FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Feb. 22, 2018) – The Northern Arizona football program has announced three changes to the coaching staff, which includes a pair of new additions, NAU head coach Jerome Souers announced on Thursday.
Former wide receivers coach Aaron Pflugrad has been elevated to the offensive coordinator role after spending three seasons in his previous position.
In addition, the Lumberjacks have added a pair of new faces to the staff in Robin Pflugrad, who will take over as wide receivers coach and Jalil Brown, who was named cornerbacks coach.
“Aaron has done a tremendous job with our receiving corps and is well versed in the dynamics of our offensive philosophy so it was a natural progression that we feel will help take our offensive unit to the next level,” Souers said.
“Robin brings over three decades of coaching experience to our program and we feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to add him to our offensive staff,” Souers added. “Jalil is a rising star in the collegiate coaching ranks and the professional playing experience he brings is something that will really aid us on both the defensive side of the ball as well as during recruiting season. The NAU football program will be well served with each of these additions to our staff and we are poised to take all areas of our program to the next level in the coming seasons.”
NAU wide receivers coach Aaron Pflugrad
Aaron Pflugrad helped guide the Lumberjacks’ wide receivers to a total of 3,507 yards in 2016 (average of 318.8 yards per game) and 34 touchdowns – which ranked as the second-highest single season total in program history. In addition, Elijah Marks was honored as an All-America and first team All-Big Sky selection following the 2016 season after amassing 1,170 receiving yards (117.0 per game average) and six scores.
Pflugad arrived in Flagstaff following a collegiate playing career that included stops at the University of Oregon (2007-09) and Arizona State (2010-11). He was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded by the National Football Foundation and given to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the “Academic Heisman.”
He began his coaching tenure as a graduate assistant in Tempe with the Sun Devils from 2012-15.
Robin Pflugrad was most recently the head coach at Phoenix College after being initially hired as the offensive coordinator for the Bears in April 2015. Prior to his time at Phoenix, Pflugrad served as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Weber State in 2013.
He was formerly the head coach at the University of Montana during the 2010 and 2011 seasons where he led the Grizzlies to an 18-7 record over two seasons. Pflugrad was also recognized as a semifinalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in 2011, which is presented annually to the national top FCS Football coach.
Pflugrad started his extensive collegiate coaching career at Portland State in 1980 as an assistant and also spent time at Arizona State (wide receivers/recruiting coordinator/1995-00), Washington State (tight ends/assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator/2001-05) and Oregon (wide receivers/2006-08).
He also had an earlier stint in Missoula where he was an assistant for the Grizzlies from 1986-94 and worked with the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 1994.
Northern Arizona 20th-year head coach Jerome Souers
Brown joins the ‘Jacks staff after spending one season as the strength and conditioning coach at Boise State following a career in the National Football League. Brown played collegiately at the University of Colorado from 2006-10 and was a fourth round selection (118th overall) in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Originally from Phoenix (South Mountain High School), Brown was invited to the Senior Bowl following his time in Boulder and was a co-captain as a senior and selected as an honorable mention All-Big XII choice in his final two seasons with the Buffalos.
His professional playing career included time with the Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins.
The Lumberjacks will kick off spring practice on Sunday, March 25 which will lead up to the annual NAU Spring Football Game on Saturday, April 21 (1 p.m. MST) at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
Northern Arizona will open the 2018 season at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) on Saturday, Sept. 1 at the Sun Bowl.
