Tickets for Saturday's NAU-San Diego opening round FCS Playoff game can be purchased online here: http://bit.ly/2zltxyx

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Nov. 21, 2017) – Northern Arizona sophomore quarterback Case Cookus has been selected as one of 25 finalists for the STATS Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top offensive player in NCAA FCS Football.

Cookus has directed an NAU offense that finished ranked 14th nationally in total offense (448.4 yards per game), 26th nationally in scoring offense (32.1 points per game) and eighth among FCS leaders in passing offense (312.3 yards per game) in 2017.

The sophomore signal caller has posted 3,235 yards, while completing 58.4 percent (253-of-433) of his pass attempts and adding a total of 21 touchdowns against just five interceptions.  Cookus sits 10^th among FCS leaders in completions per game (23.0), 10^th in passing yards and 19^th in passing touchdowns.

He has registered six 300-yard passing efforts this season and a pair of 400-yard plus performances, while committing just two interceptions over the last nine games of the regular season.

Cookus has helped lead the Lumberjacks to a 7-4 overall record this season, including a 6-2 mark in Big Sky Conference action.  Northern Arizona also earned its first NCAA FCS Playoff berth since 2013.

He was also named to the Midseason Watch List for the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Performer of the Year and has been recognized as the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions this season.  Cookus was the 2015 recipient of the CFPA National Performer of the Year award.

Cookus would be the second Lumberjack in program history to be named as the Walter Payton Award winner, joining former NAU running back Archie Amerson, who captured the honor in 1996.

The award will be presented at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation, scheduled for Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas, on the eve of the NCAA FCS National Championship Game.

The voting panel for the honor consists of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries. Voting is based on regular-season performances only.

The Lumberjacks will open FCS Playoff action this Saturday, Nov. 25 against Pioneer League Champion, the University of San Diego, in a 6 p.m. MST kickoff from the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff.
 
Complete List of 2017 Walter Payton Award Finalists

• Dominick Bragalone, RB, Jr. – Lehigh
• Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sr. - Sam Houston State
• Chandler Burks, QB, Jr. - Kennesaw State
• Taryn Christion, QB, Jr. - South Dakota State
• Case Cookus, QB, So. - Northern Arizona
• Keelan Doss, WR, Jr. - UC Davis
• Dallas Goedert, TE, Sr. - South Dakota State
• Gage Gubrud, QB, Jr. - Eastern Washington
• Hayden Hildebrand, QB, Sr. - Central Arkansas
• Devlin Hodges, QB, Jr. – Samford
• Chad Kanoff, QB, Sr. – Princeton
• DeVante Kincade, QB, Sr. - Grambling State
• Kyle Lauletta, QB, Sr. – Richmond
• Anthony Lawrence, QB, Jr. - San Diego
• Josh Mack, RB, So. – Maine
• Detrez Newsome, RB, Sr. - Western Carolina
• Neil O'Connor, WR, Jr. - New Hampshire
• Brandon Parker, OT, Sr. - North Carolina A&T
• Troy Pelletier, WR, Sr. – Lehigh
• Lamar Raynard, QB, Jr. - North Carolina A&T
• Bryan Schor, QB, Sr. - James Madison
• Chris Streveler, QB, Sr. - South Dakota, QB
• Tommy Stuart, QB, Grad – Duquesne
• Roc Thomas, RB, Sr. - Jacksonville State
• Justin Watson, WR, Sr. - Penn