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FOR STARTERS: • Utah Tech heads out on its penultimate road trip of the 2023 season this Saturday when the Trailblazers travel to the "Lone Star State" for a UAC match-up at Abilene Christian.
• Saturday afternoon's game will be the second-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and Wildcats on the gridiron. Last season, UTU dropped the overall series opener between the two sides in St. George by a 26-10 count (10/1/22). 
• Both Utah Tech and Abilene Christian are also members of the Western Athletic Conference in all other sports. 
• The Trailblazers will look to bounce back after dropping their second-straight, one-possession UAC decision after conference co-leader Eastern Kentucky handed UTU a 34-30 Homecoming loss last Saturday night at Greater Zion Stadium. 
• Utah Tech fell to 7-10 all-time in its NCAA era on Homecoming Weekend, 1-3 overall under Head Coach Paul Peterson, with the lone win coming in 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.
• Meanwhile Abilene Christian will be facing its second "Beehive State" opponent in as many weeks when the Wildcats take the field on Saturday afternoon. ACU traveled to Cedar City last Saturday and came away with a lopsided 52-14 road loss at SUU. 
 
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, who will provide color analysis for all home games. 
 
NEW CONFERENCE FOR 2023: Utah Tech began the 2023 season in a new 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.
 
SACK MASTER: Webster moved into a tie for first place in Utah Tech's career sacks list with number 13.5 late in the second quarter vs. EKU last Saturday night. 
            The junior, who is tied atop the program's sack list with former DE Chad Frank (2007-08), is currently second in the UAC and t-16th in the FCS with 6.0 sacks this season, four of which are of the strip-sack variety. 
            Webster collected his first strip sack in the NAU win (9/16). Then after he notched his second one at Colorado State (9/30), he picked up two more in the SFA victory (10/7) one week later.
            Webster also moved into t-fourth place in career TFLs (25.0) with former teammate Malaki Malaki (25.0; 2018-22), and needs nine more to pass former UT linebacker Jake Duncan (33.5; 2010-13) for first place on the career list.  
 
GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES: Redshirt junior QB Kobe Tracy became just the third quarterback in the program's NCAA era to throw for three or more touchdowns in three straight games last Saturday night vs. Eastern Kentucky.
            Tracy, who has recorded 11 of his 16 touchdown passes this season over his last four games, completed 26-of-49 of his attempts for 247 yards and a career-high tying three TDs against the Colonels. It was his fifth three-TD game of his career and his 12th multi-TD game overall. 
            One week earlier at North Alabama (10/21), Tracy threw for a career-high 397 yards and three scores, which earned him UAC co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. That effort followed a 289-yard, three-TD outing in the win over Stephen F. Austin (10/7). 
            Tracy joins former UTU signal callers Griff Robles (4-3-4; 2013) and Ben Longshore (3-3-4; 2014) on that elite list. 
 
SPEAKING OF STREAKS: Tracy has now thrown a touchdown pass in four-straight games overall, which marks the third time his done that over his career.
            Tracy also posted a four-game TD streak last season and a five-game streak in the 2021 Fall season.
            Tracy is one of 14 QBs in the program's four-year era to throw at least one TD pass in four-straight games, and only four of those QBs have extended their streak to at least six games.
            Robles is far-and-away the program leader as he threw for at least one touchdown in 18-straight games spanning two seasons - the final eight games in 2012, and the first 10 games in 2013.
 
PASSING FOR HISTORY: Though Robles' consecutive TD game streak may be virtually untouchable, Tracy has now vaulted over him to the top of one career list, and is on the verge of passing him on four more lists as well.
            Tracy (403) became Utah Tech's career leader in completions last Saturday night vs. EKU, doing so on a 25-yard pass play to Jaivian Lofton to start the Blazers' final fourth quarter possession. That completion moved him one clear of Robles' (2012-13) previous record of 402. 
            The junior (4,992) enters Saturday's game at ACU needing only eight more yards to reach to the 5,000 yard plateau, and 105 total passing yards to pass Robles (5,096) and become UT's career passing yards leader.
            In addition, Tracy second behind Robles all-time in career pass attempts (752 / 727), passing touchdowns (44 / 35), and total offense (6,297 / 4,956). 
 
99-4-6 x 2: Tracy also made a little history at North Alabama (10/21) two weeks ago as he led the Trailblazer offense on not one, but a school-record two 99-yard touchdown drives. 
            The first one came midway through the second quarter, a 10-play drive that was capped by a Johnson 17-yard TD catch-and-run. 
            Tracy repeated the feat on the opening possession of the second half, as the Trailblazers covered the length of the field in 11 plays, with Walker Jr. picking up the final yard for his team-leading third rushing touchdown of the season. 
            Prior to the UNA game, 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
• Tracy has thrown at least one touchdown pass in seven of UT's eight games this season with six multi-touchdown games.
• 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).
• Junior WR Keith Davis enjoyed his finest performance of the season last Saturday night vs. EKU, against which he posted season-highs with seven catches for 118 yards, and in the process recorded his first collegiate two-touchdown game. 
• That effort chased a six-catch, 94-yard outing at North Alabama (10/21), while he made his first touchdown grab since the 2021 fall season in the SFA win (10/7). 
• Davis caught both of his two targets last month at Missouri State (9/23) for a team and then-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 17 of his 19 career games as a Trailblazer, including all 11 games during the 2021 fall season. 
• Overall, the Trailblazer receiving corps enjoyed a banner night at North Alabama back on Oct. 21, 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. 
• Meanwhile Johnson posted his second 100-yard game of the year when he caught seven balls for an even 100 yards and a touchdown at UNA, including a 34-yard fourth quarter reception. 
• Johnson is currently fourth in the UAC in receiving yards (566) and yards per game (70.7), and sixth in total receptions (43).
• Johnson's second quarter touchdown catch vs. the Lions, the 12th of his career, moved him into solo seventh on UT's career TD receptions list.
• Johnson, who enters this week third all-time in career receptions (130) and fourth in receiving yards (1,813), recorded a season-high 148 yards on six receptions with a touchdown in the SFA win (10/7). 
• Sparks earned his second UAC Freshman of the Week award of the season after he caught eight of Tracy's passes for 92 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns at North Alabama, including his second TD catch from 19 yards out with just 31 seconds to play.
• Sparks tied a career-high with nine catches last Saturday vs. EKU and finished with 53 receiving yards and his team-leading seventh touchdown of the season. 
• Sparks has hauled in six of his seven touchdown receptions over his last four games, including his first two-TD game last month at Colorado State (9/30), against which he had 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 eight games this season, currently leads the UAC in receptions (56) and receptions/game (7.0 rpg), and is t-second in TDs (7) and fifth in yards (562). 
• Utah Tech racked up 154 rush yards and averaged 6.4 yards per carry vs. EKU last Saturday night. 
• Walker Jr. led the way with 75 yards on 10 carries (7.5 ypc), highlighted by a 20-yard scamper in the second quarter. 
• Along with his third-quarter TD, Walker Jr. wound up carrying the ball 13 times for 71 yards at UNA (10/21). 
• 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 Colorado State (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 ran nine times for 67 yards vs. EKU last Saturday, is averaging just under 7.0 yards/carry over his last five 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 (10/7), 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 seven 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 with two sacks.
• 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), forced two more fumbles on sacks and finished with seven total tackles on the night. 
• 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 (76), has collected at least five tackles in all eight games this season, including a co-team high 11 stops with 1.0 TFL at UNA (10/21), and followed that up with 10 more vs. EKU last Saturday night.
• 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 in his Blazer debut 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.
• 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 recorded his third double-digit tackle game of the year with a game and career-high 13 stops (9 solo) vs. EKU last Saturday night ... Fotu also led the team with a career-high 11 tackles at NAU (9/16), and 10 more at Colorado State (9/30) - all of which came in the second half. 
• Utah Tech has registered at least one sack in seven-straight games, in 14 of its last 18, and in 27 of 35 games during the program's FCS transition. 
• Senior DL Max Christensen III recorded his first career solo sack in the first quarter vs. EKU on Saturday night, and it was a big stop as it came on third down and ultimately led to a missed Colonel field goal attempt.
• 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'a recorded last season at home vs. Abilene Christian (10/1/22).
• Redshirt sophomore DB Jagger Williams tallied a career-high 11 tackles and was credited with a forced fumble in the EKU game. 
• Sophomore DL Fasito Otai-Sagapolu collected his first career interception on the first offensive play of the game vs. EKU last Saturday.
• Junior punter Andy Day became Utah Tech's career leader in punt yardage (6,347) on his first boot of the night vs. EKU last Saturday night ... Day punted four times for 173 yards (43.2), which included a season-long tying 56-yarder in the fourth quarter.
• Day "had a day" at Missouri State (9/23), against which he punted five times for 222 yards (44.4 ypp), highlighted by a 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). 
 
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 four games, including back-to-back turnover-less games against both North Alabama (10/21) and EKU. 
            Meanwhile, the Trailblazer defense, which had only recorded one opponent turnover through its first two games, has forced 13 opponent miscues over the last six 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 of those five Lumberjack turnovers, including aKanongata'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: Junior PK Connor Brooksby was named UAC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday for his efforts in the EKU game this past Saturday night.  
            Brooksby hit all three of his field goal attempts, including tying his own school record with a 55-yard boot in the first quarter to open the game's scoring. The junior also connected on field goals of 31 and 23 yards, and drilled all three of his PAT tries. 
            In fact, his 23-yarder was his 14th made field goal of the season, which tied the UT single-season record he previously set last season.  
            Brooksby, who is already Utah Tech's career leader in made field goals (38-of-52), PATs (77-of-79) and points scored (188 pts), now has four career 50-plus yard field goal makes to his credit, including his first 55-yarder he drilled last season in a Homecoming win over Southern Utah (11/5/22). 
            Earlier this season, Brooksby was named the FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week (9/18) after he broke the program's single game record with five made field goals in the Trailblazers' road win at Northern Arizona (9/16). 
            In addition, he nailed a 52-yard field goal at Colorado State (9/30), which set an opponent record at CSU's Canvas Stadium. 
 
#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 10/21) 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 for this Saturday's game at ACU.
            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 ABILENE CHRISTIAN "WILDCATS": Abilene Christian returns home after splitting its last two road games. The Wildcats got off to a good start on their road trip thanks to a 34-27 win at Stephen F. Austin (10/21), but were blitzed last Saturday afternoon at Southern Utah, 52-14.  
            Junior quarterback Maverick McIvor has thrown for 1,484 yards and 14 touchdowns in eight games this season. McIvor, who has completed 53.5 percent of his pass attempts (108-202-5) on the year, threw for a season-high 314 yards and four touchdowns in a road win at Prairie View A&M (9/9). He also had four touchdown passes in a road loss at FBS member North Texas (9/30). 
            Junior WR Blayne Taylor made three of his team-leading five touchdown grabs on the year in that North Texas loss. Taylor also leads the Wildcats with 24 receptions for 421 yards, including a 136-yard effort at PVAM. 
            Sophomore RB Jay'Veon Sunday is currently ranked fourth in the UAC in yards/carry at 5.78, and is the Wildcats' leading rusher with 462 yards on 80 carries with three touchdowns. In fact, six different Wildcats have recorded at least one rushing TD to this point of the season. 
            On defense, junior LB Darius Moore leads the team with 65 total tackles to go with 4.5 TFLs, while junior safety Elijah Moffett has racked up a team-high 7.0 TFLs, and has 56.0 tackles and a team-best five PBUs to his credit.
            As a team, ACU averages 27.7 points and 349.8 yards (154.9 rush/194.9 pass) a game this season, while giving up 30.1 points and 467.5 yards (226.4 rush/241.1 pass) defensively. 
            Keith Patterson (East Central [OK], 1986) is in his second season at ACU, where he is 11-8 overall. Patterson does have a tie to the state of Utah as he served as defensive coordinator at Utah State under then-head coach Matt Wells in 2018. He then followed Wells to Texas Tech ahead of the 2019 season.  
            
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech will close out its 2023 road slate next Saturday when the Trailblazers make their first-ever trip to Tennessee for a UAC game at No. 17 Austin Peay. Kick-off in Clarksville is set for 1 p.m. (CT).