Apparently the Portland State Vikings have decided to sail their long ships up to the South Puget sound and go on a little raid. What they pillaged in the process is another star recruit and this appears to be their tenth major commitment.
We heard from Tumwater High School’s Josh Hanson that the Vikings had made him an offer a while back. And it was Sunday when he called to let them know he was on board and would be joining the team next year.
Now many who watch the higher level Wasington recruiting action may say “Josh Who”?
But those in the know have seen the 6’7″ Hanson, who is an agile and explosive athlete, improve and continue his climb to the collegiate ranks. The big boned athlete looks the part of a Norseman and in ages past would have sported the helmet and horns quite nicely.
In the here and now he plans to join up with Coach Nigel Burton and O’line Coach Brad Davis and be a Portland State Viking. We talked to Hanson about that decision today.
“I am just really excited and so happy to be a Viking,” said Hanson. “Eastern Washington offered me first and then PSU and you know I have been hearing from OSU, WSU, and Montana State too. But I decided that Portland State was a perfect fit for me.”
Hanson talked about how he realized that he was not a big “media” recruit but that his Head Coach, the legendary Sid Otton, had put him in touch with the right people and given him the right exposure and expectation.
“I saw where I fit and the PSU Coaches, especially O’Line Coach Brad Davis, really impressed me. The school is excellent academically and I will have a lot of internship opportunity in a City like Portland too,” added Josh who wants to study engineering.
The big offensive tackle said the Vikings first saw him at the Jason Gesser Camp this past Summer and that they stayed in touch with him. He has visited PSU and EWU as well as going to camps at OSU. In the end Josh said he is going to be a part of this epic class the Vikings are putting together and that he is going to go where the best fit and “the love” is.
“Coach Davis gave me the most love and stayed on me. And it is not easy to recruit out of State athletes really but he did a great job. So there was a little pressure to decide but it was time and I could not be happier.”
Josh is helping his team make their way back to the Tacoma Dome. The T-Birds hope to return and walk away as Washington 2A Champs for the second year in a row.
He talked about this years team.
“We are good. Defensively I feel we are not quite as solid as last year but are really playing hard. If we can succeed there I feel we have a shot to win it all again,” he said.
He plays and starts for the basketball team at the post position and is active in school, the community, and his Church. He lives with his parents and has a brother and a sister; both of whom are athletes too.
“Going to Portland State is going to allow me to be away from home but not be too far away form the family and all my friends. It just worked out to be the perfect fit,” said Hanson who said he hopes to see Jeld-Wen stadium fill up as he and the other guys come into the program.
Josh Hanson appears to be a great recruit for the Vikings to get a commitment from and he andDalton Milburn (6’7.5″ from Marshfield High) are going to make quite a pair of O’linemen for the Vikings to utilize for the next several years.
Congrats to Josh Hanson and the Portland State Vikings. Great to see such an onslaught of Northwest talent staying in the region to play their collegiate football.
