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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.- The Idaho State football team lost 52-7 to NAU on Saturday evening at the Skydome in front of a crowd of 7,836. Idaho State dropped to 2-4 and 1-2 in Big Sky play while NAU, the preseason favorites to win the Big Sky Conference improved to 3-4 and 2-2.
Idaho State had 322 yards of total offense while NAU finished with 517. The Lumberjack defense forced four ISU turnovers.
Tanner Gueller was 21-40 with two interceptions and one touchdown pass. He threw for 230 yards.
Jakori Ford carried the ball 17 times for 59 yards.
KW Williams caught six passes for 89 yards and
Mitch Gueller had three receptions for 62 yards and scored his first career touchdown late in the game.
Hayden Stout led the defense with 13 tackles.
Joe Martin had 11 and
Mario Jenkins had nine tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss.
Early in the game the ISU offense moved the ball but the results of the first half drives ended in four turnovers, three punts and one missed field goal.
NAU led 28-0 at halftime and 52-0 in the fourth quarter before Gueller found his brother Mitch open for a 57-yard touchdown reception with 7:51 left in the gamme.
Idaho State returns home to host North Dakota on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2:35 p.m. in Holt Arena.
Team Notes
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Jakori Ford,
Nikko Taylor,
Thomas Vazorka and
Mario Jenkins are today's game captains.
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Mario Jenkins had his third career interception. His first two came in the 2014 season vs. SUU.
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Tanner Gueller had a career-long rush of 35 yards.
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KW Williams climbed into the Top 10 for career receiving yards. He now has 2,082 receiving yards ranking him 10
th. Luke Austin is ninth with 2,108 yards.
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KW Williams six receptions moved him into seventh place for career receptions with 158.
Madison Mangum is in sixth with 160.
Mike Kramer Post Game Quotes
"Turnovers were the story. You can't turn the ball over on the road. You can't turn the ball over when you have bad field position. The defense played pretty well early. Obviously it was a bad match up on the outside against Emmanuel Butler, who is a good player. Their quarterback played a lot better than he has played to this point. Well see if he can play that way the rest of the year."
"Our defense was ok, spotty at times. It was better in certain areas. We played better run defense."
"Our offensive front is battling with the losses of Skyler and Chase. You take two starters off any team, including NAU and they don't put 517 yards up. I thought we were within range but we gave up some easy points because of the turnovers in the first half."
"NAU played really well. They were effective at quarterback. I don't think they gave up a sack. They outplayed us in the front on both sides and the score resembles that."
"Our run defense rose back up. We needed to have better run defense and we did. We had some nice drives but just didn't come away with points."
"What is the difference in the game watching both teams throw the ball? Where do they throw the ball? Deep and on the outside. We can't make the play deep and on the outside. We haven't made it yet this year. Mitch made it on the slant and go at the end. Maybe Mitch will be the answer on the outside. We cannot throw the ball deep and on the outside in man coverage."
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