Griz, Lumberjacks have lots of current connections

By CARL HENNELL

The Daily Inter Lake

The world of football will be playing a twisted trick on the University of Montana and Northern Arizona football teams on Saturday when the third-ranked Grizzlies host the Lumberjacks.

Both head coaches were assistants for the other team.

UM head coach Bobby Hauck was an outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at NAU from 1993-94. NAU head coach Jerome Souers was a longtime Grizzlies assistant from 1986-97. He was the Griz defensive coordinator for eight years, including during the 1995 and 1996 national championship games.

But that's not all.

UM quarterbacks coach Steve Axman was the NAU head coach from 1990-97.

The Lumberjacks have five other coaches who were either players or coaches for the Grizzlies. Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon was an assistant with the Griz in 1997. Defensive line coach Bill Smith was an assistant with the Griz from 1986-88. Defensive secondary coach Carl Franks was a Griz player from 1992-93 and a coach from 1997-99. Running backs coach Andy Thompson was a Griz player from 1999-2003. And Marvin Jackson was a Griz player from 1998-2000.

Souers has compiled a 45-52 record in nine years at NAU and if he returns to the Lumberjacks next season, he will be the school's longest-tenured football coach.

The Lumberjacks are 2-3 on the season and 1-1 in the Big Sky Conference. They started the season with back-to-back losses at Division I-A's Arizona State and Utah.

NAU is led by senior quarterback Jason Murrietta. He was the Big Sky Conference MVP two years ago and is in the top five of nearly all the NAU career stat categories for quarterbacks and is the nation's seventh-best passing efficiency QB. The Lumberjacks have the nation's No. 14 passing offense and No. 17 scoring offense.

Murrietta has completed 87 of 133 passes (65.4 percent) for 1,158 yards and five touchdowns with only three interceptions. His favorite target is junior wide receiver Alex Watson. Watson, who wears No. 3 and is only 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, has 33 catches for 500 yards and five touchdowns.

"Northern Arizona has a lot of weapons on offense," Hauck said. "Alex Watson and Jason Murrietta are the guys that come to mind immediately, but they've got a lot of players on offense who have made a lot of big plays for them. Murrietta is a former MVP in our league and is having a good season. They're throwing the ball all over the field. It can be a track meet when you are playing NAU."