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Story & Photos by Kevin
Pakos for Arizona Sports Network Radio. Posted
6/30/17
Team first. A lot of players say this many times
in their football careers. To play quarterback
in college, a lot of things have to go your way.
Each year there are over three hundred thousand
high school seniors playing. Around twenty
thousand will play make a college team as a
freshman. Many players will transfer to a new
high school if they cannot be "the man" where they
are at.
The most important year for a QB to be noticed
by college recruiters is their junior year. As a
junior, Case
Cookus knew he wanted to play at a D1 school.
Thousand Oaks High School already had a starter
at the QB position. Case moved to receiver for
his junior season. Returning as the teams QB his
senior season. He played well but did not catch
anyone's attention, even with 20 touchdowns and
two interceptions.
He stayed in California and went to Ventura
Junior College to play but was injured in summer
practice and had to grayshirt. Prior to
returning to Ventura to play his freshman year
at Ventura CC, Case attended a summer camp at
Northern Arizona University, the coaches liked
what they saw and within two weeks he was in
Flagstaff working in the Lumberjacks summer
practices.
The kid that walks around the NAU campus with a
Batman backpack has performed more than a few
super hero feats on the field. Since I am going
to present the entire interview in audio format,
I will cover some of his hi-lights here. Among
them are these awards won his freshman season.
He was 2015 FCS STATS National Freshman of the
Year. College Football Performance Awards CFPA
National Performer of the year, CFPA Frosh of
Year, CFPA QB Award, Walter Camp All American
Third Team, STATS FCS All American Third Team,
Associate Press FCS, All American, College
Sporting News 2015 Fabulous Fifty, FCS All
American & College Sports Madness All American
First Team. There were many more.
BatFaq: Case Cookus is only the second
quarterback in NAU history play as a starter as
a true freshman. The other guy was Jason
Murrietta (Ironwood High School in Glendale) in
2003.
BatFaq: He finished his freshman season with a
record setting 37 touchdowns over 3,000 yards
passing and only 5 interceptions. The 37 TD's
were the best in the FCS and won him the Jerry
Rice Trophy given to the most outstanding freshman
in the Football Championship Subdivision.
He was injured early in his sophomore season at
NAU, but will return in 2017 with three years of
eligibility. Because he has been taking summer
classes he is likely to be graduating in the
Spring of 2018.
BatFaq: His freshman year stats were among the
best in the nation at quarterback for all grade
levels. He had two games with seven TD's. His 5
int's were fewest in entire FCS for all QB's
with over 3,000 yards passing.
2017 will be the most challenging season yet.
The Lumberjacks do not have any "breather" teams
on their schedule and the Big Sky teams now have film on
Cookus. But don't be surprised if Case uses his
cast of super hero teammates to make big plays
and win important games.
The kid that no one wanted in 2014 is on
everyone's radar in 2017. To hear the entire
story in his own words, click on the audio
player.
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