The Portland State Athletics Department has announced the hiring of Nigel Burton as its new Head Football Coach in a press conference today on the PSU campus.

Burton, who has been the Defensive Coordinator for the Nevada Wolf Pack the past two seasons, returns to the school for which he was an assistant coach during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. He will be the 13th head coach in the history of Portland State football, and is charged with returning the Vikings to prominence in the Big Sky Conference and nationally at the NCAA I Football Championship Subdivision level.

"I'm thrilled to have Nigel Burton as our Head Football Coach. Nigel brings the whole package - great recruiting skills, a focus on student-athlete success, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to teach," said Portland State Director of Athletics Torre Chisholm. "He has been a leader in all his endeavors, as well as a winner. I expect great things from the football program and student-athletes under Nigel's leadership."

Said Portland State President Wim Wiewel: "Nigel is the right man for the job. Obviously he knows football inside and out, but he also understands he has to care about the academic side. He's truly a team player and I think he will become a big part of the PSU and Portland communities."

The 33-year old Burton replaces former coach Jerry Glanville, who resigned on Nov. 16 after three seasons and a 9-24 overall record.

"The opportunity to come back to a university that I loved being a part of before was outstanding," Burton said. "I believe the potential is here to return to the dominance that Portland State once had. The improvement of facilities and campus life is a big part of that. Portland State is a great place to get a world-class education, to play great football and live in one of the best cities in the country."

Burton has spent the last two seasons with the Wolf Pack. In that time, Nevada has improved from 6-7 prior to his arrival, to 7-6 last season and 8-4 this year (with a date at the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl against SMU on Dec. 24).

This season, Burton's defense has allowed five fewer points per game and 26 fewer yards per game than prior to his arrival in 2007. In 2008, his run defense was ranked sixth in the nation (88.6 yards per game), while the team was ninth in tackles for loss, tenth in sacks, 19th in red zone defense and 26th in passes intercepted. Nevada ranked first in rushing defense in the Western Athletic Conference in each of the last two years.

Prior to his time with Nevada, Burton spent five seasons at Oregon State as the secondary coach (2003-08). During that time, Oregon State was 39-24 and won all four bowl games in which it participated. The Beavers ranked among the top three teams in total defense in the Pac-10 each of those five seasons. Six of the defensive backs coached by Burton during those years have gone on to NFL careers.

Former Viking Head Coach Tim Walsh hired Nigel Burton as his defensive backs coach in 2001. He was responsible for cornerbacks as well as the kick and punt return teams. Burton had two first-team All-Conference performers in his two seasons at PSU (Reynard Carrie, 2001; Mitchell Fitzhugh, 2002). Burton was scheduled to take over special teams coordinator at Portland State in 2003 before moving on to OSU.

Burton began his coaching career as a defensive assistant at the University of South Florida in 2000.

More than coaching, Burton brings with him a reputation as one of the west coast's top football recruiters. He has shown the ability to get talented student-athletes to play football with his program. In 2006, Burton was named as one of the top 10 recruiters in the Pac-10 by Rivals.com. Burton also has strong plans on student-athlete academic progress and student-athlete development off the football field. He comes from a program at Nevada that has maintained an APR rate over 925 throughout current head coach Chris Ault's tenure.

A 1999 graduate of the University of Washington, Burton played football for the Huskies. He was a three-year starter at safety, leading the Huskies to three bowl games. Burton was a three-time Academic All-Pac-10 and Academic All-District selection as well. As a senior in 1998, Burton was a team captain. He started his career at University of the Pacific in Stockton and was a starter as a freshman before the program was eliminated.

While at Washington, Burton was appointed to the Management Council to represent the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (1997-99).

Other honors include the Black Coaches Association Postgraduate Award (2000) and the NACDA John McClendon Memorial Minority Scholarship (2000).

Burton served as a Championships Intern with NCAA in 1999. He was a graduate assistant at the University of Florida in 1999, assisting with football recruiting and the Life Skills program. He moved on to coach and earn an MBA at South Florida the following year.

Other credits include being a consultant for the NCAA Initial Eligibility Consultants' Group from 1999-2004 and serving as a defensive intern with the Denver Broncos in 2002.

Burton is a native of Sacramento where he attended Jesuit High School. He earned a bachelors degree in Business Administration at Washington in 1999, and an MBA from the University of South Florida in 2001. However, including Washington, Portland State and Oregon State, Burton has spent 10 years in the Pacific Northwest.

Burton and his wife, Heather, have a son, Jace, and a newborn daughter, Ella Joyce.

THE NIGEL BURTON FILE
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Alma Mater: Washington, 1999 (BS, Business Administration); South Florida, 2001 (MBA)
Playing Experience: Safety, University of Washington (1996-98); Safety, University of the Pacific (1995)
Date of Birth: July 30, 1976
Family: Wife, Heather; Son, Jace; Daughter, Ella Joyce

COACHING EXPERIENCE:
2008-09 Nevada, Defensive Coordinator (15-10 overall, two bowl games)
2003-07 Oregon State, Secondary (39-24 overall, four bowl games)
2001-02 Portland State, Defensive Backs (13-9 overall)
2000 South Florida, Defensive Assistant (7-4 overall)