It was awesome to see Ammon Allen and Nikhil Webb-Walker make their returns to the field last week.

Allen is a team senior captain linebacker and came back from a torn ACL and dislocated knee sustained in spring 2025. In his return he recorded 9 tackles and a big time 4th down stop.

Webb-Walker, a senior d-lineman transferred from Colorado. He defeated lymphoma after completing chemotherapy in early 2025, only to break his foot right before NAU's fall camp.

Watching these games so far this season has been an emotional roller coaster, but if someone told me we would roll into the Montana State game at 3-1, I would sign up for that in a second.

Coach Wright and this staff deserve serious credit for how this team with a ton of lost production have been able to put together wins this season in different ways. This transfer class has had some big hits, some young guys getting action show a lot of potential, and while there are many things to clean up on defense, I am pleasantly surprised with Trenton Greene as new DC improving takeaways but that is an inconsistent statistic so hopefully with time the yards given up improves.

Here are my main takeaways so far --

1. The First 4 Games:

• Eastern Washington (34-27 W): They had us in the first half ngl, but the 21-point deficit was ridiculous. Freshman Graves’ 100-yard kickoff return flipped the momentum entirely and ignited the comeback. Pennington putting together that methodical 4th-and-goal game-winner proved his value as a veteran leader on this offense.
• @ Arizona (7-35 L): This was no suprise, we know the trenches were outmatched despite the attempt to beef up our lines in the offseason. Hopefully, we see progress on this issue next year. I'm not sure much more needs to be said given the negative rushing yards and 5 sacks. Props to the defense though for getting 3 turnovers in our own territory and big shoutout to Flagstaff's own Noble Young-Blackgoat taking a pick-six 36 yards for our only points!
• Incarnate Word (38-28 W): I hate watching the D give up 606 yards BUT per, but snagging six takeaways helped a lot... also watching big D-Lineman Jordan Pigram rumble 47 yards on a scoop-and-score was nice.
• @ Utah Tech (35-23 W): Defense suffocated them to 14 yards in the 1st quarter, Pennington looked like his vintage self throwing for 311 yards. Good get right game before Montana St.

2. The Positives:

• Defense Getting Takeaways: New Defensive Coordinator Greene’s unit is tied for 1st in the FCS with 12 takeaways. Freeman has been playing awesome at nickel (earned Big Sky Player of the Week after UIW), Jahaad Fort is always around the ball, and Noble Young-Blackgoat’s fantastic transition from safety to linebacker after being a walk-on and earning Big Sky All-Academic honors is an awesome story.
• Gossett and Stone: Quran Gossett gave us two 100-yard games , but Stone stepping up with 4 TDs and 138 total yards over the last 2 weeks has diversified the ground attack. Stone averaged 8.2 YPC against Utah Tech .
• Pennington & Currie Connection: After a quiet first few weeks passing, Myseth Currie went for 117 yards . We don't want to take star tight end Jeter Purdy for granted as he is demanding attention over the middle, which opens up space for Currie and Darius Haskin with single coverage down the sidelines.
• Special Teams: Francisco Orduno Jr. drilled a 55-yarder against UIW and true freshman Graves’ kickoff return makes me excited for his future with the Jacks.

3. My Concerns

• Offensive Line: The unit has dealt with injuries (Jury’s ankle, Johnson missing time) and it showed against Arizona and UIW with 8 sacks across 2 weeks. They played much better against Utah Tech, but I fear Montana State's pass rush may be decisive.
• Third Downs: 2-for-12 on 3rd down vs Incarnate Word is not good enough.
• Pennington’s INTs: Ty is the leader on offense no doubt and is solid general on the field, but he has thrown an interception in 4 straight games.

Next Week vs #1 Montana State

The defending national champions and NAU have a national TV slot. Against a team like this, the turnovers will be lethal, so hopefully the staff reinforce clean ball handling this week.

I think if the defensive line can make enough stops in the run game, O-Line can get just hold its own for long enough, and Pennington takes care of the football enough to get it into Purdy's .. and with a little magic THEN some a big win is coming for the Jacks.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Have y'all been watching the games, or even better, been to any so far... how were they?

Any hot takes on the future of the season? What about how the team has been so far or predictions for the Bobcats game?

Edit: Next week's game is in fact in Montana unfortunately

First, I want to say, I'm sorry Minutemen fans. I actually always root for UMass and will be rooting for ya'll tonight and during the MACtion this year.

Second... Oh My Lawd...

I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was this bad. They used to be a consistent, formidable force, but their FBS transition has been an unmitigated disaster.

Back when they were in the FCS as a member of the Atlantic-10 , UMass consistently fielded teams finishing above .500. Through the 2000s, they were a legit powerhouse. They took home the FCS Championship under Mark Whipple and were a top-15 program under Don Brown. Even when they moved to the CAA, which was a high-tier FCS conference, they managed to hold their own with a respectable 6-6 average.

Then came 2012...The move up to the FBS and the MAC.

The program has been absolutely horrible ever since. Their overall record since 2012 is 26-134 aka a win % of 0.163.

The admins tried to fix it by bringing back the architects of their glory days. Both Whipple and Brown returned for second stints during this last 14 years, but both were flummoxed. 2025 was an rock bottom...as the Minutemen went 0-12 under Joe Harasymiak in their first year.

With all that said, I'm excited to see what they do this year. UMass was not penalized much last year and very young. This year Joe has "his" guys and QB "Pop" Watson III (Virginia Tech transfer) has moxy. In their first game against Rutgers this season Joe has some insight against the Scarlett Knights as he was the former DC for them.

I was curious, why has UMass failed where other teams that transitioned have fared much better?

Is it all to blame on the Athletic Department? Lack of money? or just plain bad luck?

EDIT: This team has hope!!

EDIT2: What? 3 touchdowns?? Forced Fumble??? This couldn't be fathomed after losing 44-10 to Akron last year

I recently joined a new firm as a 2nd year associate at a smaller office of a Midwest AmLaw200 firm and essentially filled the vacancy left by an associate of my same year. They worked with the exact partners I do, and does all of my same tasks based on what I see in the database.

It has been 6 months now and I’ve gotten familiar with the practice group of 6 people …. And the less endearing traits and practices of partners… essentially grinding culture but make it look easy, so don’t bill too much to make us unaffordable or take PTO; Partners absent from office but expect more FaceTime; curt emails about timing over the weekend; etc. (ik typical and they’re by far not the worst bosses at all but I’m already anxious about my work but that’s not the point lol). Anyways, it turns my friends who know were their friend say they had grievances with the partners too and ultimately left after a year for a bigger paycheck.

It’s not a big city and we are of the same age and in the same practice so we share some mutual friends, though we haven't personally met yet. I am tempted to reach out to them on LinkedIn to introduce myself, and connect. Genuinely would at least just like to know how they managed their workload and do better at my job, or know how to handle some pressures better… mutual venting to someone who gets it would be nice but truly not the main thing. Some people have said be careful, don’t text, try to call, etc. I’m new to this law world, I’m just wondering if it’s okay to do this and how careful I should be? And if it would be okay to just say, hey let’s get lunch sometime.

EDIT: Appreciate the responses, seems to be mixed. I'll add that I am pretty sure that she is not close with the partners or team and my friends mentioned they would often share complaints about the partners.

What a game! What a comeback from 24-3 to 27-34!! A few thoughts but interested in what everyone else thinks.

First, shout out to Eastern Washington for a valiant effort and your Quarterback Nate Bell who passed for 307 yards with 2 TDs / 1 INT, which isn't representative of how he kept plays alive on his scrambles or release the ball so frustratingly quick. Ultimately, you had us in the first half but I think the lack of adjustment's to NAU's offensive approach was your achilles heal.

Second, I think the defense has improved so much from last year. We consistently got the Eagles' offense in long 3rd downs; they just converted them in the first half. I am still concerned about the D-Line's run defense and their pass rush (though credit has to be given to Nate Bell's quick release and escape ability) ... that said Ziggy Loa with the clutch sack was awesome.

Third, I have mixed feelings about the offense. The good side was that they adjusted and found their footing when they began to target their tight ends, especially Purdy; who many of us figured was going to be the key to this offense. Also, Gossett's ability to keep his legs churning and Pennington's underrated ability to scramble was absolutely crucial for those key conversions. The bad side was that our receivers just did not get any separation. It's game 1 so who can say if the Eagles' secondary is that good or not, but that was clearly an issue.

Last, HUGE thank you to Freshman NAU's Lindsey Graves whose 100-yard kickoff return for a TD changed the momentum of the game and sparked the comeback. I think the RB room is strong already, but he made the special teams, SPECIAL.

QB Ty Pennington	164 passing, 2 passing TDs
RB Quran Gossett	103 rushing yards
WR Jeter Purdy	105 receiving yards
DE Ziggy Loa	1 Sack
CB Jahaad Ford	1 INT

Hello Lumberjacks, Friends, and Future Fans! The 2026 Season is underway and below is the latest information on the team. A LOT has changed in the offseason and especially in this era of NIL and transfer portal, we wanted to give NAU fans a place to catch up on the state of the team. So please check it out and leave any comments or tell us if something below is wrong. Thanks!

🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙2026 STATE OF THE PROGRAM🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙

HEAD COACH: Brian Wright. In his 3rd year, Wright is 15-10 and is known for his offensive mind. His spread scheme roots from his Toledo days and he known for attacking defenses with five‑wide sets, while incorporating heavy formations at times to pound the ball.

NAU PROGRAM: Wright took over a Northern Arizona program that had gone 3‑8 in 2022 and 5‑6 in 2023 (about 4 wins per year), making them a mid‑tier program in the Big Sky. Prior to Wright, NAU averaged ~190 rushing yards in 2024. In year one, NAU went 8‑5, first playoff berth since 2017, 5‑0 at home and 13 All‑Conference selections; QB Ty Pennington (transfer from Pittsburg State) was Big Sky Newcomer of the Year with just one INT and 2k+ passing yards. Year two they slipped to 7‑5 and 4‑4 in league play; the season ended with a 48‑28 loss to Weber State where NAU was out‑gained 474‑303 and gave up 197 rushing yards, a reminder that the defense (multiple fronts under DC Adam Clark) can be gashed despite ranking 15th nationally in points allowed in 2024. Some critics say Wright’s teams can be streaky (2024 playoff shutout vs. Abilene Christian, 2025 late‑season slide) and he hasn’t yet pushed NAU past the conference’s Montana schools.

On the positive side, Recruiting has trended up.... a mid‑pack 2022 class (80.85 composite) gave way to a 2026 class that 247Sports rated the program’s best ever and No. 3 in FCS. Wright’s track record shows he lifts offenses: at Pitt State he inherited a 6‑5 team and delivered a 33‑8 run with back‑to‑back MIAA titles, and his Toledo offense led the MAC in total and scoring offense in 2017, ranking 19th and 14th nationally. He even went 4‑0 as FAU’s interim coach, turning a 2‑6 start into 6‑6 and coaching QB Jaquez Johnson to C‑USA Newcomer of the Year.

🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙 2026 SEASON ROSTER 🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙🝙

OVERALL- NAU brings back just 25% of their production but secured the 15th-ranked transfer portal class to patch holes on a defense that struggled heavily last year.

OFFENSE -

Quarterback:

QB1: Ty Pennington (SR)🔥 from Pittsburg St. / viewed as a consistent, calming presence for the offense / Elite efficiency in 2025 [3,116 passing, 19 TDs / 4 INTs. + 200 rushing 2 rush TDs]. His 1.6% turnover-worthy play rate was fantastic while his 7 turnover-worthy plays vs 10th-most big-time throws was among the best for FCS QBs. He was named the 2024 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, but followed that up with an even better season in 2025, in which he was named an All-Big Sky honorable mention. This team's success is tied with Pennington's own.

Backup QB: Tak Tateoka (former St. Thomas (MN) transfer) (RS-JR)) but played in 18 games for the Tommies, including a solid freshman season that saw him earn a spot on the Jerry Rice Award watch list; QB Donivan Dixon (FR); QB: Hayden Fletcher (FR)

Running backs: Preston Mays is the new Running Backs coach. Mays spent the last 6 years at Air Force Prep, including a stint as OC, before taking this role which is his 1st college job. If anyone has anything to add to his background it would be appreciated. There is work to do with top rusher graduating and no. 2 Seth Cromwell transferring to JMU.

RB1: Quran Gossett (Returner) He may lead the rushing attack after ranking 2nd on the team with 380 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs last year. He was really starting to find his rhythm, scoring a touchdown in his final four games, but unfortunately, he missed the last two games due to an injury. If he can return to full strength, the Lumberjacks have a proven leader to turn to as the new pieces gel early in the season.

-RB: Kenveon Stone (Returner) Stone played nine games as a freshman in 2025, averaging 6.7 yards per carry in limited carries.

-RB: Jon Wilson (RS-SO) (returns) He was productive at the NAIA level at Arizona Christian, rushing for 434 yards and 7 TDs on only 50 carries.

-RB: Kayvion Sibley [transfers in from Riverside City College at the JUCO level] He earned first-team SCFA Southern League honors, rushing for 1,033 yards and 10 TDs. He also led the CCCAA in yards per carry, averaging 9.5 yards per rush. As an aside, I heard from a redditor that watched him, that he was really good in person!

- RB: Jonathan Coar (FR) (JUCO - San Bernardino Valley College) 5’11” 205 lbs; 3 star prospect in class o 2025; one year at JUCO

- RB: Lindsey Graves (FR) from Clovis, CA // 5-10 / 180 [1 of 4 NAU's 2026 3 star recruits] who could push into the rotation with a strong fall camp. Coar earned unanimous first-team SCFA Pacific League honors last year.

Offensive line: Lost starter OT Seth Smith to Southern Carolina; This may be the biggest question for Northern Arizona entering the 2026 season. The Lumberjacks will have to replace every full-time starter on the offensive line.

OT: Evan Haines (FR). Haines is from Broomfield, CO and is 6-7 / 305. He is 1 of 4 NAU 2026 3-star recruits.

OL: Sione Perkins (Iowa State) = No.2 prospect in Idaho also; 6' 9"; former 3 star prospect a promising prospect after redshirting at Iowa State in 2025. From High School he was the No. 2 player coming out of Idaho in the 2025 class.

OL: Camden Jury (RS-FR) (Utah St.). He is 6' 7", 310 lbs and an Arizona native. He saw limited action for the Aggies, but has the versatility to play tackle or guard.

OL: Corey Johnson (RS-SO) (6-2, 295) He is the only OL returner who played more than 100 snaps last season. Johnson started three games playing 182 snaps for NAU.

OL: Brady Bakke (RS-SO) (6-6, 290) Bakke is a returner and started one game against UC Davis.

OL: Travis Gutierrez (6-1, 265) (Drake) TG earned second-team All-PFL honors after starting 12 games at center.

OT: KT Carter 🔥 (Hawaii transfer) (6-4, 285): leads a strong influx of portal linemen. 3 star prospect spent; 2 years at Hawaii. He was a backup offensive tackle for Hawai'i, but was a highly touted 3-star prospect and ranked as the No. 4 OT in Arizona coming out of high school.

OT: Carter Lavrusky (RS-FR) (Kansas) (6-6, 320). He us a Arizona native and 3-star transfer from Kansas. He should compete for one of the starting jobs at offensive tackle.

Receivers and TEs: It is a big loss to have Kolbe Katsis go to the NFL. The big question mark for the Lumberjacks is to replace their Top 3 wide receivers, including All-American Kolbe Katsis, with over 1,000 yards and 10 TDs.

WR: Joey Stout (SR) -- NAU's top WR returner after playing roughly 270 snaps last year. He ended the year with 224 receiving yards on 24 receptions. He started six games, but missed the final two games due to an injury. Stout is a solid option, but the Lumberjacks needed to find some players to elevate the ceiling of this room.

WR: Darius Haskin = (D-II Rocky Mountain College) All-Conference honoree last year who led the Frontier Conference in receiving yards per game last year. In only 7 games, he totaled 861 receiving yards and 10 TDs on 45 receptions. He's a really good route runner and should find a big role for the Lumberjacks.

WR: Jaxon Williams (D-II Benedict College).

WR: Khalil Bender (RS-FR) (from Mesa, AZ) This player is 6-0 / 165. He is 1 of 4 NAU 2026 3 star recruits.

WR: Deuce Zimmerman (Western New Mexico transfer) was a two-time first-team All-LSC selection. He had 44 receptions for 676 receiving yards and 10 receiving TDs in only six games last year, plus he brings 20 games of experience to this unit. I don't expect Zimmerman to have any growing pains at the Division I level. He has real All-Big Sky potential in this offense.

WR: Jaxen Robinson (#85) is a former high school QB transitioned to tight end and spent the year redshirting so maybe a trick play sometime for him? Gabe Sema is a new HS recruit who in High school had 245 yards and 3 TDs and was a team captain.////who is a two-time HBCU All-American honorable mention. He's more of a special teams weapon with 1,242 kick return yards and 4 kick return TDs over the past two years. He did take a big step as a receiver last year, but he could develop into a versatile weapon in certain packages.

WR: Myseth Currie (RS-JR) is one player who the Lumberjacks would love to see take a big step, even if it's just as a rotational player at wide receiver. He had a spectacular Hail Mary catch for a TD against Incarnate Word last season, which made SportsCenter's Top 10 plays.

Tight Ends:

TE1: Jeter Purdy (RS-SO)🔥 Freshman All-American. appeared in all 12 games, started 5, 415 yards and 2 Touchdowns .,,, averaged 14.3 yards per reception , no one single amazing game aside Idaho but was consistent all year... Clearly solidified himself as TE1.

TE: Isaiah Gerena (#88) didn't play in '25 due to Medical Redshirt/Injury)... but in 2024 he had 115 yards and in '22, went for 232 yards and 2 TDs. He is my vote for TE2 if he is healthy.....good veteran

TE: Nason Coleman (#15) In '25 had 2 receptions , 7 yards and 1 TD. He was a BYU transfer and mostly a blocker in jumbo packages but we need blockers so that's good too...

TE: Hayden Daugherty (#82): In '25 had 11 catches 87 yards.

DEFENSE: Trenton Greene new DC and safeties coach comes to Flagstaff from Montana State, the reigning 2025 FCS champion, where he was the Bobcats’ cornerbacks coach. His defensive background includes time as Syracuse GA, ASU and WSU defensive analyst, Nevada quality-control, and Missouri Southern State safeties coach.

Defensive Line: Biggest mystery on the defense is the D-Line, led by new coach Kendall Coleman who was named the new DL coach. Coleman comes from Texas A&M–Kingsville and previously Syracuse. He is a Syracuse alum who coached at his alma mater (offense and defense roles) and at Texas A&M–Kingsville, bringing familiarity with Coach Greene’s system and strong pass-rushing credentials. .

DT: Braeden Kaczmarek (returner) the only returner with over 200 snaps played last year

DT: JaSire Peterson ( UAB transfer)

DT: Simi Campbell (JUCO) to reinforce the interior defensive line. Peterson played in six games for the Blazers last season, but at 6-4, 290, he has the size to find a bigger role for the Lumberjacks if he can put it all together in fall camp. There's also Colorado State transfer Jackson Murray, who redshirted last season, but is the former Arizona Northeast Valley Region Defensive Player of the Year.

DL: Dom Rausch (returner) played just under 130 snaps for the Lumberjacks.

DL: Jordan Pigram (transferred in from Northwest Missouri State) -- This guy has some serious potential. He was a third-team All-MIAA selection, with 18 tackles, 7 TFLs, and 6.5 sacks in 12 games last season.

DL: Jackson Murray - (JUCO Horizon University). He was a former JUCO Defensive Player of the Year

DL: Ziggy Loa 🔥 (UL Monroe) played nearly 100 snaps at Louisiana-Monroe last year, grading out very well in his limited action. He's also a former JUCO standout at Tyler JC, where he had 58 tackles, 10 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks

DL: Erimi Oshewa (JUCO - Diablo Valley) he played in 16 games over two years with 40 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, and 4 sacks.

EDGE: Erimi Oshewa (JR) (JUCO)

EDGE: Nikhil Webb Walker (SR) 🔥 (Colorado transfer). He has a high ceiling. He started his career at New Mexico State, where he played over 300 snaps and was a productive starter for the Aggies with 23 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks. He has all the tools at 6-6, 275, to be a force off the edge, along with the size to move inside in certain defensive packages.

Linebackers: Having Ramere Davis transfer to ASU is a major loss.

LB: Ammon Allen (RS-SR) (returner) returning after missing last season with an injury he suffered in spring practices. In 2024, he was an All-Big Sky honorable mention and finished the year with 63 total tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks. He brings a real veteran presence to this defense, which is huge as the Lumberjacks look to have all these new pieces gel quickly.

LB: Matthew Cooks (RS-SR) (Texas southern/JUCO) [3 star transfer] portal addition to fill the linebacker void. was a big-time addition, especially after his breakout season with the Tigers. He started 11 games last year, posting 75 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 3 PBUs, and 2 fumble recoveries. NAU also added Rocky Jack from Cerritos College, where he had 76 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 1 INT, and 2 sacks in 11 games.

LB: Bryson Torrie (D-II CSU Pueblo transfer) was an All-RMAC honorable mention last season, leading his team with 81 tackles in 12 games. He also offers coverage upside with 3 INTs and 3 PBUs, while scoring 3 defensive TDs.

LB: Josh Hopphaus (D-II Western New Mexico) where he had 40 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 1 sack in 10 games last year.

LB: Malaki Te'o (Coastal Carolina) but could be someone to watch entering fall camp. He was a highly-touted 3-star prospect out of Mater Dei, plus performed very well at the JUCO level before seeing limited action for the Chanticleers last year.

Secondary: The departure of Michael Hurst Jr. to Cal who I considered our best secondary player last year is a major loss.

DB: Jahaad Fort (RS-JR) (returner) This returner played really well in his first season with NAU and didn't allow a TD in nearly 200 coverage snaps.

DB: Michael Beresford (JR) (returner) He has the ability to play corner or nickel, but had a solid season with 30 tackles, 2 INTs, 3 PBUs, and 2 FFs.

CB: Deliyon Freeman (tr-JR) (Hawaii) 17 TOT 1 PD in 2 years. He saw action in 18 games, with two starts, at the FBS level and should push for a significant role next season.

DB: Aundre Gibson (RS-FR) (Kansas). P-4 transfer with high ceiling but has recorded no tackles.

DB: Nijrell Eason II (RS-FR) (UNLV). Though he has no stats. He was a three-star HS prospect and the No. 6 HS prospect coming out of Arizona in the class of 2024.

DB: Braylon Singleton (tr-SO) Singleton is likely to earn more playing time after seeing action in 6 games as a true freshman last year.

DB: Diego Oliver (Missouri Southern)

DB: Jerry Johnson III (RS-FR) He recorded 17 tackles and 1.5 TFLs in just under 200 snaps, but found his way into the rotation late in the season and had some of his best performances.

S: Isaiah Sensabaugh (RS-FR) This player is from Sherman Oaks, CA. He is 5-11 / 190. He is 1 of 4 NAU 2026 3 star recruits.

FS: Shyuab Brinkley (RS-SR) (McNeese) ranked as a top 3 safety in the hosts' positional rankings..... Started all 12 games at free safety in 2025...Phil Steele Southland All-Conference Third Team...81 TOT / 4.5 TFLs / 1 sack / 3 INTs

one of the most impactful FCS-to-FCS transfers of the offseason... played over 652 snaps for the Cowboys last season, earning third-team All-SLC honors from Phil Steele after recording 81 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1 sack, and 3 INTs. He projects as an instant starter and has All-Big Sky upside with another productive season.

S: Shahid Wilson (returner) limited to 4 games due to injury. He graded out very well in his four appearances and should be able to take a bigger role if he's fully healthy going into next season.

It appears our former Guard Donovan Dent, who also started 3 years at New Mexico) is reversing his retirement to apply for a 5th year of eligibility. The recent NCAA rule changes made this extra season possible.

Thoughts on this and where he might land next?

I don't understand. Why did Tyler Callihan not start against the Dodgers last night? He was hot coming off that amazing performance the night before, in which he was 2-for-2, 2 2 walks, and 2 Home Runs. The first one was a 427-foot bomb off Shohei Ohtani of all people and his second was a 3-run homer that saved the Buccos!

He was the reason they had that awesome comeback and without Griffen or Cruz playing, it's all the more reason to get him out there.

Is there something I'm missing?? or is Don Kelly just blind.

George Washington University Football?

Yes, GWU did have a football team. I was as surprised as you. The Revolutionaries were formerly the "Hatchetites" before becoming the "Colonials" and they existed from 1881 to 1966. Below are a few brief facts I learned while going down this rabbit hole, which I thought I'd share since I always thought it would be cool if Washington D.C. was properly represented in College Football.

🝙🝙🝙HISTORY🝙🝙🝙

1930s and 1950s they regularly played top-level competition. The team's home field in the final 6 seasons was the District of Columbia Stadium. Two notable years include 1932 and 1956.

In 1932 they played several notables games including, a victory over Iowa, 21–6, a 7-7 tie against Oklahoma, 7–7, and then a loss against Alabama 28–6.

1956 was their most successful and memorable season. GW made and won their only ever Bowl Game in 1956: The Sun Bowl. The 17th-ranked Colonials took on the 9–1 Texas Western aka UTEP. The Colonials shut out UTEP 13–0, on New Year's Day to finish their most successful season with an 8–1 record. GW ended the season 8–1–1. the lone defeat came against WVU

In 1967, the board of trustees sadly voted to end the football program. GW decided to use the football program's funding to build a new field house for the basketball team. Poor game attendance and the expense of the program contributed to the decision. A former GW player, Harry Ledford, believed that most people were unwilling to commute into Washington, D.C., which did not have metrorail at the time, on Friday nights to D.C. Stadium (later RFK), was perceived as an unsafe area. Additionally, Maryland and Virginia were nationally competitive teams that drew potential suburban spectators away from GW.

All-Time Record: 217–252–37 (.465) and 1-0 in bowl games.

🝙🝙🝙CONFERENCE🝙🝙🝙

GW was part of the "Southern Conference" from 1941 to 1966. GW joined when most of the SEC teams left to join the SEC, but the Southern Conference still included Clemson, UNC, NC State, Maryland, Washington and Lee, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, WMI, Duke, Wake Forest, Furman, Richmond, W&M, Citadel, Davidson. This existed for some time until many of the members joined the new ACC. However, GW remained in the conference, which saw West Virginia and ECU join.

GW is now part of the Atlantic-10 for Basketball. The A-10 stopped sponsoring football in 2006. The A-10 members/affiliates playing basketball in the conference, are now in other conferences for football:

UMass (MAC as a full member in 2025)

Duquesne (Northeast, FCS)

Davidson (Pioneer Football League, FCS)

Dayton (Pioneer Football League, FCS)

Fordham University (Patriot League, FCS)

Rhode Island (Coastal Athletic Association, FCS)

Richmond (Coastal Athletic Association, FCS)

🝙🝙🝙BEST FORMER PLAYERS/COACHES🝙🝙🝙

- QB: Andy Davis. 1948 to 1951 recorded 3,587 passing yards and 1,416 rushing yards.

- QB/RB: Garry Lyle 1964 - 1966.... starting as tailback but switching to QB....one of the first African Americans to play QB at a mostly white school... After injury, he continued as placekicker. All Conference Player....went on to play safety in NFL for the Bears... after being a 3rd round pick.... played for seven years. was GW's last NFL draftee.

- RB: Alphonse "Tuffy" Leemans. 1933 to 1935, set school records with 1,054 single-season rushing yards, 2,382 career rushing yards, 207 single-season carries, and 490 career carries. After college, he became a two-time All-NFL player for the New York Giants and was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

- C: Steve Korcheck was named 1953 Southern Conference Player of the Year

- HC Eugene "Bo" Sherman was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 1953

-RB: Dick Drummond 1961 - 1963, rushed for 1,814 yards and was 2x All-Southern Conference.

TLDR: Are there websites, blogs, or online communities that provide honest thoughts/commentary on my specific legal community?

Recently I was listening to the founder of Above the Law, David Lat, on the founding of the website and its predecessor Underneath Their Robes. By his telling, Lat was motivated to create these sites to fill the niche for candid, irreverent perspectives on the inner workings of the Federal Judiciary. I appreciate what Above the Law has become, shedding light on taboo topics like salary and promotions, but it has moved away from the niche of providing the niche insight into a particular legal role.

Is there any website like David Lat's old website? I recently moved to a new city and smaller legal market, and now I feel like I am behind on the reputations and history behind various attorneys and firms.