In need of a victory after falling to a pair of nationally-ranked opponents on the road the past two weeks, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks return to the Walkup Skydome for a meeting with the Northern Colorado Bears.
The arrival of the Bears (1-4, 1-0 Big Sky) in Flagstaff is a welcome sight for the Lumberjacks (2-3, 0-1), particularly for quarterback
Case Cookus who has led Northern Arizona to a pair of huge wins at home against Northern Colorado. Facing off in the Skydome during his freshman year, Cookus and the Lumberjacks beat the Bears 63-21 in 2015. The next meeting in the Skydome ended in a 48-20 victory in 2017, with Cookus combining to go 48 of 69 with 634 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions in the two games.
However in the past two meetings without Cookus, both in Greeley, Colorado, Northern Arizona lost 42-14 in 2018 and 21-18 in 2016. Like Cookus, Northern Colorado starting quarterback Jacob Knipp has suffered multiple season-ending injuries during his career.
Now in his fifth year with the Bears, Knipp missed both of the Bears' victories against the Lumberjacks in 2016 and 2018. In his two games against the Lumberjacks in Flagstaff, Knipp combined to go 47 of 81 for 472 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions while the Lumberjacks also sacked the senior eight times.
While Cookus is leading one of the nation's top passing attacks and is on pace to possibly reach 4,000 passing yards this season, Knipp's Bears have struggled to find consistency in the Bears' 89th-ranked passing offense. Knipp registered 802 yards while completing 56.59% of his passes in Northern Colorado's first five games. The Bears managed just four touchdowns through their first four games before scoring three in a 27-24 victory at home against Idaho last week.
IN THE BACKFIELD
While Knipp and Northern Colorado's passing game has struggled, the Bears have leaned on Milo Hall heavily on the ground as part of its 88th-ranked rushing offense. A senior who ran for 707 yards last season, Hall enters the game against Northern Arizona with 418 yards and three touchdowns on 124 carries. The Bears handed Hall the ball 39 times in their victory against the Vandals, leading to 135 yards. Hall has added 12 catches for 94 yards in the Bears' limited passing game.
However, Hall also fumbled four times in the first four games, losing three, before finishing last week's game without one. Northern Colorado's only other threat in the backfield thus far this season has been sophomore Jullen Ison, who has 146 yards on 40 carries with one fumble lost.
ON THE OUTSIDE
With Knipp's limited success through the first four games, no Bears' receiver enters the game averaging 50 yards per contest or has more than one touchdown reception. In 2018, Dontay Warren registered nearly half of his freshman season's output against the Lumberjacks. Finishing with 14 catches, 279 yards and two touchdowns in 2018, Warren put up 107 yards and both of his scores in the victory against Northern Arizona.
In 2019, Warren's 15 catches and 145 yards trail only senior Willie Fairman's 23 receptions and 169 yards. Fairman, a former defensive back, caught six passes for 60 yards against Northern Arizona in his first year at receiver last season.
After playing in just one of the first four games, in which he caught a lone pass for 11 yards, 6-3 freshman H-back Chase Lanckriet caught three passes for 80 yards last week. Among his receptions was a 58-yard touchdown, while the other two went for first downs.
ON THE LINE
Four of Northern Colorado's currently listed starters on the offensive line did not start a game prior to 2019. Center Max Bruner and left tackle Kaci Moreka redshirted last season before moving into the lineup this season. Air Force transfer, and former defensive lineman, Matthew Gaiter started for the first time last week at right guard. Right tackle Grant Stephen played in four games last season, but did not register a start.
The lone experienced player listed is left guard Kevin Williams, who started eight games in 2018 with another three games this season. Long-time starter Kyle Ergenbright started the first four games of the season for the Bears, two at left tackle and two at left guard, but was not listed on the team's participation list against Idaho.
Through five games, opponents recorded 13 sacks against Northern Colorado, including five against South Dakota two weeks ago and two against Idaho, and 43 tackles for loss.
FRONT SEVEN
Along the front of the 3-4 defense the Bears employ, no player enters the game with more than one tackle for loss or sack and just one player holds more than one quarterback hurry. A trio of previously part-time starters make up the line, with senior Brandon Biggs at end, sophomore Jean Desir at nose tackle and junior Eddie Gonzales at defensive tackle.
At linebacker, senior captain Luke Nelson brings the most experience on the Bears' defense with 17 starts coming into 2019. Nelson led Northern Colorado in tackles last season, and picked off
Gino Campiotti and forced a fumble leading to a safety on
Daniel Bridge-Gadd in last year's meeting with Northern Arizona.
Sophomore Brooks Talkington leads the Bears with three tackles for loss this season, his first season as a full-time starter. A starter in six games last year, senior Noel Reid, and sophomore Jace Bobo make up the remainder of the linebacking core. Bobo picked off two passes through the five games, including one against Idaho which led to the game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter.
As a team, Northern Colorado has recorded just 12 tackles for loss and five sacks through five games. Opponents have rushed for an average of 198 yards per game and scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, with another 15 touchdowns and 296 yards per game coming through the air. The 494 yards allowed per game ranks 115th of 124 FCS programs.
SECONDARY
Senior cornerback Michael Walker arrives in Flagstaff coming off of a two-interception game against Idaho. A full-time starter in 2018, Walker broke up four passes as a junior last season.
Two of Northern Colorado's starters in the secondary combined for a critical play in last year's victory against Northern Arizona. Free safety Jerone Jackson blocked a punt in the first quarter with strong safety Aaron Harris recovering it for a touchdown, accounting for six of the 18 points the Bears' defense scored last season.
Junior cornerback Denario Critton rounds out the starting four in the secondary and leads the team with three pass breakups this season. Tyree McNeil also rotates into Northern Colorado's secondary and ranks in a tie for fifth on the team despite registering just one start this year.
