Complete 2009 Post-Season Notes And Statistics

Portland State football was 2-9 in 2009, its poorest record since 1982 when it competed at the Division II level. The Vikings were 1-7 in the Big Sky Conference, tying for seventh place.

After enduring a third straight losing season, PSU Head Coach Jerry Glanville resigned his position. Glanville was 9-24 in three seasons at Portland State, including 7-17 in Big Sky games.

Portland State anticipates hiring a new head coach in mid-December.

Despite the losing record in 2009, Portland State had several highlights during the season:

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT BROWN CAN DO FOR YOU: FR K Zach Brown turned in the best kicking season in Portland State history. Brown set a new school record with 18 field goals in a season. The previous mark was 15, set by Danny Urrego in 2008 (in 23 attempts). Three of Brown's seven misses were from 52 yards or more... Brown had a streak of nine straight field goals made and finished making 14 of 16, with both misses being 50+ yards... he led the Big Sky Conference and ranked sixth in the nation in field goals made per game (1.64)... further, in the 63-year history of Portland State football, there have been seven field goals of 50 yards or longer. Brown has two of those kicks... in 2009, Brown was 18-25 on field goals, 21-21 on extra points and averaged 65.5 yards on kickoffs... Brown was twice been named Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 14, Oct. 12)... with 18 field goals, Brown is ninth all-time for a career in Portland State history.

WOODS RETURNS TO THE RECORD BOOKS: SR WR Aaron Woods set four Portland State kick return records in 2009. Woods broke his own marks for returns in a season (53, previous 35) and yards (1,314, previous 908). Woods also broke Orshawante Bryant's career record for kick return yards (2,222, Bryant 1,806)... Woods ranked fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards (175.4)... with 88 total returns in his career, Woods owns that record as well... Woods ranks sixth all-time in all-purpose yards at Portland State (3,897)... Woods earned Big Sky Conference and National Player of the Week honors after putting up 330 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns against Weber State (9/26). Woods returned five kickoffs for 202 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown in the third period. Woods also had five catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

LOOKING BACK AT BIG MAC: SR FB Bobby McClintock had a fine career at Portland State as a runner, blocker and receiver (though he will petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility). With a career-high 93 rushing yards and a touchdown in his final game, McClintock led the Vikings in rushing for the second year in a row (87-420-2)... the 240-pound fiullback compiled 1,058 career rushing yards on 221 carries (4.8 ypg). McClintock also had 73 receptions for 639 yards (8.8 ypc) in his career. That gives him 1,697 yards on 294 touches, an average of 5.8 yards per play. In addition, he was a brilliant blocker for the Vikings... McClintock started all 34 games he played in his career.

PASSING ON THE FIELD, PASSING IN THE CLASSROOM: Portland State quarterback Drew Hubel was named to the ESPN Academic All-District 8 team for Division I for his performance on the football field and in the classroom.

Hubel, a junior from Corvallis, played in eight games at quarterback (before injuries) for the Vikings, completing 133 of 239 passes for 1,976 yards, nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Hubel also maintains a 3.84 GPA in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

NCAA District 8 encompasses the majority of the western United States. Four players from the Big Sky Conference were selected to the team. Hubel was the only player from a Division I school in Oregon to be honored. All 25 players named to the first team will advance to the national ballot and are eligible for Academic All-American honors.

Hubel has started 20 games in his career at Portland State, playing in 24. He ranks fifth all-time in passing (6,358 yards) and sixth in touchdowns (42). A three-time Big Sky Conference Player of the Week, Hubel has also been named Academic All-Conference the past two seasons. Last season, he also earned the Mike Schrunk Award, honoring the Viking football team's scholar athlete of the year.

(Academic All-Big Sky Conference honors are released in January)

THREE VIKINGS EARN ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE HONORS
Three Portland State football players earned All-Big Sky Conference honors for their play during the 2009 season and all three come from the state of Oregon. Senior fullback Bobby McClintock and freshman kicker Zach Brown earned first team All-Big Sky Conference honors, while senior outside linebacker Ryan Pedersen was named second team All-Big Sky in a vote of league coaches.

McClintock, from Coos Bay's Marshfield High School, earned first team honors for the second time in his career. He was also named first team All-Conference as a freshman in 2006. A knee injury knocked him out of action in 2007, and he earned honorable mention honors in 2008.

McClintock had a fine career at Portland State as a runner, blocker and receiver (though he will petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility). With a career-high 93 rushing yards and a touchdown in his final game, McClintock led the Vikings in rushing for the second year in a row (87 carries, 420 yards, two touchdowns). He added 29 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdown receiving on the year. The 240-pound fullback was perhaps more renowned for his blocking ability.

Brown, from Keizer's McNary High School, was recruited to Portland State as a wide receiver and backup kicker. But, in 2009 he took over all kicking duties as a redshirt freshman and turned in the finest season ever by a PSU kicker.

Brown set a new school record with 18 field goals (in 25 attempts), breaking the previous mark of 15. He had a streak of nine straight field goals made at one point and finished the year making 14 of 16, with both misses being 50+ yards. He led the Big Sky Conference and ranked sixth in the nation in field goals made per game (1.64). Further, in the 63-year history of Portland State football, there have been seven field goals of 50 yards or longer. Brown has two of those kicks.

Overall in 2009, Brown was 18-25 on field goals, 21-21 on extra points and averaged 65.5 yards on kickoffs. Twice he was named Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 14, Oct. 12) for his kicking.

Pedersen, from Beaverton's Southridge High School, was given second team honors after being honorable mention All-Big Sky each of the last two seasons. He made 57 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and forced two fumbles. Pedersen led the Vikings in career numbers with 176 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and six forced fumbles. He also started a team-leading 30 straight games over the last three seasons.

Nine other Vikings earned honorable mention honors. They include: SR OT Matt Leunen, SR C Tyler Staley, SR OG Moses Punzal, SR KR Aaron Woods, SR ILB Erik Pedersen, SO ILB Ryan Rau, SO CB Deshawn Shead, SO FS Cody Worthen and SO ST Nick Kalpin.

Woods set new school records for kick returns in a season (53) and a career (88), as well as kick return yards for a season (1,314) and a career (2,222). Woods ranked fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards per game this season with 175.4.

Rau led the Vikings in tackles (72), tackles for loss (10), sacks (4) and also returned a fumble for touchdown this season.

Shead was the Vikings' leader in interceptions for the second straight year (3), and had a total of four takeaways.

Worthen ranked second on the team with 60 tackles. He also had three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

FACTS, FIGURES AND CURIOSITIES
THE RECORDS: Former Head Coach Jerry Glanville ended his three-year Portland State career with a 9-24 record. Glanville was 6-10 at home, 3-14 on the road... Glanville was 2-8 against nationally-ranked opponents, 0-3 against NCAA I FBS opponents... PSU went 7-17 in Big Sky games under Glanville... Portland State is 49-58 all-time in Big Sky Conference games, 74-81 since moving to Division I in 1996.

TOUGH TIMES AT HOME: Portland State wrapped up its home season at 1-5, including losses in its final five home games of the year. That marked the first time PSU has lost five in a row at home since 1959.

HARD TIMES FOR HUBEL: JR QB Drew Hubel missed two games after suffering a subluxation of his left knee cap late in the win at Northern Colorado (Oct. 10). He returned against Eastern Washington on Oct. 31, but looked rusty. Hubel completed just 7-23 passes for 98 yards and three interceptions. In the Nov. 7 game against Montana State Hubel started, but came out early after having a subluxation of his right shoulder in a scramble for a fumble... as a result of Hubel's injuries, the Vikings' passing game encountered its roughest stretch during the Jerry Glanville era, averaging just 137 yards per game, after Hubel had them to a 322.9 average in the previous six weeks... Hubel had knee surgery to remove cartilage following the season.

RAU IN THE MIDDLE: SO ILB Ryan Rau had a big year for the Vikings, leading the team with 72 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks and six quarterback hurries. 

PEGLEG'S TALLY: SR ILB Ryan Pedersen, affectionately known as Pegleg by his team, led the Vikings in career numbers with 176 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and six forced fumbles. He also started a team-leading 30 straight games... Pedersen ranks ninth all-time in sacks in Portland State history.

THE LITTLE “BIG THREE”: With none of them standing taller than 5'8”, the Vikings' “big three” receivers are little, but put up big numbers in 2009. JR WR Ray Fry had team-highs of 67 receptions for 904 yards and three touchdowns to rank among the Big Sky leaders... SR WR Lavonte Kirven had 37 catches for 660 yards and team-bests of five touchdowns and 17.8 yards per catch... SR WR Aaron Woods had 43 catches for 535 yards and three touchdowns... those three receivers had 147 of the Vikings 210 team receptions. They have 2,099 of the 2,723 team receiving yards.

NO SMALL FRY: JR WR Ray Fry's 67 receptions ties for eighth most in a season in PSU history. Fry ranked in the top 25 in the nation in receptions and receiving yards (904)... in two seasons, Fry has 99 receptions for 1,416 yards.

GIVE AWAY, TAKE AWAY: Portland State had a -20 turnover ratio in 2009, with 34 turnovers and 14 takeaways. The -1.82 turnover ratio per game ranked 118th among 118 teams in the nation.

MORE AREAS TO WORK ON: The Vikings converted just 11 of 29 red zone opportunities into touchdowns (a poor 38% - opponents converted 64%). The Vikings did convert 10 of those opportunities into field goals... PSU's pass defense allowed 280.9 yards per game, ranking 117th in the nation. PSU also gave up school records of 3,090 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: JR QB Drew Hubel is in fifth place on PSU's all-time passing list with 6,358 yards... with 42 career touchdown passes he is now sixth all-time.

YOUTH SHALL SERVE: Portland State played 23 freshmen, including 15 true freshmen in 2009.  Both numbers rank among the most in the nation at the FCS level. Ten freshmen started at some point during the course of the season.
   
GOOD STARTS: SR OLB Ryan Pedersen made 30 consecutive starts to lead the Vikings. A handful of players started every game the last two years: SR C Tyler Staley (22), SR RT Matt Leunen (22), SR WR Aaron Woods (22), SR FB Bobby McClintock (22), JR DE Travis Beckley (22), SR DE Joe Ma'aseia (22) and SO CB Deshawn Shead (22)... McClintock led the team in games played (34) and started every game. He is followed by R. Pedersen (33), Beckley (33) and JR TE Rory Richards (33) in games played.