Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football
The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Northern Arizona University located in the U.S. state of Arizona. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Big Sky Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1915. The team plays its home games at the 17,500 seat Walkup Skydome. They are coached by Chris Ball.
| Northern Arizona Lumberjacks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1915 | ||
| Head coach | Chris Ball 1st season, 4–8 (.333) | ||
| Stadium | Walkup Skydome (Capacity: 10,500) | ||
| Location | Flagstaff, Arizona | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Big Sky Conference | ||
| All-time record | 448–444–23 (.502) | ||
| Conference titles | 2 (1978, 2003) | ||
| Rivalries | Southern Utah (rivalry) | ||
| Colors | Blue and Gold[1] | ||
| Website | nauathletics.com | ||
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.
Classifications
- 1937–1952: NCAA College Division
- 1953–1968: NAIA
- 1969–1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973–1977: NCAA Division II
- 1978–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference affiliations
- Independent (1915–1930, 1963–1969)
- Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1931–1952)
- New Mexico Intercollegiate Conference (1953–1954)
- Frontier Conference (1955–1962)
- Big Sky Conference (1970–present)
Championships
Conference championships
| Year | Conference | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Big Sky Conference | 6–0 |
| 2003 | Big Sky Conference | 5–2 |
Postseason results
NAIA
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Semifinal | Gustavus Adolphus | W 41–12 | Max Spilsbury |
| 1958 | Final | Northeastern State | L 13–19 | Max Spilsbury |
NCAA Division II playoffs
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Quarterfinals | Jacksonville State | L 0–35 | Joe Salem |
- NAU was runner-up in Big Sky to champion Boise State, which had a scheduling conflict.
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.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Head 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 |
Rivalries
Southern Utah
Northern Arizona leads Southern Utah 13–9 in the series through the 2018 season.
Current coaching staff
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Chris Ball | Head Coach |
| Aaron Pflugrad | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| Jerry Partridge | Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach |
| Everrette Thompson | Defensive Line Coach |
| Jesse Thompson | Defensive Backs Coach |
| Sammy Lawanson | Outside Linebackers Coach |
| Robin Pflugrad | Tight Ends Coach |
| Junior Taylor | Wide Receivers Coach |
| Bob Connelly | Offensive Line Coach |
| Aaron Price | Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator |
Notable former players
Notable alumni include:
- John Bonds
- Shawn Collins
- Michael Haynes
- Michael Mendoza
- Rex Mirich First Lumberjack football player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
- Keith O'Neil
- Khalil Paden
- Leslie "Herb" Duncan (wide receiver): Played six years professional football in the American Football League (AFL).[2]
- Willard Reaves: Played pro football in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League. In the CFL he played for the Winnipeg BlueBombers, where his team won the 1984 Grey Cup and, in the same season, Reaves won the Most Outstanding Player Award. He also played for the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins in the NFL.
- Tom Jurich: The former athletic director at the University of Louisville
- Archie Amerson
- Pete Mandley
- Allan Clark
References
- "Northern Arizona University Visual Identity Guide" (PDF). Retrieved June 3, 2017.
- "Leslie Duncan - ArenaFan.com". www.arenafan.com. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
