Football practice, Tuesday, August 18

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.



The offensive and defensive lineman practiced single man coverage this morning and it was intense to watch. Going against each other one-on-one, the defensive lineman would attempt to push his way past the offensive lineman to get to where the quarterback would hypothetically be.

During these drills, a couple of players really stood out on the defensive line. Freshman Shea Prince was lined up against center and fellow freshman Jackson Dallas. There is a 90-lb. disparity between these two in Dallas' favor, but to watch them you wouldn't have known it. Prince put himself in great position and got under Dallas' pads. From there, Dallas didn't have a chance and Prince just walked him backwards and out of the way.

Another standout on the defensive line was Conrad Davis. On one drill, he made contact with the opposing lineman and then gave a great spin move and got away. This all happened in a matter of seconds. Currently he is listed third in the depth chart at defensive end, but his abilities should garner him more playing time than that.

A standout offensive lineman this morning was Kyle Ritt. He looked strong through spring training and he continues to perform at a high enough level that he should start. Time again, regardless of his opponents size, he matched up perfectly and held them at bay. With him on the line, the quarterback should be able to breathe a bit easier.

While the lineman were sparring, the rest of the offense and defense set up against each other in mock 11-on-11 drills. The secondary was in top shape with two near interceptions by safety Jordan Brown and two back to back picks of Drew Hubel by DeShawn Shead and Tracy Ford.

One of the new quarterbacks who showed up last week is still having trouble seeing the field. Most of the time, he winds up running with the ball, but without passing, he's not gaining anything. Receiver and obvious team leader Aaron Woods took him aside and threw the ball back ands forth with him after one mean looking play. Hopefully this encourages him to keep progressing in the offense.

Speaking of Woods, what a great day he had. Towards the end of practice, with the team taking on the long field, he was Hubel's go-to guy. Two catches in a row, right up the middle, each for 20-plus yards. The thing that is evident when watching Woods on his routes is that he wants the ball. Whereas some of the receivers run their route and wait for the ball, Woods finishes the route, finds the ball, and then goes to it. This aggressive attitude is part of what makes him so dangerous to opposing defenses. He will without a doubt be exciting to watch this year.

Football practice, Monday, August 17

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Coach Glanville was running punt/kick return drills again this morning and time and time again, wide receiver Aaron Woods shined. He always keeps one eye on the ball and the other on the approaching defenders and manages to make this level of multitasking look easy. The ball always falls between the numbers and upon reception, he puts on a burst on speed and moves that make your head swim. He should continue to be an important part of special teams like he was last year.

It was not a great day for the Vikings' quarterbacks. Both starter Drew Hubel and the team's presumed number two, Connor Kavanaugh, left a bit to be desired in today's 11-on-11 drills. The drills were conducted on the short and long fields today with much the same results on both.

Hubel consistently overthrew his receivers all morning. One might be inclined to think the routes weren't finished or the defense was getting some good bumps in, but that just wasn't the case. Any receiver he threw to was too far away from the ball to make a genuine attempt at it. There were times when the ball was too low or too high. A well-positioned ball was nary to be seen.

There is no doubting Hubel's talent and this was apparently just a bad morning. He also has some timing issues to work out with his new group of receivers. Seven of the thirteen wide receivers on the roster are new to the team this year.

Kavanaugh didn't fair any better than Hubel at today's practice. However, where Hubel made some mistakes on the physical side of things, Kavanaugh made errors from a mental standpoint that were far more egregious than Hubel's errors.

It seemed as though Kavanaugh kept seeing things that just weren't there. On one particular play, the offensive line was very stiff and gave him plenty of time to find an open receiver and complete a pass. There was no pressure being applied to him, but all he managed was a weak, wobbly pass to receiver Daniel Wolverton that was only a completion because of Wolverton's athleticism. Time in the pocket like that only happens once in a blue moon and Kavanaugh must learn to make the best of it when it happens.

By far the most unnerving situation with Kavanaugh at the helm played out on the short field. All of his receivers were covered and instead of taking off with the ball like he is apt to do or being patient until someone came loose, he threaded the ball through a wall of defenders and wound up with an incomplete pass. If the secondary had been so inclined, it would have been an easy interception. A mistake like that at the goal line has the potential to lose a game.

Kavanaugh is a good athlete and imbues the Vikings' offense with a scrambling ability, but he has a bit more to learn about the game management side of things. It will without a doubt come with time.

Cornerback Michael Williams was a bright spot in the secondary today, breaking up several passes. He never takes his eyes off of the receiver and stays physical throughout the play. Fellow cornerback Denzel Davis also had nice coverage and broke up a pass. Both of these freshman players from Texas, and both at 5-9, look like they could offer some relief during the season to help everyone else at the position stay healthy.

Two a day practices start tomorrow and it will be interesting to see the progression of the team as practice becomes more concentrated.

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