Portland State’s dual-threat QB Alex Kuresa draws focus of Cal Poly defense

Portland State football coach Bruce Barnum gives senior quarterback Alex Kuresa a lot of credit for helping the Vikings to a major program turnaround last fall.

Kuresa landed in Portland following previous stops at BYU and Snow Junior College and, after earning the starting job in fall camp, he led the Vikings to a 9-2 regular season and was chosen as the Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year.

The 6-foot, 190-pound signal caller torched the Big Sky as a junior, passing for 1,975 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 755 yards and seven more touchdowns to finish sixth in the conference with more than 226 yards of total offense per contest.

“Alex got us to where we are,” Barnum said this week. “Alex gives us a chance to win football games.”

However, things haven’t gone as well for the Vikings (2-4, 1-2 Big Sky) in Kuresa’s second year with the program. They’re winless in four road games, including last week’s 14-10 setback at Weber State, and are fighting to avoid a detrimental third loss in conference play.

With an energized Cal Poly team (3-2, 1-1 Big Sky) coming to town for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Providence Park, Portland State is hoping Kuresa can recapture some of the magic he displayed last October in San Luis Obispo.

That night was highlighted by Kuresa’s strong all-around play and the Mustangs’ four lost fumbles in a 38-35 decision. For his part, Kuresa carved up Cal Poly’s defense, throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for 101 yards and two more scores.

“He was the difference in the football game,” Mustangs coach Tim Walsh said. “He was tremendous with his feet, he was accurate throwing it. He did a lot of things that caused us some problems.”

Kuresa’s ability to scramble and extend plays has been his biggest strength this season.

He’s rushed for 414 yards and four touchdowns, and thrown for 950 yards and five scores. Kuresa’s hasn’t been as accurate, though, and is completing less than 52 percent of his passes with eight interceptions in six games.

Yet, even in the Vikings’ two hard-luck conference losses — the second being a 45-31 defeat against defending Big Sky champion Southern Utah — Barnum said Kuresa’s leadership has never wavered.

“We’ve come up short in a couple last-drive situations, which I’m sure frustrated him,” Barnum said. “But the leadership after the game, leadership immediately after the game, can’t say enough about him.”

The Mustangs spent time in practice this week covering wide receivers down field while the scout team quarterback ran sideline to sideline, simulating Kuresa’s ability to elude pass rushers and create on the move when a play breaks down.

“He looks like a mobile guy,” senior linebacker Chris Santini said. “But I think we’ve got a good plan to keep him kind of contained.”

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Portland State’s dual-threat QB Alex Kuresa draws focus of Cal Poly defense."