Viking Football History Viking Football History
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VIKING FOOTBALL HISTORY VIKING FOOTBALL HISTORY Nothing about the founding, PASS OR RUN? Back in the Vikings’ Division II days, there were a number of crazy promo- growth and development of tions, including the fans calling plays for one possession each game. Here, in a game from the Portland State University fol- early ‘90s, the crowd definitely wants to pass. lowed the traditional path of higher education. The same can be said about its athletics de- partment and football program. From Extension Center to NAIA to NCAA Division II and then Division I. From Lincoln High School to Multnomah Stadium/ Civic Stadium/PGE Park/JELD- WEN Field/Providence Park (and to Hillsboro Stadium twice and back again). From superstar athletes to NFL stars. From crazy promotions to postseason prom- inence. From Mouse to Pokey to Tim and all the others along the way, this is the story of Portland State Football. The Vikings were Oregon Collegiate Conference Champions under Head Coach Jerry Lyons (second from right, dark jacket) in 1963. PSU went 4-0 to win its first conference champion- ship of any kind. The Vikings won the OCC again in 1964. 138 • 2016 Portland State Vikings Football www.GoViks.com 31 VIKING FOOTBALL HISTORY ortland State University will embark on Vanport, which was originally located in the its 69th season of football in the year community of Vanport in North Portland, moved 2015. The previous 68 seasons have to its downtown location in 1952 and became a P seen remarkable change and growth as four-year degree granting institution in 1955. It the university itself blossomed from a also became known as Portland State College. two-year extension center in the 1940s to a four- year college in the 50s, reached university status SMALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL in 60s and by the turn of the century became the Ralph Davis took over as head coach in 1955 state of Oregon’s largest and most diverse institu- as Portland State began competing exclusively at tion of higher education. the small college level. The move to a more con- Viking athletics began in a primitive form sistent - and tougher - schedule proved challeng- during the early days of the extension center in ing to the emerging college athletic program. The the 1940s, then grew to compete in the Oregon Vikings did not have a winning Collegiate Conference in the 1950s and 60s. season from 1954 to 1962 PSU became an NCAA College Division and had four different member in the mid-1960s, then evolved coaches. June Jones (11) was the first quarterback into a NCAA II program and finally a Jerry Lyons was to make Mouse Davis’ “Run-and-Shoot” NCAA 1-AA program in the late 90s (PSU head coach for the 1963 offense famous during the 1975 and 1976 also competed at the 1-AA level from season and led Portland seasons. 1978-80). State College to its Portland State, which played as an best record to date: named Darrel “Mouse” Davis. independent during much of its history, was 6-2. However, follow- An assistant coach at Portland State, Davis a member of the NCAA II Western Football ing a .500 season in took over as Head Coach in 1975 following the Conference from 1982 to 1992, then 1964, Portland State did departure of Ron Stratten. Behind his revolution- joined the Big Sky Conference in 1996. not see another winning ary new “Run-and-Shoot” offense (developed All along the way, the growth year until 1969 under Don in the late 1960s at Hillsboro (OR) HS) and a of the Viking football program has Read - the same strong-armed quarterback named June Jones, Don Read was Portland State’s Head paralleled that of the University year that the school Davis led the Viking program to new heights - an Football Coach - twice. and its Athletics Department. achieved university 8-3 record, including a perfect 5-0 home mark. The Run-and-Shoot employed a pass-heavy, multiple-receiver offense that confused defenses. VANPORT: THE EARLY YEARS 1955-74 In 1975, PSU scored a school-record 366 points OF VIKING FOOTBALL Prominent Vikings of the Era (33.2 ppg) and passed for 3,979 yards - and that Although little is recorded from the early Billy White, RB was just the beginning. years of Viking football, the Vanport Extension Andy Berkis, RB Under Davis, the Viking program churned out Center (PSU in its formative years) first fielded a Tim Von Dulm, QB, first 3,000-yard passer five straight seasons of more than 4,000 passing football team in 1947. Randy Nelson, WR, first 1,000-yard receiver yards, with four more winning records, per game The Viking pro- Don Read, Head Coach offensive numbers in the vicinity of 500 yards, and gram, led by Athletic Tom Oberg, S, first NFL player a pair of All-American quarterbacks. Jones and Director Joe Holland Key Moments later Neil Lomax dazzled their opponents - and through the first 1955: Vanport becomes Portland State often humiliated them on the scoreboard - scoring eight years, com- College and a four-year institution. over 50 points 14 times during those years. peted mainly against 1965: PSC becomes NCAA member In 1980 alone, PSU put up winning scores small colleges, junior 1968-71: Don Read’s first PSU coaching stint that boggled the mind: 93-7 vs. Cal Poly Pomona, colleges and military 1969-70: First back-to-back winning seasons bases. Vanport, a two-year school at status. At this point, PSU had become an NCAA member, playing a formidable - and regional the time, was 1-8 in Joe Holland, Vanport’s - schedule, featuring teams from Washington, its first season. Its first football coach. first win came in the Idaho, Montana and California. season’s final game against Sand Point Naval Air As the Viking program continued to move up Station, 36-7. its level of competition, it continued to struggle, Vanport had its first winning season under managing just one more winning season through Holland in 1949, going 5-4 with wins over the mid-1970s. But, what Portland State Univer- Wenatchee, Clark and Olympic Junior Colleges, sity followers didn’t know is they were about to as well as Oregon Tech and Tongue Point Naval witness a revolution in football and the fortunes Station. of its football program. 1947-54 RUN AND SHOOT Prominent Vikings of the Era In its first 28 seasons of football, Portland Joe Holland, first coach and athletic director State had five winning seasons and two seasons at .500. In the following 27 years, PSU would have Key Moments 19 winning seasons and prove to become one 1947: Vanport fields first team of the most innovative and explosive offensive Mouse Davis’ teams scored 50 or more 1949: The first winning season - 5-4 football programs at any level. points 16 times in six seasons. Mouse is The transformation began with a man seen here with Mike Bush. 67 www.GoViks.com 2016 Portland State Vikings Football • 139 VIKING FOOTBALL HISTORY Neil Lomax led Portland State’s offense to record numbers and scores as he passed for 13,220 yards 1981-85 during his four-year career (1977-80). He was Prominent Vikings of the Era later inducted into the National Football Don Read, Head Coach Foundation Hall of Fame and the Oregon Doug Mikolas, DT, All-American Sports Hall of Fame. Steve Lyle, RB Terry Summerfield, QB map. Remarkably, Davis came back to be the Vi- Key Moments kings offensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008, and 1981: PSU becomes NCAA II program, to nobodies surprise, the Vikings’ led the nation in Don Read begins his second stint passing both seasons. as Head Coach 1982: The Vikings join the Western Football DEVELOPING A FIRM Conference 1983: PSU draws largest-ever home crowd FOOTING AT DIVISION II - 26,102 in game with Oregon State Although Portland State had become an 1984: PSU wins first of six WFC titles NCAA member many years prior, the Mouse Davis era continued the transient, university like Portland State. Once the PSU independent schedule of the Viking administration hired him in 1986 he proved them program. correct. Coinciding with Don Read’s return as Allen led the team to a respectable 6-5 Head Coach at Portland State in 1981, record in his first season. But that was just an the Viking program became ingrained as appetizer for the football-hungry Viking fans. Over 1975-80 an NCAA II-level institution. Unfortunately, at that the next six seasons, PSU would win five Western Prominent Vikings of the Era time, financial issues threatened many of PSU’s Football Conference titles, reach the NCAA II title Mouse Davis, Head Coach, NFL Coach athletic programs. Football was not immune. game twice (1987 and 1988), complete three June Jones, QB, All-American, NFL player While a number of lower-profile sports 11-win seasons and become one of the most and coach, collegiate head coach were dropped in 1981 as a cost-cutting measure, dominant Division II football programs in the Neil Lomax, QB, All-American, All-Time among those being considered for elimination nation. The Vikings went 10-5 in playoff games passing leader, NFL were men’s basketball and football. Finally, it during that era as Allen compiled a 63-26-2 record Dave Stief, WR, established PSU yardage was deemed that the struggling men’s basketball over seven seasons, establishing the best winning and TD records, NFL program would be dropped (it was reinstated in percentage of any coach at PSU (.708). Clint Didier, TE, NFL, Super Bowl Champion 1996) and football would play on.