The Northern Arizona football team knows that it's let a handful of games slip through its fingers.
They also know the reason has been, in most cases, because the culmination of one player on one play not taking care of a small detail repeated enough times in a game that it cost NAU in the end.
The Jacks (2-5 overall, 1-4 Big Sky) are going to try to pay attention to every little detail by every player on every play for a whole game today in hoping for a win against Sacramento State (3-4, 2-3) on the road.
"There's a big importance placed on details," NAU head coach Jerome Souers said. "Football is a physical game, it's a violent game and it's a game of big plays. Those that are taking care of the details are the ones who create an edge for themselves.
"The little things, when two teams are even, define the difference between winning and losing," Souers added. "We can't overlook any detail."
Forgetting a single detail cost the Jacks at least twice last week against Montana. The Grizzlies scored two big plays and each long touchdown was because at least one Lumberjack was out of place -- UM scored on a reverse when one of NAU's cornerbacks crashed inside instead of holding his edge and the Griz punched one in on a counter when a defensive lineman went the wrong way inside and it's something the Jacks can't do today against a complex Hornets' offense.
"They are so multiple in their approach offensively," Souers said. "They involve three quarterbacks who have three different playing styles, and they merge together very well. It creates a complexity for the defense where we have to know who's on the field and then adjust our style to that. It's hard to prepare for, especially with a young defense."
Sac State senior quarterback Jeff Fleming has thrown for 1,009 yards on 86 of 163 passes with seven touchdowns and four picks, while senior running back Bryan Hillard has run for five scores and 548 yards on 136 carries.
Because the Hornets' offense against the Jacks' defense is a key matchup, Souers added NAU has to do a great job against the run and the team needs to adjust quickly to Sac State's perimeter game.
Senior defensive lineman Blayne Anderson reiterated the importance NAU is placing onthe details of the game.
"We spent the last week just staying focused on ourselves," said Anderson about the team not worrying so much about what Sac State will do compared to focusing on the things the Jacks themselves need to do. "We've been just trying to eliminate our small mistakes and we just want to make ourselves better."
If the Lumberjacks can keep the Hornets' offense limited to quick drives and the NAU offense can sustain drives and end them with points on the board, then paying attention to the details will have paid off.
"We can't have penalties that get us into third and long, and we have to execute during the earlier downs to get into situations where we can finish those drives," junior quarterback Cary Grossart said. "We have a lot of things in the gameplan that will allow us to finish drives and have a lot of success."
The Lumberjacks have had trouble sustaining drives and have relied on big plays to score points, something that Souers said is, again, a result of missing details.
Northern Arizona was forced to punt six times against Montana after starting good drives only to see them stall.
Souers said that the offense needs to avoid third-and-long situations, something that's been a thorn in NAU's side for a while.
"Our offense has brought us back from deficits, but hasn't completed the big drive in the fourth quarter to win the game, but you keep trying," he said. "But our offensive line creates things, and when they're doing well we can do things with our offense."
Grossart, who's No. 3 in the Big Sky in passing yards per game with 276.6 yards per contest, said the offense is potent, and will look to find his two favorite receivers, Ify Umodu and Khalil Paden, to create points.
"We draw up things for both (Umodu and Paden) to get the rock, but depending on what the defense does, I might find KP and I might find Ify, but it just so happens that it's been KP more lately," Grossart said. "We're going to get those guys isolated and both those guys will be catching passes."
Paden is second in the Big Sky with 118.8 yards per game and has four touchdowns. The Jacks' offense, No. 3 in the conference, will face the Hornets' No. 4 defense; something that Souers said could make for a barn burner of a game.
"It's going to be one of those games where two teams who are desperate to get a win are going to be pulling out all the stops," Souers said.
Bill Harris can be reached at bharris@azdailysun.com or 556-2251.
