FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 4, 2021) – After more than 460 days away from their last time on the field in the Walkup Skydome, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks wrapped up their return with an emotional, last-second victory thanks to quarterback
Keondre Wudtee's 2-yard touchdown pass to
Coleman Owen as time expired.
Now 1-0 to start the six-game spring schedule, with the Grand Canyon Trophy back in their possession, the Lumberjacks turn their attention to the No. 22 Eastern Washington Eagles (0-1). It will be NAU's first road game in more than 470 days, while Eastern Washington makes its home debut in the spring season.
"We've got to move forward and handle the adversity of having success," said NAU head coach
Chris Ball. "If we get content winning the Grand Canyon Trophy and happy about this win here, we will go up there and have a hard time winning the football game."
Saturday's game, set for a 2:05 p.m. MST kickoff will be available on the Lumberjack Radio Network with a pregame show beginning at 1 p.m. MST. The game will also be available on Pluto TV Channel 1053.
The Lumberjacks have lost three straight against the Eagles since winning in both 2014 and 2015. The 2015 meeting, a 52-30 victory for NAU, marks its last win in Cheney, Wash., as well as its most recent road victory against a ranked opponent.
Sitting at No. 4 in the nation at the time, the Eagles fell behind 14-0 and never could fight back as the Lumberjacks rushed for five touchdowns in the game. NAU dropped a pair of games to the Eagles in Flagstaff during the 2016 and 2018 seasons before returning to Cheney and losing 66-38 last year.
Quarterback Eric Barriere threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns on 29-of-38 passing, while adding 101 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Receiver Talolo Limu-Jones caught eight passes for 147 yards and a score, with the Eagles rattling off 24 straight points to answer NAU taking a 14-7 lead less than five minutes into the game.
"They are a very talented football team," Ball said. "They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country, a great receiving core and they are playing better on defense."
While NAU opened its season with a last-second victory against Southern Utah, Eastern Washington fell in the final minute to the Idaho Vandals in Moscow. Tied at 21 with 4:05 left on the clock, the Vandals put together an eight-play, 68-yard drive culminating in quarterback Mike Beaudry hitting Hayden Hatten for a 25-yard score.
With just 54 seconds left on the clock, the Eagles moved to the Idaho 49, but could not answer back before time expired.
Returners Tamarick Pierce and Limu-Jones led the Eagles in rushing and receiving respectively at 63 and 93 yards, with receivers Andrew Boston and Johnny Edwards, who combined for 82 receptions, 1,283 yards and nine touchdowns in 2019, out against Idaho. Receiver Anthony Stell Jr. and defensive back Anthany Smith scored their first career touchdowns in the opener, with Dennis Merritt accounting for the Eagles' other score.
Four Lumberjacks also reached the end zone for the first time in their careers on Saturday, with
Kamdan Hightower's pick-six,
Jeiel Stark and
Jeff Widener's rushing touchdowns, and finally Owen's game-winning score.
Hightower's second-quarter interception, thanks in part to a pressure by newcomer
Cosmas Kwete, was the highlight for a secondary consisting primarily of newcomers and first-time starters.
Freshman
Devontae Ingram started at one corner spot with Hightower at the other, while transfer
Brenndan Johnson and
Morgan Vest started at safety. Saturday served as Johnson's first game in an NAU uniform after transferring from Louisiana and Vest played for the first time as a Lumberjack after missing the 2019 season with an injury.
The Thunderbirds threw for 288 yards and five touchdowns against the Lumberjacks, with Ball hoping to see some improvement in the group's communication after getting through the first game jitters.
"We've got to get better at that. That's probably the number one concern, the communication part of it," Ball said. "Obviously we are talented, but we are young. I thought
Morgan Vest, he got defensive MVP, played really, really well. He does a good job of running the show."
In addition to the secondary, NAU's offensive line included a few first-time starters as true freshmen
Angel Flores and
Eriq Williams lined up at left guard and right tackle respectively. Senior
Luke Rudolph shifted into the middle of the line at center, with
Donovan Outlaw and
Jonas Leader returning at left tackle and right guard respectively.
"We've got Luke at center and he does a good job of getting guys lined up and identifying the front, but we need to be more physical on the offensive line," Ball said. "We're expecting big improvements this week."
Rudolph's move to center was one of a few changes for the Lumberjacks' returners, with the senior starting 12 games at left guard last season and 10 at right guard as a sophomore.
"It was a no brainer for us, he's one of our leaders," Ball said of shifting Rudolph into his new position. "He's extremely smart and an extremely competitive football player. He does a great, great job of communicating and it was a pretty easy decision."
Stay tuned to NAUAthletics.com and follow NAU Football on
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