2010 Northern Arizona Football Season Highlights
* The Lumberjacks had a winning season for the eighth time under Head Coach Jerome Souers, finishing with a 6-5 record and 4-4 mark in Big Sky Conference play.
* NAU has one of the top defensive units in the Big Sky, leading the league in scoring defense (19.8), rushing defense (93.5) and sacks (33), while ranking second overall in total defense (306.6) and pass defense (213.1). The Lumberjacks ranked fifth nationally in rush defense and among the FCS Top 25 in sacks (10th), total defense (14th) and pass defense (22nd).
* NAU upset the previously ninth-ranked Montana State Bobcats on Family Weekend for the signature win of the season. Montana State, which led the Big Sky and ranked second in the FCS in total offense at 516.2 yards per game, was held to just 19 yards in the first half and 123 for the game. The win marked the highest ranked team defeated by NAU at home since 2002 when the Lumberjacks defeated then-ninth-ranked Portland State in the Walkup Skydome.
* Running back Zach Bauman was among the top freshmen in the country in rushing yards per game, one of four freshmen in Division I to average more than 94 yards. He ranked 25th overall in the FCS in rushing per game and was the top freshman in the FCS.
* Bauman became the second freshman in school history to reach 1,000 yards in a season and surpassed Alex Henderson's freshman record of 1,014 yards set in 2006. He recorded the 14th 1,000-yard season by a running back in school history.
* NAU was ranked as high as No. 20 in the FCS Coaches Poll in 2010 and No. 22 in The Sports Network poll. The Lumberjacks were ranked three weeks during the campaign. NAU originally moved into the national polls for the first time this season on Oct. 4, placing 24th in the FCS Coaches Poll.
* Offensive guard Kris Poindexter, defensive lineman Isaac Bond and linebacker Reid Worthington earned All-Big Sky first-team honors among 22 Lumberjacks who garnered all-conference honors.
* Defensive lineman Dan Pela was named to the 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District 8 Teams voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Pela, a junior from Phoenix Horizon High School, is majoring in health science with a 3.57 GPA.
* Senior quarterback Michael Herrick was one of five Big Sky Conference players named to the initial 2010 Walter Payton Award Watch list and was a consensus preseason All-America selection. He finished his career as the school's all-time career leader in completion percentage (65.0) and yards per attempts (7.5), while leaving his mark on the record books in several categories including touchdowns (5th, 40), passing yards (5th, 6,460), pass completions (5th, 561) and pass attempts (6th, 863).
* Junior kicker Matt Myers was one of 10 finalists for the 2010 Fred Mitchell Award, which is provided to the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III or NAIA place-kicker that excels on the football field and in the community. Myers was a 2010 All-Big Sky honorable mention selection. He tied for 16th in the nation with 1.27 field goals per game and was second on the team in scoring with 76 points from 14 field goals and 34 of 36 point-after attempts. He was a perfect 13-of-13 from inside 40 yards on the season.
* Senior wide receiver Daiveun Curry-Chapman led the league in receptions per game with 6.3 (14th in FCS) and ranked sixth in receiving yards per game at 67.1 (47th in FCS). He was invited to play in the 2010 Dixie Gridiron Classic.
2010 HONORS
Ben Bachelier
ESPN Academic All-America nominee
Michael Battisti
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
ESPN Academic All-America nominee
2010 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® - Nominee
Zach Bauman
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
FCS National Freshman of the Week, The Sports Network/Fathead.com, Sept. 6
National Performer of the Week, CFPA, Sept. 6
Running Back Performer of the Week, CFPA, Sept. 6
Isaac Bond
All-Big Sky (First)
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Big Sky
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Phil Steele
Daiveun Curry-Chapman
Dixie Gridiron Classic Invitee
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
Cody Dowd
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Matt Estrada
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
Big Sky Co-Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 27
Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week, Oct. 4
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Big Sky
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Phil Steele
Trey Gilleo
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Michael Herrick
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week, Oct. 18
Honorable Mention QB of the Week, CFPA, Oct. 18
Walter Payton Award Watch List
Preseason All-America (First), Sports Network
Preseason All-America (First), Phil Steele
Preseason All-America (First), College Sporting News
Preseason All-America (First), JB Scouting, Inc.
Preseason All-American (HM), Consensus Draft Services
Preseason All-American (HM), FCS Senior Scout Bowl
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Big Sky
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Phil Steele
Brian Hunter
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Nick Larson
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Scott McKeever
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
Alex Mott
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Matt Myers
Mitchell Award Finalist
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Placekicker Performer of the Week, CFPA, Sept. 6
Honorable Mention Kicker of the Week, CFPA, Nov. 15
Preseason All-American (HM), Consensus Draft Services
Kainoa Pe'a
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Dan Pela
CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District 9
Kris Poindexter
All-American (Third), Sports Network
All-Big Sky (First)
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Big Sky
Preseason All-Big Sky (Second), Phil Steele
Vinnie Paciulli
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
Kyle Rath
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Brian Riley
Preseason All-Big Sky (First), Phil Steele
Austin Shanks
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
Brandon Vance
Preseason All-Big Sky (Second), Phil Steele
Anthony Williams
Preseason All-Big Sky (Second), Phil Steele
Reid Worthington
All-Big Sky (First)
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention), Special Teams
ESPN Academic All-America nominee
Taelor Worrell
All-Big Sky (Honorable Mention)
Drew Zamora
All-Big Sky (Second Team)
National Punter of the Week, CFPA, Nov. 1
Honorable Mention Punter of the Week, CFPA, Oct. 4
Honorable Mention Punter of the Week, CFPA, Oct. 18
CFPA - College Football Performance Awards, SN - Sports Network/Fathead.com
