Know the Opponent: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
By Mike Vamosi
Back to the Big Sky with the next team on our list with the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks who went 4-7 and 3-5 in conference. NAU will open at Arizona State on August 30 at 7:30 pm on the Pac-12 Network.
Last season the ‘Jacks opened in Tucson against Arizona which was a 41-10 defeat to their in-state foe. Senior Cary Grossart looks to be the starter this season after throwing for 2,745 yards with 16 touchdowns.
Junior Zach Bauman who was a 1,435 rusher a season ago with 15 touchdowns including a 5.3 yard per carry average. Grossart has the second most yards from last season 64 net yards.
Junior Ify Umodu had the second most receiving yards with 667 yards returns he scored four TD’s in 2011. Bauman finished third on the team catching 29 passes for 352 yards scoring once. Sophomore tight end Dejzon Walker as a freshman he caught 22 passes good for 328 with three touchdowns.
Defensively sophomore Craig Frum is the team’s leading returning tackler bringing 45 from a season ago with 1.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. Sophomore cornerback Blake Bailey leads the defensive backs he had 43 tackles and had 3.5 TFL.
The schedule will be tough having opening road trips to Tempe and Las Vegas then in-conference trips at Montana and North Dakota. They will get UC Davis plus Cal Poly at home but in the end I think a .500 record is the best case scenario.
2012 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Schedule –
@Arizona State 8/30
@UNLV 9/8
Fort Lewis 9/15
@Montana 9/22
Portland State 9/29
@North Dakota 10/13
UC Davis 10/20
@Northern Colorado 10/27
@Idaho State 11/3
Southern Utah 11/10
Cal Poly 11/17
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