Ewu Foe Not Off To Jumpin’ Start But Portland State Will Try To Bounce Back Against Eagles

As part of a promotion to sell season tickets for the 1995 football season, Portland State coach Tim Walsh agreed to bungee-jump from the Portland Civic Stadium rooftop.

Unfortunately for Walsh and the Vikings, the nosedive has been symbolic, and PSU enters today’s non-conference game at Eastern Washington attempting to snap back from a 1-2 start.

In their previous two games, the Vikings have committed an astounding 15 turnovers. Last Saturday’s nine-giveaway nightmare, featuring four lost fumbles and three Kyle Allen interceptions, left Walsh at the end of his rope.

“Fifteen times in two games,” Walsh mused. “I would say I’m dealing with a first here.”

The problem?

“Offensively, everybody from the quarterback to the offensive line to the coaches are trying to make big plays,” Walsh said. “You end up trying too hard and making technique mistakes, and you end up with very few clean plays.”

And you almost invariably end up with fewer points than your opponent, as was the case in the Vikings’ second game, a 40-7 disaster at Texas A&M-Kingsville, and in last week’s 26-7 home loss to Edinboro (Pa.).

Allen injured a finger on his throwing hand before Portland State’s first game and has struggled mightily. Hyped in the off-season as a candidate for Division II player of the year, Allen has suddenly become a candidate for Josh Racanelli’s backup job.

“Whether the hand’s beat up or not, you don’t throw like that to the enemy,” Eastern Washington head coach Mike Kramer said.

Walsh has not announced today’s starter. Two changes are definite, however. As of Monday, offensive tackles Haze Willoughby and Josh Lind are former starters, replaced by Jon Brown and Shane Stevenson.

“Right now, we have no confidence,” Walsh conceded.

Using a complicated reasoning formula preferred by many coaches, it becomes clear that Portland State’s terrible start, complete with a quarterback controversy sure to divide the team, gives EWU’s Kramer reason to expect the Vikings to play brilliantly this afternoon.

“Totally,” Kramer affirmed. “We’re just totally prepared for Allen to come out and start throwing strikes and for their running backs to play well.

“Right now, they just have no continuity and no rhythm. That’s a bad combination. And for an opposing coach, it’s a bad combination to have your opponent in when you know they have some physical talent, because you never know when they’re going to put all their Legos together and build a nice house.”

Houses aside, the Eagles don’t figure to breeze to 3-0 on the season. Going 2-0 was hard enough, EWU surviving a 21-18 scare against Sacramento State.

Notes

Kramer confirmed EWU’s interest in former Lewis and Clark High School running back Robert Barlow. The GSL record-setter has enrolled in junior college in an attempt to boost his grade-point average to (potentially) meet eligibility standards, Kramer said. “He needs to be in an academic environment where he can succeed,” Kramer said. “He’s got a tremendous amount of responsibility in his personal life that he’s really owning up to, and I’m really proud of him just for that.” … Tom Ackerman returns to the EWU offensive line after missing a week with a hamstring injury. He’ll start at right guard. … PSU beat EWU 31-21 in Portland last season, making nine sacks. EWU defensive line coach Jesse Williams coached the PSU defensive line last season. “Jesse’s a great coach and I miss him as a coach and a friend,” Walsh said, before jokingly adding, “You can tell him that if he beats me, he can take my name off that reference list.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Eagles vs. Portland State