Perspective_January_1981

Vikings gain national attention Although the Vikings' didn't make a position In the NCAA Division 1-AA playoffs. PSU's record-breaking football team dld end the 1980 regular season with a new all-time scoring record for all NCAA d~v#s~oTnhs!s year, the team scored 541 po~ntsin 11 games. W~th opes of a team trip to posl- season compet~t~ognone. Portland State fans st111had the chance to watch PSU star quarterback Neil Lomax. the most prolific passer in college football history, carry the Vcktng banner into two nationally- televised games. He was invlted to play In the East-West Game In San Francisco on Jan. 10. and in the Senlor Bowl just.last week. where the best of the nation's seniors played He turned down the Blue-Gray Game on Chrlstrnas Day and the Japan Bowl In Tokyo in order to play in the Senior Bowl Lomax chose to play the East-West, a benefrt for the Shrlners' Hospltal for Crippled Chlldren over the Hula Bowl in Honolulu PSU also has the top two receivers in Divlslon 1-AA (and posslbly In the nation), wrth sophomore slot Kenny Johnson's 61 catches for 882 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Clmt Didler, with 62 receptions for 1.014 yards and 11 scares. passing, 13.345 yards total offense. 119 toucbAowns passing and run- ntng. 12 400-yard games, 28 300- yard games, and 28 200-yard games tn a row. So far. Lomax' "bionic" arm has won htm honors including selection as quarterback for the Kodak 1-AA All-Amerlcan Team by the Football Coaches Assoclat~onof America: reciptent of the Fellowship of Chris- tian Athletes award as player of the year: and named seventh for the He~smanTrophy, whlch goes to the outstanding college football player of the year. Lomax' amazing season and career statistics, plus the 92- and 105-point totals of Darrell "Mouse" Davis' run-and-shoat offense, have been the subject of every major newspaper, magazlne and natlonal telev~stonp, utting Portland State on the map across the country Mouse Davis,who has now coach- ed the Vlkings to 42 wlns against just 24 losses ~n his SIX years as head coach. IS confident that Lomax will continue to succeed He compares Lomax favorably wlth another quarterback he sent to the pro June Jones. "June IS a much more adval player now." Davls sald. "but P does some thinas better than. ~mpletlons. 13.220yards Lomax' all-tlme NCAA career dld at this stage of h ~ scareer. records ~nclude938 cr got the strongest arm I've seen 106 touchdown passes lmproves even half as much in next year as he has In the time been here. he could have the [,OM LX - Vine quarterh 111'sall-lime paqsine king. st arm in the g; kid has a great f I can't see anytt me." him, unless maybe the first time he uture in front takes the field he gets sandw~ched ling stopping between Mean Joe Green and Jack Lamben:' said Davis wtth a chuckle YOU WANT TO TALK TO LOMAX? TAKE A NUMBER 'LJiminy crout! Therr'r anoUler Sellem laughs. LINoa.I taIk with call on the line,''sars PSU Spons people who can see tho .\tlsntir Information Director Larry Ocean out their aindows." Sellers. as his phone rings off the Among eallrn hare heen Rrpant hook for the tenth time in fire Gumbet, NRC, Curt Goad?. JI., minuter. ARC, and Brent Musbwger, CBS. According to Sellers. his huriest Lorn- has become a rrnular sca8on in 13 pears began getling feature in Sponr Illurtmtrd and the realty hectic in late October when Nm Kirk Timcs, and he and Coach the Vikines, hehind quarterback " > l o u ~ ~n"evi* hare heen on talk Sell Lomax. buried Cal-Pol?. 92-7. shows from Rnrton to Los heeler, later. it got even busier ahen and Seattle to Miami, Sellers says, Delaware State PII. 10.6-0. "Say, aha1 is that university in .'I was used to petting calls from the Northwest where Seil Lomax Larry Sellers as far sway as Salem, Oregon," plays, an)way7-' D

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