Portland State Names Geske as Running Backs Coach

Geske spent 26 years in Oregon high school coaching, the last nine of which were as Head Coach at Tigard High School.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PORTLAND - Portland State Football Coach Jerry Glanville has named Frank Geske as his new running backs coach.

A student and practitioner of the Run-and-Shoot offense while a high school head coach, Geske will now work with its’ mastermind, Offensive Coordinator Mouse Davis.

Geske began his career at Portland State in 2005 as the running backs coach and will continue in that role. He is the third and final holdover from former Coach Tim Walsh’s staff.

“Frank’s overall strength in the interview process was not only his coaching of football, but his knowledge of high school players in the Portland area,” said Glanville. “Everyone knows Frank can coach, but now it’s time to tell the world he knows who can play at this level from this area. That will be his plus with us.”

When Geske took over as the Vikings’ running backs coach, he had immediate results.

Geske guided senior Joe Rubin to a 1,702-yard season - the second best in PSU history – in 2005. Rubin earned first team All-American honors. He was led in the backfield by multi-talented fullback Allen Kennett. Both players were named first team All-Big Sky as the Vikings led the league in rushing for the second straight year.

As Portland State incorporates the Run-and-Shoot for 2007, Geske will be very familiar with the scheme. “Our passing game for 20 years while I coached at the high school level was based on Mouse’s philosophies,” he said.

Geske will work with the Vikings’ new full-time, one-back set, called the fullback or s-back. He will have a variety of talent to work with in Mu’Ammar Ali, Bobby McClintock, Olaniyi Sobomehin, James Magee and Kyley McCrae.

"Representing Portland State and getting a chance to coach with Coach Glanville and Mouse Davis I have yet to fully appreciate,” Geske said. “Soaking up what Coach Glanville has to say is going to benefit me personally as well as the program.”

Geske spent 26 years in Oregon high school coaching, the last nine of which were as Head Coach at Tigard High School. Tigard was 9-2 in 2004, winning the Pac-9 league title.

Geske led Tigard to a 2003 OSAA 4A State Championship. He was league Coach of the Year seven times and state coach of the year once.

Geske was 72-29, winning two league titles in nine years at Tigard. The Tigers program had been 3-24 in the three seasons prior to Geske’s arrival.

During his tenure at Tigard, no other team in the state had a longer streak of playoff appearances with the exception of Jesuit High School. Geske coached seven straight league Offensive Players of the Year at Tigard.

Geske was the Head Coach at Franklin High School in Portland from 1985 to 1995. His teams went 57-49 and won a first-ever playoff game in school history.

Geske holds the distinction of winning the most games as Head Coach at both Tigard and Franklin. He also coached in five Les Schwab/Shrine Bowl games. In 1992, Geske was named Oregon Humanitarian Coach of the Year.

A 1978 graduate of Pacific University in Forest Grove, Geske has a degree in Education. He played four seasons as a slot back and running back for Head Coach Frank Buckiewicz.

THE GESKE FILE

Hometown: Portland, OR

Alma Mater: Pacific, 1978

Playing Experience: Pacific, slotback, 1973-76

Date of Birth: February 1st, 1955

Family: Wife, Lori, three sons, Matt, Casey, and Greg

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Portland State, Running Backs, 2005-07

Tigard (OR) HS, Head Coach, 1996-2004

Franklin HS (Portland, OR), Head Coach, 1985-95

Franklin HS (Portland, OR), Assistant Coach, 1983-84

Benson Tech (Portland, OR), Assistant Coach, 1982

Central Catholic HS (Portland, OR), Assistant Coach, 1981

Roosevelt HS (Portland, OR), Assistant Coach, 1978-80

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