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http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008 ... 178703.txt

The 2007 NAU football team ended its season on about as sour of a note as there is.

The Jacks hosted Eastern Washington in their final home game of the season and with a win they still would have had an outside shot at the playoffs. Instead, Eastern Washington hung 28 points on the Jacks in the first quarter en route to a 52-24 win.

Now, nearly eight and a half months later, it's all just a distant memory. The Jacks will take to the practice field today at 11:30 a.m. for their first official practice of the 2008 season.

The Jacks, who return 11 starters from last season, open the year ranked No.18 in the Sporting News FCS Top 25 preseason poll and No. 20 in the USA Today/Sports Weekly preseason poll.

At the heart of the returning starters is senior cornerback K.J. Gerard. Gerard was a third-team All-American last year and led the Big Sky Conference with six interceptions. In July, Gerard was named to the All-Big Sky Preseason First-Team as an unanimous pick.

Joining Gerard in the defensive backfield is fellow senior Cyrus Igono. Igono, who was also an All-Big Sky Preseason First-Team pick, led the Jacks with 79 tackles last season and also registered three interceptions.

Igono began the '07 season buried on the depth chart, but worked his way into the starting lineup once NAU lost a couple of safeties to injuries.

dbackjon wrote:http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008 ... 178703.txt

The 2007 NAU football team ended its season on about as sour of a note as there is.

The Jacks hosted Eastern Washington in their final home game of the season and with a win they still would have had an outside shot at the playoffs. Instead, Eastern Washington hung 28 points on the Jacks in the first quarter en route to a 52-24 win.

Now, nearly eight and a half months later, it's all just a distant memory. The Jacks will take to the practice field today at 11:30 a.m. for their first official practice of the 2008 season.

The Jacks, who return 11 starters from last season, open the year ranked No.18 in the Sporting News FCS Top 25 preseason poll and No. 20 in the USA Today/Sports Weekly preseason poll.

At the heart of the returning starters is senior cornerback K.J. Gerard. Gerard was a third-team All-American last year and led the Big Sky Conference with six interceptions. In July, Gerard was named to the All-Big Sky Preseason First-Team as an unanimous pick.

Joining Gerard in the defensive backfield is fellow senior Cyrus Igono. Igono, who was also an All-Big Sky Preseason First-Team pick, led the Jacks with 79 tackles last season and also registered three interceptions.

Igono began the '07 season buried on the depth chart, but worked his way into the starting lineup once NAU lost a couple of safeties to injuries.

Is it REALLY a distant memory, Jon?

Yes, it is...

how are the new facilities coming along??

NAU jacks up the intensity in pads
Linemen get in first licks of the season at camp.

By DANIEL BERK
Sun Sports Staff
Thursday, August 07, 2008

About all NAU coach Jerome Souers can ask of his football team at this point of the season is to have good, spirited practices with a lot of energy and intensity.

Through the first three days of practice, it's been mission accomplished. At least according to the 11th-year head coach. "It just seems like everybody's excited and into it and pushing each other and that's exactly what you want in the first week if you're a coach," Souers said. "I think there's competitive tension at nearly every position and guys are just having fun with it and making plays. It's been nice to watch."

Wednesday marked the first day the Jacks were able to break out pads. The team practiced in the Skydome in shoulder pads and shorts after practicing in jerseys and shorts for the first two days.

The most excited group to finally don some pads may have been the offensive line. After a couple of days of mostly conditioning drills, the line was able to knock heads.

"You put the linemen in shoulder pads and that's just like putting us in full pads. We're going to hit each other," center Kevin Meagher said. "We were all eager to put some pads on and have some contact. It was fun."

Wednesday's practice ended with 11-on-11 drills with the offense on one sideline and the defense on the other. With the pads finally on, the intensity was dialed up a bit and the players were having fun with it. Seniors Adam Wright, K.J. Gerard and Shaun Fitzpatrick were all jumping around and yelling, getting their teammates even more into it.

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008 ... 178896.txt