It’s a year away from counting in the standings, but Northern Colorado gets its first taste of Big Sky competition Saturday night when it plays at Portland State.
For middle linebacker Jake Duren, a true freshman from Mullen High School, it might taste like shoulder pads and cleats.
With a 5-foot-10, 240-pound fullback (Allen Kennett) and a 5-11, 225-pound tailback (Joe Rubin, 316 yards, three touchdowns), the Vikings like to play smash-mouth football.
Considered among the top contenders in the Big Sky this season, the Vikings lost 41-14 at Oregon State in their opener, then defeated Cal-Davis 14-12 on the road and Sacramento State 28-12 at home. (Yes, the same Cal-Davis that beat Stanford 20-17 last week.)
“They’ve got a big tailback they’re very proud of, and they like to run it down your throat,” UNC coach Kay Dalton said. “They throw it some, but they’re kind of like me: If they can run it, they ain’t going to throw it.
“So defensively, we’ve got to stop the run and make them throw, and if we can’t do that, we’re in trouble. That means Jake is very important.”
Duren, UNC’s second-leading tackler, sees the Vikings’ power play – where a guard pulls and the fullback leads Rubin into the hole – in more edible terms.
“It’s their bread-and-butter play,” Duren said. “It’s just power off to the side. They’ve got some big guys running it, but we’ve got a great D-line, so we should be able to handle it, hit him low or get around him, whatever it takes to stop him.”
What worries Dalton more than the power attack is Portland State’s defense, led by linebacker Joey King and cornerbacks Odell Jackson and Dominic Dixon.
“They’re the best team we’ve faced so far and to me, it’s because of their outstanding defense,” Dalton said. “It’s certainly a gauge as to where we’ve got to get, so I like playing them. They were picked first or second in the Big Sky, so it’ll give us a pretty good idea of where we’ve got to go if we’re going to be competitive next year.”
Portland State coach Tim Walsh said he’s eager to get a look at a future conference opponent.
“They are solid,” Walsh said. “This is the most balanced offensive team we’ve seen so far.”
Joseph Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-5458 or jsanchez@denverpost.com.
