PHOTO GALLERY
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 14, 2019) – Senior quarterback
Case Cookus tossed four touchdown passes, while completing 12-of-21 of his attempts for 357 yards, to lead the Northern Arizona University football team to a convincing 55-21 victory over Western New Mexico on Saturday afternoon at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
The Lumberjacks took control from the outset as they held a 47-6 advantage following their opening drive of the second half – when Cookus connected with senior
Joe Logan for a 72-yard touchdown reception at the 13:20 mark of the third quarter.
Overall, the Lumberjacks compiled 672 yards of total offense – which represented their highest output since garnering 686 vs. New Mexico Highlands during the 2016 season.
Cookus spread it around as he connected with five different receivers – three of which finished with over 100 yards.
Logan (128 yards/2 TDs), freshman
Hendrix Johnson (107 yards) and sophomore
Brandon Porter (100 yards/2 TDs) became the first trio of Lumberjack receivers to record at least 100 yards since Nov. 12, 2016 vs. North Dakota – a span of 26 games.
Cookus opened up the scoring with a five-yard toss to Porter to put the 'Jacks ahead 7-0 just 3:44 into regulation. The scoring drive was aided by a 29-yard return on the game's opening kickoff by
Aramis Aldredge.
Logan registered his first big scoring play on NAU's next drive – snatching a swing pass from Cookus and taking it 65 yards for a score to up the lead to 14-0 just over five minutes into the action.
Western New Mexico (0-2) broke through into the scoring column on its final drive of the opening quarter on a five-yard scoring run by Vincent Brown. That didn't stop the 'Jacks from building on their point total however, as sophomore
Anthony Sweeney scooped up a blocked extra-point attempt and raced 98 yards to put two points on the board, giving the 'Jacks a 16-6 advantage.
Porter and Cookus teamed up once again on the Lumberjacks' initial drive of the second quarter on a 35-yard scoring strike to up the margin to 23-6 with 12:36 left before the break.
The lead grew to 30-6 on the next NAU possession when a 34-yard reception by
Riley Langton set up a four-yard touchdown burst by freshman running back
George Robinson –his second rushing score in as many weeks.
NAU (2-1) added 10 more points before halftime on a four-yard rush by Logan and followed with a 44-yard field goal by
Luis Aguilar just as the first half expired to take a 40-6 lead into the locker room. The field goal attempt was made possible by a clutch 53-yard reception by Johnson with just over a second remaining prior to intermission.
The fireworks kept coming for the Lumberjacks in the second half as they opened with the 72-yard score from Cookus to Logan just under two minutes into the third quarter to up the lead to 47-6.
Western New Mexico added a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns while Aguilar added field goals of 21 and 19 yards and the NAU defense registered a safety in the final moments to round out the scoring.
Overall, the Lumberjacks produced a total of eight plays that netted at least 33 yards – including three touchdowns of over 35 yards or more and a defensive two-point conversion that went for 98 yards.
Defensively, the 'Jacks were led by senior
Khalil Dorsey who finished with a team-high eight tackles and a pass breakup. Senior linebacker
Brandon Worthy recorded his first career interception and added six stops, including 2.0 tackles for loss (-8) and a sack in the victory.
Junior
Carson Taylor registered a team-best 2.5 tackles for loss (-19) which included 1.5 sacks.
The Lumberjacks open a stretch of two consecutive road games on Saturday, Sept. 21 when they travel to meet No. 12/13 Illinois State in a 4:30 p.m. MST kickoff that will be aired on ESPN+ and the Lumberjack Radio Network.
Chris Ball, Head Coach
Opening Statement
"We told the players that we need to get our stuff together. We need to do a better job handling adversity, starting with the coaching staff and the leaders on the football team. We need to teach these kids that no matter what the score is or who we are playing that we still need to play at a high level."
Case Cookus, Quarterback
Talk about your performance tonight
"Inconsistent would be the word I would use. There was a lot of potential across the board, whether it be our running game or our passing game. We are scoring 50-yard touchdowns and 20-yard plays but then we are going back to making one-yard plays. We have to clean that up, and that starts with me getting the offense to the right place. But, across the board, it was inconsistent for us."
Postgame Notes – Western New Mexico – September 14, 2019
- Senior quarterback Case Cookus finished with four passing touchdowns – marking the third straight game this season he has posted multiple TD tosses and the 22nd time in his career
- Cookus has now thrown four or more TD passes nine times in his NAU career.
- Cookus' 357 passing yards is the 13th time in his career that he has eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark.
- Senior defensive back Jalen Cook registered the first blocked punt of his career in the first quarter.
- Sophomore defensive back Anthony Sweeney returned a blocked extra point 98 yards for a two-point conversion for NAU in the opening quarter.
- NAU had three players finish with over 100 receiving yards - Joe Logan (128), Brandon Porter (100) and Hendrix Johnson (107) – it marked the first game that the Lumberjacks had three different players net over 100 receiving yards since Nov. 12, 2016 at North Dakota (Emmanuel Butler, Elijah Marks and Delshawn McClellon).
- The 'Jacks posted 672 yards of total offense – the highest total since tallying 686 vs. New Mexico Highlands on Sept. 17, 2016.
- Senior running back Joe Logan posted a career high of 128 receiving yards - on a pair of catches which both went for touchdowns.
- Logan hauled in a 65-yard TD reception in the first quarter and followed with a 63-yard scoring catch in the third which represent the two longest receptions of his career.
- Senior Brandon Worthy registered the first interception of his career and also the first turnover for the Lumberjacks this season in the second quarter.
- Sophomore Aramis Aldredge 44-yard reception in the second quarter marked the longest of his career.
- Junior place kicker Luis Aguilar was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts (44, 21, 19) and is now a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals through three games this season.
- NAU is now 17-6-1 all-time vs. Western New Mexico and has won each of the last five meetings overall.
- Cookus now has 82 career touchdown passes – just 12 shy of the NAU career record currently held by Jason Murrietta (94).
- The Lumberjacks are now a perfect 16-0 against NCAA Division II opponents dating back to 1995.
