Game Notes: UTAH TECH - PDF | UC DAVIS - PDF
Utah Tech Football Media Central
Lance Anderson Coaches Show: TRAILBLAZER SPORTSVISION
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Live Stats: vs. UC DAVIS
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FOR STARTERS: 
• Utah Tech kicks off its 20th NCAA-era season, and sixth NCAA Division I FCS campaign, on Saturday night when the Trailblazers play host to Big Sky Conference power No. 7/8 UC Davis.

• Saturday's opener will mark the sixth-straight year that Utah Tech will have face a ranked opponent. The Trailblazers are 1-4 in season openers in their brief time as an FCS program. That lone win was posted in the 2021 Spring opener (and the program's FCS debut game) in a 26-14 road victory at then-No. 22 Tarleton State on Feb. 27, 2021. 
• Utah Tech is 3-16 all-time in season openers in its NCAA era, and has dropped seven of its last nine openers overall. The last season-opening win did come in that road at Tarleton State (2/27/21). 

• Saturday's game is the third meeting between the Trailblazers and Aggies on the gridiron, though this is the first time the two sides will square off in St. George.

• Utah Tech is 0-2 all-time vs. UC Davis, with both previous meetings coming in Davis, which included a 32-14 Trailblazer road loss to the then No. 12/15-ranked Aggies in week #4 last season (9/21/24).  

• Utah Tech and UC Davis met for the first time on the football field in 2021, the Blazers' first full NCAA D-I FCS season, when the Aggies rolled to a 60-27 home victory (9/18/21). 

• Utah Tech is 5-33 (4-32 overall vs. AFCA) all-time record vs. ranked opponents (FCS and D-II), which included an 1-4 record last season, and a 3-18 mark in its brief FCS era.

• The Trailblazers' last victory over a ranked team came last season at home against then No. 9/11 Central Arkansas (34-21; 11/2/24).  

• Heading into this Saturday's opener, five of Utah Tech's 12 2025 opponents are ranked in both the AFCA and Stats Perform top-25 preseason polls, while four other opponents are listed as receiving votes.

• Utah Tech's 2025 schedule is currently ranked No. 16 (out of 129 FCS teams) in the latest WarrenNolan.com ELO strength of schedule ratings.

• Saturday's game will be the first of only four total night games Utah Tech will play this year. In fact, the Trailblazers' first four home games will be played under the lights, while all six Utah Tech road dates will be afternoon affairs. 

 

 UTAH TECH ON THE AIR: All Utah Tech 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), while all home games will be streamed live online on ESPN+.

        The "Voice of the Trailblazers" Rod Zundel is in his fourth season calling the play-by-play action on ESPN+, and he will be joined this Saturday night by former Utah Tech defensive lineman Max Christensen III. In addition, Devin Dixon (PBP) and Paul Ratliff (color) will have the call on The Fan Sports Network.  

        As part of this season's game day broadcast coverage, Utah Tech airs a 60-minute comprehensive pregame show, and 30-minute post-game show, both of which air live on The Fan Sports Network and streamed live on YouTube on Trailblazer SportsVision (youtube.com/TrailblazerAthletics).

        Along with complete Game Day coverage, Zundel hosts "The Lance Anderson Coaches Show" every Tuesday night on The Fan Sports Network and streamed on Trailblazer SportsVision at 6 p.m. (MT).

 

A TRAILBLAZER WIN ON SATURDAY WOULD...: Give Utah Tech its second season-opening victory in the program's brief FCS era, and would be the fourth season-opening victory in the Trailblazers' NCAA era overall. A win would also be Utah Tech's second against the Big Sky Conference, and the first home triumph over a Big Sky opponent inside Greater Zion Stadium.

 

"UNITED" FOR ONE MORE SEASON: The 2025 campaign will mark an end of an (brief) era as Utah Tech will compete as a member of the United Athletic Conference for the third, and final, season. The Trailblazers were one of the original charter members of the UAC, which was established in 2023, after they competed in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in football in 2022.

 

GOING "BIG" IN 2026: This past June 25, Utah Tech announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the Big Sky Conference beginning on July 1, 2026. 

            Starting in the 2026-27 season, 13 of the Trailblazers' 16 sports, including football, will compete in the premiere FCS conference in Division I.

 

LOOKING TO CLOSE THE GAP: Utah Tech enters Saturday's game vs. UC Davis looking for its second-ever win against a Big Sky Conference opponent.
            The Trailblazers have faced eight current football playing members of the Big Sky and are a combined 1-17 lifetime against the league, 0-6 as a D-II and 1-11 in their short time as a D-I FCS program. Utah Tech's lone win against the Big Sky came during the 2023 season, a 50-36 road triumph at Northern Arizona (9/16/23). 

            Utah Tech opened the 2024 season by playing three of its first four games against Big Sky opponents, including FCS national runner-up Montana State. In fact, the Trailblazers have faced at least two Big Sky opponents in each of the last four seasons overall.

            This season will be no different Utah Tech square off against three Big Sky members to begin the campaign, including consecutive road games at No. 18/19 NAU (Sept. 6) and at No. 12/12 Idaho (Sept. 13). 

 

TAKING ON ALL COMERS: Since transitioning to NCAA Division I FCS status, Utah Tech    has faced 21 top-25 teams (3-18) and 17 total FCS playoff teams.   

        In fact, Utah Tech's 2021 fall schedule was rated as the second-toughest schedule in the entire country and featured seven ranked teams and seven 2021 FCS Fall playoff teams, including the 2021 spring national champion (Sam Houston) and runner-up (South Dakota State).

            Utah Tech has also squared off against four FBS programs over that span - New Mexico State (2021 spring in El Paso, Texas), BYU (2022), Colorado State (2023) and UNLV (2024).

 

ABOUT THE UC DAVIS "AGGIES": No. 7/8 UC Davis makes its first-ever trip to St. George in search of its first decision of the 2025 season after the Aggies' 2025 Week #0 opener vs. No. 11 Mercer was declared a "No Contest" after several weather delays last Saturday night in Birmingham, Ala.

            UC Davis was leading 23-17 with 7:46 to play in the fourth quarter, but Mother Nature stepped in with lightning and heavy rain, and after a two-plus hour delay, the game was eventually called. 

            Redshirt freshman quarterback Caden Pinnick (6-0, 200) threw for 141 yards on 13-for-24 passing and one touchdown last Saturday night, while junior running back Jordan Fisher (5-8, 180) ran for 84 yards. Fisher also blocked a third-quarter punt, which resulted in an Aggie safety. 

            Senior wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr. (5-10, 185) is UC Davis' top returning pass catcher after collecting 44 receptions for 779 yards and seven touchdowns last season. 

            Defensively, senior defensive back Rex Connors (6-1, 210) racked up a team-high 12 total tackles (7 solo) to pace the Aggies' defense against Mercer. 

  

2025 POSITION BY POSITION 

SEASON PREVIEW: 

 

QUARTERBACK

• Utah Tech heads into the 2025 season in a position that may be considered a rarity in today's college football landscape. The Trailblazers welcomed back virtually their entire quarterback room from last season, including three signal callers who all saw a significant amount of playing time in 2024. 

• Redshirt junior Reggie Graff is Utah Tech's most seasoned quarterback heading into fall camp. He played in all 12 games with five starts in 2024 and led the Trailblazers in both passing (1,467) and rushing (442). 

• Graff completed 128 of his 225 pass attempts with a team-high 10 touchdowns, and also tallied a team-best four rushing TDs. He was named Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week and UAC co-Offensive Player of the Week (11/4) after he led Utah Tech to a 34-21 home upset win over then #9-ranked Central Arkansas (11/2).

• Graff kept that late-season surge going with 272 yards passing and two TDs vs. West Georgia (11/16), before notching career-highs of 386 yards on 31-of-57 passing and three touchdowns (four total TDs) in the season finale at Southern Utah (11/23). 

• Redshirt senior Deacon Hill began the 2024 as the starting quarterback, and served as the starter in four of Utah Tech's first five games before missing the remainder of the season due to injury. 

• Hill threw for 412 yards in those four starts on 36-of-75 passing and two touchdowns. He went 14-of-28 for a season-high 188 yards and two touchdowns in a week two loss at UNLV (9/7).  

• The redshirt senior transferred to Utah Tech from Iowa in 2024, where he started the last nine games last season and helped lead the then-nationally ranked Hawkeyes to the Big 10 West division title and a trip to the Big 10 Championship, along with a bid to the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

• Redshirt freshman Bronson Barben appeared in four games with three starts as a true freshman in 2024 and threw for 574 yards on 58-of-114 passing and four touchdowns. 

• Barben made his collegiate debut on the road at North Alabama (10/5), where he completed 5-of-8 passing for 137 yards and two touchdowns off the bench in his collegiate debut. That effort earned him three October starts, highlighted by a 231-yard effort on 22-of-39 passing and two scores at Eastern Kentucky (10/26).  

• Redshirt sophomore Skyler Cassel is also back after being a part of the practice squad last season, has appeared in one game over his two-plus season with the program, which came in 2023 in a road loss at Missouri State (9/23/23), against which he completed 1-of-3 passes for six yards.

 

RUNNING BACK

• Utah Tech running back corps knows full well that the goals they want to achieve this upcoming season, and to establish themselves as an up-and-coming FCS program ahead of Utah Tech's move to the Big Sky Conference next season, is predicated on a successful run game. 

• The Trailblazers will look to be more effective running the football in 2025, and the team will turn to its "Core 4" of returnees to carry that load this upcoming season. 

• Redshirt seniors Chris Street and Bretton Stone will serve as the veteran leaders of a deep and talented group of ball carriers, while fellow returnees in junior Kona Crowell and redshirt freshman Asa Chatmanwill also push for playing time.

• Street led Utah Tech's running backs corps with 237 rush yards to go with one touchdown. He also caught 18 passes out of the backfield for 145 yards and two scores, highlighted by a career long 31-yard touchdown catch and run at UNLV (9/7/24) ... Street racked up a season-high 62 yards on 10 carries and caught a 2-yard TD pass vs. West Georgia (11/16/24), while he notched his lone rushing touchdown vs. Abilene Christian (9/28/24), against which he posted a season-high 81 all-purpose yards (44 rush/37 rec).

• Stone saw time in 10 games with two starts a season ago and rushed for 125 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns. He recorded his first collegiate touchdown and ran for 31 yards on three carries vs. Abilene Christian (9/28/25), and followed that up three games later with a career-high 44 rush yards with a touchdown vs. Austin Peay (10/19/25) ... Stone also racked up a season high 72 all-purpose yards (21 rush/51 pass) at Tarleton State (10/12/24), and finished the year with 14 receptions for 155 yards overall.

• Crowell played in a career-high 12 games in 2024 and got the starting nod in three of the final four games of the campaign. He wound up with 70 yards on the ground and one rushing touchdown, which he scored against West Georgia (11/16), and caught 12 passes for 114 yards. 

• Chatman saw time in four games as a true freshman, during which he carried the ball a combined six times for 36 yards and caught five balls for 13 yards. Chatman picked up 28 of those rush yards on four carries at Eastern Kentucky (10/26).

• Along with the "Core 4," Utah Tech also welcomed three standout freshmen to its running back room in Damon Taylor, Maxwell Turner and Daron Tyson, all of whom bring a bevy of exceptional skills that could have them figure in the mix as the season progresses. 

 

WIDE RECEIVER

• Utah Tech's wide receiver room features 16 pass catchers, including nine returnees from last season's club. Of the nine wideouts who are back this fall, five of them caught at least five pass a year ago. Utah Tech also brought in three transfers, as well as two junior college transfers, and four freshmen, all of whom are competing for playing time in 2025.

• Seven of those nine returnees are upper classmen, including five seniors, while all nine wideouts bring with them the experience of having played in Utah Tech's offense and have worked closely with the Blazers' four returning quarterbacks.

• Senior Shamar Garrett is Utah Tech's top returning receiver from a season ago. Garrett caught 37 passes in 10 total games for 250 yards and one touchdown, which came in the Blazers' home win over Central Arkansas (11/2). The senior also posted a season-high 57 yards on four catches in the UAC opener vs. Abilene Christian (9/28)

• In addition, Garrett served as Utah Tech's primary return specialist and led the team with 579 all-purpose yards, highlighted by a 66-yard kickoff return in that UCA victory. 

• Fellow senior Daniel Thomason is back for one more season and will look to improve on a tough 2024 campaign. Thomason played in a 12 games, but was limited to only eight receptions for 107 yards, 52 of which came at home vs. ACU (9/28).

• Utah Tech's other three seniors are all returning to action after either not seeing the field, or playing sparingly last year, including three-year veteran Aaron Holloway, along with two-year squad member Taliq Brown, and 2024 UConn transfer DaJon Harrison.

• Meanwhile, RS-junior Chernet Estes saw time in all 12 games last year with one start and hauled in 10 passes for 126 yards, highlighted by a three-catch, 44-yard night vs. ACU. Fellow junior Tru Tanner will look to build upon a solid start to his Trailblazer career. Tanner played in Utah Tech's first four games and caught five passes for 51 yards and one touchdown before utilizing his redshirt year. 

• Sophomore Josh Rillos made the most of his debut season in 2024, during which he played in 11 games and hauled in 13 passes 129 yards. Rillos enjoyed a breakout performance at Eastern Kentucky, where he caught seven passes for 72 yards. In addition, sophomore Ben Pupplo will look to build upon the experience he earned in 2024, during which he played in three of the final four games during his redshirt season.  

• Utah Tech landed three transfers to bolster its receiving corps, two of which came from Utah FBS schools in sophomore Ja'Keho Mitchell from Utah State, and redshirt freshman Prince Zombo from BYU.

• Mitchell was part of the Aggies' program for two seasons, but did not see any game action. However, he was a three-sport letter winner at nearby Dixie HS in St. George, where he earned Utah 4A first team all-state honors as a wide receiver and was named 2021 Region 9 Offensive MVP. Mitchell hauled in 37 passes for 637 yards and 10 touchdowns, and finished his senior campaign with 1,185 all-purpose yards.

• Zombo redshirted at BYU in 2024 after signing there out of Liberty HS in Arizona, where he caught 42 passes for 834 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior in 2023. Martin (6-2, 188) moved south to St. George after he redshirted at COI following his prep career at Owyhee HS in Meridian, Idaho. 

• Utah Tech also welcomed in four true freshmen to camp, including a pair of Las Vegas standouts in Dominic Oliver and Adonis Vaughn, along with Will Greene from California, and Davyn Sedwick out of Texas. 

 

TIGHT END

• After going through both the 2022 and 2023 seasons without a single completion to a tight end, the new-look Trailblazer offense made the tight end position a focal point in 2024. 

• Last season, Utah Tech saw nearly half of its touchdown passes (8 of 17), along with nearly one-third of the total receptions (70 of 229) and over 900 receiving yards overall spread between four tight ends. 

• The tight end position group in 2025 is one of the youngest on the team, with three true freshmen, three sophomores, and one junior making up room. With that said, Utah Tech may see that youth may be served, both in the pass game, and run and pass blocking.

• Redshirt junior Eric Olsen, who is the lone upper classman in the position group, played a key role in Utah Tech's passing game last season. The junior caught 18 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown, with 60 of those yards and that score coming at home against Abilene Christian (9/28).

• Redshirt junior Justin Buhler did not see any game action in 2024, was originally recruited by Utah Tech as a running back, but has since moved over to tight end after sitting out last season as a redshirt. The Frisco, Texas native caught 11 passes for 133 yards during his season at Independence HS. 

• Redshirt sophomore Brody Monson, who also redshirted last season, transferred to Utah Tech after competing in track and field at Northwest Nazarene in 2023-24, where he earned all-region honors and finished third in the javelin as the GNAC Championships. 

• Sophomore Kaden Eggett has the most collegiate experience out of the four newcomers, having spent his freshman year at Snow College. In his 10 games with the Badgers last season, Eggett hauled in 26 passes for 320 yards and six touchdowns. 

• Three freshmen round out the room, with Isaiah Akinsanya, Brayden Hampsten and Mason Jensen all vying for playing time in their rookie collegiate seasons.

 

OFFENSIVE LINE

The Trailblazers have 16 active players in the offensive line room, including five primary starters from a season ago.

• Three of the five starters are fifth-year seniors, with Nolan Reynolds, Bryce Crowley and Chase Richards anchoring the unit, along with redshirt junior Rambo Mageo and true sophomore Trey Price.

• In fact, seven of the 16 active linemen are returnees from last season, including redshirt junior Logan Hicks and redshirt senior David Teahon), who both saw valuable playing time as well.

• Mix that veteran group in with a talented set of transfers, highlighted by three FBS transfers and one FCS transfer, as well as two experienced junior college transfers, and three true freshmen.

 

LEFT/RIGHT TACKLE

• Reynolds has seen the bulk of the fall camp snaps at left tackle, this after he started 10 games at center and two more at right guard last season. Reynolds has played in 32 games over his four-plus seasons with the Trailblazers and brings a veteran leadership component to the unit. 

• Meanwhile, both Mageo and Teahon could also figure in the mix at both left and right tackle. Mageo started 11 of his 12 games played last season at right tackle, while Teahon saw time in all 12 games a season ago after missing the entire 2023 campaign due to injury. 

• On the right side, freshman Matthew Snarr and junior college transfer Greg Fotinopoulos have both figured prominently in that position battle. In addition, redshirt freshman New Mexico transfer Nico Riveracould also see time at right tackle.

 

LEFT/RIGHT GUARD

• At both guard positions, the combination of Hicks, Richards, and Price, along with a pair of BYU transfers in redshirt freshman Dallin Johnson and sophomore Justice Ena along with Southern Utah transfer Zach Brown, and freshman Sebastian Fonua has all seen time during fall camp.

• Hicks moves over to guard after he played in 10 games with four starts at both tackle positions last season, with three of those starts at left tackle. Meanwhile Richards started in five of 10 games played last season, and made three starts at left guard, along with starts at both right guard and left tackle.

• Price started the final six games of the 2024 season, with five of those starts coming at left guard, and another at right guard. He along Johnson have seen the bulk of the work at right guard during fall camp.

• Johnson sat out the 2024 season at BYU as a redshirt after a stellar four-year prep career at Springville (UT) High School, where he was a four time all-region and two time all-state selection at both center and defensive tackle.

• Ena also saw limited time at BYU, while Brown, who originally signed at Boise State out of high school, could also figure in the mix as well. 

 

CENTER

• The center spot has at times seen four different players snap the ball in the early goings of fall camp, with Crowley taking the bulk of the first team reps, while he has also lined up at right guard. 

• Crowley has played in 29 career games at Utah Tech coming into this season, started in all 12 games a year ago, with seven of those starts coming at right guard.

• JUCO transfer Adrian Lopez (6-2, 290), who was a two-time first team all-NorCal conference selection at Sierra College, has also seen a lot of reps at center, as has true freshmen Cade Draper (6-1, 280). 

 

DEFENSIVE LINE

• Utah Tech's defensive line unit is a veteran-laden group with nine returning players, along with four transfers, all of whom have put in the work to improve the Blazers' run defense and to create havoc in the opposing team's pass game. 

• The Trailblazers have three redshirt seniors and five total upperclassmen in the defensive line room, which is anchored by redshirt senior Laytan Tanuvasa, who racked up 24 total tackles with seven solo stops and one sack last season. Tanuvasa played in all 12 games with seven starts, six of which came at nose tackle. 

• Tanuvasa, along with fellow redshirt seniors Cody Carlson and Micah Vuki, along with junior Ulisoni Angilau, saw a lot of playing time in 2024. Carlson played in all 12 games and tallied 29 total tackles along with two QB hurries and two fumble recoveries.

• Meanwhile, Vuki enjoyed a breakout season last year, during which he collected 13 total tackles and 1.5 TFLs in 11 games, while Angilau was credited with 14 tackles along with three total TFLs and two sacks in his first season as a Trailblazer. 

• Utah Tech also welcomes back redshirt junior Fasitootai Sagapolu, who returns to action after missing the entire 2024 campaign due to injury. "Marley" Sagapolu enjoyed a banner 2023 campaign, during which he started in nine of the 11 games he played in at nose tackle and racked up 30 total tackles (18 solo) with 2.0 TFLs. 

• Four redshirts will also look to make an impact entering their second seasons in the system, including sophomore Mubarak Odubiyi, and freshmen Zayden Cook, Brandon Jackson, and Noa Yamauchi.

• All four newcomers to the defensive line are transfers, two out of the portal and two more from the junior college ranks.

• Juniors Isai Perez and Jackson Stein are the most seasoned of the newcomers. Perez transferred from Morehead State after two years at Los Angeles Valley College, where he was a 2023 NJCAA all-America and SCFA Pacific League Defensive Player of the Year honoree. That season he amassed 45 total tackles with 11.0 TFLs and 2.5 sacks in only 10 games. 

• Stein spent three seasons at the College of the Canyons, where he played in 19 career games and finished with 36 total tackles, 11.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks. In fact, Stein posted 24 of those stops along with 7.5 TFLs and all three sacks during his 2024 season. 

• Utah Tech also brought in sophomore transfer Damien Burgueno from Fullerton College, where he turned heads after posting 25 total tackles with 9.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks and one forced fumble as a freshman in 2024, and redshirt freshman Tyson Simmons , who originally signed to play at Montana.  

 

LINEBACKERS

• Here is a quick glimpse of Utah Tech's new-look linebacker corps. We say new look because 13 of the 16 players in the position group are newcomers, and of the three who returned from last season, only two saw significant playing time last season.

• Meanwhile, nine of the 13 newcomers are freshmen, including seven true freshmen, along with three total FBS level transfers and two junior college transfers.  

 

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

• Utah Tech returns two at OLB this season, highlighted by redshirt sophomore Will Alovao, who started in four of the 11 games he played in last season. Alovao tallied 30 total tackles and finished t-fourth on the defense with 5.0 TFLs, which he recorded in five of his final six games of the campaign, including his first collegiate sack at Tarleton State (10/12).

• Redshirt senior Moon Ashby is also back after he did not see any game action in 2024. He did see time in the first 10 games in 2023, during which he was credited with six total stops.

• Of the eight new players listed at outside linebacker, juniors Motulalo Tafisi and Fagali'i Leatutufu have the most experience. Tafisi played two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute, where he racked up 48 total tackles (28 solo) with 3.5 TFLs in 17 career games, including 18 total stops with 2.5 TFLs last season.

• Leatutufu also brings to Utah Tech two years of JUCO experience, both of which came at the College of the Sequoias, where he recorded 21 total tackles with 5.0 TFLs and two sacks in 15 games overall.

• Redshirt freshman Dallin Havea transferred to Utah Tech after redshirting at BYU last season. Havea was a three-star rated recruit out of Provo High School and was a second team all-state selection. 

• The other five are true freshmen, including 2021 signee Nui Tovey who joins the program from serving an LDS Church mission, as well as Jackson Griffiths from nearby Crimson Cliffs HS, Steve Manuma out of Desert Pines HS in Las Vegas, Nash Cooper from San Diego's La Costa Canyon HS, and Roy Ma'afala Jr.from Saint Louis HS in Honolulu.

  

INSIDE LINEBACKERS

• The Trailblazers' lone returnee at inside linebacker is sophomore Jace Sweeten, who collected 18 total tackles, one TFL and one fumble recovery in nine games of reserve action last year.

• Junior Utah State transfer Logan Pili will be looked upon to step in and make an immediate impact. Pili played in 23 games over two seasons with the Aggie program and recorded 45 career tackles (18 solo) with 5.5 TFLs and one sack. 

• Utah Tech also added another FBS transfer in redshirt junior Helaman Ofahengaue from Utah, where he was part of the Utes' program for three seasons and saw action in six games over that span. He, along with redshirt freshman Moe Passi from Kamehameha HS in Hawai'i, and true freshmen Adrian Dahlene from Williams Field HS in Gilbert, Ariz., and Daylen Love from San Jacinto (CA) HS, will look to make an immediate impact as well. 

 

DEFENSIVE BACKS

• The DB room runs 20 players deep, 12 of whom are newcomers to the program, including six players signed out of the transfer portal, along with one junior college transfer and five freshmen.

• Meanwhile, the Trailblazers returned eight players from last year's club, though only five of those returnees saw playing time in 2024.  

• Redshirt sophomore Quincy Lejay is the lone returnee who saw significant a year ago. Lejay started in seven of the 11 games he played as a freshman and finished second on the defense in total tackles with 60, including 2.0 TFLs, five PBUs and one fumble recovery. 

• Lejay posted three double-digit tackle performances in his first full season, highlighted by a career-high 13 stops (8 solo) with that fumble recovery in the win over Central Arkansas (11/2/24).

• The four other Blazers who saw time all wound up utilizing their redshirt seasons as freshmen last year. Kyle Parker started in two of the three games he played and finished the year with eight tackles (5 solo), as did Jeremiah Jimoh, who racked up 15 tackles (11 solo), with 10 of those coming in a home start against West Georgia (11/16). 

• Brady Sorenson made the most of his brief playing time in the UCA win (11/2), against which he recorded two interceptions and three total tackles, while River Moore saw time in four games but did not record a stat. Utah Tech also brought back three other 2024 redshirts, including senior Cade Smith, junior Ayden Quintanilla and sophomore Aiden Aguayo. 

• Two of the six transfer portal signees came from 2024 Utah Tech opponents, one of whom is returning "home" for his final collegiate season. Fifth year senior Devyn Perkins, who played in the Blazer defensive backfield from 2021-23, returns to the program after spending last season up the road at Southern Utah. Perkins played in four games for the Thunderbirds and recorded 12 tackles and one TFL. 

• Meanwhile, redshirt junior safety Brevin Czosnyka joined the Trailblazer program after two years at Northern Arizona, where he played in 22 career games and tallied 35 total tackles (18 solo) and one interception. 

• Both Perkins and Czosnyka, along with Fresno State transfer safety Justin Houston and Nevada transfer Denon Fagan will be looked upon to provide veteran leadership to this young position group.

• Houston played in 30 career games over five seasons at FSU, where he racked up 68 total tackles, highlighted by a career-high 37 during his sophomore campaign in 2021 in a season that saw him start in 12 of the Bulldogs' 13 games.

• Though Fagan played in only two games at Nevada in 2024 before utilizing his redshirt, he was a two-time all-conference and California all-state selection at Reedley College. Fagan tallied 62 total tackles (49 solo) with five interceptions and 15 PBUs as a sophomore in 2023.

• Utah Tech also added in redshirt sophomore UCLA transfer RJ Jones II and redshirt freshman New Mexico transfer Devin Costello to the mix, along with Cerritos College transfer Ryan Tuaolo, who originally signed at UNLV out of high school.

• The other five newcomers are true freshmen, including Utah prep product Michael Falatea, two California prepsters in Braden Cervello and Amari Sanders, Darryl Coleman from Arizona, and DeJuan Robinson from Legacy HS in North Las Vegas.  

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Redshirt junior placekicker Ilya Uvaydov (5-8, 178) headlines the Trailblazers' kicking game as he returns after a stellar 2024 campaign. In his first season handling all of Utah Tech's kicking duties, Uvaydov connected on 27-of-28 in PAT tries and 8-of-13 field goal attempts

• Uvaydov hit a pair of field goals against both Central Arkansas (11/2) and Southern Utah (11/23), including a career long 53-yarder 1:04 to play in the fourth quarter to force overtime. In addition, he recorded 19 touchbacks on his 45 kickoffs. 

• Uvaydov is one of three full-time placekickers in camp as redshirt freshmen Cyrus Aguinaga and Fisher Brown both return after being part of the program as true freshmen last season. 

• In the punt game, the Blazers will look upon Utah State transfer Ryan Marks to fill that void as the team's punter. The incoming junior spent three seasons with the Aggie program and punted seven times last season and averaged 42.3 ypp with five punts landing inside the opponent 20-yard line.

• Along with Marks, both Aguinaga and true freshman Dax Iverson from Fremont High School in northern Utah, will provide depth at the position.

• Garrett served as Utah Tech's primary return specialist last season and led the team with 579 all-purpose yards, highlighted by a 66-yard kickoff return in the Trailblazers' home victory over Central Arkansas (11/2). Garrett returned eight total punts for 66 yards (8.3 ypr) in 2024, and racked up 200 yards on nine kickoff returns (22.2 ypr). 

• In addition, both Stone and Mitchell could be major factors returning kicks for the Blazers this season. 

• The Blazers have two players listed at the long snapper position, with redshirt junior Peter Oney and true freshman Conner Mickelson both vying for that coveted position.  

 

#AB3FOREVER: Redshirt senior running back Chris Street has once again been awarded the No. 3 jersey for the 2025 season. The senior is the fourth Trailblazer player to wear the coveted number since the 2021 spring season. 

            The awarding of the No. 3 jersey has become an annual tradition honoring the memory of former Trailblazer football player Abraham Reinhardt, who passed away unexpectedly on March 22, 2019.

            Head coach Lance Anderson noted last season that he took some time to get familiar with the story of Reinhardt, both as a student-athlete and as a young man. He quickly realized the importance and the impact this tradition has on the Trailblazer football program, a tradition he is very eager to continue.

        "Once I heard the story about Abe Reinhardt, the kind of person he was, the kind of football player he was, and his tragic passing, I was very touched and felt like this is something we need to continue," said Coach Anderson. "I felt it was very important that our team understands who he was and what this jersey truly represents."

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech opens its six-game road slate with a quick trip down to Flagstaff to face another Big Sky opponent in No. 18/19 Northern Arizona next Saturday afternoon, Sept. 6. Kickoff on the Findlay Toyota Field turf inside the Walkup Skydome is set for 3 p.m. (MT).