All images featured in the timeline have been asked for permission of use and granted by the NAU Archives. Also NAU Athletics social media and The Lumberjack newspaper
When NAU first opened as Northern Arizona Normal School in 1899, there was no football team. Sixteen years after NAU’s opening in 1915, the first football team on the university was created. From the first to the current team, history has been made throughout the program. Today, the Northern Arizona University football program is a member of the NCAA Division 1-AA league (FCS), specifically in the Big Sky Conference. This exhibition will examine the significant history of the program, players that have gone onto great success in the sport of football, changes in culture and coaching staff, traditions and rivalries within the program, and finally where the program stands today.
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The Beginning: 1915
When NAU first opened in 1899, there was no football team but one was added sixteen years after NAU's opening. From the first team to the current team history has been made throughout the program. The team won their first game against Winslow High 12-7. The first coach of the team was Coach Larthorpe.
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Moving Forward: 1920s-1930s
The decades of the 20s and 30s was a very successful time for the team. A change in culture came as the school changed the name to Arizona State College at Flagstaff. In 1932, the 'Jacks beat the UofA Wildcats for the first and only time ever. Along with beating UofA, the football team dominated the ASU Sun Devils beating them a total of 8 times in the 1930s. Rudy Lavik is the only coach in team history to beat both UofA and ASU.
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Best season yet: 1958
1958 marks the best season for the Lumberjacks ever. While the 'Jacks were still in the NAIA league, they finished the season 11-1 and as a runner up in the NAIA Championship Holiday Bowl. To this day, the banner still hangs in the Skydome commemorating the 1958 season. This was the first time any Arizona collegiate team had appeared on national television. 25 years later, this team was inducted into the NAU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1983.
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birth of nau lumberjack football: 1966-1977
8 years after the best season in 1958, Northern Arizona University was born. This was also the birth of the football program as we know it today in 1966. In 1970, the NAU Lumberjacks finally joined the NCAA D1-AA league. This was also the first season the 'Jacks were a part of the Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks were now playing at the highest level of college football competing against the best. 7 years later in 1977, the rounded cathedral that stands at 1705 S San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 was born. The current home of the NAU Football program got their new stadium which they still play in today the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
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First Big Sky Conference Championship: 1978
1978 brought the NAU football program their most successful season since the 1958 season. The 'Jacks had one their first of two Big Sky Conference championships. The coach of the Lumberjacks was Coach Joe Salem and this would be his final year of coaching for the program. From this point on many changes would come as the program was taken more seriously such as a re-branding of the program in the following years along with renovations of the Skydome.
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Climb to the top continues: Present Day
Today, the NAU Football program is under the helm of Coach Chris Ball. Coach Ball and his staff are in the process of building a dynasty at Northern Arizona University. The 'Jacks have had multiple just average seasons since their lass Big Sky Championship in 2003. Many changes have occured over the years such as branding deals with Adidas and a brand new coaching staff that came with the 2019 season. If more interest is requested about the program, please see the tab at the top of page of a conversation with the most tenured coach of the 'Jacks at the time, offensive coordinator Aaron Pflugrad. The NAU Football program is surely on the rise as Coach Ball has promised championships.