Complete season wrapup and statistics in pdf

The Portland State Vikings wrapped up their 2012 football season with a 3-8 record, 2-6 in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings had several “what ifs” during the season that might have made the outcome much different as the team dropped from a 7-4/5-3 mark in 2011.

PSU held leads of 18, 18 and 13 on opponents in three home games that all resulted in losses (Southern Utah, Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington). In addition, the Vikings were up 25-20 on nationally-ranked Cal Poly in the third quarter of a road game before allowing the final 17 points to lose, 37-25. Had the Vikings held leads in some - or all - of those games, they may have come much closer to the fourth-place league finish offered by preseason prognisiticators.

Once again, Portland State had one of the most potent offenses in the Big Sky Conference and the nation, averaging more than 438 yards and 34.8 points per game. The balance sought by Head Coach Nigel Burton was also there as the Vikings averaged 216.5 yards on the ground and 222.2 yards through the air. Portland State ranked third in the 13-team Big Sky in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense, and were 16th in nation (among 121 schools) in all three categories.

On defense, the Vikings were a Jeckyl and Hyde team. At times, the Vikings were impressive, forcing turnovers, making big plays, tackles for loss and run-stopping. The Vikings' allowed 86 yards or less on the ground to five Big Sky opponents, including 0 rushing yards to fifth-ranked Eastern Washington in the season finale. The Vikings led the Big Sky and ranked sixth in the nation with nearly eight tackles for loss per game. However, they were also exploited on an injury-riddled pass defense in a handful of games, ranking 12th in pass defense and allowing 29 touchdown passes. 

Head Coach Nigel Burton completed his third season on the Park Blocks and has a 12-21 career record (2-9 in 2010, 7-4 in 2011 and 3-8 in 2012). He will have 53 returning letterwinners and 11 returning starters in 2013.

ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
Portland State linebacker Ian Sluss and defensive end Marquis Jackson were each named second team All-Big Sky Conference in voting by league coaches. Thirteen Vikings earned honorable mention All-Big Sky.

Sluss was the Vikings' top tackler with 104 stops on the season, and led the league with four interceptions and four fumble recoveries. A 6-foot, 225-pound senior from Vista, CA, Sluss ranked fifth in the Big Sky Conference in tackles. He added 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble this season.

Sluss had a knack for the big play all year, scoring three defensive touchdowns. In PSU's 49-21 win over UC Davis on Oct. 27, he earned Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week by making six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He came up with all four turnovers in the fourth period to preserve the win.

Jackson, a senior transfer from Texas Southern, led the Vikings with 7.5 sacks in 10 games from his defensive end position. A 6-5, 260-pounder from Northridge, CA, Jackson totaled 36 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and broke up three pass plays. His sack total was the most by a Viking in six years.

Among Portland State's honorable mention award winners were: SR WR Justin Monahan (30 receptions, 503 yards, 6 TDs), SR LT Kyle Ritt (438.7 yards of offense and 34.8 points per game), JR RT Mitchell Van Dyk (438.7 yards of offense and 34.8 points per game), SO LG Cornelius Edison (438.7 yards of offense and 34.8 points per game), JR C Mitch Gaulke (438.7 yards of offense and 34.8 points per game), JR RB DJ Adams (164 carries, 967 yards, 12 TDs, 5.9 ypc), SR K Zach Brown (4-7 FGs, 17-18 PAT, missed 5 games), SR DT Dereck Jester (21 tackles, 4 tackles for loss), JR LB Jaycob Shoemaker (79 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception), SR LB Khalil Bass (77 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries), SR ST Nevin Lewis (29 kick returns, 645 yards, 22.2 ypr), SR S Mike Williams (31 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 1 interception), SR S Joel Sisler (13 tackles, 1 interception in four games).

Second-ranked and playoff-bound Montana State could boast the league's best record (10-1) and top players. Junior quarterback DeNarius McGhee was the league's Offensive Most Valuable Player, and senior linebacker Jody Owens was the Defensive Most Valuable Player. Freshman linebacker Zak Browning of Southern Utah was named the Newcomer of the Year. Cal Poly Coach Tim Walsh and Eastern Washington Coach Beau Baldwin were selected as the co-Coaches of the Year.

The Big Sky Conference will release Academic All-Big Sky honors in January.

TEAM AWARDS
Portland State linebacker Ian Sluss was named the Vikings' Most Valuable Player for 2012 at the post-season team banquet. The awards were voted on by team members.

Sluss, a team captain and leader all season, is one of the top linebackers in the conference. A 6-foot, 225-pound senior from Vista, CA, Sluss led the Vikings with 104 tackles from his outside linebacker position, ranking fifth in the Big Sky Conference. Sluss also led the Big Sky in fumble recoveries (4) and tied for league lead in interceptions (4). He added 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble this year.

Sluss had a knack for the big play all season, scoring three defensive touchdowns. In PSU's 49-21 win over UC Davis on Oct. 27, he earned Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week by making six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He came up with all four turnovers in the fourth period to preserve the win.

In other awards, Mitch Gaulke was named the team's Scholar-Athlete Award winner for the second year in a row. Gaulke is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and two-time Academic All-Big Sky Conference. A two-year starter at center, Gaulke is a Business Administration: Accounting major from West Linn. Gaulke is on the national ballot for Academic All-America among all NCAA Division I football players. That team will be announced in December.

Also from West Linn, senior wide receiver Justin Monahan was chosen as the team's Most Valuable Offensive Back. He earned the honor as much for what he meant to the team when he was injured, than when he was healthy. Monahan had excellent numbers with 30 catches for 503 yards and a team-high six touchdown receptions. He also had a 39-yard pass completion and 100 kick return yards during the season. However, he missed three games with a knee injury. A team captain, Monahan was notable for his great hands and ability to make remarkable catches.

Junior right tackle Mitchell Van Dyk was named as the team's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. It is a worthy honor for a line that allowed only seven sacks all season, and has blocked for one of the best rushing offenses in the nation over the last three years.

Senior defensive tackle Dereck Jester was named the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman. Jester played a big role on a solid run-stopping line. The Vikings held five Big Sky opponents to 86 yards rushing or less, including 0 rushing yards by Eastern Washington on 28 carries in Sunday's season finale. Jester played in 41 career games, starting 15, including all 11 this season. He had 21 tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack.

The Most Improved Player was freshman wide receiver Thomas Carter. After beginning his career at quarterback, Carter moved over to wide receiver two weeks before the start of the season. He ended up making four starts, playing in all 11 games and leading the team with 32 receptions. Carter had 313 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed five times for 21 yards, and completed two of four passes for 26 yards and a touchdown on the season.

Running back DJ Adams was named as the team's Most Inspirational Player. The junior transfer was a dynamic runner, leading the team with 967 yards on 164 carries (5.9 pc) and scoring a team-high 12 touchdowns. In addition, he was acknowledged by his teammates as the top motivational player throughout the season. Adams ranked fourth in the Big Sky Conference in rushing and fifth in touchdowns scored.

Known by his teammates as “The Hammer” for his hitting and blocking ability, junior running back Justin Lilley was selected as the team's Special Teams Player of the Year. Lilley played on all the punt and kick teams and made nine tackles for the season. As a running back, he rushed 30 times for 178 yards and a touchdown and was the team's top backfield blocker.

The Scout Team Player of the Year Award went to freshman quarterback Paris Penn. A top recruit from Portland's Grant High School, Penn was a redshirt in 2012, but was a top performer in game preparation as a scout team member.

Portland State Football presented the Bruun Family with the Charles Withers Award for outstanding contributions to the program. Lorentz Bruun Construction has been integral in recent years in the upgrade of football program facilities at PSU.

2012 PORTLAND STATE FOOTBALL TEAM AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: SR LB Ian Sluss
Scholar-Athlete Award: JR C Mitch Gaulke
Outstanding Offensive Back: SR WR Justin Monahan
Outstanding Defensive Back: SR LB Ian Sluss
Outstanding Offensive Lineman: JR RT Mitchell Van Dyk
Outstanding Defensive Lineman: SR DT Dereck Jester
Most Improved Player: FR WR Thomas Carter
Most Inspirational Player: JR RB DJ Adams
Special Teams Player of the Year: JR RB Justin Lilley
Scout Team Player of the Year: FR QB Paris Penn
Charles Withers Award (for contributions to the program): The Bruun Famil

PSU LOSES 25 SENIORS, 14 STARTERS FROM 2012 ROSTER
Portland State has 25 seniors leaving the program in 2012. The Vikings lose six starters on both offense and defense, as well as four-year starters at kicker and punter.

In all, Portland State had 77 players earn letters in 2012. Of those, 53 are scheduled to return in 2013. Including redshirts and others, a total of 83 players may return in 2013.

The Vikings will return 11 starters, five on offense, five on defense and one on special teams. Nineteen other players with starts during their careers are scheduled to return in 2012.

A breakdown of who is going and who is staying (/ means players shared starts):

OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING (5): LG Cornelius Edison, C Mitch Gaulke, RT Mitchell Van Dyk, QB Kieran McDonagh, RB DJ Adams/Shaq Richard/Justin Lilley
OFFENSIVE STARTERS LOST (6): LT Kyle Ritt, RG Joey Esposito, TE Kalua Noa, WR Justin Monahan, WR Keitrell Anderson, WR Nevin Lewis
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING (5): DT Zack Ka'ahanui, DE Nick Alexander, LB Jaycob Shoemaker, S David Edgerson/Nick Rothstein/Nathan Snow/Henry Organ, CB Dennis Fite
DEFENSIVE STARTERS LOST (6): DE Marquis Jackson, DT Dereck Jester, LB Khalil Bass, LB Ian Sluss, S Mike Williams, CB Aaron Kincy
SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERS RETURNING (1): LS Kameron Canaday
SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERS LOST (2): K Zach Brown, P Thomas Duyndam
OTHER SENIORS LOST (13): LB Dionte Brooks, WR Nick Green, S Andrew Godinet, RB Denzel Davis, RB Ben Bowen, S Joel Sisler, OL Dalton Jasso, OL Anthony Moxley, TE Greylin James, WR Hank Taylor, TE Gage Loftin
OTHER PLAYERS WITH STARTS THAT RETURN (career starts): WR Roston Tatum (3), WR AJ Powell (4), WR Thomas Carter (3), OL John Archuleta (1), OL Thomas Robertson (1), WR Alex Toureen (4), DT Julious Moore (15), CB Karrington Jones (1), CB Aaron Sibley (2), DE Brandon Tobias (2), DE Jeremy Boone (1), DT Junior Alexis (1), DE Bryant Long (6), K Nick Fernandez (5)

2012 TEAM LEADERS
Rushing Yards: DJ Adams, 967 yards
Rushing Touchdowns: DJ Adams, 12
Passing: Kieran McDonagh, 171-314-13, 2,187 yards, 14 TDs
Receptions: Thomas Carter, 32
Receiving Yards: Nevin Lewis, 546
Receiving Touchdowns: Justin Monahan, 6
Scoring: DJ Adams, 72 points (12 TDs)
Field Goals: Nick Fernandez, 5-9; Zach Brown, 4-7
Total Offense: Kieran McDonagh, 2,593 yards
All-Purpose Yards: Nevin Lewis, 1,193 (132.6 pg)
Punting: Thomas Duyndam, 57-41.8
Punt Returns: Justin Monahan, 9-47
Kick Returns: Nevin Lewis, 29-645-0, 22.2
Tackles: Ian Sluss, 104
Tackles For Loss: Jaycob Shoemaker, 10
Sacks: Marquis Jackson, 7.5
Interceptions: Ian Sluss, 4-100-2
Pass Breakups: Mike Williams, 5
Quarterback Hurries: Jaycob Shoemaker, 3
Fumble Recoveries: Ian Sluss, 4
Forced Fumbles: Mike Williams, 2
Blocked Kicks: Julious Moore, 1

CAREER LEADERS
Games Played: Kyle Ritt, 2009-12, 44; Thomas Duyndam, 2009-12, 43; Michael Williams, 2009-12, 42; Dereck Jester, 2009-12, 41; Zach Brown, 2009-12, 39
Games Started: Kyle Ritt, 2009-12, 43; Thomas Duyndam, 2009-12, 42; Zach Brown, 2009-12, 39
Receptions: Justin Monahan, 2010-12, 112; Nevin Lewis, 2009-12, 56; Keitrell Anderson, 2009-12, 45
Receiving Yards: Justin Monahan, 2010-12, 1,579; Nevin Lewis, 2009-12, 996
Rushing Yards: DJ Adams, 2012, 967; Shaquille Richard, 2011-12, 908; Kieran McDonagh, 2012, 406; Justin Lilley, 2010-12, 402
Passing Yards/TDs: Kieran McDonagh, 2,187/14
Tackles: Ian Sluss, 2011-12, 160; Jaycob Shoemaker, 2009-12, 141; Michael Williams, 2009-12, 139; Khalil Bass, 2011-12, 122
Tackles For Loss: Ian Sluss, 2011-12, 24.5; Jaycob Shoemaker, 2009-12, 15.5; Khalil Bass, 2011-12, 13; Julious Moore, 2010-12, 10
Sacks: Marquis Jackson, 2012, 7.5; Julious Moore, 2010-12, 7 ; Ian Sluss, 2011-12, 5.5
Interceptions: Joel Sisler, 2009-12, 6; Ian Sluss, 2011-12, 4
Pass Breakups: Michael Williams, 2009-12, 18; Joel Sisler, 2009-12, 7
Field Goals: Zach Brown, 2009-12, 64 (1st all-time)

FACTS, FIGURES AND CURIOSITIES
WINS AND LOSSES: Portland State finished the 2012 season at 3-8... PSU was 2-3 at home, 1-5 on the road... the Vikings are 6-5 at home since the start of 2011, 4-7 on the road... Head Coach Nigel Burton now has a 7-8 home record, 5-13 road record... the Vikings have eight winning records in 17 years as a member of the Big Sky Conference... PSU is 57-34 in home games since moving to the NCAA I level, 29-68 on the road... PSU is 57-74 all-time in Big Sky Conference games in its' 17 seasons as a member. The Vikings are 35-31 at home, 22-43 on the road in BSC games.

VIKINGS VS. NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS: Portland State played four nationally-ranked opponents in 2012. The Vikings lost at #22 Northern Arizona, 24-10, at #14 Cal Poly, 37-25, at #2 Montana State, 65-30, and at home to #5 Eastern Washington, 41-34... PSU is 14-33 all-time against nationally-ranked FCS teams, 14-39 against all Division I ranked teams... PSU is 10-13 at home against nationally-ranked FCS opponents... PSU has lost 15 straight games to nationally-ranked teams (FCS or FBS)... the Vikings last win over a nationally-ranked team was #11 Eastern Washington (47-36) in 2008. 

THE VIKINGS RECORD ON TV: Since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996, Portland State has appeared on television locally in Portland 50 times. PSU is 19-31 in those games, 12-10 at home, 7-21 on the road... PSU was 2-7 in televised games in 2012... the Vikings made a school-record nine locally televised appearances.

TRUE FRESHMAN TAKES FIRST SNAPS: It can't be confirmed, but it is believed that FR QB Kieran McDonagh is the first true freshman quarterback to start his first game at Portland State since at least the 1950s, if ever. Drew Hubel started as a true freshman in 2007 but not until the seventh game of the season. Neil Lomax did not start until game eight of his freshman year... McDonagh started all 11 games and set the PSU freshman record of 2,187 passing yards with 14 touchdowns. That is the most yards by a Viking since Hubel totaled 2,912 in 2008... McDonagh ran 89 times for 406 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 2,593 yards of total offense, an average of 235.7 per game.

TOP FRESHMAN SEASONS AT QUARTERBACK
2012: Kieran McDonagh 171-314-13, 2,187 yards, 14 TDs, .545 (11 games, 11 starts)
1977: Neil Lomax 102-181-5, 1,670 yards, 18 TDs, .561 (9 games, 3 starts)
2007: Drew Hubel 123-217-11, 1,470 yards, 15 TDs, .567 (6 games, 4 starts)
1997: Jimmy Blanchard 115-211-5, 1,185 yards, 3 TDs, .545 (redshirt FR, 9 games, 3 starts)

McDONAGH NAMED TO THE JERRY RICE AWARD WATCH LIST: Portland State freshman quarterback Kieran McDonagh was named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List as one of the top freshmen in the nation. The Jerry Rice Award will be presented in December... McDonagh, a true freshman from Vancouver's Skyview High School, was a catalyst for a Viking offense that ranked third in the Big Sky Conference in scoring (34.8 points per game) and total offense (438.7 yards per game). The Vikings were 16th in the nation in scoring and total offense... for his part, McDonagh is averaged 235.7 yards of total offense per game. He completed 171 of 314 passes for 2,187 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. McDonagh ran 89 times for 406 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had a 22-yard touchdown reception... while other true freshmen have started at quarterback in Portland State history, McDonagh is believed to be the first true freshman to start his first game. He starrted all 11 contests for the Vikings and became the all-time freshman passing leader at PSU (Neil Lomax, 1,670 yards in 1977; Drew Hubel, 1,470 yards in 2007)... McDonagh earned National Freshman of the Week honors on Oct. 6 after leading the Vikings to a 77-10 win over Idaho State. He was 15-23 passing for 280 yards and a touchdown, rushed 10 times for 66 yards and four touchdowns, and caught a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Nominees for the Jerry Rice Award Watch List: Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington; Zak Browning, Southern Utah; Reese Hannon, Furman; Ryan Heaston, Missouri State; Jacob Huesman, Chattanooga; Jake Hutson, Valparaiso; Jameer Jackson, North Dakota; Miles Killebrew, Southern Utah; Sawyer Kollmorgen, Northern Iowa; T.J. Lally, South Dakota State; Scott Lathrop, Southeast Missouri State; Kieran McDonagh, Portland State; Sean Price, Appalachian State; J.J. Raffelson, Western Illinois; Luke Rhodes, William & Mary; Elandon Roberts, Morgan State; John Robertson, Villanova; Andre Stubbs, Youngstown State; Jeff Williams, Delaware; Josh Woodrum, Liberty

JUST ONE BREAKAWAY FROM 1,000: JR RB DJ Adams had an outstanding initial season with the Vikings, leading the team in rushing with 967 yards and in touchdowns with 12. He needed 89 yards in his final game for 1,000, but Eastern Washington didn't allow him any big plays. Adams had just 56 yards on 21 carries, but also scored three touchdowns... there have been 17 1,000-yard rushers in Portland State history, all of which have come since 1987. The last player to do so was QB Connor Kavanaugh last year with 1,060 yards... Adams averaged 5.9 yards per carry... including his two years at Maryland, Adams now has 27 career touchdowns. He scored 15 times in 107 carries for the Terps... with 271 career carries, Adams averages a touchdown every 10 totes.

RUN GAME ROULETTE: Portland State started three different players at running back in 2012. Leading rusher JR RB DJ Adams had four starts totaling 164 carries for 967 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead the team. Adams ranked fourth in the Big Sky Conference with 87.9 rushing yards per game and had four 100-yard games this season... SO RB Shaquille Richard had 112 carries for 524 yards and two scores with two starts. JR RB Justin Lilley had 30 carries for 178 yards and a touchdown starting five games. Also integral to the run game was FR QB Kieran McDonagh with 89 carries for 406 yards and nine TDs... the four main men averaged 188.6 of the team's 216.5 rushing yards per game and had 24 rushing touchdowns.

BIG SKY LEADERS: Portland State ranked third in the Big Sky Conference in total offense (438.7 yards per game) and scoring (34.8 points per game). Portland State averaged 216.5 yards on the ground (3rd) and 222.2 yards through the air (10th)... the Vikings allowed the fewest sacks in the league (7) despite 343 pass attempts. That mark ranks fourth in the nation... PSU also led the Big Sky in tackles for loss with 7.8 per game and ranked sixth in the nation in that category... SR LB Ian Sluss led the Big Sky Conference in interceptions (4) and fumble recoveries (4).

HALF AND HALF: Portland State allowed 401.5 yards per game on defense. That ranked seventh in the 13-team Big Sky Conference. However, the Vikings gave up 36.0 points per game, which ranked 12th. That large total can be attributed to poor starts defensively in several games. The Vikings allowed 253 first-half points (23.0), but only 143 second-half points (13.0).

GOOD MOVE: FR WR Thomas Carter started his PSU career as a quarterback. He redshirted in 2011, then after two weeks of fall practice this season, he was moved to wide receiver. The move paid off as Carter led the team in receptions in 2012 with 32 catches for 313 yards and two touchdowns. He also had five rushes for 21 yards and a touchdown, and a touchdown pass thrown for 22 yards to FR QB Kieran McDonagh.

MONEY MAN: Despite missing three games this season, SR WR Justin Monahan was as dangerous as ever, making 30 receptions for 503 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch... at North Dakota, Monahan caught six passes for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns... Monahan was the Vikings' leading receiver in 2011 (52-707-6). He had 112 career catches for 1,579 yards and 14 touchdowns.

@THESLUSSREPORT: That is the twitter handle for SR LB Ian Sluss and he has gained a lot of followers on and off the field. A second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection for the second year in a row, Sluss was also the Viking team MVP. Sluss led the Vikings in tackles with 104 - the most in four seasons. He also led the team and the Big Sky Conference in interceptions (4) and fumble recoveries (4). In addition, Sluss had two sacks, three pass breakups, three defensive touchdowns, a forced fumble and 10 tackles for loss... in PSU's 49-21 win over UC Davis on Oct. 27, Sluss earned Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week by making six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He came up with all four turnovers in the fourth period to preserve the win... Sluss made a dozen tackles at Washington, 12 more against Southern Utah, then a career-high 17 at Northern Arizona... he returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State... he returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown against Cal Poly... against UC Davis, Sluss had a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown... Sluss added 11 tackles against Northern Colorado.

THE SHOE FITS: JR LB Jaycob Shoemaker's return to play in 2012 after missing almost a season-and-a-half with injury was inspiring. “Shoe” had 79 tackles, a team-high 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, and an interception return for touchdown in 10 games played... Shoemaker had a career-high 17 tackles at Cal Poly. That total ranks tied for eighth most in a game in PSU history.

HOOKED ON BASS: Although he missed one game, SR LB Khalil Bass ranked third on the team with 77 tackles and was fourth with nine tackles for loss... Bass returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State... he led the team in tackles three times in 2012.

BIG PLAY OFFENSE: Portland State had a total of 46 offensive touchdowns with 18 of them coming on plays of 25 yards or longer... FR QB Kieran McDonagh's 14 TD passes averaged 38.5 yards in length.

MULTI-PURPOSE LINE: Give it up for the Portland State offensive line once again in 2012. The Viking running game averaged 216.5 yards per game. At the same time, the line allowed only seven sacks all season to rank fourth in the nation. PSU had 343 pass attempts and averaged 222 yards per game through the air. PSU was 16th in the nation in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense... PSU led the Big Sky in rushing each of the last two years and passing offense the two years prior to that... the last three seasons, PSU has averaged over 200 rushing yards per game each year.

YOUTH IS SERVED: Much was made of Portland State's recruiting class last February, including being selected by the Sports Network as one of the top two signing classes in all of the Football Championship Subdivision. The results are in... this freshman class has to be one of the best ever at Portland State. In 2012, 19 freshmen (9 true/10 redshirt or transfer) played in games. The freshmen had 124 games played and 29 starts... also playing major roles were six 2012 transfers (JR RB DJ Adams, JR S David Edgerson, SR DE Marquis Jackson, JR CB Dennis Fite, JR DT Zack Ka'ahanui, JR DE Nick Alexander). Adams, Edgerson, Fite and Ka'ahanui were among the original signing class on Feb. 2 - signing either NLIs or transfer aid agreements. If you include late signees Sibley, Alexander and Jackson, 16 members of the signing class of 2012 played roles with the team in 2012.

PLAYMAKER: SR WR Nevin Lewis was a playmaker as proven by his 2011 season. He was brilliant on special teams, blocking three punts, snuffing out a fake punt with a tackle for loss and making three tackles in all. He also had 29 kick returns for an average of 23.7 per return... as a receiver, Lewis had 22 catches for 337 yards and two touchdowns. He had one rush for seven yards and completed a 14-yard touchdown pass on a reverse play... in 2012, Lewis played in nine games and touched the ball 54 times as a receiver, runner and kick returner, totaling 1,193 yards (22.1 yards per touch) and two touchdowns... on 24 receptions, Lewis led the team with 546 yards and averaged 22.8 yards per catch... Lewis averaged 22.2 yards per kick return and 132.6 all-purpose yards per game... with 645 kick return yards, Lewis ended his career ranked third all-time in kickoff return yards at PSU (1,762).

THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER: SR P Thomas Duyndam, a native Australian, ended the 2012 season with a 41.8 punting average, just shy of his career-best of 42.6 in 2010 and close to the PSU record of 42.8. In four seasons as the Viking starter, Duyndam set a new career record for total punts with 195. The previous mark was 193, held by Dan Frantz. His career average of 40.6 was just short of John Kincheloe's PSU career record of 41.4.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK: All-American SR K Zach Brown finally returned to play against Cal Poly (Oct. 20) after being out with an injury since the first drive of the first game of the season. Brown kicked a 35-yard field goal - his first of the year and two extra points against Cal Poly... Brown never really had a chance to back up his record-breaking 2011 season because of the injury and finished with four field goals in 2012... he had 64 career field goals which is a PSU record... Brown would have had an excellent shot at the Big Sky Conference field goal record (76) if not for his injury... Brown was the nation's top kicker in 2011. He was a consensus first team All-American, earning honors from Associated Press, The Sports Network, the AFCA, and Walter Camp, while being named the nation's top kicker by the College Football Performance Awards and College Sporting News… Brown was also a finalist for the Fred Mitchell Award, recognizing kickers for excellence on the field and community service… in addition, Brown led the nation in field goals made with 24-27. He broke his own Portland State record for field goals made (18), and now owns 10 school records… he is a six-time Big Sky Conference Player of the Week.

ZACH BROWN's PORTLAND STATE KICKING RECORDS
Field Goals, Season: 24
Field Goals, Career: 64
Field Goals, Consecutive: 16
Field Goal Percentage, Season: 24-27 (.889)
Field Goal Percentage, Career: 64-85 (.753)
Field Goals, 50+ yards, Career: 6
PATs, Consecutive: 44 (tied)
PAT Percentage, Career: .967 (88-91)
Scoring, Season by a Kicker: 99 points (101 points total with 2-pt conversion)
Scoring, Career by a Kicker: 280 points (284 total with two two-point conversions)

LONGEST FIELD GOALS IN PSU HISTORY
1. 55 Pat Moore, 1975 at Eastern Washington
2. 53 Zach Brown, 2011 at Montana
53 Zach Brown, 2010 at Arizona State
53 Mike Erickson, 1986 at California Lutheran
5. 52 Zach Brown, 2009 vs. Southern Oregon
52 Mike Erickson, 1987 vs. Cal State Northridge
52 John Kincheloe, 1979 at Weber State
8. 51 Zach Brown, 2011 at Northern Colorado
9. 50 John Kincheloe, 1980 vs. Weber State
50 Zach Brown, 2009 at Northern Colorado
50 Zach Brown, 2010 vs. Eastern Washington

RECORD TOTALS: Portland State's 77-10 win over Idaho State marked the most points scored by a Viking team since Nov. 8, 1980 when Mouse Davis and Neil Lomax led a 105-0 win over Delaware State at then-Civic Stadium. The irony is that both Davis and Lomax were in the house to see the game against ISU; Lomax as a spectator and Davis as an analyst on the Viking TV broadcast on Comcast SportsNet... PSU rushed for 437 yards against Idaho State breaking the school record of 436 set against the same Bengal team in 2011... the Vikings' 758 yards of total offense were the second-most in school history. The most is 788, set by the Vikings in 1976 against Eastern Montana under the guidance of Davis... PSU averaged 9.1 yards per play against Idaho State.

NEW IN THE LINEUP: On offense, the Vikings had new starters in SO LG Cornelius Edison, FR QB Kieran McDonagh and SO WR Alex Toureen against Carroll... the defensive line had three new starters with SR DE Marquis Jackson, JR DE Nick Alexander and JR DT Zack Ka'ahanui. Also new in the starting lineup on defense were SR CB Aaron Kincy and JR CB Dennis Fite... against North Dakota FR OL John Archuleta and SO K Nick Fernandez had their first career starts... SR S Andrew Godinet made his first career start at Washington... FR CB Aaron Sibley made his first career start against Southern Utah... FR S Nick Rothstein made his first career start at Northern Arizona... FR WR Thomas Carter moved into a starting role as a slot receiver against Idaho State, while SO S Henry Organ made his first start in the defensive backfield, and FR LS Kameron Canaday also started for the first time... JR DE Jeremy Boone was a first-time starter against Cal Poly. Also, starting for the first time in two years was JR S Nathan Snow... JR S David Edgerson made his first career start in the win at UC Davis... FR DT Junior Alexis made his first start at Montana State... FR LB Zach Walen made his first career start in the season finale against Eastern Washington.

VETERANS: SR OL Kyle Ritt was one of 12 fourth-year seniors on the roster for 2012, but he was the only offensive player to compete in all 44 games over the past four years. He had the most starts of all offensive players with 43… SR K Zach Brown started and played in 39 games. SR P Thomas Duyndam played in 43 career games, with his only miss due to the Vikings not punting in a win at UC Davis in 2010. Duyndam had 42 starts… on defense, Mike Williams played in the most games with 42 appearances. SR DT Dereck Jester (40) followed close behind. SR S Joel Sisler has the most starts on defense (31), followed by Williams (30).

GAULKE, TOUREEN EARN ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS: A pair of Vikings were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 team for their performance in the classroom and on the field. JR C Mitch Gaulke has been named Academic All-District for the second straight season, while SO WR Alex Toureen is Academic All-District 8 for the first time.
The CoSIDA Academic All-District teams are selected from all Division I programs - FBS and FCS - in balloting by the College Sports Information Directors of America. District 8 includes a majority of the western United States, including Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawai'i. Nominees must maintain a 3.30 GPA, be an on-field contributor and at least sophomore academic standing. Ten of the 25 members of the District 8 team include members of Big Sky Conference teams. Locally, Oregon State is also represented on the team.
Gaulke, from West Linn High School, has been a starter the past two seasons at center and has 26 career starts as a Viking. Gaulke is a Business Administration: Accounting major with a 3.71 GPA. He has been a member of an offense that has had the Big Sky's top rushing attack the last two seasons (2010 and 2011) and ranks third in the Big Sky in scoring (34.9) and total offense (442.2) this season. Gaulke was Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Sky, PSU's Team Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and honorable mention All-Big Sky in 2011.
Toureen, from Cottage Grove High School, has played in eight games this season making four starts. Toureen is a Business Administration major with a 3.92 GPA. He has seven receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown this season. He also has two punt returns and four kick returns totaling 107 yards.
Both Gaulke and Toureen advance to the national ballot for the CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

2012 HIGHLIGHT REEL
BIG PLAY FIRST DAY: Portland State made several big plays in a season-opening 38-20 win over Carroll College (9/1). JR RB DJ Adams opened with a 46-yard touchdown run. That was followed by a 32-yard interception return for touchdown by JR LB Jaycob Shoemaker. JR RB Justin Lilley caught a 36-yard touchdown pass off a deflection intended for another player. And, SO RB Shaquille Richard scampered 80 yards with a screen pass for a score.

MONEY HANDS: SR WR Justin Monahan had a big day in his return to the field against North Dakota (9/8) despite a 45-37 loss. Monahan caught a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage and went on to make six catches for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns. He had 226 all-purpose yards.

BIG GAINS: Despite a 49-42 loss to Southern Utah (9/22), Portland State's offense totaled 587 yards, the most in 14 starts by a Viking team. FR QB Kieran McDonagh had 270 yards and two touchdowns passing and 52 yards rushing for 322 yards of total offense. The Vikings had seven players with positive rushing yards and nine with receptions.

KIERAN'S BIG DAY: FR QB Kieran McDonagh accounted for six touchdowns in the Vikings' 77-10 win over the Idaho State Bengals (10/6), earning Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week and The Sports Network's National Freshman of the Week for the NCAA I FCS level. McDonagh rushed for four touchdowns, passed for one touchdown, and caught a touchdown pass for good measure. In all, McDonagh completed 15-23 passes for 280 yards, rushed 10 times for a career-high 66 yards and had a 22-yard reception for a total of 368 yards. McDonagh's rushing touchdowns were 26, 11, 2 and 2 yards. His passing TD was 12 yards to freshman wide receiver Thomas Carter and his receiving TD was a 22 yarder from Carter on a trick play. It's also worth noting the McDonagh left the game before the end of the third quarter.

MOST POINTS IN 32 YEARS: Portland State's 77-10 win over Idaho State marked the most points scored by a Viking team since Nov. 8, 1980 when Mouse Davis and Neil Lomax led a 105-0 win over Delaware State at then-Civic Stadium. The irony is that both Davis and Lomax were in the house to see the game against ISU. Lomax as a spectator and Davis as an analyst on the Viking TV broadcast on Comcast SportsNet. PSU rushed for 437 yards against Idaho State breaking the school record of 436 set against the same Bengal team in 2011. The Vikings' 758 yards of total offense were the second-most in school history. The most is 788, set by the Vikings in 1976 against Eastern Montana under the guidance of Davis. PSU averaged 9.1 yards per play against Idaho State.

FINDERS, KEEPERS: SR LB Ian Sluss turned in a remarkable fourth-quarter performance in the Vikings' 49-21 win over UC Davis (10/27). Sluss opened the quarter by picking off a pass at the PSU 28 when the Aggies were driving and the score was still 28-14. PSU scored after the turnover to lead 35-14. Later in the period he intercepted a pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown to put the game away at 42-21. Sluss then recovered two fumbles - one with 3:52 left and one on the final play of the game - for four takeaways in the fourth quarter. In all, he made six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. His INT return for a touchdown marked the third straight game he has returned a takeaway for a score. Sluss was named The Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week and the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

THE LONGEST DRIVE: Portland State registered a 10-play, 98-yard drive in the third quarter of the win over UC Davis that put the game away. PSU was led by six carries for 74 yards in the drive by JR RB DJ Adams. He also had the four-yard touchdown run to give PSU a two-score lead it would never relinquish, 28-14. The Vikings went on to total 338 yards in the second half and 530 in the game. FR QB Kieran McDonagh compiled 307 yards of total offense, 250 through the air and 57 on the ground. He threw for one touchdown and ran for two others. Adams finished with this third 100-yard game of the year, totaling 19 carries for 139 yards.

FRESHMAN FAME: QB Kieran McDonagh became the most productive freshman passer in Portland State history during the game at UC Davis (10/27). McDonagh passed by Neil Lomax for most passing yards by a freshman QB. Lomax had 1,670 yards in 1977. For the season, McDonagh totaled 2,187 passing yards. Lomax holds the freshman touchdown pass record with 18 while McDonagh finished with 14. McDonagh was placed on the Jerry Rice Award Watch list as one of 20 freshmen in FCS football being considered for National Freshman of the Year honors.

CLASSROOM KUDOS: JR C Mitch Gaulke and SO WR Alex Toureen were each selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 team (11/8). Gaulke and Toureen have achieved a high level in the classroom as well as on the football field. For Gaulke, a Business Administration: Accounting major, it is the second straight year he has been selected to the team. Toureen, a Business Adminstration major, was honored for the first time. The tandem were selected among all Division I football players - FCS and FBS - in the nine western United States.

ALL-BIG SKY HONORS: SR LB Ian Sluss and SR DE Marquis Jackson were named to the second team All-Big Sky Conference at the conclusion of the season. Sluss was the Vikings' top tackler with 104 stops on the season, and led the league with four interceptions and four fumble recoveries. He ranked fifth in the Big Sky in tackles, adding 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble this season. Sluss also earned Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week following PSU's Oct. 27 win, by making six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. Jackson led the Vikings with 7.5 sacks in 10 games from his defensive end position. Jackson totaled 36 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and broke up three pass plays. His sack total was the most by a Viking in six years and ranked fourth in the Big Sky.