FARMINGTON, Utah (August 31, 2026) – Punctuating an electrifying collegiate debut,
Lindsey Graves was named Big Sky Co-Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday on the heels of his game-changing 100-yard kickoff return touchdown versus Eastern Washington.
Graves shared the Special Teams honor with Montana's Jake Mason. Cal Poly's Anthony Grigsby Jr. was named the Offensive Player of the week and Idaho State's Trehsyn Fesili was named the Defensive Player of the Week.
The true freshman from Clovis, Calif. jumpstarted the Lumberjacks in their 34-27 comeback season-opening victory on Saturday. After Eastern Washington opened up a 24-3 lead, Graves went endzone-to-endzone on the ensuing kickoff to cut NAU's deficit to two touchdowns. Graves became the fifth Lumberjack, and second in as many seasons, to return a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
Graves' touchdown, on only his second career return, started a stretch of 24 unanswered points. Down 24-3 with 2:57 left before halftime, Graves' return swung the momentum in NAU's favor.
Jahaad Fort followed with an interception, which led to a
Quran Gossett rushing touchdown that sent the 'Jacks into the locker room trailing only 24-17.
After the Week 0 games, Graves leads the FCS in kickoff return average at 58.0 yards per return with 116 yards on two returns. He was one of two players in the FCS, along with Grambling's Tony Phillips Jr., to record a kickoff return touchdown in Week 0.
NAU faces Arizona this Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6:30 p.m. MST. Lumberjack fans planning to make the trip to Tucson can purchase tickets at this
link.
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