ARCATA — Continuing its tour of the westernmost states, the Humboldt State football team turns around and heads south for Saturday's Great Northwest Athletic Conference game against Azusa Pacific. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Citrus College's stadium in Glendora.

Undeterred by two tough losses to start the season, Humboldt State head coach Rob Smith is looking for a turnaround, and believes his team will emerge from its growing pains much improved.

"There's no substitute for experience," Smith said. "We know the talent is there, but we're still very young. At one time I looked up last Saturday and saw four true freshman in at the same time on offense."

The Lumberjacks bring a 0-2 overall record into the week and are 0-1 in the GNAC. Azusa Pacific opened its season with a 38-17 loss to NCAA Division II perennial powerhouse Grand Valley State (Mich.). The Cougars bounced back with a 36-20 road win over GNAC opponent Dixie State.
 
"(Azusa Pacific) competed well against Grand Valley State, then handled Dixie State," Smith said. "They're a program that has made rapid progress. They play with a lot of confidence."

Head-to-Head
During the 26-year history of APU vs. HSU match-ups, the Lumberjacks have won 17 games while falling seven times. The Lumberjacks have won five straight, all during Smith's tenure as head coach. …Last year's series was a clear indicator of the Cougars' rapid ascent. After losing to the Jacks, in Redwood Bowl, 42-17, in the season's second game, Azusa Pacific fell just short in a 24-20 nail-biter in Glendora later in the season.

On-the-Air
Humboldt State football can be once again heard over the airwaves on KATA, 1340 AM, the North Coast's ESPN radio affiliate. Former Lumberjack player and BiCoastal Media Sports Director J.B. Mathers describes the action and HSU Hall-of-Famer Burt Nordstrom adds commentary. Airtime is 5:45 p.m. The broadcast will also be streamed live at http://socialstreamingplayer.crystalmedianetworks.com/radio/kataam.

Streaming Video
This week's Lumberjack action can be viewed live online on the Cougars' network at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/apu.portal#. Live statistics will also be available at the same website.

Injury Report
Any positive news from the HSU training room lately is still tempered with uncertainty. Most prominent is the status of running back Nick Ricciardulli, who is making steady progress in his attempt to return from a knee injury suffered in the first series of the season-opener two weeks ago. Still, Ricciardulli is highly unlikely to see the field this week. …Two players who missed the Portland State game – offensive tackle Jonathan Rowe and running back Daniel Wyatt – remain out for an undetermined amount of time. …Gianni Olivas, a bright spot for the Jacks at strong safety, went down with a knee injury during Saturday's game and is awaiting further evaluation.

GNAC Glance
Saturday's Games: Azusa Pacific 36 at Dixie State 20;  Western Oregon 7 at Central Washington 20;  Humboldt State 6 at Portland State 43. 

This Week: Humboldt State at Azusa Pacific, 6:30 p.m.; Simon Fraser at Central Washington, 1 p.m.; Dixie State at Western Oregon, 1 p.m. 

Polls: AFCA (Sept. 16) – No GNAC team is ranked. D2Football.Com (Sept. 10) – No GNAC team is ranked.

Lumberjack Notes
HSU's defense displayed its potential in the first half against the nation's No. 1 NCAA Division I FCS offense, holding Portland State to 13 points. And despite being stung by the Vikings' passing game in the second half, the Jacks recovered four fumbles, all in critical situations.  Offensive opportunities were missed, however, with the Jacks' four visits to the redzone only resulting in a pair of Matt Bruder field goals. …Bruder, a junior who is 15-21 on field goal attempts in his HSU career, had two of his four attempts blocked Saturday. He didn't get a chance to add to his extra point totals, which remains the Humboldt State all-time best at 88. He has only failed to convert a PAT twice. …Voted by the coaching staff as Offensive Player of the Week is freshman wide receiver Chase Krivashei, who was selected for the second straight time. In only his second collegiate game, Krivashei hauled in 12 receptions, tying him for sixth in the Lumberjacks' record book for catches in a single game. …Selected as Defensive Player of Week was linebacker Andrew Feaster, who has been moved into a starting slot for this week's game. Special Teams Player of the Week was Travis Hansen, while Keaton Engel earned Offensive Scout honors and Shane Pinson was recognized as Defensive Scout of the Week. …Leaning heavily on their passing game with Ricciardulli and Wyatt out of action, the Lumberjacks are counting on junior quarterback Kyle Morris even more than expected. Besides completing 24-48 passes for 224 yards, Morris led the rushing game with 98 yards gained, but only netted 53 after being sacked six times by the Vikings' defense. "Kyle has played very well, but we still would like him to settle in the pocket longer," Smith said. "Of course, he needs good pass protection to achieve that, and with our overall inexperience that takes time. Three of our offensive lineman have had a total of two starts in their career."

Opponent Notes
Running back Terrell Watson has been the Cougars' primary offensive weapon, rushing the ball 47 times for 339 net yards in two games. The 6-2, 230-pound junior tops the GNAC in rushing with 169.5 yards per game, and total offense with 182.5 per contest. … Placekicker Jamie Cacciatore, booted a 52-yard  field goal in APU's win over Dixie State,  equaling the third longest in GNAC history. … Linebacker Sean Barber led the Azusa defense in the Cougars' big win with eight tackles and a fumble recovery.  Defensive end Matt Moody had two of APU's five QB sacks. … Azusa Pacific University is in the third and final year of its transition to NCAA Division II. APU was granted provisional membership following the 2012-13 academic year, but is not yet eligible for postseason competition.

Smith Says
"We're playing the only other NCAA Division II team in the state, and that makes it a rival game. It's also a homecoming of sorts for our players, many of whom are from Southern California. It's an opportunity for their friends and family to come out and see them play." …"Making long trips and going on the road two weeks in a row is something we must handle at Humboldt State, and we have successfully dealt with that over the years." … "There is so much parity in this conference, everybody is in the race for a championship. We now have nine straight league games to play. (The title) is there for anyone to claim."