1997 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team

1997 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record6–5 (4–4 Big Sky)
Head coach
Home stadiumJ. Lawrence Walkup Skydome
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 6 E Washington $^   7 1     12 2  
No. 11 Montana ^   6 2     8 4  
Montana State   5 3     6 5  
Northern Arizona   4 4     6 5  
Weber State   4 4     6 5  
Cal State Northridge   4 4     4 8  
Portland State   3 5     4 7  
Idaho State   2 6     3 8  
Sacramento State   1 7     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
  • Cal State Northridge record includes two losses by forfeit
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1997 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference (Big Sky) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their eighth and final year under head coach Steve Axman, the Lumberjacks compiled a 6–5 record (4–4 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 302 to 261, and tied for fourth place in the Big Sky.[1]

The team played its home games at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome, commonly known as the Walkup Skydome, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The team's statistical leaders include Kino Carson with 1,099 rushing yards (including 200 yards vs. Cal State Northridge), Travis Brown with 3,395 passing yards, and Ricky Pearsall with 1,802 receiving yards.[2]

After the season, NAU offered coach Axman a three-year contract at $82,000 per year. He rejected the deal and accepted a position as Minnesota's quarterbacks coach.[3]

  1. ^ "2013 Northern Arizona Football Media Guide" (PDF). Northern Arizona University. 2013. p. 79. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  2. ^ 2013 Media Guide, pp. 31 and 56.
  3. ^ "Axman takes QB post at Minnesota". Arizona Daily Sun. March 25, 1998. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.