Portland State Head Coach Bruce Barnum will begin his 11th year at the helm of the Viking Ship in 2025. Barnum has been on campus since 2010 as the program’s offensive coordinator and took over as head coach in 2015, leading that team to a 9-2 record, a top-10 ranking and the NCAA postseason. He was named FCS National Coach of the Year and Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year that season.
During his tenure as head coach at Portland State, Barnum has had 44 student-athletes earn 1st, 2nd or 3rd team All-Big Sky Conference honors, eight earn All-American honors, and 187 earn academic all-conference honors.
Highlights of the program over the years – in addition to an NCAA playoff appearance – have included: wins over FBS programs Washington State and North Texas; a first-ever Big Sky win at 14th-ranked Montana in 2018; a road win over nationally-ranked and defending Big Sky Champion Weber State in 2021; and more recently, Dam Cup rivalry game victories over Eastern Washington in 2022 and 2023.
Barnum’s offenses over the years have been more than effective. He has proven the Vikings can win with the run and the pass. Over his first seven seasons at PSU, the Vikings averaged over 200 rushing yards per game each season. In recent seasons, Barnum coached the second-leading passer in Portland State history, Davis Alexander, to dynamic passing games and more than 10,000 yards of total offense. The 2023 season saw another dominant rushing performance as the Vikings ranked fifth in the nation, averaging 224.0 yards per game on the ground.
Alexander now plays professionally in Canada. He is the latest Barnum protege to enter the pro ranks. Others include former All-Pro tight end Julius Thomas, Buck Buchanan Award finalist safety Patrick Onwuasor and All-American long snapper Kameron Canaday among others.
In the rapidly changing world of college athletics, Barnum has also had the ability to adjust. In 2022, he chose to hire a full-time director of player personnel and recruiting specialist, Terry Davis, rather than another assistant coach. The results were immediate. PSU’s 2023 national letter of intent signing class was ranked best in the Big Sky Conference and third best in the FCS according to 247Sports. In 2023, his offensive coordinator, AC Patterson, was named the top recruiter in the FCS and Big Sky Conference by 247Sports.
Barnum has espoused the idea that his program is preparing his student-athletes for not just the next four years, but the next 40 years. That, of course, has included a classroom education toward a meaningful degree. Portland State has had 19, 18, 32, 20, 17, 21 and 25 players, respectively, earn Academic All-Big Sky Conference honors over the past seven seasons. Those are the seven highest totals of honorees during PSU’s 29 seasons in the Big Sky Conference.
His “40-year view” also includes the extra-curricular outside of school and football, and the opportunity for experiences on the road that his players may not have had anywhere else. These include annual beach trips to the Oregon coast, including a few days at Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center, and while on the road: sight-seeing tours of Alcatraz Island, a Criss Angel Las Vegas Show, Oregon Wildlife Safari, Hogle Zoo and Temple Square in Salt Lake City, an afternoon at the Pendleton Rodeo and a Montana Grizzly Bear Encounter among others.
Barnum has earned a reputation as a popular interview in the sports media, “best in the nation” said one FCS writer for Hero Sports. He is known to deliver the occasional (hilarious) malapropism or unique approach to a standard question. One such interview led to him buying a beer for every fan in the stadium that wanted one during a 2021 home game – a bill that exceeded $14,000.
BARNYBALL COMES TO THE PARK BLOCKS
Bruce Barnum has seen the highs and lows of the coaching profession, taking his team to the NCAA Playoffs and earning National Coach of the Year honors in 2015, and dealing with the challenge of a winless 2017.
2015 was a remarkable year for Bruce Barnum and the Vikings. He went from interim Head Coach to FCS National Coach of the Year in just a few months. It was a meteoric rise founded on more than two decades of hard work as an assistant coach at the collegiate level.
Barnum led his Viking team on a remarkable journey in 2015 - the best-ever season at the Division I level for PSU - while making a remarkable journey of his own in his first season as a head football coach.
2015 included victories over Washington State, North Texas, Montana, Montana State and others that nobody saw coming. Barnum led a program turnaround that was a six-game improvement over the previous season. He was also given a five-year contract after working under an interim tag the first five weeks of the year.
Unfortunately, 2016 was altogether different. It began with tragedy as Portland State lost not one, but two players to untimely deaths in the off-season, AJ Schlatter and Kyle Smith. Those two were important talents, but more than that they were on-field brothers to the teammates left behind. Portland State forged ahead, but found themselves to be the hard-luck team in the Big Sky Conference once the season began. PSU was extremely competitive, however the ranks thinned quickly as some 29 players lost 131 games to injuries. Five of their six league losses came after the Vikings had a chance to tie or score the go-ahead touchdown in the closing moments or overtime of games.
After a challenging 2017 season that saw the Vikings go winless, they turned the corner in 2018. PSU improved by four games, including a landmark win at nationally-ranked Montana - the first Big Sky win ever by the Vikings in Missoula.
PSU has won 19 games over the ensuing four full seasons. All-Americans Charlie Taumoepeau and Anthony Adams, and Alexander and wide receiver Beau Kelly have been among the stars of those seasons. In 2023, linebacker Michael Montgomery was named a freshman All-American by two media services.
BECOMING THE HEAD COACH
Barnum was named Portland State’s full-time head coach on Oct. 14, 2015. It came only five games into a season that turned out to be historic for PSU.
The Vikings’ offensive coordinator for five seasons, Barnum was named interim Head Coach on Nov. 26, 2014. Within a week, he was given a one-year contract to run the program and no guarantees for the future. All Barnum did was take a 3-9 team that was an after-thought in the Big Sky Conference, as well as the city of Portland, and turn it into one of the best teams in the nation. He accomplished the task with virtually the same roster as 2014, save one key addition; quarterback Alex Kuresa.
Barnum guided PSU to a 9-3 record in 2015 - its best record ever at the Division I level. The Vikings beat two FBS programs in the same season for the first time in their history, including a first-ever win over a Pac-12 team. PSU went 5-1 against nationally-ranked teams and was ranked as high as fifth in the nation at the end of the season.
The Vikings made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I playoffs in 15 years, just their second ever, and hosted a Division I playoff game for the first time. PSU lost to Northern Iowa of the powerhouse Missouri Valley Conference, 29-17, but that didn’t diminish a magical fall on the Park Blocks for the Viking team.
Most of all, using his “BarnyBall” style of tough, hard-nosed fundamental football sprinkled with remarkable team chemistry and unity, Barnum made Portland State football relevant again in the city of Portland, in the Big Sky Conference and on the national scene.
On Nov. 25, Barnum became the first Viking football coach ever selected as Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year. One week later has was named FCS Coach of the Year in a vote of media members from around the nation.
When he was first named interim Head Coach - despite the short term - Barnum was more than happy to take it, fulfilling his long-held desire to be a head coach. It was an unusual situation, no doubt. But one that Barnum, a native of nearby Vancouver, WA, relished.
“I look at it like I have a 12-month interview,” Barnum said at the time. “This is a great opportunity to show what I can do as a Head Coach.” And take advantage he did....
Barnum is the 14th head coach in the 78-year history of Portland State football and the fourth in PSU’s 28-year history in the Big Sky Conference.
BACKGROUND
Barnum came to the Viking program with more than two decades of coaching experience, including nearly a decade in the Big Sky Conference at Idaho State. Barnum was the offensive coordinator at Cornell, running a spread offense with the Big Red program, from 2007-09. In 2008, five members of the Cornell offense earned All-Ivy League honors as the Big Red led the league in passing yards and ranked second in total offense. In 2007, Cornell scored the second-most points for the program in 58 years.
Familiar with the Big Sky Conference as a 1987 graduate and player at Eastern Washington, Barnum coached at Idaho State from 1998-2006. He was the offensive coordinator for the Bengals for six seasons.
Barnum had many successes with the ISU offense, averaging 30 points per game in 2001 and 2002. The Bengals were Big Sky Conference co-Champions with Montana in 2002. In 2003, the Bengal offense scored 394 points - second-most in school history.
Interestingly, Barnum also served on the defensive side of the ball at Idaho State. He was the ISU defensive coordinator in 2000, and worked with the defensive line in 1999 and 2000.
Barnum began his career as a high school coach at Columbia River HS in Vancouver and Central Valley HS in Spokane. He moved on to be offensive line coach at Western Washington in 1989-90. Barnum’s first experience at Cornell came during the 1991 and 1992 seasons, working as an assistant offensive line coach and offensive coordinator for the freshman team.
Barnum was an offensive line coach and run game coordinator at American International in 1993. He served as offensive line coach and assistant head coach at the United States Coast Guard Academy from 1994-97. That team won a Freedom Conference Championship, advancing to the NCAA III playoffs.
THE BRUCE BARNUM FILE
16th year at Portland State, 11th as Head Coach
Hometown: Vancouver, WA
Alma Mater: Eastern Washington, 1987, BA in Education and History; Western Washington, 1991, Masters in Education
Playing Career: Eastern Washington, Middle Linebacker
Date of Birth: April 13, 1964
Family: Wife, Shawna; sons Brody and Cooper
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2015-25 Portland State, Head Coach (38-64)
2010-14 Portland State, Offensive Coordinator
2007-09 Cornell, Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
1998-06 Idaho State, Offensive Coordinator (2001-06), Defensive Coordinator (2000), Defensive Line (1999); Offensive Line (1998)
1994-97 US Coast Guard Academy, Offensive Line/Assistant Head Coach
1993 American International, Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator
1991-92 Cornell, Assistant Offensive Line/Freshman Offensive Coordinator
1989-90 Western Washington, Offensive Line
1987-88 Columbia River HS/Assistant Coach
1986 Central Valley HS/Assistant Coach
ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE VIKINGS UNDER BRUCE BARNUM
2010 - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
1st team: RB Cory McCaffrey, TE Julius Thomas
HM: QB Connor Kavanaugh, C Adam Kleffner, OL Dustin Waldron, OL Kyle Ritt
2011 - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
1st team: RB Cory McCaffrey
2nd team: OL Dustin Waldron
HM: QB Connor Kavanaugh, C Mitch Gaulke, OL Kyle Ritt, WR Justin Monahan
2012 - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
HM: WR Justin Monahan, RT Mitchell Van Dyk, LT Kyle Ritt, C Mitch Gaulke, LG Cornelius Edison, RB DJ Adams
2013 - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
1st team: RB DJ Adams, OT Mitchell Van Dyk
3rd team: WR Kasey Closs, OG Cornelius Edison
HM: OT Kyle Smith, C Mitch Gaulke
2014 - OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
1st team: SR C Cornelius Edison
HM: WR Kasey Closs, RG Cam Keizur, LT Kyle Smith, RB Steven Long
2015 - HEAD COACH
Newcomer of the Year: QB Alex Kuresa
1st team: S Patrick Onwuasor
2nd team: OT Kyle Smith, RB David Jones, DT Sadat Sulleyman, DE Davond Dade, CB Xavier Coleman
3rd team: OT Mike Davis, OG Cam Keizur, K Jonathan Gonzales, DT Daniel Fusi, CB Aaron Sibley
HM: WR Darnell Adams, OG Randin Crecelius, QB Alex Kuresa, RS Kahlil Dawson, DE Michael Doman, LB Jeremy Lutali, S Walter Santiago
Academic All-Big Sky Conference: CB Xavier Coleman, K Jonathan Gonzales, OL Josh Hanson, OL Cam Keizur, P Marcus Kinsella, WR Josh Kraght, TE Dame Ndiaye, LB John Norcross, WR Trent Riley, LB AJ Schlatter, LB Kawika Stant, LB Austin Wolff
NATIONAL HONORS
1st team All-American: S Patrick Onwuasor
3rd team All-American: LS Kameron Canaday
2016 - HEAD COACH
1st team: RG Cam Keizur, CB Xavier Coleman
2nd team: TE Maximo Espitia, ST Mitchell Thompson
3rd team: LT Randin Crecelius, K Jonathan Gonzales
HM: LG Tyshon Mosley, QB Alex Kuresa, RB Nate Tago, RB Paris Penn, DT Savali Talalemotu, P Marcus Kinsella
Academic All-Big Sky Conference: CB Xavier Coleman, DE Michael Doman, LB Zach Dwyer, OL Josh Hanson, DT Dallas House, OL Cam Keizur, P Marcus Kinsella, WR Josh Kraght, LB John Norcross, OL Justin Outslay, WR Trent Riley, LS Riley Shackelford, LB Austin Wolff, S Ryan Wood
NATIONAL HONORS
3rd team All-American: CB Xavier Coleman
Hero Sports FCS All-Freshman Team: DT Anthony Del Toro
2017 - HEAD COACH
2nd team: LG Tyshon Mosley, TE Charlie Taumoepeau
3rd team: WR Darnell Adams
HM: LT Randin Crecelius, LB Beau Duronslet, CB Donovan Olumba, ST Mitch Thompson
Academic All-Conference: P Hayden Cowden, LB Beau Duronslet, QB Jalani Eason, TE Daniel Giannosa, WR Nathan Hawthorne, WR Josh Kraght, OL Justin Outslay, WR Trent Riley, LS Riley Shackelford, OL Korbin Sorensen, CB Ryan Wood, DE Noah Yunker
NATIONAL HONORS
1st team CoSIDA Academic All-District 8: OL Justin Outslay
2nd team CoSIDA Academic All-American: OL Justin Outslay
2018 - HEAD COACH
1st team: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
3rd team: LT Josh Brown, RG Korbin Sorensen, K Cody Williams, DT Kenton Bartlett
Honorable Mention: DE Larry Ross, DT Semise Kofe
Academic All-Conference: TBA
NATIONAL HONORS
2nd team All-American: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
1st team CoSIDA Academic All-District 8: DE Noah Yunker
2019 - HEAD COACH
1st team: TE Charlie Taumoepeau, S Anthony Adams, ST Emmanuel Daigbe
3rd team: WR Emmanuel Daigbe, K Cody Williams, C Garrett Stauffer
Honorable Mention: DT Anthony Del Toro, DT Kenton Bartlett, DE Shawn Richard
Community Service Award: OL Daniel Giannosa
Academic All-Big Sky Conference: S Anthony Adams, S Ty Apana-Purcell, DT Kenton Bartlett, OL Brady Brick, OL Larry Brister, WR Emmanuel Daigbe, TE Jackson Davis, DT Anthony Del Toro, OL Daniel Giannosa, ROV Romeo Gunt, WR Davis Koetter, WR Zack Mandera, CB Greg Oliver, DE Jake Porter, OL Korbin Sorensen, C Garrett Stauffer, WR Mataio Talalemotu, S KJ Walker
NATIONAL HONORS
1st team All-American: S Anthony Adams
2nd team All-American: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
2020 - HEAD COACH (no season due to COVID-19)
Academic All-Conference: Anthony Adams, CB; Ty Apana-Purcell, S; Nate Bennett, WR; Brady Brick, OL; Emmanuel Daigbe, WR; Treyvon Easterling, RB; Richard Estrella, OL; Kennedy Freeman, DE; Ronan Gay, DB; Daniel Giannosa, TE; Isaiah Henry, LB; Steffen Jacobsen, LB; Zack Mandera, LB; Greg Oliver, S; Justice Pagan, LB; Jake Porter, DE; Nic Ah Sam, LB; Anthony Rodriguez, TE; Serge Rusnak, DT; Martin Salazar, DT; Tyreese Shakir, DB; JoJo Siofele, RB; Gianni Smith, K; Mataio Talalemotu, WR; James Thomas, DE; Tiano Tialavea, DT; D’Angalo Titialii, OL; KJ Walker, S; Travis West, S; Cody Williams, K; Karsonne Winters, S; Noah Yunker, DE
2021 - HEAD COACH
1st team: Anthony Adams, CB
2nd team: Beau Kelly, WR; VJ Malo, DE; Davis Alexander, QB
Honorable Mention: Semise Kofe, DT; Nate Bennett, WR
Community Service Award: Malik Thirdgill, TE
Academic All-Conference: Anthony Adams, CB; Xavier Bell, S; Nate Bennett, WR; Brady Brick, OL; Shea Carstens, CB; Ian Crocker, LB; Richard Estrella, OL; Kennedy Freeman, DE; Daniel Giannosa, TE; Isaiah Henry, LB; Ahmir McGee, RB; Tyson Pauling, OL; Jake Porter, DE; Nic Ah Sam, LB; Tyreese Shakir, CB; Gianni Smith, K; Mataio Talalemotu, WR; Malik Thirdgill, TE; D’Angalo Titiali’i, OL; Travis West, CB
NATIONAL HONORS
2nd team All-American: S Anthony Adams
2022 - HEAD COACH
1st team: Tyson Pauling, OL
2nd team: Beau Kelly, WR
3rd team: EJ Ane, DT; Xavier Bell, S
Honorable Mention: VJ Malo, DE; Mataio Talalemotu, WR; Anthony Rodriguez, TE; Emmanuel Daigbe, AP
Academic All-Conference: Xavier Bell, S; Nate Bennett, WR; Ian Crocker, LB; Emmanuel Daigbe, WR; Taylor Evans, WR; Kennedy Freeman, DE; Maclaine Griffin, WR; Isaiah Henry, LB; Tyson Pauling, OL; Jake Porter, DE; Slade Shufelt, DE; Gianni Smith, K; Mataio Talalemotu, WR; Malik Thirdgill, TE; D’Angalo Titialii, OL; George Triplett, P; Travis West, DB
NATIONAL HONORS
1st team CSC Academic All-District 8: Mataio Talalemotu, WR; Nate Bennett, WR; Gianni Smith, K
2023 - HEAD COACH
2nd team: Andrew Van Buren, FB; Shiloh Ta'ase, OL; Dino Kahaulelio, DL; Gianni Smith, K
Honorable Mention: Jermaine Braddock, WR; Parker McKenna, LB; Quincy Craig, AP
Academic All-Conference: Davin Beason, LB; Nate Bennett, WR; Jake Cooper, OL; Ian Crocker, LB; Christian Delacruz, OL; Elijah Eason, DE; Richard Estrella, OL; Taylor Evans, WR; Kennedy Freeman, DE; Maclaine Griffin, WR; Jaxton Helmstetler, LB; Isaiah Henry, LB; Elias Sanders, DT; Slade Shufelt, DE; Gianni Smith, K; Anthony Tena, OL; D'Angalo Titialii, OL; Andrew Van Buren, FB; Travis West, S; Charlie White, TE; Peyton Wing, LB
NATIONAL HONORS
1st team CSC Academic All-District 8: Nate Bennett, WR; D’Angalo Titialii, OL; Kennedy Freeman, DE; Slade Shufelt, DE; Gianni Smith, K
Stats Perform FCS All-Freshman Team: LB Michael Montgomery
FCS Football Central All-Freshman Team: LB Michael Montgomery
2024 - HEAD COACH
2nd team: Dante Chachere, AP; Peyton Wing, LB; Tanner Beaman, TE
Honorable Mention: Dante Chachere, QB; Billy Lutui, OL; Richard Estrella, OL; Tyreese Shakir, DB; Mathias Uribe, K
Academic All-Conference: Tanner Beaman, TE; Davin Beason, LB; Jake Cooper, OL; Elijah Eason, DE; Richard Estrella, OL; Kennedy Freeman, DE; Ronan Gay, S; Isaiah Green, S; Christian Grubb, RB; Jaxton Helmstetler, LB; Kristian Ingman, TE; Tony Johnson, P; Tristan Lewis, OL; Frederick Lujan III, DT; Nate Richter, DE; Bryson Ross, CB; Elias Sanders, DT; Slade Shufelt, DE; Keegan Stancato, LB; Anthony Tena, OL; Delon Thompson, RB; Mathias Uribe, K; Travis West, CB; Peyton Wing, LB; Zach Wusstig, S
NATIONAL HONORS
FCS Football Central All-Freshman Team: RB Delon Thompson
