Portland State football gets its earliest start ever when it opens the 2017 practice schedule on Monday, July 31, at Stott Community Field on the PSU campus. The early start is necessitated by the earliest game in program history as the Vikings open the season on Aug. 26 at BYU on a game televised by ESPN.     

Head Coach Bruce Barnum returns for his third season and welcomes back 40 letterwinners and 14 starters (6 o, 7 d, 1 st). After a breakthrough 2015 season (9-3, NCAA playoffs), the Vikings regressed in 2016 (3-8) with a hard-luck campaign featuring too many injuries and late-game losses. Portland State seeks a bounce-back effort in 2017.

PRESEASON PRACTICE SCHEDULE
The Vikings will open practice on July 31 with an evening workout at Stott Community Field. The early start to the practice schedule was necessitated by the earliest start to a season in Portland State history. The Vikings will play BYU on Aug. 26 in Provo, UT in a nationally-televised game on ESPN. The previous earliest game date for a Viking season was Aug. 29, 2013.     

Following that first practice, PSU will have a standardized schedule throughout fall camp, with practices from 8-10 a.m. daily. Scrimmages will on occur on Aug. 9 and 16 - both of which are Wednesday mornings - during the regular practice time.     

All practices are open to the media and the public.

PRESEASON PRACTICE SCHEDULE
July 31, 5-7 p.m.
Aug. 1-5, 8-10 a.m.
Aug. 7-12, 8-10 a.m. (scrimmage Aug. 9)
Aug. 14-19, 8-10 a.m. (scrimmage Aug. 16)
Aug. 21-24, 8-10 a.m.
Aug. 25, Travel Day
Aug. 26, Game at BYU

WEDNESDAY ON GOVIKS.COM: 2017 Offensive Preview
THURSDAY ON GOVIKS.COM: 2017 Defense and Special Teams Preview
COMPLETE PRESEASON NOTES IN PDF

QUICK VIKING NOTES FOR 2017

MOST DIFFICULT SCHEDULE IN THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE? ONE ANALYSIS SAYS "YES"
Based on this season's preseason polls, the Vikings have the most difficult conference schedule in the Big Sky (not to mention non-conference games with BYU and Oregon State). Using the poll rankings of each team, the Vikings face the most difficult combination of opponents (as a side note, PSU DOES play UC Davis, however it is a non-conference matchup). PSU plays all four of last season's FCS playoff teams: Eastern Washington, North Dakota, Cal Poly and Weber State.     

In the hyper-competitive 13-team Big Sky Conference it is more about the teams you AVOID on your schedule in a given season than the teams you play. The teams with the easiest schedules (based on the rankings) are Northern Arizona and Cal Poly. Both of those schools avoid the top two in the rankings, defending co-champions Eastern Washington and North Dakota.     

Rankings of schedule difficulty provided by Bill Lamberty, Montana State Media Relations.

DIFFICULTY OF CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
(based on preseason polls, ranked most difficult to least difficult, listing teams they DO NOT play)
1. Portland State (Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, UC Davis)
2. UC Davis (Montana, Montana State, Northern Colorado, Portland State)
3. Southern Utah (Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Portland State)
4. Montana State (Cal Poly, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, UC Davis)
5. Sacramento State (Montana, Montana State, Portland State, Southern Utah)
6. Montana (Cal Poly, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, UC Davis)
7. Northern Colorado (Eastern Washington, Portland State, UC Davis, Weber State)
8. Weber State (Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, North Dakota, Sacramento State)
9. Eastern Washington (Cal Poly, Idaho State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado)
T10. Idaho State (Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, North Dakota, Southern Utah)
T10. North Dakota (Cal Poly, Idaho State, Northern Arizona, Weber State)
12. Northern Arizona (Eastern Washington, Idaho State, North Dakota, Weber State)
13. Cal Poly (Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota)

AND HERE ARE THOSE POLLS….
VIKINGS PICKED NINTH, 10TH IN PRESEASON BIG SKY POLLS
2016 Big Sky Conference co-champions North Dakota and Eastern Washington have been picked atop the preseason coaches and media polls. Portland State has been picked ninth in the 13-team preseason coaches poll, and 10th in the media poll.     

After a playoff run in 2015, the Vikings stumbled in 2016, going 3-8 overall, 2-6 in the Big Sky to tie for ninth. A myriad of injuries and five close losses at the end conference games had Portland State backpedaling. But in 2017, the Vikings will expect to exceed preseason predictions as fall camp gets underway in two weeks. Forty-one letterwinners and 14 starters return for Head Coach Bruce Barnum's third season on the Park Blocks.     

Exceeding those expectations is no stretch as preseason polling is merely a best-guess scenario. The Vikings plan to prove that out. In 2015, PSU was picked 9th and 12th in the polls, only to finish second. Meanwhile, Montana State was chosen first in the coaches poll and tied for 8th. Last year, North Dakota was 4th/5th and Eastern Washington was 3rd/4th. Both teams proceeded to go undefeated.     

The Fighting Hawks and Eagles each went 8-0 in Big Sky play in 2016 by virtue of not meeting head-to-head in the 13-team conference. According to pollsters, they stand out again in 2017.      

Six of the 13 Big Sky coaches picked UND to win the league, with the Eagles getting two first-place votes. The Fighting Hawks had 130 polling points while Eastern was close behind at 124.     

Fifteen of 24 members of the Big Sky media picked North Dakota. Eastern Washington was second with five first-place votes.     

The polls matched in the first through eighth selections: North Dakota, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Cal Poly, Weber State, Montana, Southern Utah and Montana State. The 11, 12, 13 teams also matched with UC Davis, Sacramento State and Idaho State. Only Portland State and Northern Colorado showed variance, alternating ninth and 10th in the two polls.     

Northern Arizona (3) and Montana (1) also received first-place votes in the media poll. Northern Arizona (2), Cal Poly (1), Weber State (1) and Montana (1) all had first-place votes in the coaches poll.     

The Vikings will face the top six listed teams in their 2017 schedule. PSU has Montana (Sept. 30), Northern Arizona (Oct. 14), North Dakota (Oct. 28) and Weber State (Nov. 11) at home. The Vikings play games at Cal Poly (Nov. 4) and Eastern Washington (Nov. 18). Other Big Sky games include Montana State (picked eighth) and Idaho State (picked 13th). PSU also hosts UC Davis (11th) in a non-conference game.  

2017 BIG SKY CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLLS

Coaches' Poll         
1. North Dakota (6), 130
2. Eastern Washington (2), 124
3. Northern Arizona (2), 119
4. Cal Poly (1), 108
5. Weber State (1), 103
6. Montana (1), 83
7. Southern Utah, 80
8. Montana State, 69
9. Portland State, 62
10. Northern Colorado, 60
11. UC Davis, 35
12. Sacramento State, 26
13. Idaho State, 15

Media Poll
1. North Dakota (15), 298
2. Eastern Washington (5), 271
3. Northern Arizona (3), 236
4. Cal Poly, 224
5. Weber State, 209
6. Montana (1), 204
7. Southern Utah, 175
8. Montana State, 156
9. Northern Colorado, 135
10. Portland State, 104
11. UC Davis, 62
12. Sacramento State, 61
13. Idaho State, 44

SIX TELEVISED GAMES FOR THE VIKINGS THIS SEASON
Portland State will have six televised games in 2017. That is the most televised games since 2012 and the second-most in school history.

The Vikings open the season on ESPN against BYU (Aug. 26), followed by a Pac-12 Network game at Oregon State (Sept. 2).

PSU appears on Root Sports twice: Oct. 7 at Montana State and Nov. 18 at Eastern Washington. Two home games have been added to the Eleven Sports Network schedule: Sept. 16 vs. UC Davis and Oct. 28 vs. North Dakota.

TIDBITS OF VIKING TRIVIA
• Portland State has 39 players on the roster from the state of Oregon, plus three others from just across the river in the Vancouver, WA area.
• SR RB Mitch Thompson, originally a walk-on at PSU in 2013, was surprised by Coach Bruce Barnum with a scholarship at the team's first meeting on the eve of 2016's first football practice. He has the Arthur Dickson Memorial Scholarship.
• After walking on at Portland State last winter, SO TE Cameron Loos (New Mexico State transfer) and FR RB Jason Talley (Jesuit HS) were given scholarships after the completion of spring football.
• SR WRs Darnell Adams and De'Sean Parsons have already completed their degrees and graduated but have one year of eligibility remaining.
• SR WR Darnell Adams was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA due to multiple season-ending injuries (2013 and 2016) that ended his seasons prematurely.
• Walk-on SR WR De'Sean Parsons played the past two seasons on the Viking basketball team. He was named third team All-Big Sky Conference in 2016-17 after leading the Vikings in scoring (14.3) and rebounding (6.2). The 6-7, 200-pounder will take a shot at the wide receiver position.
• Portland State has 10 players on its roster that were formerly members of FBS programs.
• SR DT Will Dawson cut his hair a week before he began practice at Portland... as a freshman in 2013. He has not cut it since.
• Portland State had a pair of former players meet in the Super Bowl for the first time in history in February 2014. TE Julius Thomas ('10, Denver) and DB DeShawn Shead ('11, Seattle) both played in Super Bowl XLVIII. Shead returned to the Super Bowl in 2015 with the Seahawks. He joins Clint Didier and Ted Popson as former Vikings with Super Bowl rings. Thomas was named a Pro Bowl tight end in 2013 and 2014. In the 2014 off-season, he signed the richest tight end contract in the NFL to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas is now with Miami. Shead, a starting corner with the Seahawks in 2016, is currently recovering from an ACL injury.
• Other Vikings currently on NFL rosters are LB Patrick Onwuasor (Baltimore Ravens), CB Xavier Coleman (NY Jets), OL Cam Keizur and OL Cornelius Edison (Atlanta Falcons), and LS Kameron Canaday (Pittsburgh Steelers).
• Offensive coordinator Steve Cooper, who played at Portland State (2007-08), has now been an assistant under three head coaches - Jerry Glanville, Nigel Burton and Bruce Barnum. He has a degree in Philosophy - somewhat uncommon in the football world. Cooper has been known to take pre-camp excursions to southern hemisphere locales including Costa Rica and Peru (2017).
• Special Teams Coordinator and running backs coach Nick Whitworth was Bruce Barnum's first recruit when Barnum was working at Idaho State.
• Assistant coach AC Patterson's father, Andre, is a long-time NFL coach currently working with the Minnesota Vikings.

A FAMILY AFFAIR
• SR QB/WR Josh Kraght was married in 2015 (Jessie).
• JR OL Josh Brown and RS FR LB Cody Brown are brothers who prepped at Sunset (OR) HS.
• SR WR Darnell Adams and FR CB Anthony Adams are brothers who prepped at Newberg (OR) HS. Darnell is playing in his sixth season after being granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA. Adams missed two seasons with injuries (2013 and 2016). That will allow the brothers to play on the same team for the first time ever.
• FR QB Davis Koetter is the son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter.
• FR LB Markus Sullivan's uncle is Pat Sullivan, who won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn in 1971.
• FR WR Mataio Talalemotu is the son of Ina Talalemotu, who played in 1987-88 on Portland State's two NCAA II National finalist teams.
• FR RB Jason Talley is the son of Wendell Talley, who played basketball at Portland State from 1978-80.
• JR S Nate Salu's father, Ace, played at Portland State in 1988-89. Ace was a member of the Viking team that played for the NCAA II National Championship in '88.
• FR DE Jake Porter's father, Jason, was a four-year letterwinner in baseball at Portland State (1991-94).
• SR LT Randin Crecelius' sister, Chelsie, also played high school football through her sophomore season.
• RS FR K Graycen Kennedy is the son of Viking women's basketball coach Lynn Kennedy.

CRECELIUS, DEL TORO EARN PRESEASON ALL-BIG SKY RECOGNITION
Linemen Randin Crecelius and Anthony Del Toro were both named the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team. Crecelius, a senior left tackle, and Del Toro, a sophomore defensive tackle, were named to the exclusive 28-player team voted on by the media.     

Crecelius, a 6-5, 305-pounder from Cascade High School in Lake Stevens, WA, has been a mainstay on the Viking offensive line the past two seasons. PSU has averaged just under 250 rushing yards and 34 points per game over those two years.     

As a sophomore Crecelius gained a starting spot at offensive guard, and despite missing three games with injury, was named honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference. Last season, he moved to left tackle, started all 11 games and garnered third team All-Big Sky Conference recognition. Crecelius has started 15 straight games and 20 overall entering the 2017 season.     

Del Toro, a 6-2, 295-pounder from Grants Pass, OR, stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman at defensive tackle - a rare feat for a lineman. Del Toro made 33 tackles to rank eighth on the team. He also had three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. At the conclusion of the season Del Toro was named to the Hero Sports FCS All-Freshman Team.

NEW COACHES ON STAFF
Portland State Head Coach Bruce Barnum has added Hansen Sekona, David Lose and Colin Fry to his coaching staff for 2017. Lose has been named the new defensive line coach after working the previous six seasons at Washington State. Sekona was a graduate assistant at Washington where he worked with the 2016 Pac-12 Champion Huskies. He became the new linebackers coach. Fry comes from Cal where he was a graduate assistant the past four seasons. He will be a defensive assistant for the Vikings.

QUADRUPLE THREAT
SR WR/QB/PR Josh Kraght is battling to be the Vikings quarterback in 2017. He began his Portland State career as a quarterback, earning three starts at the position as a freshman. However, the past two seasons he has played slot receiver and punt returner while remaining a backup QB. In 2016, Kraght led the team with 36 receptions for 518 yards and a touchdown. He had eight rushing plays for 47 yards and a touchdown, 11 punt returns for 64 yards, and completed 3-5 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown... for his career, Kraght has been a quadruple threat:
• He has completed 53-104 passes for 646 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
• Kraght has rushed 53 times for 278 yards and three touchdowns.
• Kraght has 52 career receptions for 745 yards and two touchdowns.
• He has 28 punt returns for 153 yards.
• In total, he has accounted for 1,822 yards and eight touchdowns.

GET ON THE BUS: THE AMERICANA TOUR
Portland State Football Coach Bruce Barnum is renowned for taking his team on the bus to as many road games as possible. He calls it "The Americana Tour." It has made for some long bus rides, but Barnum often lets his team out to see the sights. He also feels it promotes team unity (and saves a few dollars in the budget). In the past two years, PSU has logged 9,300 bus miles.

This season's bus trips will be limited to just three, with drives to Oregon State, Idaho State and Eastern Washington.

• Coach Barnum led his first "Americana Tour" in 2015, which included bus rides to Pullman, WA, Pocatello, ID, San Luis Obispo, CA, and Cheney, WA. In all, the Vikings logged 4,394 bus miles and approximately 80 hours round trip to those four destinations (PSU also flew on two road trips). The Americana Tour included such things as dozens of on-bus movies, a stop to buy a lottery ticket on the way home from beating Washington State, a practice on Boise State's blue turf, a sight-seeing trip to Alcatraz (in which equipment manager Mike Haluska was left on the island… but soon retrieved), and a midnight McDonald's run at a lonely truck stop in eastern Oregon. In addition to the economy of the bus trips, Barnum contends the time together draws the Viking team closer.
• The 2016 Americana Tour included round trips to San Jose, Seattle and Sacramento (twice). There was also a return bus ride from Ogden, UT and a shorter trip from Las Vegas to Cedar City... the trip to San Jose was a total of 1,340 miles. It included a stop off at Oregon Wildlife Safari and the obligatory In-and-Out Burger visitation in Medford... on the trip to Southern Utah, PSU flew into Las Vegas, took in the Criss Angel Show at the Luxor Hotel and made another midnight In-and-Out run... while traveling to Weber State, PSU visited Temple Square and the Hogle Zoo... after a pair round trips to Sacramento (UC Davis and Sacramento State), PSU had accumulated 4,906 bus miles for the season.

VETERANS
Among Portland State's returning players, here are the most experienced:
• Most games played: SR WR/QB Josh Kraght, 35; SR FS Beau Duronslet, 35; SR WR Darnell Adams, 34; SR DE Davond Dade 30
• Most career starts: SR FS Beau Duronslet, 23; SR LT Randin Crecelius, 20; SR WR/QB Josh Kraght, 15; Five tied with 13
• Consecutive starts: SR LT Randin Crecelius, 15; SR WR/QB Josh Kraght, 11; SO DT Anthony Del Toro, 11; SR S Tyler Foreman, 11; SO LS Riley Shackelford, 11

YOUR HEALTH IS EVERYTHING
Portland State had a rough 2016 season when it came to injuries. In all, 29 players lost a total of 131 games to injury, and three had to retire from football.

YOUTH SHALL SERVE
Portland State played six true freshman on defense in 2016. Those six played in part due to numerous injuries on the Viking defense. DE Kenton Bartlett, DT Anthony Del Toro, DT Sione Taumoe'anga, CB Montre Brown, LB Devin Thompson and DE Mason Vega all played... the Vikings also played true freshmen TE Charlie Taumoepeau and LS Riley Shackelford (who handled every special teams snap).

WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State was 3-8 in 2016, 2-3 at home, 1-5 on the road.
• Portland State is playing its 25th season at the NCAA I FCS level (1978-80 (1-AA), 1996-2017). PSU is 126-142 in all games at the 1-AA/FCS level.
• In 21 seasons since moving back to FCS and the Big Sky Conference (1996-2016), PSU is 107-128, 69-44 in home games, 38-84 on the road.
• As a member of the Big Sky Conference (1996-2017) PSU is 70-93 all-time in league games, 42-40 at home, 28-53 on the road.
• The Vikings have nine winning records in 21 years as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
• Bruce Barnum (2015-16, 8-8 Big Sky, 12-11 overall) is the Vikings fourth Head Coach in the Big Sky Conference era. Previous coaches were: Tim Walsh (1993-2006, 42-41/90-68 all-time); Jerry Glanville (2007-09, 7-17/9-24); and Nigel Burton (2010-15, 13-27/21-36).
• The Vikings have never won a Big Sky title, but have tied for second five times (four under Walsh and in 2015 under Barnum). PSU has made two NCAA FCS playoff appearances (2000, 2015).
• PSU's best record ever at the FCS level was 9-3 in 2015 (4-2 at home, 5-1 on the road).

THE 2017 SCHEDULE
Year in and year out Portland State football has one of the most challenging Football Championship Subdivision schedules in the country, and 2017 will be no different. The Vikings will open the season with a pair of FBS opponents sure to be popular with local fans, and conclude with four straight opponents who were participants in this year's FCS Playoffs.     

The Vikings will travel to BYU for the first time in history on Aug. 26, then play Oregon State for the fifth time ever on Sept. 2. Montana (home) and Montana State (road) return to the schedule, and the Vikings will also play 2016 FCS playoff teams North Dakota, Cal Poly, Weber State and Eastern Washington over the final four weeks of 2017. In all, the Vikings will have five home games at Providence Park and six road games.     

PSU has its earliest start ever to a season when it plays BYU on Aug. 26. The Vikings and Cougars are allowed to play on "zero week" as Brigham Young plays a game at Hawai'i in 2017. The NCAA thus allows the program to schedule a 13th game.     

BYU was 9-4 in 2016, winning the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl over Wyoming.     

Portland State returns to Corvallis to play Oregon State on Sept. 2. The schools last met in 2014, a 29-14 OSU victory. The Beavers lead the all-time series, 4-0.     

Oregon State (4-8 in 2016) will be the seventh Pac-12 opponent in the last six seasons for the Vikings, and the 13th dating back to 2006.     

PSU will have a bye on Sept. 9, then host its home opener on Sept. 16 against UC Davis. Although the Aggies are members of the Big Sky, the game will be played as a non-conference matchup. PSU beat UC Davis, 51-29, in Davis on Nov. 5 and leads the all-time series, 11-4.     

The following Saturday will also be a bye for the Vikings, then they play eight straight Big Sky Conference games, alternating home and road.     

PSU hosts Montana in its Big Sky Conference opener on Sept. 30. The teams did not meet in 2016 due to the Big Sky having 13 members. The last meeting was a 35-16 PSU win in 2015. The Grizzlies were 6-5, 3-5 in Big Sky games in 2016.     

Portland State will travel to Montana State for a game on Oct. 7. PSU and MSU also did not play in 2016. The Vikings won the last matchup, 59-42, at Providence Park in 2015. The Bobcats were 4-7, 2-6 in Big Sky games in 2016.     

On Oct. 14, the Vikings will be back at Providence Park to face Northern Arizona. It marks the third straight week PSU plays a team it missed in 2016. In fact, the last meeting was in 2014, a 21-17 NAU win. The Lumberjacks were 5-6 in 2016, 4-4 in Big Sky Conference games.     

PSU has won at Idaho State in its last three trips to Pocatello and will get another chance on Oct. 21. Overall, the Vikings have beaten the Bengals six times in the last seven years, including a 45-20 decision this past season in Providence Park. ISU finished 2016 with a 2-9 record, 1-7 in the Big Sky.     

PSU's final four games of 2017 will be against the top four teams in the Big Sky in 2016, all of whom played in the FCS Playoffs.     

The Vikings welcome North Dakota to Providence Park on Oct. 28. The teams did not play in 2016 and UND won the most recent meeting, 19-17, in 2015. The Fighting Hawks (9-3, 8-0) were Big Sky Conference co-champions in 2016.     

Cal Poly (7-5, 5-3) will host the Vikings on Nov. 4 in San Luis Obispo. The Mustangs won last year's meeting at Providence Park, 55-35, advancing to the NCAA playoffs. They lead the all-time series, 12-11.     

PSU's home finale will be against Weber State. The Vikings will try to avenge a narrow, 14-10 loss to the Wildcats suffered last season in Ogden. Weber State was also 7-5, 6-2 in Big Sky play, and made it to the opening round of the FCS Playoffs.     

The regular season finale will take place in Cheney, WA as PSU and Eastern Washington square off in their annual Dam Cup rivalry game on Nov. 18. The Eagles took a close win in this year's regular season finale, 35-28. Portland State leads the all-time series, 20-18-1. Eastern went 12-2 in 2016, getting all the way the FCS National semifinals.

SCHEDULE NOTES
• This is the eighth time that Portland State has played at least two FBS level programs in the same season (the Vikings played three in 2006).
• Despite this being PSU's 71st season of football, the Vikings face BYU for just the first time in history.
• PSU faces only five teams in 2017 that were on the schedule in 2016 (UC Davis, Idaho State, Cal Poly, Weber State, Eastern Washington). The Vikings went 2-3 against those teams.
• Due to the 13-team Big Sky Conference, Portland State plays four league teams it did not see in 2016: Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona and North Dakota. The Vikings see three other opponents cycle off their schedule in 2017: Southern Utah, Northern Colorado and Sacramento State.
• The 2017 NCAA I FCS playoffs, which includes 24 teams, begin on Nov. 25.
• The University of Idaho will rejoin the Big Sky Conference as a football-playing member in 2018.