FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 5, 2022) – Following multiple impressive debut seasons last fall, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks return 15 starters between their offense and defense, with seven named to the 2022 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Sky Conference Teams.
Northern Arizona's Preseason All-Big Sky recognition includes sophomore running back
Kevin Daniels leading the way with First Team Preseason honors following his breakout 2021 season that included multiple Freshman All-American honors and All-Big Sky Second Team recognition from the conference. Rushing for 1,146 yards in 10 games, Daniels became the first Lumberjack since 2015 to reach 1,000 yards in a season and finished third in the FCS with 114.6 rushing yards per game.
Four Lumberjacks earned Second Team Preseason All-Big Sky ahead of the fall, with senior offensive tackle
Jonas Leader, senior guard
PJ Poutasi, junior defensive end
Eloi Kwete and senior safety
Morgan Vest all honored.
Key pieces of Northern Arizona's offensive success last season, Leader and Poutasi led the way up front for an offense that included a true freshman quarterback and a freshman running back, and still ranked 36th in the FCS for total offense and 29th in rushing offense. Leader enters 2022 with 27 consecutive starts on the offensive line and All-Big Sky honors from both the spring and fall of 2021. Poutasi arrived from Cal to start all 11 games at left guard last fall, immediately securing a position in the interior of the line.
On the opposite side of the ball, Kwete and Vest lead strong position groups and the front and back of the Lumberjacks' defense. Kwete started 11 games at defensive end, finishing fourth on the team with 45 tackles. Adding 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks, Kwete ranked second among Lumberjacks in both categories. For Vest, the fall 2021 season simply continued the dominance of the spring as the safety broke out with 106 tackles, five interceptions, 4.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. The tackles total was among the top 25 of the FCS while the interception total tied for sixth-most in the nation.
Rounding out the selections were sophomore quarterback
RJ Martinez and junior defensive lineman
Cosmas Kwete.
Martinez, the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year in 2021, Martinez finished his debut season sixth in the voting for the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award after throwing for 1,714 yards, 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Also adding five scores on the ground, Martinez's impressive debut owes some credit to the experience of the line in front of him.
Cosmas Kwete made his impact felt despite missing a few games due to injury, recording 11 quarterback hurries in his eight appearances. The total stands as the most in a season by a Lumberjack since 2009, and added 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks open the fall season on Thursday, Sept. 1 in Tempe, Ariz. against the Arizona State Sun Devils before traveling to take on the Sam Houston Bearkats in Huntsville, Texas on Sept. 10. Finally opening a five-game home schedule on Sept. 17, North Dakota visits Flagstaff for the annual Running of the Freshman.
Tickets can be purchased online at
www.nauathletics.com/buy and questions can be directed to the Lumberjack Ticket Office at LumberjackTicketOffice@nau.edu or 928-523-0639.
