The Lumberjacks, currently struggling with a two game losing streak, have only one win throughout the five games they have suited up for. As of right now, the goal of winning the Big Sky seems almost a pipe dream with so much top tier talent in the conference and the injuries still plaguing the lineup for NAU but the playoffs are still a possibility. They will have to take Montana State down for that possibility to remain in reach.
Still Surviving Without Cookus
In the game last week Blake Kemp showed that he was a stellar fill in for Case Cookus against Northern Colorado. Going 35 of 46 with 273 yards passing with a touchdown, it is clear that Kemp had a good control of the ball and the offense. Not having a single turnover in the game was a big surprise to some as they were unsure if Kemp was in a position to adjust to his new offense after transferring in the off season. The likelihood going into this matchup is that Cookus will still not be in a position to start after suffering his shoulder injury two weeks ago. For the moment it would appear that Kemp is the starter for the short-term future and that may not be as terrible as many would believe it to be. The focus for Kemp going forward is to make sure he doesn’t try to force anything and keep the team in a position to win rather than try to win it all in one go around. He has the weapons around him to keep himself in a position to make plays and keep the defense on their heels, so long as he keeps to the playbook and not do more than what he is asked to do.
Montana State’s Quarterback Controversy
While NAU has had their own distraction at the quarterback position due to injury, Montana State has had their issues with performance. As of right now junior transfer Tyler Bruggman has not had a great year for the Bobcats and the rumors are spinning out that true freshman Chris Murray may make his first career start against the Lumberjacks pending the final decision from the coaching staff. That could drastically change the defensive gameplan for NAU as Murray is a blazer when it comes to running the football. Against Sacramento State Murray took off for 187 rushing yards when he was under center. Not only that, but the offense is very even when it comes to both running and passing as both have netted over 900 yards each thus far in the season. Murray could cause linebackers Jake Casteel and Jake Thomas to do a lot of spying in the game which could lead to open zones down the field. Both are leading the team in tackles with Casteel having 36 and Thomas collecting 28. If the two of them can find a way to corral Murray and prevent him from scrambling, the team may just have a chance to slow down the freshman when he gets called up either as a starter or in relief of Bruggman.
E & E Still Dominating The Sticks
The receiving duo of Emmanuel Butler and Elijah Marks continues to be one of the best pair of wideouts in the FCS today. When you put the two together, they amount for 963 yards and 11 touchdowns just by themselves. Last week with Kemp as the new quarterback they showed no signs of hitting a snag. Marks had 81 yards on 8 catches and a touchdown while Butler brought in 6 passes for 58 yards. If the two of them can continue to find openings in the defense it should open up the doors for Joe Logan who has become a serious freshman threat as a running back with his last performance gaining 98 yards. The great receivers can attract so much attention by the defense that it can not only spread them out but also keep the linebackers and defensive backs off the line of scrimmage as a way to account for underneath routes. That kind of attention is exactly what Butler and Marks attract and if they continue to do so, it could lead to the kind of openings that the Lumberjacks need to get a winning streak going.
The game kicks off at 4:00 PM Arizona time on October the 8th. The teams will play at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, MT on ROOT for those wanting to catch the game live.