Coaches always look for a few players to step forward in the annual Spring Football Game and demonstrate they will be significant contributors - trustworthy - in the fall. The Vikings found a few on Saturday.

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“We were looking for who we can trust today,” said Portland State Head Coach Jerry Glanville. “We have about 25 guys we can trust, all veterans. It’s about who else do we trust today.”

Portland State ran 66 plays on Stott Community Field in the spring scrimmage and saw lots to look forward to on both sides of the ball. In a total of 19 possessions, the defense made 11 stops, while the offense scored seven touchdowns and one field goal. The game was played in an offense vs. defense format, with each series starting at the 45-yard line and no traditional score kept.

The most obvious highlight of the day was the play of Cory McCaffrey at slotback. The sophomore-to-be caught six passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns. All three scores were on 45-yards strikes from quarterback Drew Hubel. The first two were post patterns in which McCaffrey simply beat the defense. The third score was perhaps the most impressive. McCaffrey caught a quick crossing screen, eluded several defenders and then beat everyone to the pylon.

Four Viking quarterbacks threw for 408 yards and six touchdowns in the scrimmage. Hubel was 4-6 for 140 yards and the three touchdowns to McCaffrey. Tygue Howland completed 6-11 for 129 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Connor Kavanaugh was 7-10 for 108 yards, one touchdown and ran for another TD. Nick Green completed 2-5 passes for 31 yards.

The Viking offense scored on five 45-yard pass plays from the original line of scrimmage - a good sign from a passing-oriented offense. The longest series of the day was an eight-play drive led by Connor Kavanaugh. He led the Vikings 45 yards, competing 2-3 passes for 28 yards and rushing three times for 12 yards, including a one-yard TD run.

Other offensive highlights came from junior transfer Austin Curran and sophomore wide receiver Ricky Cookman. Curran rushed three times for 35 yards and showed a burst from the backfield the Vikings are looking for. Cookman made three receptions for 65 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown from Kavanaugh, and ran well after the catch.

“I think Austin Curran is getting better and better,” said Glanville. “When he first came out, you would wonder why he was here. Now I can see he is getting better and better and getting to feel good about it.

“(Cookman) to me, jumped out as a player. I hadn’t seen that until about three days ago. Three days ago, he started doing those things. That’s a big plus.

“It was awesome. We are trying to have passes over 16 yards. We had some big passes. We are trying to have runs over 16 yards and we had some big runs.

“It was a plus all the way around. I think we are going to be a better football team.”

In fact, there were 11 plays longer than Glanville’s marker of 16 yards.

On defense, two transfers stepped up and contributed. Safety Donte Almond had four tackles, two sacks and a pass breakup. Defensive end Carl Sommer made three tackles, two of which were sacks. Both players will contend for starting roles this August.

Of the 11 stops by the defense, two were three-and-out, seven were series’ stops, there was one interception (Josh Foley) and one fumble recovery (Nick Gale). The Vikings had eight sacks, but were helped by a touch rule on the quarterback in which they were not allowed to tackle.

“There was some good hitting by the defense and good third-down play,” said Glanville.

The stats backed him up as the defense allowed the offense to convert only three of 13 times on third down.

With spring practice now over, Glanville and his staff will evaluate and move on.

“We have to look at the film and look at the linemen. It’s hard when we are not sacking the quarterback (by taking him down). You have to look at the film and see the reason, ‘why did the offense get stopped’ and ‘why did the defense do what it did.’ Find a reason.

“There are still some positions where the depth is coming. I think its that way with every Big Sky school. There are some positions where the freshmen (coming in) have to come on. Help is on the way.”

Portland State will begin preseason practice on August 10. The Vikings open the 2009 season on Sept. 5 at Oregon State.

Several Vikings sat out the scrimmage, including many returning starters: WR Aaron Woods, WR Ray Fry, CB Deshawn Shead, NT Jermaine Jacobs, DE Joe Ma’aseia, OLB Ryan Pedersen. Others, including FB Bobby McClintock and FS Cody Worthen competed for just a few plays.

SCORING
McCaffrey 45 pass from Hubel
Kavanaugh 1 run
Noa 45 pass from Howland
McCaffrey 45 pass from Hubel
McCaffrey 45 pass from Hubel
Cookman 45 pass from Kavanaugh
Todd 20 pass from Howland
Truax 33 FG

PASSING: Hubel 4-6-0, 140 yards, 3 TDs; Howland 6-11-1, 129 yards, 2 TDs; Kavanaugh 7-10-0, 108 yards, 1 TD; Green 2-5-0 31 yards

RUSHING: Curran 3-35; Green 4-11; Kavanaugh 8-10, 1 TD; Schuberg 1-8; Nakamoto 2-5; Kalpin 3-0; McClintock 1-(-2)

RECEIVING: McCaffrey 6-179, 3 TDs; Cookman 3-65, 1 TD; Kirven 2-39; Todd 2-32, 1 TD; Pittman 2-14; Noa 1-45, 1 TD; Curran 1-14; N. Jones 1-14; Kalpin 1-6

DEFENSE: Tackles: D. Almond 4; T. Ford 3; Sommer 3; Shoemaker 3; J. Brown 3 Sacks: Sommer 2; D. Almond 2; Stewart; E. Pedersen; Shoemaker; D. Smith Pass Breakups: T. Ford; D. Almond Fumble Recovery: Gale Interception: Foley

By Portland State University Media Relations