It's about time the NAU football team gets to take a crack at someone else.

After spending the past nine-plus months facing teammates in practice and competing against one another in the weight room and for starting jobs, the Lumberjacks are bursting at the seams to play Arizona at 7 p.m. today to open the 2011 campaign.

"We have the right attitude, and we're really hungry to play a game; we need to play a game," NAU head coach Jerome Souers said.

Following the team's final scrimmage last week, the Jacks have spent the past seven days preparing to take on the Wildcats, and Souers said the Jacks are on track, showing improvements each day and have shown a great work ethic.

"We're accomplishing our fundamental growth and improvement the way we need to," he said.

Facing a Football Bowl Subdivision team like Arizona -- the Wildcats averaged 28.2 points on 131.7 rushing yards and 307.7 passing yards per game in 2010 -- will be no small feat. Souers said success against UA is all about doing the little things right.

"Arizona is very talented top to bottom," he said. "Their depth is always an issue when an (Football Championship Series) school plays an FBS school, so for us it'll be important that everybody gets into the game and executes their responsibilities.

"We need to go in with precision, we need to play with great pad level and enthusiasm, and that's how it has to be," Souers added.

The Jacks said they won't try to get too tricky with their play-calling and will stick to the basics.

"We have to go in with the gameplan of doing the things we do well and do the best that we can, and against a big team or a fast team like Arizona that'll test your technique, you have to be perfect. There's just very little margin for error."

Doing what they do well will start with running the ball in a backfield anchored by sophomore tailback Zach Bauman.

"We're going to run the ball, but if they're going to come out and run an eight-man defensive front at us, we'll throw the football and we're very capable of throwing the ball," Souers said. "I like our running backs and our offensive line, but I think we can do both. It really depends on the approach the defense takes with us."

Junior starting quarterback Cary Grossart said he has a lot of confidence in the Jacks' running game -- which was good for 137.8 yards last year -- but that he knows the Wildcats are going to key on Bauman.

"When they do, hopefully we'll recognize it and be able to throw the ball down the field." Grossart said.

When they go to the air -- the Lumberjacks averaged 232.4 passing yards in 2010 -- NAU will rely on veteran receivers like Mike Czyz, Ify Umodu and tight end Brian Riley to make good targets for the first-year starter.

"I'm confident just focused on working on preparation right now," Grossart said. "We're going to be ready to go, we're going to execute our stuff and just play ball."

Souers said the biggest thing Grossart has to do is be able to manage the game for NAU.

"His job is making sure we're in the right protections, the right route schemes, making sure that our guys are keeping composure out on the field and everybody is going to be looking to him for leadership. That's what he has to provide," Souers said.

Playing mistake-free football is a main goal for the whole team. Souers said the Jacks have to take care of the football and really need a no-turnover game.

"Any game, especially those early in the year, are more lost on mistakes that won on great execution, so you don't want to be the team that puts the ball on the ground and has a bunch of penalties," he said.

Though the Jacks know Arizona has a potent offene and solid defense, Souers said he's not really worried as much about what the Wildcats will do, but will focus more on what his team is capable of.

"The game will present opportunities throughout, and if you can capitalize on them you give yourself a chance to be successful," he said. "We have to come out and play well early."

That means that the Lumberjacks' young defense will have to be at full speed right from the first whistle.

"We have a lot of new faces on the defense," Souers said. "The guys have made a lot of progress. We're youthful, but we're athletic. We have some guys who are going to be some great players."

The defense will rely on the few veterans it has, players like Isaac Bond and Scott McKeever. Souers added that Blayne Anderson and Tim Wilkinson will also be key on the defensive line.

As for the secondary, which will have to control the passing threat the Wildcats present, Souers said there are a lot of new faces that have to pull together.

"They've shown great improvement and have made great strides," he said. "It's not a matter of if they're going to be a good defense, it's when."

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on 105.1 The Big Talker, as well as on SIRIUS 216 and XM 194. FOX College and FSAZ will host live telecasts of the game locally, and the game will also be shown nationally on FCS Atlantic.

Bill Harris can be reached at bharis@azdailysun.com, or 556-2251.