FLAGSTAFF (AZFamily) — College football is just weeks away, and Arizona teams are deep in preseason prep.
Northern Arizona University’s football team is wrapping up preseason prep at 7,000 feet with the San Francisco Peaks as their backdrop. Soon, the Skydome will be filled as the Lumberjacks defend their turf.
Last year, NAU made the playoffs for the first time in years. Now they are trying to build on that success and bring home a trophy.
Coach Brian Wright is going into his second year as head coach. Last year, he led the team to its first playoff appearance since 2017.
“A rough start to the season, played some tough opponents, but we learned a lot about ourselves and finished the season strong,” Wright said. “We need to get better. We need to get bigger, and stronger, and faster.
The team lost in the first round of the playoffs.
“Getting knocked out early, getting shut out that first round of the playoffs hurt,” Wright said.
This year, Wright and his players have bigger goals and new strategies to get there.
The team is also ranked for the first time since 2016 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25, at No. 19.
“I think our guys came back this offseason really hungry,” he said. “Not that we’re putting more emphasis on special teams, but we’re asking a lot more of the top players.”
He also brought a new coaching staff and transfer players, including quarterback Ty Pennington.
“I just think he’s an unbelievable coach,” Pennington said. “He’s a great person, and you know, just the connection we’ve made. I’ve known him for like four years now.
Pennington followed Coach Wright from Pittsburgh State.
It paid off as Pennington was named the conference’s newcomer of the year and is leading the team this year as captain.
“Really just try to be the best quarterback I can be and be the best leader I can be,” he said.
By the energy on the practice field, you can tell the team is exhilarated for the season to begin.
Now, Wright said, they just want to get more of Flagstaff to fill the stands.
“We’re going to defend the dome after being undefeated last year, so we have a lot riding on it and we need the entire community,” he said.
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