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

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COMING THURSDAY TO GOVIKS.COM: 2017 Defense and Special Teams Preview
COMING FRIDAY TO GOVIKS.COM: 2017 Viking Football News And Notes
COMPLETE PRESEASON NOTES IN PDF

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VIKING SEASON PREVIEW
Portland State's 2017 season success will hinge on the answers to some key questions entering the season. Included are:
 
• Who will step forward in the open competition at quarterback and running back?
• Can a youthful defense, with a year's experience, revert to its prowess of 2015?
• After an injury-filled 2016, are the Vikings healthy with depth restored?
 
A lively spring practice session got the Vikings a lot closer to those answers, but fall camp will provide the final clues.
     
The Vikings figure to be as strong as ever on the offensive line, while a veteran wide receiver group appeared to be restored to health and bolstered with some key additions. The defense is maturing up front with a number of sophomores who gained experience as true freshmen, while the defensive backfield has a lot of experience with six seniors spread across four positions.
     
Head Coach Bruce Barnum's staff has worked hard in the off-season to prepare the team for a bounce-back performance in 2017.
     
"We were competing more throughout the winter - player to player, position to position, offense to defense and against the clock. We don't want to lose four or five games again in the last drive of the game. It's a game of inches and we tried to give them that inch with our workouts," said Barnum.
     
Here is a quick look at the Vikings' offense, position-by-position:
 
QUARTERBACK
Competition at the quarterback position proved interesting in the spring and gets more crowded this August. For the past two seasons, Alex Kuresa started all 23 games as signal caller for the Vikings. He was productive with 4,112 yards and 29 touchdowns passing, and 1,613 rushing yards and 17 scores with his feet. But the 2015 Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year is gone, graduated, and Barnum and Offensive Coordinator Steve Cooper need to find a new man to lead the offense and the team.
     
Two candidates stood out as similar run-pass quarterbacks like Kuresa during the spring, while a third transferred in during the summer.
     
Senior Josh Kraght (6-0, 200), after two seasons at wide receiver, is making another run at the starting quarterback job. Kraght played QB as a freshman and started the final three games of the season. But when Kuresa arrived in 2015, Kraght moved to wide receiver and became productive as a do-it-all on offense. He has caught 52 passes, completed 53 passes, and run 53 times over the past three years. Throw in his punt return role and Kraght has accounted for 1,822 yards and eight touchdowns during his PSU career. With all-around athleticism and arm strength superior to Kuresa, Kraght is getting a serious look to take back the quarterback role.
     
"Josh has the experience, the tenacity, the attitude to play the position. And he has the tools to do it," said Barnum. "He got beat out by a pretty good quarterback two years ago - Alex Kuresa - but Josh is a winner."
     
The same can be said for redshirt freshman Davis Alexander (5-11, 195). He possesses the arm strength and running ability that the Vikings like. In the Spring Game, he completed 7-12 passes for 132 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
 "He is everything we see at the position, everything we want. Davis has a bigger arm than Alex Kuresa, the same feet, all the tools. But he is a river we haven't fished yet. You don't know what is in there," Barnum said. "This is the Big Sky and you wonder "how does he react?" I think he is going to be great, but there is an unknown there. A learning process, no matter what. With a young quarterback there is a learning curve. The question is how many of those can you make happen in practice and not in a game?"
     
The wildcard in the quarterback position battle is transfer Cade Smith (6-0, 205). Smith spent a redshirt season and his redshirt freshman season at Utah State but elected to transfer back to his home state in May. At West Salem High School, Smith put up big numbers as a thrower and a runner, totaling 3,645 yards of total offense and 50 touchdowns as a senior in 2014. He earned Greater Valley Conference Player of the Year and second team All-State honors at the Oregon 6A level. Needless to say, his skills apply well to the Viking style of offense in which the quarterback must be a dual-threat.
     
If Alexander or Smith were to win the starting job, Kraght will return to wide receiver, but remain available as a backup. Either way, Kraght will see the field with regularity.
     
Also on the roster at quarterback is junior Scott Hitner (6-5, 225), who had a very successful high school career, but has not thrown a pass for the Vikings.
     
The Vikings added high schoolers Davis Koetter (6-2, 195) and Jalani Eason (5-11, 185) on national letter of intent day. Those two figure to be prominent players in the future. Koetter is a thrower, while Eason showed great running ability as well as passing in high school.
 
RUNNING BACK
The backfield provides a question mark for the Vikings as the top three rushers from 2016 have graduated: Nate Tago, Paris Penn and Alex Kuresa. Those three combined for 2,285 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in 2016.
     
The top returning rusher is senior Za'Quan Summers (5-9, 175). Summers played in just the final four games last year due to early injuries. But he provided a spark with a 10-carry, 122-yard, one-touchdown performance against Northern Colorado. In all, he had 29 carries for 212 yards, a healthy 7.3 yard per carry average.
     
Summers has a burst the coaches love and figures to be a top candidate for lots of carries. His 75-yard touchdown scamper on the opening play of the Spring Game didn't hurt his cause, but the BarnyBall offense usually features multiple backs, particularly when they are of the smaller variety.
     
Among returners, senior Mitch Thompson (5-7, 180) has gotten spot duty the past two years but focuses on special teams play where he earned second team All-Big Sky Conference honors last season.
     
Sophomore returners Chase Morrison (5-10, 205) and Carlos Martin (5-11, 200) have seen limited action so far but will become part of the rotation in 2017.
     
"With Za'Quan, Chase, Mitch and Carlos, we know who they are. I liked their winter and the work they did. I learned a little more about each of them," said Barnum.
     
"We will add a big back, Jason Talley, to the mix and I like what we see out of him so far. He adds a different dimension. He can run through you rather than just make you miss."
     
Talley (6-2, 230), originally a walk-on freshman, will be the biggest running back on the roster. His bruising style will be a nice change of pace and offer a short-yardage option. Talley rushed for 2,620 yards and 45 touchdowns as a senior at Jesuit High School but did not play football in 2016. His performance in spring practice earned him a scholarship.
     
Will true freshmen Antwone Williams (5-8, 170), Bishop Mitchell (5-9, 180) or Amon Milliner (5-8, 195) be ready for the rigors of college football? All three signees turned blazing speed into gaudy high school numbers. Now they need to transfer those skills to a higher level.
 
TIGHT END
Barnum is attempting to make some changes in the Viking offense via the tight end. "When you have four wideouts and a tailback in there, everybody knows you are probably throwing it," he said. "That may not always be the case with us, but tight end is a position you can't have enough of. They are bigger targets and give us more versatility as receivers and as an extra offensive tackle."
     
Two letterwinners return at tight end for the Vikings, sophomore Charlie Taumoepeau (6-3, 240) and junior Cole Ford (6-4, 245). Those two should step up to more prominent roles in 2016 as All-Conference tight end Maximo Espitia and four-year letterwinner Cam Sommer have graduated.
     
Taumoepeau became an intriguing prospect in 2016 in limited duty. He caught eight passes for 149 yards and one touchdown while showing the versatility to play outside (a la former Viking star tight end Julius Thomas) and create size mismatches with the defense. Said Barnum, "Charlie needs to play. He catches everything we throw at him."
     
Ford was used mainly in blocking situations as a sophomore, but his role will expand. He made the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2015 while playing at UTEP.
     
Another intriguing player at tight end is redshirt freshman Daniel Giannosa (6-8, 260). With his great size, he is extremely difficult to defend. New Mexico State transfer Cameron Loos (6-2, 235) also appears to be a part of the 2017 rotation after a good spring. He earned a scholarship after originally walking on.
     
Grayshirt freshman AJ Ruffin (6-5, 250) participated in spring practice, while Malik Thirdgill (6-4, 235), a freshman signee, will join the team in the fall.
 
WIDE RECEIVER
The first order of business for the Viking wide receiving corps in 2017 is better health. The position is loaded with seniors and experience, and if healthy should be much improved over 2016.
     
Senior Darnell Adams (6-2, 200) is one of seven seniors on the roster. He was granted a sixth year of eligibility after missing out on almost all of 2016 with plantar fasciitis (he also missed 2013 with injury). Adams was Portland State's top returning receiver going into the season so his absence was significant to the Viking offense. Adams has great size as an outside receiver and 55 career catches for 863 yards and seven touchdowns.
     
Senior Josh Kraght (6-0, 200) is also back. He led the team with 36 catches for 518 yards in 2016, but may transition back to quarterback in 2017. That will be determined in fall camp as he competes with redshirt freshman Davis Alexander and sophomore transfer Cade Smith for signal calling duties.
     
Seniors Trent Riley (6-1, 200) and Kahlil Dawson (5-9, 180) missed time with injuries in 2016 as well. They are all experienced players capable of big contributions. Senior Justin Calo (6-0, 185) earned two starts late in the season as injuries beset the Vikings. Senior Nick Moran (5-11, 170) sat out the season with injury.
     
Two players add intrigue and depth at outside receiver for the Vikings. Former Viking basketball player De'Sean Parsons (6-7, 200) walked on in the spring, and junior transfer Andre Petties-Wilson (6-1, 195) also joined the team. Though he lacks experience, Parsons earned a spot on the team after using his size to make plays during three spring scrimmages. Petties-Wilson also proved to be a major downfield threat and will vie to start for the Vikings.
     
Redshirt freshmen Easton Trakel (5-9, 180), Nathan Hawthorne (5-9, 185) and Stephen Marcille (5-10, 165) add to the depth at the position.
     
True freshmen George McCorley (6-3, 200) and Mataio Talalemotu (6-1, 180) bring size to the program that Coach Bruce Barnum likes from his receivers. Beau Kelly (5-9, 165) is another freshman who signed in late March.
 
OFFENSIVE LINE
A strength of the team during Bruce Barnum's tenure, the Viking offensive line should be as strong as ever in 2017. There are 59 career starts among the returning players and a total of 12 players return at the position.
     
"As a group they are bigger, stronger and in their best shape yet. We spent the winter putting them through some heavy competition to get them out of their shell so they are not content with where they are at. We need to continue to be great up front," Barnum said.
     
Leading the way is senior left tackle Randin Crecelius (6-5, 305), who is a two-year starter and third team All-Big Sky Conference selection in 2016. He was named preseason All-Big Sky in 2017.
     
Also back and expected to move to right tackle is senior Tyshon Mosley (6-5, 295). He started at left guard in 2016. Senior Chad Bach (6-3, 290) returns on the right side of the line. He is capable of playing and has started at both guard and center. Junior Garrett Stauffer (6-4, 295), who started the last four games of 2016 at center, is also back.
     
Add to those veterans, seniors Justin Outslay (6-5, 300) and Desmoun Thompson (6-7, 310), who have combined for 13 career starts and 43 games played.
     
Waiting in the wings for playing time are juniors Peter Fisherkeller (6-5, 280) and Josh Brown (6-5, 285) and redshirt freshmen Korbin Sorensen (6-6, 290) and Tommy Laverde (6-5, 285) and senior Austin Powell (6-4, 285).

The Vikings added Brady Brick (6-4, 260) and Tyson Pauling (6-5, 320) on national letter of intent day.