Portland State’s Charlie T, Kenton Bartlett named Big Sky Preseason All-Conference

Portland State seniors Charlie Taumoepeau and Kenton Bartlett have both been selected to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team in voting by league media. The Big Sky released the team today at the annual Media Day event in Spokane, WA.

Taumoepeau, an All-American tight end, and Bartlett, an all-conference defensive tackle, will lead the Vikings into the 2019 season.

The Big Sky also released the preseason coaches and media polls. Portland State is picked in 10^th place in both polls in the 13-team league. The Vikings will strive to better those projections as they did last season. In 2018, PSU was picked last, but finished in a tie for ninth at 3-5, which included a win over nationally-ranked Montana.

Preseason rankings are always a challenge in the Big Sky as teams only play eight of the other 12 members in a given season. That means the schedule in a given year has a significant impact on a team’s potential – it could feature a very strong group of opponents, a weaker group, or somewhere in the middle.

On paper, Portland State’s schedule appears to be challenging once again. The Vikings will play at 2018 national finalist Eastern Washington (Nov. 23) – which has been picked to win the Big Sky in both polls. The Vikings will host consensus number two pick UC Davis (Nov. 9), as well as 4/5 pick Montana (Nov. 2). PSU also meets Southern Utah (Oct. 5) and Northern Colorado (Oct. 19), schools ranked below the Vikings, and three schools in the middle of the polls: Northern Arizona (Oct. 26), Idaho State (Sept. 28) and Idaho (Oct. 12).

Bartlett and Taumoeapeau (Tou-mo-pay-uh) were among 29 players in the Big Sky Conference selected to the preseason All-Conference team.

Taumoeopeau is a two-time All-Big Sky performer at tight end. He was a consensus second team All-American pick in 2018, and has made preseason All-America lists in 2019. Taumoepeau, a 6-3, 245-pounder from Federal Way, WA, has 73 receptions, 1,253 yards and eight touchdowns in his last 20 games played.

Bartlett earned third team All-Big Sky Conference and Academic All-Big Sky honors in 2018. A fixture in the middle of the line, he has started 21 of 22 games the last two seasons. Bartlett, a 6-3, 270-pounder from Boise, ID, has 66 tackles and six tackles for loss over that span.

Taumoepeau and Bartlett, along with Head Coach Bruce Barnum are representing the Vikings at Big Sky Conference Media Day. Barnum will be interviewed at 9:30 a.m. on a Pluto TV live stream today. Bartlett and Taumoepeau will be on at 11:56 a.m. The live stream is available on Pluto TV Channel 531 or www.WatchBigSky.com.

Portland State opens preseason practice on Aug. 5, and will travel to Arkansas for its season-opener on Aug. 31.

2019 All-Big Sky Conference Preseason Football Team
Preseason Offensive MVP: Jake Maier, QB, UC Davis
Preseason Defensive MVP: Dante Olson, LB, Montana

Offense
QB: Jake Maier, Sr., UC Davis
WR: Mitch Gueller, Sr., Idaho State
WR: Samuel Akem, Jr., Montana
WR: Jared Harrell, Jr., UC Davis
OT: Mitch Brott, Sr., Montana State
OT: Chris Schliting, Sr., Eastern Washington
OG: Noah Johnson, Sr., Idaho
OG: Ty Whitworth, Jr., Weber State
C: Zach Larsen, Sr., Southern Utah
TE: Charlie Taumopeau, Sr., Portland State
RB: Josh Davis, So., Weber State
RB: Elijah Dotson, Jr., Sacramento State
FB: Troy Andersen, Sr., Montana State
PK: Trey Tuttle, Jr., Weber State
RS: Rashid Shaheed, Jr., Weber State

Defense
DT: Jalen Goss, Sr., Northern Arizona
DT: Kenton Bartlett, Sr., Portland State
DE: Adam Rodriguez, Sr., Weber State
DE: Jonah Williams, Jr., Weber State
OLB: Auston Tesch, Sr., Weber State
OLB: Bryce Sterk, Sr., Montana State
ILB: Dante Olson, Sr., Montana
ILB: Kody Graves, Sr., Idaho State
CB: Khalil Dorsey, Sr., Northern Arizona*
CB: Greg Filer, Jr., Montana State
S: Adkin Aguirre, Sr., Idaho State
S: Brayden Konkol, Sr., Montana State
P: Cade Coffey, Jr., Idaho
ST: Jace Lewis, Jr., Montana

2019 Big Sky Football Preseason Polls
Coaches’ Poll
1. Eastern Washington (10) – 140
2. UC Davis – 127
3. Weber State (2) – 124
4. Montana (1) – 104
5. Montana State – 100
6. Northern Arizona – 88
7. Idaho State – 72
8. Idaho – 65
9. Cal Poly – 56
10. Portland State – 42
11. Sacramento State – 40
12. Southern Utah – 38
13. Northern Colorado – 19

Media Poll
1. Eastern Washington – 536 (25)
2. UC Davis – 510 (13)
3. Weber State – 472 (4)
4. Montana State – 417
5. Montana – 396 (1)
6. Northern Arizona – 302
7. Idaho State – 285
8. Idaho – 248
9. Cal Poly – 196
10. Portland State – 178
11. Southern Utah – 160
12. Sacramento State – 125
13. Northern Colorado – 90

() Denotes First-Place Votes

2019 Big Sky Football Live Stream on Pluto TV Ch. 531
Monday, July 15
9:00 a.m.    Jay Hill, Weber State
9:10 a.m.    Troy Taylor, Sacramento State
9:20 a.m.    Tim Walsh, Cal Poly
9:30 a.m.    Bruce Barnum, Portland State
9:40 a.m.    Demario Warren, Southern Utah
9:50 a.m.    Rob Phenicie, Idaho State
10:00 a.m.    Dan Hawkins, UC Davis
10:10 a.m.    Paul Petrino, Idaho
10:20 a.m.    Chris Ball, Northern Arizona
10:30 a.m.    Jeff Choate, Montana State
10:40 a.m.    Earnest Collins Jr., Northern Colorado
10:50 a.m.    Aaron Best, Eastern Washington
11:00 a.m.    Bobby Hauck, Montana
11:10 a.m.    Dan Hilsendeger, My Place Hotels
11:30 a.m.    Jahque Alleyne & Kevin Kassis, Montana State
11:43 a.m.    Kevin Thomson & Caelan Barnes, Sacramento State
11:56 a.m.    Kenton Bartlett & Charlie Taumoepeau, Portland State
12:09 p.m.   J.J. Koski & Kitu Humphrey, Cal Poly
12:22 p.m.   Zach Larsen & Jay Green Jr., Southern Utah
12:36 p.m.   Mitch Gueller & Kody Graves, Idaho State
12:49 p.m.   Nas Anesi & Jake Maier, UC Davis
1:02 p.m.    Jacob Knipp & Luke Nelson, Northern Colorado
1:15 p.m.    Noah Johnson & Lloyd Hightower, Idaho
1:28 p.m.    Rashid Shaheed & Jonah Williams, Weber State
1:41 p.m.    Case Cookus & Anthony Sweeney, Northern Arizona
1:54 p.m.    Jayce Gilder & Dylan Ledbetter, Eastern Washington
2:07 p.m.    Dante Olson & Dalton Sneed, Montana
2:20 p.m.    Tom Wistrcill, Big Sky Conference