Northern Arizona fires football coach Chris Ball after 5 seasons
Northern Arizona coach Chris Ball watches a replay during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Arizona, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Tucson, Ariz. Northern Arizona has fired football coach Chris Ball after five seasons. The school announced Ball's contract would not be renewed on Monday, Nov. 20, two days after the Lumberjacks beat Eastern Washington 49-42. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Northern Arizona has fired football coach Chris Ball after five seasons.
The school announced Ball's contract would not be renewed on Monday, two days after the Lumberjacks beat Eastern Washington 49-42.
Ball was hired in 2018 to replace Jerome Souers, who stepped down after 21 seasons. He served as Memphis' defensive coordinator the previous season in a long career that included stops at Arizona State, Washington State and Alabama.
NAU had some successes under Ball, including the program's first win over a Pac-12 opponent against Arizona in 2021. The Lumberjacks weren't able to win consistently, finishing with a winning record once by going 3-2 during the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season.
NAU went 5-6 overall and 5-3 to finish tied for fourth in the Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks went 20-30 under Ball.
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