NAU football spring game
environment, unfamiliar faces. Additionally, he hadn’t played a down of competitive football in over a year.
Despite his introverted and often unspoken nature, Cookus’ quiet confidence and outspoken ability quickly earned him respect in the Lumberjacks’ camp.
“He’s got that charismatic charm that people follow,” said Jason Brown, his high school offensive coordinator. “Everyone is looking at him and his demeanor reflects onto the team.”
Added NAU head coach Jerome Souers: “I think as a freshman he was a little hesitant (as a leader). He took on more and through his leadership and inserting his competitiveness into his teammates, he makes our offense a better unit and can make our whole team better.”
Souers and the coaching staff thought so highly of Cookus that they anointed him as the first true freshman to start an opener for NAU since Jason Murrietta in 2003.
He responded by throwing a 57-yard touchdown to his soon-to-be favorite When: 2 p.m. Saturday. Where: Walkup Skydome, Flagstaff. TV: FSAZ. target, Emmanuel Butler, on the opening drive and finished with 267 yards, three touchdowns, no turnovers and, most important, a win on the road at Stephen F. Austin.
This trend of dismantling defenses would not only continue, but soon became expected.
The freshman standout threw 37 touchdowns — most in the Football Championship Subdivision division — and tallied 3,111 passing yards and just five interceptions, numbers that earned him the Jerry Rice Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding FCS freshman.
“As soon as I got the chance to throw with Case, I knew he would be a great football player,” Butler said. “I truly believe we’ve got the best quarterback in the nation, bar none.”
FCS pundits agreed, and for the first time in school history NAU was projected to win the Big Sky Conference going into the 2016 season.
Instead, just four weeks into his sophomore year, Cookus landed on the same right shoulder that hindered him back at Ventura, ending his season and NAU’s conference title hopes in one crushing blow.
Once again, Cookus faced another hurdle, but according to his father, Steve, those hurdles have served as springboards throughout Case’s entire career.
“If it wasn’t for his ‘setbacks’ he wouldn’t be where he is today,” Steve Cookus said.
“He’s had to overcome a lot, but in a way he is very fortunate.”
After undergoing two surgeries this offseason — one for his shoulder and the other to remove his tonsils — Cookus is back leading the offense in spring practice. He looks as sharp as ever and is settling into a new offensive playbook with first-year offensive coordinator Brian Sheppard.