The preseason narrative surrounding Northern Arizona hinged on how the Lumberjacks would handle the pressure of having the prohibitive target on their backs. It’s safe to say no one predicted NAU to be in the situation it finds itself in as the ‘Jacks head to Bozeman to face reeling Montana State on Saturday.
Northern Arizona is 1-4 overall, the lone win a 73-3 blowout of Division II New Mexico Highlands in Flagstaff. The Lumberjacks are 0-4 against Division I competition. Even if NAU — one of two teams along with Montana State to start 0-2 in Big Sky Conference play — were to win its remaining six games, it would still need help to win the conference or make the playoffs. NAU was selected by the Big Sky’s coaches and affiliate media as the consensus pick to win the Big Sky in the preseason polls.
“We have had some tough losses but we are trying to not let that define us,” Northern Arizona senior running back Kendyl Taylor said last week. “Team morale is good. We are disappointed with the past but we can’t change that so we will try to change the future.”
by Brooks Nuanez
NAU entered 2016 off a 7-4 campaign last fall fueled by one of the most explosive offenses in the league, an attack that came out of nowhere to take the league by surprise. With first-year offensive coordinator Tim Plough scrapping the West Coast system that NAU head coach Jerome Souers built nearly two decades of success upon for a up-tempo run-pass option spread offense, many expected the initial transition to be bumpy. When Arizona transfer quarterback Conner Brewer spurned Northern Arizona after initially committing, instead electing to transfer to Virginia, it looked like 2015 would be a rebuilding year.
But NAU found a rare talent in 6-foot-5 quarterback Case Cookus. The junior college transfer who spent just one semester at Venture CC took the Big Sky by storm, throwing an FCS-best 37 touchdown passes en route to Big Sky and national Freshman of the Year honors. Emmanuel Butler emerged as one of the top deep threats in the nation, hauling in 64 catches for 1,208 yards (18.9 yards per catch) and snaring 15 touchdowns.
With Cookus, Butler, speed demon Elijah Marks and Taylor, a converted wide receiver who got substantial playing time at Washington before transferring to NAU, back in the fold behind an offensive line featuring two preseason All-Big Sky players, it seemed NAU would rip through the league once again. The 2016 season has not gone according to plan.
NAU lost its opener 44-13 at Pac 12 Arizona State despite Cookus throwing for 369 yards and a touchdown to Marks, who finished with 174 yards on eight catches. Butler chipped in seven catches for 118 yards but NAU averaged just 1.6 yards per carry and stalled out in the red-zone several times.
Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus (15)/by Brooks Nuanez
The Lumberjacks hit the road after for the second week in a row to face off against No. 17 Western Illinois, a playoff qualifier last season. NAU built a 13-3 first-quarter lead but Steve McShane’s two touchdowns sparked a 24-point WIU run. Lance Lenoir’s 10-yard touchdown catch with 8:50 left in the game lifted the Leathernecks to a 34-20 victory over NAU, ranked No. 16 in the FCS at the time. Taylor rushed for 97 yards, Cookus threw for 263 and two touchdowns, one each to Marks and Butler but it wasn’t enough as Northern Arizona fell to 0-2.
Cookus threw seven touchdowns, including five to Butler as Northern Arizona blew by NM Highlands in its home opener. But the next week, NAU hosted surging Eastern Washington in Flagstaff and disaster struck.
Cookus threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to William Morehand with 5;14 left in the third quarter to draw NAU to within a score, 36-28. Then the Lumberjacks recorded a stop. But on the next possession, Cookus suffered an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game plus last week’s loss to Northern Colorado. EWU scored twice to push the lead to 50-28 and hung on for a 50-35 win.
Last week without Cookus, NAU’s offense still operated at a high level as the ‘Jacks rushed for 192 yards and backup quarterback Blake Kemp threw for 273 yards. But Kemp and junior running back Corbin Jountti both fumbled in the red-zone and Northern Colorado kept NAU off the board for most of the middle 50 minutes of the game in a 21-18 win. NAU had 493 yards of total offense and 25 first downs in the loss.
Northern Arizona plays at Montana State (2-3) on Saturday. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. MST.
QUICK HITS
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Nickname: Lumberjacks
Founded: 1899. The high research institution has 36 satellite campuses across Arizona.
Enrollment: The university has 27,715 students and an endowment of $136 million.
Stadium: The Walkup Skydome. Opened in 1977, the 10,000-seat stadium received a $26 million facelift in 2011. Flagstaff’s elevation of more than 7,200 feet about sea level makes the Skydome a venue with some of the thinnest air in America. NAU averaged 8,226 fans per game in 2014 and 7,501 last season. In two home games, NAU is averaging 9,445 fans per game.
THE TEAM (0-2 in Big Sky, 1-4 overall in 2016)
The Coach: Jerome Souers, 19th season at NAU. The Godfather of the Big Sky enters his 19th season in Flagstaff this fall. He’s 107-98 overall and helped the ‘Jacks to the 2003 Big Sky title. In 2013 ago, NAU made its fourth playoff appearance under Souers.
THE OFFENSE
Butler
Emmanuel Butler, wide receiver, 6-4, 229, junior — Butler burst onto the scene last season as one of the best deep threats in the FCS. He averaged 18.9 yards per catch and his 15 touchdowns ranked behind only Cooper Kupp of Eastern Washington for the most in the Big Sky.
This season, Butler has been kept in check more often, yet still has six touchdown receptions. But five of those came in NAU’s uncompetitive shelling of NMH. Butler has 28 catches for 409 yards (14.6 yards per catch). His 5.6 receptions and 81.8 receiving yards per game both rank fifth in the Big Sky.
Elijah Marks, wide receiver, 6-1, 175, junior — Like Butler was a year ago, Marks has been a breakout star for the ‘Jacks so far this fall.
Marks started three games over the last two years, catching 36 total passes for 420 yards. He caught 26 balls for 293 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore. He notched 184 yards receiving against Arizona State and has continued to thrive so far in his junior year.
One of the fastest players in the Big Sky, Marks has team-highs with 31 catches for 554 yards. He has caught five touchdowns. His 6.2 catches ranks fourth in the league and his 110.8 yards per outing is tied with EWU’s Kendrick Bourne for second behind Kupp (163.2 yards per game).
Kemp
Blake Kemp, quarterback, 6-1, 205, senior — Kemp will get the nod for a second straight week as Cookus has no chance of playing in Bozeman on Saturday.
Kemp is from Arizona powerhouse Hamilton High in Chandler. As a prep, he led the team to 53 straight victories, the best total in the nation, including state championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Hamilton lost in the state title game in 2011, Kemp’s senior year. He went to Mesa Community College for two years before transferring to East Carolina and redshirting during the 2014 season.
In 2014, Kempt completed 260-of-375 passes for 2,658 yards (242 per game) and 16 touchdowns. He transferred to NAU in the off-season.
In his first FCS start last week, Kemp was 35-of-46 for 273 yards and a touchdown. Against EWU, he was 9-of-12 for 77 yards and a score but his two fourth-quarter interceptions helped the Eagles to the win.
Kendyl Taylor, running back, 5-10, 210, senior — Taylor is a familiar face for Montana State head coach Jeff Choate, a former assistant at the University of Washington. Taylor, like Kemp, prepped at Hamilton High and earned Arizona Division I Player of the Year honors before taking his talents to Seattle to play for the Huskies.
Taylor
In two seasons at Washington, the four-star prospect caught 32 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 211 yards on 37 carries.
During his first season at NAU last fall, he rushed for 249 yards and caught 21 passes for 204 yards. He scored two total touchdowns.
In the off-season, Plough moved him to running back where he has thrived thus far. He rushed for 97 yards against WIU and NMH before notching his first 100-yard game with 101 yards and a touchdown against Eastern. He also has 16 catches for 143 yards and a receiving touchdown this season. His 81 rushing yards per game ranks seventh in the Big Sky.
THE DEFENSE
LeAndre Vaughn, safety, 5-10, 170, senior — The former junior college transfer is the veteran in an otherwise green NAU secondary.
Vaughn
Last season, Vaughn ranked fourth on NAU with 62 tackles. He also broke up two passes. This season, he has 21 tackles, including a tackle for loss last week. Against Eastern Washington, he notched nine tackles and his lone pass breakup this season.
Jake Casteel, linebacker, 5-11, 200, sophomore — The undersized sophomore is NAU’s leading tackler in his first year as a full-time starter. As a redshirt freshman, he played in all 11 games, starting two and notching 39 tackles, including seven tackles for loss.
This season Casteel has 36 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a sack. He also has two pass breakups. He has had 10 tackles each of the last two weeks.
Lorenzo Melvin, defensive line, 6-2, 230, senior — Earlier this week, Choate called Melvin NAU’s most explosive defensive player.
Anau
Melvin has a team-high three sacks to prove it. He has battled injuries for most of his career and had two sacks coming into this season. Two of his sacks came against New Mexico Highlands while his third came against Eastern. He did not record a stat against Northern Colorado.
Siupeli Anau, defensive tackle, 6-3, 250, senior — The former Scottsdale Community College standout earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors in 2014 by registering 33 tackles, four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks despite starting just eight games. But he missed all of last season with an injury.
He’s back now to anchor NAU’s interior defensive line. He has19 tackles and half a sack so far this season. He also has a forced fumble and a blocked kick. His 3.5 tackles for loss lead the team.
Head shots courtesy of Northern Arizona Athletics – Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
