Walsh Leaves Portland State for Army

Defensive coordinator Greg Lupfer has been named the interim head coach.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PORTLAND - Portland State Head Football Coach Tim Walsh will be leaving the Park Blocks after 14 seasons as he has accepted the position of offensive coordinator at Army.

Walsh will work for new Head Coach Stan Brock, a former Portlander and long-time friend.

In the interest of maintaining the continuity of the football program, the Portland State Athletics Department will act with expediency in hiring a new head coach.

Defensive coordinator Greg Lupfer has been named the interim Head Coach and will be considered as a candidate for the position on a full-time basis.

Athletics Director Teri Mariani will interview Lupfer and a few other selected candidates.

Lupfer has been a Walsh assistant since 1995, and the Vikings’ defensive coordinator since 2000.

Tim Walsh just completed his 14th season at Portland State.

The Vikings were 7-4 overall playing the most difficult schedule in their history, and went 6-2 in the Big Sky Conference.

During his tenure Walsh compiled a 90-68 record.

He directed four teams to the NCAA playoffs and became the winningest football coach in school history.

Including four prior seasons at Sonoma State, Walsh has a 117-82 overall record has a collegiate head coach.

Walsh took over the Vikings in 1993 and led the team to three straight playoff appearances at the Division II level.

He then led a very difficult transition to NCAA 1-AA and the Big Sky Conference in 1996.

Walsh's teams have had winning records in seven of the last eight seasons and compiled a 53-36 record during that span.

The only Big Sky school to have more wins and more winning seasons over that span is perennial Big Sky power Montana.

"It has been a great 14 years at Portland State and I've met a lot of great people inside and outside the department," said Walsh.

"Many will be lifetime friends, and I really look forward to seeing Portland State do bigger and better things. I think I've done a good job here, but there are still things to accomplish for this program. I leave with nothing but great feelings for this place."

On his opportunity at Army, Walsh said: “In 1999, Dr. Mike McKeel took me back there for four days prior to the Army/Navy game. To see the entire experience was extremely emotional from both a football standpoint and military standpoint. When I got home, I told my wife if I ever had the chance to go back there and coach, I would do it. And now I have that chance to coach with someone I know well. So, this is not about PSU, this is about the West Point Military Academy and its tremendous tradition and history, and trying to help its football program get better.”

“Tim has shown great loyalty to this program, and led us through a transition to Division I that a lot of coaches wouldn’t have wanted to do,” said Athletics Director Teri Mariani. “He has had proven success both on the football field and off, and he’s always been such a team player within our department.

“Two words that describe him in my eyes are loyalty and class. In his 14 years, he has never done one thing that could change that opinion of him.”

TIM WALSH’S RECORD AT PORTLAND STATE

Since PSU joined the Big Sky Conference in 1996, Walsh has had players earn:

• 39 1st team All Big Sky Conference Honors

• 51 2nd team All Big Sky Conference Honors

• 80 Honorable Mention All Big Sky Conference

• 58 Academic All-Big Sky Conference Honors

• 11 Academic All-American Honors

• 59 Big Sky Player of the Week Honors

• 20 National Player of the Week Honors

• 9 All-Americans that won 20 honors

• 5 Walter Payton Player of the Year Finalists

• 1 Buck Buchanan Award Finalist

THE VIKINGS UNDER WALSH

• All Games: 90-68 • Home: 61-20 • Road: 29-48

• As an NCAA I-AA Program: 65-57 • Home: 44-16 • Road: 21-41

• As an NCAA II Program: 25-11 • Home: 17-4 • Road: 8-7 • Playoffs 2-3

• 112 games vs. NCAA 1-AA opponents: 64-48

• 31 games vs. NCAA II opponents: 24-7 • 15 games vs. NCAA 1-A opponents: 2-13

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