CLICK ON EACH TEAM FOR THIS WEEK'S GAME NOTES FOR NORTHERN ARIZONA AND SAM HOUSTON.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 8, 2022) – It doesn't get much easier for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky) in the second game of the fall as their challenging non-conference schedule continues with the Sam Houston Bearkats (0-0, 0-1 WAC) Saturday night in Huntsville, Texas.
After spending the entire 2021 season ranked No. 1 in the FCS, Sam Houston announced in November it would begin its transition to the FBS level after accepting an invitation to join Conference USA in 2023. Having already surpassed the FCS scholarship total, Sam Houston is ineligible for the WAC Championship, the FCS Playoffs or a Top 25 ranking in either FCS poll though the Bearkats are still playing an FCS schedule in 2022.
"They are a very talented football team," said Lumberjacks head coach
Chris Ball. "They are moving up to the FBS, so they have 75 full scholarships now and go up to 85 next year. It'll be a good challenge for us and a good opportunity for us going on the road. It'll probably be the second-best team we play this year."
Saturday will cap off Northern Arizona and Sam Houston's two-game series signed back in 2018 with the teams even through four all-time meetings.
Sam Houston defeated Northern Arizona 42-16 last September in Flagstaff, the first meeting between the teams since the 2003 season. The Lumberjacks dropped their first ever meeting 34-31 at the Bearkats in the 2001 FCS Playoffs. Hosting Sam Houston the following season, Northern Arizona won 40-14 against No. 14-ranked Sam Houston before returning to Huntsville for a 34-18 victory the following year.
Saturday's game will be available on
ESPN+, as well as
Hulu with a subscription to the Disney Bundle with Tom Franklin and John Harris will be on the call for the stream.
Mitch Strohman and Kevin Stephens will handle the radio call, with
Stayson Isobe reporting from the sideline, on the Northern Arizona Healthcare NAU Lumberjack Radio Network with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. MST.
BACK TO TEXAS
Saturday will be Northern Arizona's first game in the state of Texas since its 30-10 victory over the UTEP Miners on Sept. 1, 2018. The Lumberjacks have won their past three games in the state, beating Stephen F. Austin 34-28 in the 2015 season opener in Nacogdoches as well as beating Abilene Christian 27-21 in Abilene in 2014.
Northern Arizona's last loss in Texas came in 2004 against Stephen A. Austin, a 24-17 overtime final score.
It'll be the first game at a Texas program for all five natives on Northern Arizona's roster, with
Koda Bridges (Carrollton),
BJ Fleming (Aledo),
RJ Martinez (Austin),
Morgan Vest (Leander) and
Jakobe Walton (Dallas). All five Lumberjacks played high school between two and half to three hours away from Huntsville.
While the game concludes Northern Arizona's agreement with Sam Houston, the Lumberjacks are scheduled for a trip to Incarnate Word in San Antonio in 2024 and 2027 as the program continues to progressively recruit the state following the arrival of safeties and nickelbacks coach
Kenji Jackson, a Texas native.
"We've got two guys in the Dallas area just because we have a direct flight from here to Dallas, that helps," Ball said. "It's really easy and good bang for your buck. You can go down there and watch a bunch of practices. They practice in the morning, they practice at lunch and they practice in the afternoon, so you can land an airplane and by the time the day is over you can probably hit six to eight practices. There's a lot of good players."
NEW JACKS
Five Lumberjacks started for the first time last week in Tempe, with four of those also playing in their first game for Northern Arizona. Tight end
Isaiah Gerena debuted after transferring in from Morgan State,
George Steele started at cornerback after arriving from Jacksonville State, punter
Eemil Herranen debuted after coming over from McNeese State as well as long snapper
Sean Farfan from Mt. San Antonio College.
In addition to the four transfers starting in the first career games, linebacker
Heston Lameta started for the first time in his four-year career at Northern Arizona.
A total of 11 other Lumberjacks played in their first career games last week, including
Caiaphas Ardoin,
Logan Bayus,
Davondre Bucannon,
Micah Carreon,
Ethen Cluff,
Alonzo (LJ) Davis,
BJ Fleming,
Richard Kwete,
Alani Ma'afu,
Malachi Williams and
Alec Wyble-Meza,
Ardoin, Bayus, Carreon, Davis and Williams all recorded their first career tackles as Lumberjacks while Wyble-Meza notched his first career rush and reception.
A QUICK LOOK AT SAM HOUSTON
Sam Houston has seen a change to its roster compared to the team that won in Flagstaff to open the 2021 season. Now without their starting quarterback, leading rusher, second receiver and top three tacklers from last year's game, the Bearkats look a bit different going into the 2022 season.
It starts under center, with Jordan Yates and Keegan Shoemaker both listed as potential starters. Yates, a transfer from Georgia Tech, started the season opener against Texas A&M and finished with 91 yards on 14 of 28 passing, with an interception and three sacks taken. Adding 60 yards rushing on 14 carries, Yates also led the Bearkats in rushing for the season opener. Playing in 14 games for the Yellow Jackets last season, Yates started six games and completed 91 of 153 passes for 908 yards, adding six touchdowns and three interceptions
Shoemaker, a transfer from Lafayette, saw action last season with his primary work coming against Stephen F. Austin when he threw for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns as he filled in for an injured Eric Schmid.
While the team returns its leading receivers from last season in Ife Adeyi and Cody Chrest, Sam Houston is replacing Ramon Jefferson who transferred to Kentucky during the summer. In an effort to fill his role, the Bearkats added Oklahoma State transfer Dezmon Jackson while Zach Hrbacek is listed at No. 2 on the depth chart. Both backs struggled in the loss to Texas A&M, but Hrbacek rushed for 65 yards against Northern Arizona last season and Jackson previously produced a 235-yard game against Texas Tech during the 2020 season.
One recognizable name from last season's game is Preseason All-American and 2022 WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the year, Markel Perry. Finishing with 40 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and nine quarterback hurries, Perry recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry in last year's meeting and already has 3.0 tackles for loss to his name this season.
Another returner who will be recognizable is linebacker Trevor Williams, another 2022 Preseason All-WAC Defensive selection and Preseason All-American. Finishing with 78 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack last season, Williams picked off a pass against Northern Arizona last season and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown. Williams led Sam Houston with 7 tackles in the season opener against the Aggies.
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