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FOR STARTERS: • Utah Tech returns to Greater Zion Stadium on Homecoming Saturday night for a United Athletic Conference match-up against Eastern Kentucky.
• Saturday night's game will be the first-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Colonels on the gridiron. 
• Saturday night's game will also mark the third time in the last four games overall that the Trailblazers will square off against a first-time opponent. 
• Saturday night's game will feature a showdown between the UAC's preseason defensive player of the year in Utah Tech junior DL Syrus Webster, and the conference's preseason offensive player of the year in EKU redshirt senior quarterback Parker McKinney.
• Utah Tech is 7-9 all-time in its NCAA era on Homecoming Weekend, and the Trailblazers have won three of their last five Homecoming games overall. 
• Utah Tech is 1-2 on Homecoming Weekend under Head Coach Paul Peterson, which includes a 48-36 victory over Southern Utah last season (11/5/22), as the Trailblazers were able to hoist the "Battle Ax" to close out the week-long festivities.
• Utah Tech enters Saturday night's game looking to rebound from a hard-fought 31-30 road loss at North Alabama last Saturday in Florence.  
• With the loss at UNA last Saturday, Utah Tech fell to 4-4 all-time in its NCAA era when coming off a bye, 0-3 during its current D-I FCS transition. 
• Meanwhile Eastern Kentucky will look to bounce back after seeing its three-game win streak halted after a narrow non-conference road loss at Gardner-Webb, 35-32, last Saturday night in Boiling Springs, N.C.
 
UTAH TECH ON THE AIR: All Utah Tech home and away games this season are broadcast live on The Fan Sports Network (99.5/95.3 FM in St. George; 93.1 FM/1400 AM in Cedar City; www.thefansportsnetwork.com).
            The "Voice of the Trailblazers" Rod Zundel is in his second season calling the play-by-play action. 
            Utah Tech has also debuted a new 60-minute comprehensive pregame show, and 30-minute post-game show, both of which will air live on the The Fan Sports Network and streamed live on YouTube on the newly created Trailblazer SportsVision (youtube.com/TrailblazerAthletics).
            Along with complete Game Day radio coverage, Zundel hosts the weekly "The Paul Peterson Coaches Show" every Tuesday night on The Fan Sports Network and streamed on Trailblazer Sports
Vision at 6 p.m.
            Joining Zundel in the broadcast booth this season is former Trailblazer wide receiver Deven Osborne, whowill provide color analysis for all home games. 
 
NEW CONFERENCE FOR 2023: Utah Tech began the 2023 season in a new football only league as the established football-only partnership between both the Western Athletic and ASUN conference was rebranded into the new United Athletic Conference. 
            The newly christened UAC currently has nine participating institutions: Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton and Utah Tech. In addition, the conference will officially add UTRGV in the fall of 2025 when it begins sponsorship of football.
            The 2023 UAC schedule will be limited to six conference games among its nine members, while the 2024 schedule will feature a full eight-game single round robin. 
 
THREE BLAZERS EARN PRESEASON ALL-UAC HONORS: Utah Tech had three players voted onto the UAC's debut preseason all-conference team. 
            Junior DL Syrus Webster was tabbed as the preseason UAC Defensive Player of the Year, while he and junior LB Will Leota were voted to the All-UAC Defensive Team.
            Meanwhile, senior WR Rickie Johnson was the lone Blazer listed on the All-UAC Offensive Team. 
 
TWO BLAZERS LAND ON 2023 AWARD WATCH LISTS: In addition to his UAC preseason honor, Webster has been named to the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award preseason watch list. The junior defensive standout was also named to both the 2023 Phil Steele and Blue Bloods All-United Athletic Conference preseason first teams.
            Meanwhile, freshman WR Beau Sparks has been named to the 2023 Jerry Rice FCS National Freshman of the Year Award watch list.
            Sparks is one of three UAC representatives on the 22-player watch list, along with SUU freshman WR Zach Mitchell and SFA CB Aaron Sears. 

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK: Not to be outdone, fifth-year RB Ronnie Walker Jr. and redshirt junior WR Keith Davis were both named to the 2023 Comeback of the Year watch list. 
            The updated watch list, which features 49 college football student-athletes from 42 different schools, is sponsored by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization. 
            Utah Tech is one of seven schools to have multiple selections make the updated list, and is one of only five NCAA Division-I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools represented on the list.
 
O CAPTAINS! MY CAPTAINS!: Utah Tech will take the field in 2023 with four team captains leading the charge. As selected by their teammates, this season's captains are senior offensive lineman Kana'i Eldredge, along with Johnson, Leota and Webster. 
 
TRACY AND SPARKS EARN UAC WEEKLY HONORS: Redshirt junior quarterback Kobe Tracy and Sparks were both honored by the United Athletic Conference on Monday. 
            Tracy was named UAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after he threw for a career-high 397 yards and three touchdowns at North Alabama last Saturday night.
            The junior QB, who also threw for three touchdowns two weeks ago in UT's home win vs. Stephen F. Austin, completed 26-of-40 of his attempts on the night and had five completions of 30 or more yards to four different receivers. 
            Sparks earned his second UAC Freshman of the Week award of the season after caught eight of Tracy's passes for 92 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns last Saturday night, including his second TD catch from 19 yards out with just 31 seconds to play. 
 
99-4-6 x 2: Tracy also made a little history on Saturday night as he led the Trailblazer offense on not one, but a school-record two 99-yard touchdown drives at UNA last Saturday night. 
            The first one came midway through the second quarter, which got kick-started by a 19-yard Walker Jr. run. Tracy then hit senior WR Jaivian Lofton on consecutive pass plays of 37 and 11 yards, before finding Johnson across the middle that turned into a 17-yard TD catch-and-run to cap a 10-play drive. 
            Tracy repeated the feat on the opening possession of the second half, which featured 15 and 40-yard completions on consecutive plays to junior WR Keith Davis, a 14-yard Walker Jr. run and a 15-yard Lofton grab that got the Blazers to the UNA 6. Walker Jr. then ended the 11-play drive with his team-leading third rushing TD three plays later. 
            Prior to last Saturday night, Utah Tech only had eight total 99-yard touchdown drives spanning the program's near 18-year NCAA era. Seven of those drives came during the D-II years, while the last instance happened in UT's first D-I FCS season in Spring 2021 at home vs. Tarleton (3/21/21).
 
BLAZING TRAILS
• Thanks to his career night at UNA, Tracy (4,475 yds) now stands just 352 yards shy of moving past former QB Griff Robles (5,096 yds; 2012-13) for first place on Utah Tech's career passing list. 
• Tracy has thrown at least one touchdown pass in six of his seven games this season with five multi-touchdown games.
• Tracy's three-touchdown game at UNA was the fourth of his career, and the 11th multi-TD game overall ... his 32 career TD passes has now moved him to within 13 of vaulting past Robles (44) for the top spot on that career list.
• Tracy also had three touchdown throws in the Blazers' win over Stephen F. Austin (10/7), which marked the first time he has thrown three touchdown passes in consecutive starts. 
• Tracy's 397 yards at UNA, his sixth-career 300-yard game, bested his previous career high of 388 yards he threw for in a home win last year vs. Chadron State (9/10/22).
• The lone game that Tracy did not throw a touchdown pass this season was at Missouri State (9/23), though he did collect his second-career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard QB sneak in the second quarter ... coincidentally, Tracy's first rushing TD also came against Missouri State, that one a 4-yard scamper, at home in the 2021 fall season finale (11/20/21).
• In addition, Tracy is currently second all-time in career completions (377) and career total offense (4,698 yds). 
• Meanwhile the Trailblazer receiving corps enjoyed a banner night as a quartet of receivers finished with at least 90 yards. 
• Lofton led the way with 105 yards on four catches, including a 42-yarder in the first quarter to complement his 37-yard grab in the second. 
• Lofton made the most of his home debut vs. Montana (9/9), against which he caught five passes for 108 yards, highlighted by a 50-yard reception in the third quarter, and a 23-yard touchdown grab in the fourth.
• Lofton recorded his second TD reception of the year at NAU (9/16) when he hooked up with Tracy for a 17-yard score in the second quarter. 
• Lofton, who transferred to Utah Tech after playing three seasons at FBS member Liberty University, where he recorded 10 receptions for 102 and two touchdowns in 10 games for the Flames in 2022. 
• Johnson, who currently leads the UAC in receiving yards/game (75.4 ypg) and second in reception yards (528), posted his second-straight 100-yard game as he caught seven balls for an even 100 yards, including a 34-yard fourth quarter reception. 
• Johnson's second quarter touchdown catch, the 12th of his career, moved him into solo seventh on UT's career TD receptions list, and the senior vaulted into fourth all-time in career receptions (125).
• Johnson, who is also fourth in career receiving yards (1,775), recorded a season-high 148 yards on six receptions with a touchdown in the SFA win (10/7). 
• Sparks continued his hot start vs. SFA (10/7) with a career-high nine catches for 68 yards and a second-quarter TD. 
• Sparks has hauled in five of his team-leading six TD catches over his last three games, including his first two-TD game last month at Colorado State (9/30), against which he tied a then-career high with seven receptions for 67 yards. 
• Sparks quickly made a name for himself in the season opener at Montana State (9/2), against which he set a Utah Tech freshman record with 144 receiving yards on seven catches, highlighted by hauling in a 66-yarder for his first collegiate reception.
• Sparks also became the first freshman to record a 100-yard receiving game in his collegiate debut, and is just the fourth freshman in Utah Tech's NCAA era to post a 100-yard receiving game overall.
• Sparks' 144 receiving yards were also the fourth-most in a season opener in program history, and he became the ninth receiver to go for 100-plus receiving yards in a season opener overall. 
• Sparks earned UAC Freshman of the Week honors on Sept. 18, after he hauled in seven passes for 87 yards at NAU (9/16). 
• The freshman, who has caught at least four passes in all seven games this season, currently leads the UAC in receptions (47) and receptions/game (6.71 rpg), and is t-second in TDs (6) and third in yards (509). 
• Davis finished with season highs of six catches and 94 yards at UNA last Saturday.
• Davis managed to find the end zone for the first time since returning from injury in the SFA win (10/7), and it could not have come at a better time as he scored the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
• Davis caught both of his two targets last month at Missouri State (9/23) for a team and season-high 61 yards, highlighted by a 43-yard grab in the first quarter to set up the Blazers' first touchdown of the day. 
• Davis enjoyed a career night in his first game against Missouri State (11/20/21) in the 2021 fall finale, as he recorded career highs in receptions (7) and yards (146) against the Bears. 
• Davis, who missed the entire 2022 season due to injury, has recorded at least one reception in 16 of his 18 career games as a Trailblazer, including all 11 games during the 2021 fall season. 
• Along with his third-quarter TD, Walker Jr. wound up carrying the ball 13 times for 71 yards at UNA last Saturday. 
• For Walker Jr., it was his seventh-career rushing touchdown on his third different team ... Walker Jr. recorded two rushing touchdowns as a freshman at Indiana in 2018, and ran for two more during his junior year at Virginia in 2021. 
• Walker Jr. rushed for a season-high 83 yards on 20 carries at CSU (9/30), and tallied 75 yards on 16 carries a week later vs. SFA (10/7). 
• Junior RB Chris Street posted his first collegiate two-touchdown game in the SFA win (10/7) when he found the end zone in both the first and fourth quarters to bookend the Blazers' scoring efforts.
• Street ran for 62 yards on just seven carries, including a team season-long 36 yarder on 3rd and 23 in the fourth quarter, which he chased with an 18-yard sprint to the end zone one play later. 
• Street enjoyed a breakout game at Colorado State (9/30), against which he rushed for 78 yards on just 10 carries (7.8 ypc), highlighted by a 28-yard run that helped lead to the Trailblazers' first points of the game. 
• Street, who tallied a team-high 62 yards at Missouri State (9/23), is averaging 6.8 yards/carry over his last four games overall.
• Not to be outdone, freshman RB Nygel Osborne carried the ball eight times for 66 yards (8.2 ypc) in the SFA win, which marked the first time in the program's D-I FCS transition that Utah Tech had three backs rush for more than 60 yards in one game. 
• After going just over two full seasons without posting a double-digit tackle game, Webster has racked up 10 or more tackles in three of his last six starts overall. 
• The preseason UAC Defensive Player of the Year collected a career-high 12 total tackles (5 solo) vs. Montana (9/9) ... Webster was also credited with a 0.5 TFL and one QBH.
• Webster then doubled-down and tallied 10 more tackles at NAU (9/16), including a then-career high tying 3.0 TFLs and two sacks, highlighted by a fourth-quarter strip sack and fumble recovery that set up UT's final points in the win. 
• Webster tallied 11 more tackles at Colorado State (9/30) and posted a new career-high 3.5 TFLs, including his second strip sack of the year early in the second quarter, which UT turned into points on its very next offensive play.  
• Webster, who leads the UAC in forced fumbles (4) and is t-third in the UAC in sacks (4.0), continued his "Sack Attack" a week later vs. SFA (10/7) with not one, but two more strip sacks in the fourth quarter and finished with seven total tackles on the night. 
• Webster's (12.5 sacks - third all-time at UT) current stretch has him on the cusp of history as he now needs only 1.5 more sacks to become Utah Tech's career leader ... he (24.0 TFLs - sixth all-time) also needs two more TFLs to vault into fourth place on that career list as well. 
• Senior LB Dondi Fuller was named UAC Defensive Player of the Week (10/9) after he racked up a career-high 13 total tackles, including 11 solos stops, along with 1.0 TFL, in Utah Tech's win over SFA (10/7).
• Fuller, who is third in the UAC in total tackles (63), has collected at least five tackles in all seven games this season, including a co-team high 11 stops with 1.0 TFL at UNA last Saturday.
• Fuller also collected 11 tackles vs. Montana (9/9), and led the UT defense with nine total tackles, including seven solo stops, and a team-high 2.0 TFLs at Montana State (9/2).
• Junior LB Will Leota recorded career-high 2.0 TFLs as part of a season-high 11-tackle night at UNA last Saturday.
• Leota, who also racked up 10 tackles (8 solo) at NAU (9/16), now has six career double-digit tackle games to his credit. 
• Freshman safety Brevin Hamblin also got into the act with a career-best 11 tackles at UNA. 
• Sophomore LB Jared Fotu, who led the team with a career-high 11 tackles at NAU (9/16), followed that up with six stops at Missouri State (9/23), and 10 more at Colorado State - all of which came in the second half. 
• Utah Tech has registered at least one sack in six-straight games, in 13 of its last 17, and in 26 of 34 games during the program's FCS transition. 
• Senior DL Max Christensen III was credited with his first-career field goal block at Missouri State (9/23) ... the senior's blocked FG came nearly one-year-to-the-day from the last one, which junior DL Sam Kanongata'arecorded last season at home vs. Abilene Christian (10/1/22).
• Junior punter Andy Day "had a day" at Missouri State (9/23), against which he punted five times for 222 yards (44.4 ypp), highlighted by a season long 56-yard boot in the first quarter.
• Day also made a potential touchdown-saving tackle after his first punt of the game. 
• Day then closed his afternoon with a 30-yard run on a fake punt in the fourth quarter, which was his first career collegiate rushing attempt ... Day's scamper was the Trailblazers' longest run from scrimmage after five games before Street's 36-yarder vs. SFA (10/7). 
• Day, who is averaging 46.0 ypp over his last two games, punted three times for 136 yards (45.2 ypp) vs. SFA (10/7), which included a 53-yarder in the first quarter.  
 
TURNING AROUND THE TURNOVER BATTLE: After committing 11 total turnovers (10 INTs) in its first four games of the year, Utah Tech has turned the ball over just twice over its last three games, including no turnovers in last Saturday's loss at North Alabama.
            Meanwhile, the Trailblazer defense, which had only recorded one opponent turnover through its first two games, has forced 11 opponent miscues over the last five games, highlighted by a season-high five turnovers, including three interceptions, in the road win at NAU back on Sept. 16.
            In fact, the Blazers scored 21 of their 50 points off those five Lumberjack turnovers, including a Sam Kanongata'a 53-yard second quarter pick-six, and an Amari Duncan 9-yard fumble return for a touchdown three minutes later. 
            Utah Tech's two scores on defense marked the fourth time in program history that the Blazers had scored at least two defensive touchdowns in a game.
            UT last achieved that feat in 2022 with a pair of pick-6s at home vs. Chadron State (56-10; 9/10/22), and returned two more interceptions for touchdowns in a road win at Adams State (52-10; 11/10/18) during the 2018 season. 
            Utah Tech also returned two interceptions and a fumble for touchdowns in a road victory at New Mexico Highlands (W, 55-0; 9/21/19) in Paul Peterson's first year as UT head coach, and was the program's final D-II year in 2019. 
 
KICKIN' IT AT THE TOP: Brooksby has had quite the start to his 2023 season as he has etched his name atop three more career records lists. 
            The junior placekicker, who is already UT's career leader in field goals made (35-of-48), became the program's career leader in PATs (currently 74-of-76) with the second of his two PATs midway through the fourth quarter at Montana State (9/2). 
            He followed that up by becoming the program's career leader in points scored (179 pts) with the first of his single game school record five field goals in the road win at Northern Arizona on Sept. 16. 
            Brooksby's career day at NAU broke the tie he had with former All-American tight end Joe Don Duncan(136 pts - 22 TDs/2 2-pt conversions; 2011-13) atop the points list. 
            Brooksby went on to hit field goals of 22, 48, 34, 40 and 48 yards, and nailed all five PAT chances at NAU, en route to a 20-point day and to Stats Perform FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week honors (9/18). 
            In addition, Brooksby is UT's current record holder in season field goals made (14-of-17, 2022), and owns the school record for the longest made FG, a 55-yarder he nailed last season in a home win vs. Southern Utah (11/5/22).
            Brooksby has also hit three 48-yard field goals (t-fifth longest in UT's NCAA era) this season, and drilled a season-long 52-yarder at Colorado State (9/30).
            The junior's 52-yard FG is the second-longest of his career and in UT program history, and is currently the longest FG made by a CSU opponent in the Rams' Canvas Stadium's history. 
 
#AB3FOREVER: Webster was presented with one more honor prior to the start of the 2023 season as he was chosen to wear the No. 3 jersey.
            The awarding of the No. 3 jersey is the third instance in what has become an annual tradition honoring the memory of former Trailblazer football player Abraham Reinhardt, who passed away unexpectedly on March 22, 2019. Utah Tech Head Football Coach Paul Peterson noted that the No. 3 jersey would be awarded to a student-athlete who best emulates Reinhardt's leadership, both on and off the field. 
            "When we lost a great young man in Abraham [in 2019], we wanted to honor him and his legacy the best we possibly could," Coach Peterson said. "Abe was a perfect representative of our team culture which focuses on toughness, hard work, trust and accountability.
            "I am excited to award Syrus Webster the number 3 jersey for the 2023 season," Coach Peterson added. "He exemplifies everything that we are trying to build in our program and especially represents the legacy Abraham Reinhardt left behind. Look for him to lead us and make plays all over the field!"
 
ROAD WARRIORS: Through its first three seasons of FCS play, Utah Tech has traveled more than 28,300 round-trip miles on 14 different road trips. 
            In their first FCS season in Spring 2021, the Trailblazers covered 7,630 miles for three road dates, then followed that up by traversing nearly 13,300 for five road games during the 2021 Fall campaign.
            Last season Utah Tech traveled just 7,424 miles, thanks in large part to playing three in-state road games at Weber State, Southern Utah and BYU.
            This season, the Blazers are slated to eclipse that 2021 Fall mileage mark as they are scheduled to travel just over 15,000 round-trip miles for seven road games - in seven different states, including the program's first-ever trips to the states of Missouri (at Missouri State 9/23), Alabama (at North Alabama last Saturday night) and Tennessee (at Austin Peay 11/11). 
            Utah Tech has already played games in Montana and in neighboring Arizona and Colorado. The Blazers will also jump on the bird for their now annual trip to Texas in November (at Abilene Christian 11/4).
            Of note, Utah Tech's longest trip to play a football game came during the 2021 Fall season, when the Trailblazers traveled 4,697 miles round trip to play at Delaware (10/30/21). 
 
ABOUT THE EASTERN KENTUCKY "COLONELS": Eastern Kentucky enters Saturday night's game looking to keep pace in the UAC race as the Colonels are tied atop the standings at 2-0. 
            The Colonels are coming off a tough 35-32 non-conference road loss at Gardner-Webb last weekend, which snapped the team's three-game winning streak.
            Redshirt senior quarterback Parker McKinney, who was tabbed as the UAC preseason offensive player of the year, has thrown for 1,681 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games this season.
            McKinney, who also has 254 rushing yards and three TD runs to his credit, has thrown for more than 250 yards three times this season, including a season-high 366 yards at Western Carolina (9/16). He has also thrown at least one touchdown pass in all seven starts, highlighted by a three-TD effort at Southeast Missouri State (9/23).
            McKinney enters this Saturday night's game as the NCAA FCS active career leader in passing yards (11,408), total offense (13,108) and touchdowns (85), among several other statistical categories. 
            Junior WR Jaden Smith leads the team in receptions (39) and yards (417) and co-leads the receiving corps with three TD catches. 
            Meanwhile, the Colonels utilize a two-running back system, with junior backs Joshua Carter (490 yds/3 TDs) and Braedon Sloan (484 yds/7 TDs) combining to rush for nearly 1,000 yards and 10 total touchdowns. 
            On defense, reigning UAC Defensive Player of the Week Logan Blake leads the conference in total tackles (89) and is fourth in TFLs (7.5). The fifth-year linebacker has also recorded two interceptions and forced two fumbles for good measure. 
            As a team, EKU averages 28.6 points and 423.0 yards (182.9 rush/240.1 pass) a game this season, while giving up 35.8 points and 513.7 yards (190.7 rush/323.0 pass) defensively. 
            Walt Wells (Belmont, 1993) is in his fourth season at EKU, where he is 19-18 overall. 
            
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech will head out on its penultimate road trip of the 2023 season next Saturday when the Trailblazers travel to the "Lone Star State" for a UAC road date at Abilene Christian. Kick-off is slated for 2 p.m. (CT).