Football practice, Friday, August 14

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Today's 11-on-11 drills were conducted on a shortened field. It looked as though the team was practicing the red-zone offense. Last season, the Vikings were last in the Big Sky Conference in red-zone offense. Opportunities for progress are minimized in the red-zone. A good combination of running plays and passing plays were called.

It is noteworthy to mention the quarterback situation at practice. With Tygue Howland's injury, the Vikings have less depth at the position, with just Connor Kavanaugh and Nick Green on the roster. At practice all week there has been another quarterback working with the team and today there was yet another. It is obvious watching them that they aren't nearly as experienced as the other three quarterbacks, but offensive coordinator Jim Craft has been very patient with them. After every snap he pulls them aside to explain what went wrong. Time will only tell if they find themselves on the roster, but so far it doesn't look too good.

After a week of practice, it is impossible not to have tremendous respect for what secondary coach Brandon Shelby is doing with the team. He's a quiet presence--he can't be heard yelling like the other position coaches. Though he only joined the team in February, his presence can be felt all over the line. It doesn't hurt that the secondary is heavy with talent, but his impact is undeniable.

When the defense lines up, Shelby comes up behind his players and will slightly move them or point something out to them. With these small tweaks, he sets them up for success. Almost without fail, every time he does this, whomever he was speaking with is either responsible for or in on the stop.

The players buy into his coaching too. After they receive an adjustment from him, you can see them looking for key things indicative of what the offense is doing and they become more productive. The secondary consistently looks good and under Shelby's guidance it seems posed to continue to impress.

PSU NEWS: Summer commencement and traffic warning

Saturday, August 15, 2009
11:00 a.m. to approximately 12:30 p.m.
South Park Blocks, outside of SMSU, rain or shine
Ceremony for Summer 2009 and Fall 2009 graduates.

Schedule
9:45 a.m. All graduates report to Hoffman Hall
10:30 a.m. Deans begin forming procession
10:45 a.m. Procession moves outside
11:00 a.m. Procession begins
12:30 p.m. Procession ends

*NOTICE*: All I-405 Southbound lanes and ramps will be closed Aug. 15-16. Plan accordingly.
View the detour plan here.

Contact commencement@pdx.edu or 503-725-4422 or visit their Web site for more information.

Also, read the Vanguard's full story on this year's summer commencement here.

CONGRATS GRADUATES!

PSU NEWS: Locker painting and odors

Today and Saturday, the lockers on floors two and three of Neuberger Hall, and floors one and three of Cramer Hall will be painted. The work is part of the Go Oregon! stimulus projects.

Painters are using low VOC paint, but the work does have odors associated with it, and there may be some lingering odor for a day or two. If you have allergies or other sensitivities, avoid this area.

Francis McBride
PSU Facilities & Planning
503-725-8944

via PSU Disability Resource Center

OREGON NEWS: Oregon Coast Aquarium announces new president and CEO

Newport, Oregon—The Oregon Coast Aquarium announces the appointment of Gary Gamer as its new president and chief executive officer. Gamer, who currently resides in Eugene, Ore., will begin his new position September 8.

Gamer brings approximately 25 years of leadership experience with statewide, national and international nonprofit organizations. This includes serving as president and CEO of Holt International Children's Services, based in Eugene, Ore. He has lived and worked also in Portland, New York City and in a number of countries outside of the United States.

“I am thrilled to be joining a talented and committed group of staff and volunteers at the Oregon Coast Aquarium,” said Gamer. “My family has been coming to the aquarium for years and I can personally attest to the impact it has on understanding, appreciating and conserving marine and coastal systems. This is especially true for young people. The aquarium's mission is vital for Oregon’s future and provides great opportunities for building relationships regionally and internationally.”

The position has been open since September 2008, when former President Dale Schmidt accepted the position of assistant zoo director and chief operating officer at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio. Carrie Lewis, aquarium director of marketing, has been serving as interim president while the search for a new president was conducted.

"We are excited to welcome Gary to the Aquarium," said Lewis. “His strong leadership background, his passion for the Aquarium and belief in our mission is a perfect fit for our organization."

Cindy Hanson

Public Relations Manager

Oregon Coast Aquarium

PSU Vikings vs. OSU Beavers fan bus & tailgate!

Join PSU alumni and friends as they travel to Corvallis to watch the Viks take on the Pac-10 Beavers.

Saturday, Sept 5
Departure from PSU - TBD
Kickoff: 11:35 a.m.

$48.00 per person includes:

• Roundtrip transportation to OSU on a deluxe Raz motor coach (personal food and drink allowed on bus)
  
• Tailgate lunch with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, softdrinks
• Access to private No Host bar (beer $4/wine $5)
• Reserved private Green & White party area

Game tickets are NOT included in the price.*

Register for the fan bus and tailgate at www.pdx.edu/alumni

*Need a game ticket? Contact Jim at 503-725-8210 or e-mail jhturner@pdx.edu