The 2022 Viking football season will be a mixture of outstanding returning talent and high expectations for newcomers in vital roles.
Portland State returns depth and experience at wide receiver, defensive end, linebacker and defensive back. The Vikings will look for newcomers at the key positions of quarterback, nose tackle and running back to step forward.
Eighth-year Head Coach Bruce Barnum has 44 letterwinners back, including 19 starters with eight on offense, nine on defense and two on special teams.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Vikings return SO K Gianni Smith (6-1, 205) for 2022. Smith took over as the starter early in 2021 following an injury to PSU's previous kicker. He handled the role well, converting all 29 extra-point attempts and 5-8 field goals.
A walk-on, Fyodor Henrichs-Tarasenkov comes to PSU after a strong performance at the Chris Sailer Kicking Camp.
PSU will need to fill the punter role. Princeton transfer George Triplett (5-10, 190) signed with the Vikings during the spring. Smith can also punt and will compete to play.
SO LS Ryan Alvidrez (5-11, 215) returns after having a clean sheet on snaps in his true freshman season.
The Vikings look forward to the return game of JR Deion Malone. Initially slated to be the return man for PSU in 2021, an injury prevented him from competing. SR Beau Kelly is also back and has served as punt returner for three seasons. His 14.4 yard return average in 2021 would have led the Big Sky Conference, but he did not have enough returns to qualify.
QUICK SNAPS
ALL-CONFERENCE RETURNERS
The Vikings return four players that earned All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2021: 1st team: SR CB Anthony Adams (52T, 5 TFL, 5 PBU, 3 INT, 3 FR, 1FF); 2nd team: SR WR Beau Kelly (69 receptions, 981 yards, 10 TDs); SR DE VJ Malo (45T, 20 TFL, 10.5 SK, 3 FF, 2 PBU); Honorable Mention: SO WR Nate Bennett (50 receptions, 616 yards, 4 TDs)... Adams was named second team All-American by Hero Sports. He is now a two-time All-American (2019)...SR TE Malik Thirdgill was named to the Big Sky Conference Community Service team for contributions away from the field. Thirdgill is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on campus, was a co-creator of a Social Justice Team, has also been involved with PSU's freshman student-athlete mentorship program and is a volunteer with Holy Redeemer Athletics and Big Yard Foundation.
BIG SKY LEADERS
SR WR Beau Kelly led the Big Sky Conference in receptions (69), receiving touchdowns (10), total receiving yards (981) in 2021. He would have led in punt return average (14.4) but did not reach the required number of returns... SR CB Anthony Adams led the Big Sky in fumble recoveries (3) and had six total takeaways.
ALL-AMERICAN ADAMS
SR CB Anthony Adams is a two-time All-American - once as a safety and once as a cornerback. He led the nation in passes defended in 2019 (24; 19 PBUs, 5 INTs). He enters the 2022 season as the nation's leader in career passes defended (40; 31 PBUs, 9 INTs). Adams is a consensus 2022 FCS Preseason All-America teams in June. He is also considered one of the top NFL prospects at the FCS level for 2023.
MALO-IFICENT TO OFFENSES
SR DE VJ Malo terrorized opposing quarterbacks in 2021. He made 10.5 sacks (2nd in the Big Sky), 20 tackles for loss (4th in the Big Sky) and forced three fumbles (1st in the Big Sky). His 20 TFLs are the second most for a season in school history, most ever at the Division I level and most since 1987. His 10.5 sacks rank eighth all-time, are the most at the Division I level and most since 1988.
Malo has been named Stats Perform FCS 3rd team Preseason All-American.
FABULOUS AS FRESHMEN
The Vikings started six freshmen, had eight making major contributions, and played 24 total freshmen in 2021... WRs Nate Bennett (50-616-4) and Darien Chase (54-579-4) were important members of the offense, while OLs Richard Estrella and D'Angalo Titiali'i became starters... LB Parker McKenna led the Vikings in tackles with 88, including four tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Also on defense, ROV Tyreese Shakir became a starter, making 32 tackles, tow interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups. LB Justice Pagan made 39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, two sacks and two pass breakups... on special teams, K Gianni Smith and LS Ryan Alvidrez were steady performers.
WIDE RECEIVER U
Portland State has an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position in 2022, effectively returning five starting receivers, and a whole lot more. Consider these talents:
- SR WR Beau Kelly led the entire conference, in receptions (69), receiving yards (981) and touchdowns (10) during the regular season.
- SO Darien Chase (54-579-4, 10 g)
- SO Nate Bennett (50-616-4)
- SR Mataio Talalemotu 42-573-3, 8 g)
- SR Emmanuel Daigbe (40-651-7 in 2019, missed 2021 due to injury)
VIKINGS ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS
- RUSHING: Jalynnee McGee, 49-259-2; Dante Chachere, 23-140-0; Jobi Malary 25-130-1
- PASSING: Beau Kelly, 3-4-0-103-0; Dante Chachere, 1-1-0-12-0; Jaden Casey, 1-3-0-11-0
- RECEPTIONS: Beau Kelly, 115; Mataio Talalemotu, 100; Emmanuel Daigbe, 63
- RECEIVING YARDS: Beau Kelly, 1,635; Mataio Talalemotu, 1,526; Emmanuel Daigbe, 1,024
- TOUCHDOWNS: Beau Kelly, 13; Emmanuel Daigbe, 11; Mataio Talalemotu, 10
- ALL-PURPOSE YARDS: Beau Kelly, 1925; Emmanuel Daigbe, 1,267
- TACKLES: Anthony Adams, 165; Parker McKenna, 98; David Joseph, 70; Jake Porter, 69
- SACKS: VJ Malo, 10.5; Jake Porter, 8
- TACKLES FOR LOSS: VJ Malo, 20; Jake Porter, 17; Anthony Adams, 14.5
- INTERCEPTIONS: Anthony Adams, 9; Tyreese Shakir, 2
- PASS BREAKUPS: Anthony Adams, 31; Xavier Bell, 7; Broderick Harrell, 5
- FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Anthony Adams, 4; Jake Porter, 2; Tyreese Shakir, 2
The NCAA transfer portal has become a significant recruiting tool in all sports. In 2022, Portland State will have 16 Division I transfers schools on its roster, 11 of which are from FBS schools. Nine have come in the past recruiting cycle.
VETERANS
- CAREER GAMES PLAYED: Jake Porter, DE, 35; Anthony Adams, CB, 35; Beau Kelly, 32; Mataio Talalemotu, WR, 31; David Joseph, LB, 28; Shiloh Ta'ase, OL, 27; Malik Thirdgill, TE, 26; Robert Holt, LB, 25
- CAREER STARTS: Anthony Adams, CB, 35; Beau Kelly, WR, 31; Mataio Talalemotu, 25; Jake Porter, DE, 21; Shiloh Ta'ase, OL, 20
- CONSECUTIVE STARTS: Anthony Adams, CB, 35; Beau Kelly, WR, 24; Tyson Pauling, OL, 12; Evan Camarena, CB, 12; Parker McKenna, LB, 12
Portland State will play a traditional 11-game football schedule in 2022, featuring two FBS opponents and a rigorous eight-game Big Sky Conference slate that includes three FCS playoff programs. The Vikings have five games at home and six on the road in 2022.
The Vikings open on the road against their FBS opponents, San Jose State on Sept. 1 and Washington on Sept. 10. Ironically, they faced those two opponents in succession in 2016 season. The Spartans come off a 5-7 season in the Mountain West Conference which included a win over former Big Sky Conference foe Southern Utah. The Huskies come off a 4-8 season in the Pac-12 Conference that included a 13-7 upset loss to Montana of the Big Sky.
PSU will have a bye week before leading into its' Big Sky Conference season opener against no less an opponent than 2021 FCS semifinalist Montana. Portland State travels to face the Griz in Missoula on Sept. 24. Montana finished 10-3 in 2021, 6-2 and tied for third in the Big Sky.
PSU returns home to host Northern Arizona, a program it has not faced since 2019, on Oct. 1. The Lumberjacks had a record matching the Vikings at 5-6, 4-4 in the Big Sky, in 2021. The teams have met only three times in the past decade (2014, 2017, 2019) due to the size of the Big Sky Conference.
The Vikings played their final; non-conference game on Oct. 8 at home, hosting NCAA II Lincoln (CA) University. It will be a first-ever contest against an opponent from the bay area that was 1-8 in its inaugural season of 2021.
PSU will make it three straight home games for the first time since the first three games of the 2003 season when its hosts Weber State on Oct. 15. PSU beat the Wildcats in 2021, knocking off 24th-ranked WSU, 30-18, in Ogden. Weber State was 6-5 overall, 5-3 in the Big Sky in 2021.
For the second year in a row, PSU will play at Idaho. The Vikings lost 42-35 last year to the Vandals who finished the year at 4-7/3-5 overall.
Portland State closes out October at Eastern Washington. The Eagles were 10-3 in 2021, reaching the FCS Quarterfinals. They tied for third in the Big Sky at 6-2 with Montana. PSU lost to Eastern, 42-28, in the season finale of 2021. This year's game marks the first time since 2011 that the Vikings and Eagles do not play each other in the final regular season game.
November opens with back-to-back home games. Portland State hosts Northern Colorado on Nov. 5, then Sacramento State on Nov. 11. The Vikings and Bears last played in 2019 in Greeley, a 38-30 PSU win. Last season, the Big Sky Champion Hornets beat the Vikings 49-20 in Sacramento. The Hornets finished the year a perfect 8-0 in the Big Sky, 9-3 overall. Northern Colorado was 3-8/2-6 in 2021.
The season finale will take place Nov. 19 at Cal Poly. Portland State beat the Mustangs at Hillsboro Stadium this past year, 42-21. Cal Poly was 2-9/1-7 in 2021.
SCHEDULE NOTES
This is the 76th season of Portland State football (1947) and 27th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
Year in and year out Portland State football has one of the most challenging Football Championship Subdivision schedules in the country, and 2022 will be no different. The Vikings will play three 2021 FCS playoff teams (Montana, Eastern Washington and Sacramento State). Sacramento State was the Big Sky Conference Champion (8-0). PSU's opponents were a combined 35-29 in Big Sky games last year, 49-44 overall.
PSU faces five teams in 2022 that were on the schedule in 2021 (Weber State, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, Cal Poly).
The two FBS-level programs are San Jose State and Washington. It will be the second all-time meeting with the Spartans and the third meeting with the Huskies. PSU is 4-42 all-time when playing "up" against FBS programs. Wins have come over Hawai'i (2000), New Mexico (2006), Washington State (2015) and North Texas (2015).
Portland State has its latest home-opening start (Oct. 1) since 2010 (Oct. 2).
The last time PSU played three straight home games (Oct. 1-8-15) was in 2003 (Sept. 4-13-20).
Portland State is playing one lower division program in 2022, Division II Lincoln (CA) University. The Vikings are 19-0 in games against lower division opponents since moving to Division I in 1996.
The Big Sky Conference has been reduced to 12 teams in 2022. Southern Utah left the conference to join the Western Athletic Conference. Portland State faces just eight of the other 11 members. PSU will miss Big Sky schools Montana State, UC Davis and Idaho State in 2022.
Original source can be found here.
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