Football | 3/15/2023 4:03:00 PM

Utah Tech Football will open its 2023 spring camp next Tuesday, March 21, in preparation for its fourth NCAA Division I FCS season, and its first season as part of the partnership between the Western Athletic and Atlantic Sun conferences.
 
The Trailblazers will hold 14 formal practices during spring camp, which will conclude with the annual spring game at Greater Zion Stadium on Saturday, April 15. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m., which will be followed by a special youth camp at the stadium beginning at 2:30 p.m.

In addition to the spring drills, the Trailblazer football program will host its annual golf tournament fundraiser on Friday, March 31, at Bloomington Country Club. For more information, sponsorship opportunities or to register for the tournament, please contact the Utah Tech University Development Office at 435-879-4849.  
 
Paul Peterson (Boston College, 2006) returns for his fifth season at the helm of the Trailblazer football program. Peterson has posted an 15-23 overall record in his previous four seasons on the UT sidelines, which included a 4-7 overall record last year and a third place finish (2-2) in the program's first full season of WAC play.
 
Utah Tech landed seven players, including six first team selections, on the 2022 WAC football postseason awards list, two of whom are returning in junior linebacker Will Leota and junior defensive lineman Syrus Webster.  
 
Leota (6-2, 215; Salem, Utah/Salem Hills HS), who also earned second team all-WAC in 2021, co-led the WAC tackles list with 84, which included 40 solo stops. The junior-to-be registered double digits in tackles three times this season, highlighted by a career-high 16 total tackles (10 solo) with 1.0 TFL in UT's upset win at Stephen F. Austin (10/29). 
 
Leota also collected 14 tackles with 1.0 TFL at Northern Iowa (10/15) and had 12 tackles, 1.0 TFL and a career-high two PBUs in the home win vs. Tarleton (11/12). He then closed the year with nine stops and 0.5 TFL at BYU (11/19). 
 
Webster (6-4, 255; West Jordan, Utah/West Jordan HS) co-led the WAC in sacks (5.5) and posted at least three total tackles in nine of 11 games played and registered at least 0.5 TFL in seven of those games overall. 

Webster was credited with a season-high six tackles, 2.0 TFLs with one sack, one forced fumble and one PBU in the season opener at Sacramento State (9/3). The soon-to-be-junior also recorded a career-high three sacks (4 total tackles) and forced a fumble in UT's home win vs. Southern Utah (11/5), which earned him WAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, and had 2.5 TFLs and a sack vs. Abilene Christian (10/1).
 
In all, Utah Tech returns six principal starters on both offense and defense from last season's squad. 
 
This past January, Utah Tech announced the promotion of four current coaching staff members and two new additions ahead of the Trailblazers' 2023 spring camp. 

Coach Peterson promoted two of his senior staff members, John Hughes and Peter Tuitupou to co-Offensive Coordinator positions, with Hughes continuing in his role as Offensive Line Coach. Tuitupou, who had served as Running Backs Coach, Tight Ends Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, will also move over to Wide Receivers Coach.
 
In addition, Peterson elevated Billy Ray Stutzman from Wide Receivers Coach to Passing Game Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, and Jamison Clark from Assistant Defensive Line Coach to Running Backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.
 
Peterson also announced the additions of James Cowser as the new Defensive Line Coach, and J.B. Hall Jr. as the new Defensive Pass Game Coordinator and Cornerbacks Coach. 
 
The Trailblazers will play four of their 11 games this upcoming fall inside Greater Zion Stadium, starting with their 2023 home opener against Big Sky Conference power Montana on Saturday, Sept. 9. Utah Tech will host three WAC-ASUN opponents in Stephen F. Austin (Oct. 7), Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 28), and the latest installment of the "Battle for the Ax" rivalry with Southern Utah (Nov. 18).

Utah Tech will open the 2023 campaign by playing four of its first five games on the road, including the season opener at reigning Big Sky co-champion Montana State (Sept. 2). UT will also play at Big Sky member Northern Arizona (Sept. 16), at Missouri State (Sept. 23), and at FBS and Mountain West Conference member Colorado State (Sept. 30).
 
In addition, UT will play WAC-ASUN games at North Alabama (Oct. 21), at Abilene Christian (Nov. 4) and at Austin Peay (Nov. 11). 
 
Season and single game tickets for the upcoming 2023 season will go on sale in the coming weeks.
 
The 2023 Utah Tech spring practice schedule at Greater Zion Stadium is listed below, and it is subject to change.
 
Tuesday, March 21 – 7-9 a.m.
Thursday, March 23 – 7-9 a.m.
Saturday, March 25 – 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, March 28 – 7-9 a.m.
Thursday, March 30 – 7-9 a.m.
Saturday, April 1 – 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, April 4 – 7-9 a.m.
Thursday, April 6 – 7-9 a.m.
Friday, April 7 – 7-9 a.m.
Saturday, April 8 – 7-9 a.m.
Monday, April 10 – 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday, April 11 – 7-9 a.m.
Thursday, April 13 – 7-9 a.m.
Friday, April 14 – 7-9 a.m.
Saturday, April 15 – 1 p.m. (Spring Game)