Today's opening fall camp report is a little personal. If you have been following Viking football over the years, and have read any of the stories, for good or ill, I am the writer. Looking for an angle on a day one story I decided that I would just point out a few things I noticed at practice as I start my 35^th(!) fall at PSU.
 
A few things I noticed:

• Darien Chase is back on the field. The sophomore wide receiver missed all of last season after suffering an achilles injury at the start of last season's camp. Chase, from Vancouver's Union High School, was brilliant in his freshman season with the Vikings (2021), catching 54 passes for 579 yards and four touchdowns, and routinely making incredibly difficult catches in traffic. Having him back will be HUGE for the offense. I notice the ball seems to find his hands, as opposed to his hands trying to find the ball – if that makes any sense.
• There are 22 guys at the defensive line position (with two more coming). Co-Defensive Coordinator and d-line coach Mark Rhea is tasked with finding his new front four after a quality group of four seniors graduated last year (Ane, Porter, Malo, Finau). Rhea will have PLENTY to choose from, and the competition should be intense.
• The running back position is DEEP. PSU has experienced players back in JRs Jalynnee McGee and Jobi Malary, as well as SR Andrew Van Buren and even RS FR Quincy Craig who had a pair of 100-yard rushing performances in last season's final two games. Now, you can add to that UCLA transfer JR Christian Grubb and Southern California high school rushing leader FR Delon Thompson (2,388 yards, 25 TDs). Also back are SO Treyvon Easterling and FR William Blakey.
• Head Coach Bruce Barnum is looking "svelte" (his word) after losing an undisclosed amount of weight. That weight, let's say around 20 pounds, appears to have re-appeared on the person of JR QB Dante Chachere. The Viking signal caller is clearly bigger and stronger, and now pushing about 200 pounds, which should help his durability.
• The Vikings had a big roster on the field. There are 108 on the roster and depth is evident at every position. "What I see, I love it. My staff put together exactly what we need as a team," said Barnum. "We are going to be fast, that is our M.O. Now we just have to toughen them up and get to game day."
• The newcomers have SIZE. Portland State had a highly-rated recruiting class for 2023 – best in the Big Sky, third best in the FCS according to 247Sports.com. For young men coming out of high school and still learning the college weight room, the freshman defensive lineman are big. The offensive linemen are very big.
• New coaches always mean new energy on the field. The Vikings have added Parker Henry as Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator. Henry, a native of Vancouver and graduate of Skyview High School, is happy to return home. Also new is Wide Receivers Coach Bryant Thomas, who worked with Barnum at Idaho State in the early 2000s and has been a long-time high school Head Coach in the state of Washington. Finally, Robby Hauck, a former Montana Grizzly, will coach Nickelbacks and assist with Special Teams. The son of Montana's Head Coach Bobby Hauck, Robby has traded his Griz for Green.
• There are always a few regulars on the sidelines watching practice. The most consistent among them is PSU alum Bob Peets, who played football for the Vikings from 1962-65. Peets seldom misses practice, always stands on the north side of the field and always has a Viking hat and BarnyBall shirt on.
• KGW TV Sports Anchor Orlando Sanchez is a wise man, knowing where the story is and only having to travel ½ mile from his studio to find it. Sanchez shot some Viking practice, talked to Barnum and Chachere, and will have a report a little later this week (his newscast is preempted by NFL football tonight).
• The weather was spectacular; sunny and about 70 degrees when practice began just after 10 a.m. It was just another reminder to me that when the weather is nice in Oregon it is better weather than anywhere else you could be.
• The ever-present background music playlist turns over day to day during practice. On day one, the entire theme song to the legendary, Redd Foxx-70s sitcom Sanford and Son was part of the playlist. That took me back to my childhood. I told Barny that he and I may be the only people on the field to know what that was. He told me Sanford and Son was the only show that Dante Chachere's father allowed Dante to watch growing up. I will investigate…. 

VIKING NEWS

Aug. 2: SEASON PREVIEW
July 31: VIKING FOOTBALL TAILGATE AT OREGON
 
Upcoming Practice Schedule
Fri., Aug. 4, 10:15-11:45
Sat., Aug. 5, 10:15-12:15
Sun., Aug. 6, Off Day
 
Mon., Aug. 7, 10:15-12-45
Tues., Aug. 8, 10:15-12:45
Wed., Aug. 9, 10:15-12:45
Thurs., Aug. 10, 10:15-12:45
Fri., Aug. 11, 10:15-12:45
Sat., Aug. 12, 10:15-12:45, Scrimmage
Sun., Aug. 13, Off Day