FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The Northern Arizona football team will hold its first scrimmage of fall camp Friday at 5:30 p.m. inside the Walkup Skydome. The scrimmage is expected to include 50-60 plays.
The scrimmage culminates the first full week of practice for the team as part of the second of two workouts Friday. The Lumberjacks will work out once on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and twice on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. All practices are open to the public.
The offense has started camp positively according to offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who is working his first fall camp at Northern Arizona.
"The first week has gone smoothly,” said Scangarello. "We are building on what did in the spring, so we had a good foundation coming in. The guys had a grasp of what we wanted to accomplish and were able to get going a lot faster. There have been some guys that stepped up and came in to camp in great shape. I think we can do some great things on offense.”
Scangarello will use the first scrimmage as an evaluation for individual play in preparation for the season opener at Arizona State on Aug. 30.
"You want to see guys show up on film and make plays,” said Scangarello. “You know you can build upon them. We have done a lot of game-day operations, and I expect us to be pretty smooth in the game-day operation.”
The defense will showcase its newcomers on a defensive line that features seven players on the depth chart. They have been impressive during the first week of camp.
"We are more athletic and have more speed,” said defensive coordinator Andy Thompson. “They guys up front that came in are physical and are going to be active. Overall, we are more athletic than a year ago. We want to make sure the guys we want to see develop are developing. We have certain competition at each spot and want to see the guys out ahead prove their position."
Thompson also wants to limit the penalties and mental mistakes of his unit.
PRESEASON PUB
The Lumberjacks are listed at No. 14 in Phil Steele’s FCS College Football Preview magazine that will hit newsstands soon. NAU is among three Big Sky schools in the top 15, including Montana State at No. 15 and Eastern Washington at No. 7. Montana is ranked No. 20. Junior running back Zach Bauman and senior offensive lineman Trey Gilleo are both listed on the All-Big Sky first-team, and senior Taylor Malenfant is on the All-Big Sky second team at punt returner. Bauman was also named a third-team selection on the Sporting News FCS 2012 Preseason All-America Team.
