It's 35 years later and the 1978 Big Sky Conference Championship football team is back in the building. The 1978 Lumberjacks were the first group of Northern Arizona players to compete at the NCAA Division I-AA level after moving up from Division II. The team feared no one as it captured Northern Arizona's first-ever conference title in its first year at the I-AA level. Under head coach Joe Salem, the Lumberjacks posted a perfect 6-0 league record en  route to an 8-2 overall mark.

            The team still holds the best home record for a season going 5-0 at the Walkup Skydome, outscoring its opposition 148-61 on its home turf. The Lumberjacks went undefeated in Big Sky play as they won six consecutive league games, which still stands as one of NAU's best performances in a season. NAU's posted a solid defensive effort against Cal Poly Ponoma in which they allowed a record-tying zero passing yards.

            The squad scored at least 30 points six times during the season and held five opponents to 14 points or fewer, including three under seven points. The team sealed up the conference title with a 31-30 home win over runner-up Boise State, then followed with a 10-0 shutout of Weber State to end the season. In the season finale victory, NAU's Morris Bledsoe tied the Skydome record for most interceptions in a game with five.

            The Lumberjacks had a cupboard full of talent as five players earned First Team All-Big Sky honors that year while and Salem was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year. In addition to the five first-team all-conference players, the efforts of the team produced five All-Americans: linebacker Jerry Lumpkin, nose guard Neal Higginson, tailback Allan Clark, defensive end Ed Hightower and free safety Harold Smith.

            Clark was the catalyst of the team rushing for 1,366 yards and nine touchdowns that season. The tailback, whom ended his career as NAU's all-time leading rusher, is still the owner of the longest rushing play in school history having broken an 87-yard run at home against Boise State. Clark, currently fifth all-time in rushing yards at NAU, then went on to play in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills.

            Clark was just one of a stable full of talented running backs on the 1978 team as four of the top-10 Lumberjacks in career rushing yards were a member of NAU's first Big Sky title team. In addition to Clark, Willard Reaves (seventh with 2,139 yards) also played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins while also spending time in the CFL playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers where he was the CFL Player of the Year in 1984. Carl Golden (eight with 2,022 yards) and Mike Jenkins (tenth with 1,935 yards) were also part of the 1978 backfield.

            The running backs' path was paved by Larry Friedrichs, who was considered the outstanding offensive lineman during his four-year NAU career. He started all 42 collegiate games during his career and holds the record for consecutive games started. On the outside, Alphonse Curry, a two-sport athlete at NAU, was the big play receiver that year and was instrumental in the Lumberjacks' Big Sky clinching victory over Boise State. Curry's 59-yard touchdown reception helped clinch the victory.

             "It feels awesome to be coming back," said Curry. "I'm excited to get a chance to see the guys. I haven't seen them in quite a while. We won the Big Sky Championship and there's a bond that comes from that. Winning the title was great and being able to be around the guys and the coaches again will be exciting."

            The Lumberjack defense was stellar that year as it allowed 17.4 points a game and 12.2 points at home. Lumpkin (404 career tackles) and Hightower (362 career tackles) were the leaders as the duo finished their careers in 1978 as the top-two players on NAU's all-time tackles chart.

            Salem also had a pair of eventual NAU Hall of Famers on his 1978 defense in Smith and Ed Judie. Judie finished his career among the top Lumberjacks all-time in forced fumbles and tackles and was a member of the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl Champion team in 1981. Smith ranked third in interceptions with 11 at the conclusion of his career and he tied for the team-lead in interceptions with five that season.

            Due to the amazing performance of the 1978 team, the entire football team was inducted into the NAU Hall of Fame in 1998 for its outstanding Big Sky Championship season. Clark, Curry, Friedrichs, Judie, Reaves, Smith as well as Coach Salem are all members of the NAU Hall of Fame. The seven players inducted into the hall of fame is the second most of any NAU football team behind the 1937 squad.