Bubb Gone but He’s Not Forgotten by Matadors

Paul Bubb, who Tuesday resigned under pressure as Cal State Northridge’s athletic director, is not leaving empty-handed.

Bubb received the game ball from the Matadors’ 32-28 victory over Portland State on Saturday, with running back Jaumal Bradley making the presentation in the locker room.

“It was emotional,” Coach Ron Ponciano said. “A lot of tears. A special moment. It was just a real neat moment.

“A lot of players hugged Paul.”

Bubb, a strong supporter of the football program, was Northridge’s athletic director since July, 1995.

He resigned after a school investigation into the Oct. 27 arrest of Michael Abraham, the women’s basketball coach, on federal drug charges.

Bubb said at the time of the arrest he had never heard allegations about Abraham’s alleged drug use until the coach’s arrest.

He later said several women’s basketball players who suspected Abraham was using drugs approached him in February 1997.

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Tackle Shawnbay Jones of Northridge was as surprised as anyone at his interception of Tyson Parsons’ pass on Saturday.

It came in the second quarter, when the pass hit Derrick Brame on a foot and bounced into Jones’ hands. He returned it 14 yards to the Portland State seven.

“It didn’t click until I was out of bounds,” Jones said. “I just kept running. I said, ‘Did it really hit his foot or am I like one of those jerks just running for nothing?’ ”

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Kicker Manny Marquez missed the game because of a sore right leg but senior Frank Millan filled in admirably . . . after a shaky start.

Millan’s extra-point attempt after Northridge’s first touchdown sailed wide left and the Matadors opted for two-point conversion attempts after their next two scores.

But Millan regrouped and made his final two kicks, his only conversions with the Matadors.

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Another Matador who didn’t play against the Vikings was Jeremy Golden, the starting free safety who was suspended for the game by Ponciano because he violated team rules.

His replacement, freshman Hassan Abdul-Malik, didn’t miss a beat.

Abdul-Malik finished with eight tackles, one behind team leader Shayne Blakey.

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Aaron Arnold gave the Matadors outstanding field position with 122 yards in four kickoff returns, including a 41-yard return in the first quarter.

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The Matadors drew 22,411 to five home games, the third-best total in school history.

They attracted 25,019 in six games in 1987 and 24,844 in five games in 1986.