Colorado, 43

Page 1 of 1
 
I think this is a fair prediction. Jerry and Mouse will have PSU doing some exciting things. Montana is still the team to beat but I'm sure PSU will give 'em heck starting this season.
 
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