Big Sky Conference

Vikings open first fall camp under Barnum

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By MIKE LUND

Portland State Sports Information

 Hash tags don’t win football games. But Portland State will try to apply the meaning behind its hash-tagged off-season mantra as it prepares to win football games in 2015.

#BarnyBall has been the rallying cry for the Viking program ever since new head coach Bruce Barnum took over last winter. Barnum has said #BarnyBall means a return to tough, blue-collar, fundamental football.

#BarnyBall was put into action on a sultry Monday afternoon at Stott Community Field as the Vikings opened with a fast-paced, two-hour first practice. And #BarnyBall is the way Barnum, working on a one-year coaching contract, sees the future success of the Portland State program.

Portland State comes off a 3-9 season and has had just one winning year in the last eight (7-4 in 2011). Despite a transition in coaching and an especially tough 2015 schedule, the Vikings expect to turn that around. Barnum and his staff will be charged with refining what has been a productive offense.

“The players have to refine this offense,” Barnum said. “We can’t turn over the football and red zone offense has to improve. We have to get back to a little more swagger in those two areas.”

On defense the Vikings look to be more productive with forcing turnovers, making big plays and stopping drives. Barnum believes the pieces are there to accomplish those goals.

“It started with recruiting. I like the guys we have out here,” he said. “Then it went to coaching. That’s why I brought in (defensive coordinator) Malik (Roberson). He knows what I like. It will be more of a bend-but-don’t-break defense.

“It starts with a few tweaks in the (defensive backfield), then we have to get the rush up front. That is a part of pass coverage. You will see more zone defense. We have to coach to that. But consistency is what I would be looking for the most.”

Barnum’s coaching contract has already passed the midway point and the Vikings are still almost a month away from their first game.

“Last November when I got this opportunity feels like yesterday,” Barnum said, recounting the myriad new tasks he has had to take care of in the head coaching role he coveted.

Barnum’s coaching staff, half of which are holdovers from Nigel Burton’s staff in 2014, are one of his main reasons for optimism.

“I hired the right people to show these guys how to do it the right way.”

 

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.