Football | 7/30/2023 11:50:00 AM

Utah Tech Football begins formal preparations for its first season of United Athletic Conference play this Tuesday as the Trailblazers open their 2023 fall camp. 
 
All Utah Tech practice sessions inside Greater Zion Stadium, which begin officially on Wednesday morning, August 2, are closed to the public, while all media members are asked to contact UT Associate AD for Media Relations Steve Johnson to request practice access. In all, the Trailblazers' fall camp will feature 19 practices and two scrimmages ahead of their season opener at No. 3-ranked Montana State on Saturday, Sept. 2. 
 
Utah Tech Football enters its fourth and final NCAA Division I FCS transition year with new optimism, and in a new conference in 2023. The Trailblazers will join fellow WAC schools Southern Utah, Abilene Christian, Stephen F. Austin and Tarleton in the newly formed United Athletic Conference. 
 
The five programs have joined former Atlantic Sun Conference football members Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and North Alabama, to form the new league that debut this season. 
 
Utah Tech played to a 4-7 overall record in 2022, which included a 2-2 mark and a third place showing in its first full season of WAC action. The Trailblazers shook off a 1-6 start by winning three of their final four games, highlighted by a thrilling 47-44 road upset victory at then-No. 19 Stephen F. Austin, and a 48-36 Homecoming triumph over in-state rival Southern Utah in round two of the "Battle for the Ax."
 
Paul Peterson (Boston College, 2005) returns for his fifth season as Trailblazer head coach. Peterson is 15-23 through his first four campaigns at Utah Tech, including an 8-3 mark in the program's final D-II season in 2019, and a 2-3 record in UT's FCS debut in Spring 2021. 
 
A total of 47 players, including five primary starters on offense and seven more defense, along with three primary specialists on special teams, return for the 2023 season. 
 
The UAC did not conduct a preseason coaches poll or release a preseason all-conference team ahead of its premiere season.

However Utah Tech did land eight players on the 2023 Phil Steele All-UAC preseason team, highlighted by a pair of first team selections in junior defensive lineman Syrus Webster and junior linebacker Will Leota.
 
Webster earned first team all-WAC honors last season after he co-led the conference in sacks (5.5) and posted at least three total tackles in nine of 11 games played. 
 
Meanwhile Leota garnered second team all-WAC accolades for the second-straight year after he co-led the conference with 84 total tackles. The junior registered double digits in tackles three times last year, highlighted by a career-high 16 tackles (10 solo) in the upset road win at SFA (10/29). 

Utah Tech also placed two players on the Phil Steele second team, including senior wide receiver Rickie Johnson (2022 – 40 rec./697 yds/6 TDs) and junior punter Andrew Day (2022 – 42.78 ypp), and had four more fourth team picks in offensive linemen Bayo Kannike (Jr.) and Alex Foster (R-So.), senior defensive lineman Sam Kanongata'a (2022 – 32 tkls/7.0 TFL/2.0 sacks), and junior place kicker Connor Brooksby (2022 - 14-17 FG/36-37 PAT).
 
In addition, Webster and Leota were named to the 2023 Blue Bloods all-UAC preseason first team, while Johnson, Foster and Day collected second team honors. 
 
Utah Tech will play four of its 11 games on the 2023 slate at home inside Greater Zion Stadium, beginning with a date against Big Sky Conference power No. 16 Montana on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. The Trailblazers will also make their United Athletic Conference home debut vs. Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., and will host Eastern Kentucky on Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.
 
The Trailblazers will then wrap up their 2023 season at home with the "Battle for the Ax" against in-state rival Southern Utah on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. 
 
Four of UT's seven road games will come in the first month of the season, starting with the match-up at defending Big Sky champion No. 3 Montana State (Sept. 2). The Blazers will also play road games at Northern Arizona (Sept. 16) and Missouri State (Sept. 23), before wrapping up the month at Mountain West Conference member Colorado State (Sept. 30). 

In addition, Utah Tech will play its first-ever games in the states of Alabama (at North Alabama, Oct. 21) and Tennessee (at Austin Peay, Nov. 11), along with a trip to Texas for a road date at Abilene Christian (Nov. 4). 
 
Trailblazer football season ticket information for all four 2023 home games, along with Trailblazer Club membership information can be found online at www.utahtechtbclub.com. For other inquiries about the Trailblazer Club, members and prospective members may call the Utah Tech Ticket Office at 435-652-7908, or email tbclub@utahtech.edu.

Single game reserved and general admission tickets will go on sale on Monday, July 31.