Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football

Last updated
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2023 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team
Northern Arizona Athletics logo.svg
First season1915
Head coach Brian Wright
1st season, 0–0 (–)
Stadium Walkup Skydome
(capacity: 10,500)
Location Flagstaff, Arizona
NCAA division Division I FCS
Conference Big Sky Conference
All-time record45244723 (.503)
Conference titles2 (1978, 2003)
Rivalries Southern Utah (rivalry)
ColorsBlue and gold [1]
   
Website nauathletics.com

The NAU Lumberjacks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Northern Arizona University located in Flagstaff, Arizona. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1915. The team plays its home games at the 10,500 seat Walkup Skydome. Brian Wright was hired as the Head Football Coach on December 3, 2023.

Contents

History

The Lumberjacks have maintained numerous rivalries with their western counterparts. Competition has not only been limited to the west. The Lumberjacks have also taken on eastern programs such as the Ole Miss Rebels, Florida Atlantic Owls, and the Appalachian State Mountaineers.

On September 18, 2021, Northern Arizona beat Arizona for the first time since 1932, winning 21–19. It was their first win against a FBS team since beating UTEP in 2018 and their third overall win against an FBS team since 2012. It is also the first time they beat a member of the Pac-12 Conference. [2] [3]

Classifications

Conference affiliations

Championships

Conference championships

YearCoachConferenceOverall RecordConference Record
1956 Max Spilsbury Frontier Conference 8–23–0
1957 8–13–0
1958 11–13–0
1959 6–2–13–0
19606–3–22–0–1
1961 3–5–11–0–1
1962 6–42–0
1978 Joe Salem Big Sky Conference 8–26–0
2003 Jerome Souers 9–45–2

Postseason results

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs

The Lumberjacks have appeared in the NCAA I-AA/FCS playoffs six times, with an overall record of 1–6.

YearRoundOpponentResultHead coach
1996 First Round Furman L 32–41 Steve Axman
1999 First Round@ Georgia Southern L 29–72 Jerome Souers
2001 First Round@ Sam Houston State L 31–34
2003 First Round
Quarterfinals
@ McNeese State
Florida Atlantic
W 35–3
L 25–48
2013 First Round South Dakota State L 7–26
2017 First Round San Diego L 10–41

NCAA Division II playoffs

YearRoundOpponentResultHead coach
1977 Quarterfinals Jacksonville State         L 0–35     Joe Salem     

NAIA

YearRoundOpponentResultHead coach
1958 Semifinal Gustavus Adolphus W 41–12     Max Spilsbury     
1958 Final Northeastern State L 13–19     Max Spilsbury     

Rivalries

Weber State

Northern Arizona is tied with Weber State 28-28 in the series though the 2023 fall season. Has a 1-1 record for the trophy.



Southern Utah

Northern Arizona leads Southern Utah 16–10 in the series through the 2021 fall season.

Current coaching staff

NamePosition
Brian Wright Head Coach
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Defensive Line Coach
Defensive Backs Coach
Outside Linebackers Coach
Tight Ends Coach
Wide Receivers Coach
Offensive Line Coach
Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator

Notable former players

Notable alumni include:

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2011 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team represented Northern Arizona University as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Lumberjacks were led by 14th-year head coach Jerome Souers and played their home games at the Walkup Skydome. They finished the season with an overall record of 4–7 and a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in Big Sky.

The 2018 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team represented Northern Arizona University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 21st-year head coach Jerome Souers and played their home games at the Walkup Skydome. They were a member of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 4–6, 3–4 in Big Sky play to finish in eighth place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2008 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season. In their eleventh year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 6–5 record, outscored opponents by a total of 316 to 273, and finished fifth out of nine teams in the Big Sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2007 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. In their tenth year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 6–5 record, outscored opponents by a total of 322 to 305, and finished third out of nine teams in the Big Sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2003 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their sixth year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 9–4 record, outscored opponents by a total of 409 to 305, and finished in a three-way tie for the Big Sky championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2001 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their fourth year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled an 8–4 record, outscored opponents by a total of 368 to 307, and tied for second place out of nine teams in the Big Sky.

The 1996 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The team compiled a 9–3 record and was No. 6 in the NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant rankings. Running back Archie Amerson won the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding offensive player in NCAA Division I-AA football.

The 1990 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their first year under head coach Steve Axman, the Lumberjacks compiled a 5–6 record, were outscored by a total of 416 to 290, and placed in a four-way tie for fifth out of nine teams in the Big Sky. The team played its home games at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome, commonly known as the Walkup Skydome, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The 1999 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their second year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled an 8–4 record, outscored opponents by a total of 409 to 370, and tied for second place in the Big Sky. The Lumberjacks were invited to play in the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they lost in the first round to eventual national champion Georgia Southern by a 72–29 score.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2006 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season. In their ninth year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 6–5 record, outscored opponents by a total of 378 to 296, and finished fourth out of nine teams in the Big Sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2005 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2005 NCAA Division I FCS football season. In their eighth year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 3–8 record, were outscored by a total of 338 to 233, and finished in a tie for last place in the Big Sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team</span> American college football season

The 2004 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their seventh year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 4–7 record, were outscored by a total of 314 to 244, and finished fifth out of eight teams in the Big Sky.

The 1998 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their first year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled a 6–5 record, outscored opponents by a total of 241 to 227, and tied for seventh place in the Big Sky.

References

  1. "Northern Arizona University Visual Identity Guide" . Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  2. @NAU_Football (September 19, 2021). "FINAL" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  3. "NAU Knocks off Arizona 21-19 for First Ever Win Against a Pac-12 Opponent". 18 September 2021.
  4. "Leslie Duncan - ArenaFan.com". www.arenafan.com. Retrieved April 5, 2018.