UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | February 19, 2025

Turnovers plague Trailblazers at home loss to Wildcats

After taking a short tour through Texas as part of their conference schedule, the Utah Tech University men’s basketball team returned to St. George Feb. 6 in hopes of snapping a five-game losing streak. 

The team had taken losses at both Tarleton State University and the University of Texas at Arlington before squaring up against the Abilene Christian University Wildcats in the Burns Arena.

Respectively, both teams sat at the seventh and eighth spots in the nine-team Western Athletic Conference. ACU was turning away from a two-game losing streak and had only won a single conference game against Tarleton State. 

The battle at the bottom of the leaderboard began with the Trailblazers turning the ball over twice in their first two possessions. The Wildcats came out swinging with aggressive defense and an impressive nine-for-nine shooting performance that included five 3-pointers. 

Utah Tech came out of the first timeout with some aggressive defense of their own and managed to hold on and stay under a double-digit deficit until halftime, where they were down 31-44. 

The halftime performances brought a bit of light and excitement to the crowd. The cheer and drill teams from Crimson Cliffs High School were invited to the game and performed routines. The Blaze dance team performed as well, and Utah Tech’s cheer team unveiled their Nationals routine for the very first time.

However, the excitement was short-lived as play resumed. ACU caught fire and ended the game having shot an impressive 51% from the floor and 46% from three as a team. Burdened by 19 total turnovers, the Trailblazers never came within single digits and fell to a final score of 72-86.

Beon Riley, a senior business major from Chula Vista, California, led Utah Tech’s scorers with 17 points and tallied 12 rebounds alongside it. Samuel “Tobi” Ariyibi, a redshirt junior communication studies major from Lagos, Nigeria, was a spark off the bench and contributed nine points, three assists and three blocks. 

“Right now, everyone’s been the most mentally tired,” Ariyibi said. “Everyone is trying to figure out what they can do personally… and how they can be effective for [the] team.”

Justin Bieker, a senior individualized studies major from Portland, Oregon, responded when asked about the mid-season fatigue.

He said: “I think we just got to dig deeper and want it more. Obviously, tonight we didn’t do that, so we got to go back and soul search and figure out how to finish off this season.”

There are still eight games remaining for the Trailblazers and the seeding for the WAC tournament in Las Vegas is still up in the air. There’s still a chance to get out of the woods and end the season on a high note. 

Ariyibi said that after tough losses like this, he goes home to watch the game film and leans on his teammates and family to figure out how he can be better for the next game. 

Similarly, Riley said that he leans on his faith in God during tough times and believes that the team’s focus has been on unity.

“As much as we don’t really show it, at times I feel like this is a tight group and at some point, we’re gonna start turning it around and playing some better basketball,” Riley said. “It starts with all of us.”

Bieker expressed a similar sentiment.

“It’s times like this you can’t have people or anyone give up on our team,” he said. “We only have so much time left together.”

The team is headed to Southern Utah University Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. The rest of the schedule can be found here.  

Game day guide: Trailblazers’ weekly rundown

Utah Tech University athletics was led by the women’s swim team as they broke five school records during the first day of their meet with Northern Arizona University Jan. 24. 

Women’s swim

As part of their two-night dual with NAU, the Trailblazers led the Lumberjacks 48-46. Sophomore Grace Benson broke her own 100 IM record in the 4×100 relay, despite the team being disqualified. 

Following the disqualification, Utah Tech bounced back in the 300 backstroke relay as Allie Hayes, Dani Cannon and Mary Sims Cross broke the school record by over 13 seconds. 

The team of Yara Olsen, the aforementioned Benson and Alyssa Gordon continued the trend as they broke the school record by over 17 seconds. 

The trio of Abby Hill, Gabby Henry and Mandy Farnum closed the night out strong for the Trailblazers in the 300 butterfly relay as they shattered the previous school record by 15 seconds. 

On day two of the meet, Utah Tech picked up six more victories in their last home meet of the season as they prepare for the Western Athletic Conference championship meet next month. 

“We’re really pleased with the progress we are making,” head coach Shawn King said. “This was a fantastic performance by our team. We came in fired up on Friday night to race in some fun relays and set some school records, and then we turned in some very solid swimming today against NAU, which is a phenomenal opponent.”

Men’s basketball

Utah Tech’s men basketball lost their third straight game as they fell to the WAC defending champions, Grand Canyon University, 79-66 at Burns Arena Jan. 25 despite 19 points and 11 rebounds from Beon Riley.

The loss drops the Trailblazers fell to 6-14 and 2-3 in the WAC as they now prepare to travel to Texas for games against both Tarleton State University Jan. 30 and The University of Texas at Arlington Feb. 1. 

Women’s basketball

The Trailblazers lost 78-43 on the road at GCU, who leads the WAC at 19-2. Freshman Ellie Taylor led the Trailblazers in scoring with 19 points. The Trailblazers dropped to 5-13 and 1-4 in conference play.

The Trailblazers will now return home to Burns Arena for four of their next five games, starting with a matchup against Tarleton State Jan. 30.

Click here to see upcoming games.

Leaving a legacy: How LaVell Edwards changed football coaching

Former Brigham Young University head football coach LaVell Edwards’ coaching has had a ripple effect as his former players and staff have gone on to be successful coaches. 

The late LaVell Edwards coached the BYU Cougars from 1972-2000, and his impact continues to live on despite his death in 2016. Through the players he coached during those years, he created a coaching tree that has had great success in both college and in the NFL.

Among those players was Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who played offensive line at BYU from 1978-1980. While coaching Reid at BYU, Edwards saw a future for Reid in coaching.

“He not only learned and knew what his assignment was, but also the reasons why and the concept of what you’re trying to do,” Edwards said. “A lot of players didn’t have that concept or ability, but Andy did. He had a feel for it.

Reid has also been the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs and is the winningest active coach in the NFL. Reid credits Edwards for his move into coaching but also admired his character as a human being off the football field.

“[Edwards] was great with people; he was a people person,“ Reid said. “You put all the Xs and Os and put that aside—he was good at that too—but you can put all of that aside. It was the way he handled people that I thought was unbelievable. He was the one that talked me into [coaching]. He called me every week from that day on like he had put me in a bad position or something. He was always checking on me.

Along with Reid, both coaches of the rivalry game on Nov. 9 between the University of Utah and BYU played under Edwards. Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham played linebacker under Edwards from 1978-1981, while BYU head coach Kalani Sitake played running back in 1994 and 1997-2000. 

After his playing career with Edwards, Whittingham joined BYU’s staff as a graduate assistant for the 1985-86 seasons. Whittingham has credited Edwards for his impact on coaching and the lessons he’s carried with him as a head coach. 

“[He was a] tremendous person,” Whittingham said last year. “Just a great hirer of staff members. He had great staff down there. Let them do their job, didn’t try to micromanage and really was a guy who made the attitude and the personality of the team very steady and even-keeled.”

As the head coach at Utah, Whittingham has become Utah’s all-time wins leader and won the Bear Bryant award for coach of the year in 2008.

Following his transition to coaching after his playing career, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake has strived to learn from both Edwards and Whittingham, who he coached with at Utah. Sitake worked as Utah’s linebacker coach from 2005-2008 and as the defensive coordinator from 2009-2014 before becoming the head coach at BYU in 2015. 

Edwards’ impact has spread throughout both the collegiate and professional levels, but especially at rivals BYU and the University of Utah.

“If it weren’t for Utah, I wouldn’t be here,” Sitake said. “And if it weren’t for BYU, coach Whit wouldn’t be at Utah.” 

After playing for Edwards and working with coach Whittingham, Sitake has strived to carry over the same tradition and success that Edwards set a precedent for during his time coaching.

“We talk about love and learn, and that’s the culture that we’re trying to put here at BYU,” Sitake said. “This is what LaVell did for me when I was a player for him. He was such a legend, he did it the right way. So we’re trying to incorporate the same ideas in 2024, you know, decades later.”

Since becoming the head coach at BYU, Sitake has a record of 61-41 and has realized his most success this season following BYU’s addition to the Big 12 Conference. In the first official College Football Playoff Rankings that was released Nov. 5, BYU was ranked 9th with an undefeated 8-0 record. 

Edwards himself realized great success during his time coaching, such as winning a National Championship in 1984 and joining the College Football Hall of Fame. His success as a coach, along with his character, continues to influence the game of football through the coaching tree he began. 

Edwards’s impact as a coach continues to spread throughout the collegiate and professional levels. As former players of his continue to realize great success and innovate the game, such as Reid, who has become known for his creative plays, Edwards’ legacy lives on. 

Defense rolls: Six forced turnovers lead Trailblazers to victory

Utah Tech University earned their first win of the season following an upset win over Central Arkansas University. 

Led by quarterback Reggie Graff’s four total touchdowns, Utah Tech was able to get its first win of the season over the No. 9 Central Arkansas. Graff threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 90 yards and a touchdown and even had a receiving touchdown. 

“It started with practice. We had great preparation and a great week of practice overall,” Graff said. “Coach Stevens made it easy on me, had some easy reads for me and luckily they were running the defense we were preparing for. So, it was pretty easy for me to flick it out to our guys and let them work the field.“

Utah Tech made an effort throughout the game to move the ball quick through short passes and play action. Central Arkansas’s David Walker was No. 2 in sacks which heavily influenced how the Trailblazers game planned to attack the Central Arkansas defense. 

“Coach Stevens had a great game plan of quick game, [run pass options] the run game, things like that just to keep things mixed up and account for [Walker] and his ability,” Utah Tech head coach Lance Anderson said. 

Helping out in the passing game was tight end Eni Falayi, who returned from injury. In his return from injury, Falayi had a huge impact as he had ten catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. 

Utah Tech built a commanding lead in the first half as kicker Ilya Uvaydov gave the Trailblazers the lead on a 30 yard field goal before the Trailblazers offense really got going in the second quarter.

Falayi caught a six yard pass from Graff before Graff caught a touchdown from Bryce Parker and eventually, Graff threw another touchdown to Shamar Garrett. Darius Hale had a rushing touchdown that got Central Arkansas on the board as Utah Tech led 24-7 at the end of the first half. 

In addition to the key contributors on offense, the Trailblazers defense caused problems all game long for the Central Arkansas offense, forcing six turnovers. Brady Sorensen had two interceptions while Jaxson Smith and Scooter Jackson also had interceptions. In addition to the four interceptions, Quincy Lejay and Cody Carlson also recovered fumbles that helped set up the Trailblazer offense throughout the game.

Coach Anderson has emphasized the importance of finishing plays and games strongly throughout the season, something which he was able to see in action in the second half. 

“It hasn’t been an easy year,” Anderson said. “I really appreciate the team because they have continued to believe, they have never given up, they come in and work hard every day at practice and it’s great to see some results.”

Utah Tech goes into a bye week off their first win before coming back to play the University of West Georgia Nov. 16. 

Elevating spirit: A look into the cheer team as they step into national view

On game days for Utah Tech University, as well as their own competitions, Utah Tech’s cheer team is the heartbeat of the school’s spirit. 

Utah Tech’s cheer team, led by new coach Marcie Sharp, is working hard not only to influence school spirit on game days but also prepare to win their own competitions. This will be the first year the cheer team has gone to compete at the Universal Cheerleaders Association Division I-A College Championship, which has affected the team’s approach and mentality this year. 

“This year is a big year for us because it’s our first year that we’re going to be competing nationally,” Jake Harber, a senior communications major from Pinedale, Wyoming, said. ”So that is a big change that the program has made. Before, we were just a game day team and that was still really fun; we did a lot of stuff. We still helped out a lot around the school but now this year we’re taking that next step, and we’ve really tightened up the program.” 

As the team has transitioned from being solely a game day team to a team built to win competitions of their own, the talent and work ethic throughout the team has been elevated as they build towards the national competition.

“Individually, they’re working outside of our practice times because they have the drive to get better themselves,” head coach Marcie Sharp said. ”So when they all come together, they can up their skills. I feel like they’re also motivating each other because if one girl is really working hard to get a certain skill, then the other girls are like, ‘Oh I want to get that because she’s excelling in that area,’ and so they’re kind of competing against each other but in a in a good and healthy way to make our whole team be better.”

While the team works toward the national competition, they remain dedicated to improving the game day atmosphere for Utah Tech athletics. Working with the student section, the cheer team strives to raise school spirit for Utah Tech athletics. 

“I would just say it gives you that extra little push,” Gracey Fowers, a senior business management major from West Haven, said. “Everyone’s watching you, which can be a little intimidating at times, but it makes it exciting and makes it fun. I think the school gives us such a bigger purpose, and working towards that bigger purpose and being able to have that student section, that is also there for that bigger purpose come together is amazing stuff.”

The cheer team works with the student section to raise the energy level on game days, but the student section also has to play their part. When the student section doesn’t do its part, it makes it increasingly difficult for the cheer team to provide excitement to game days. 

“We’ve talked about this a lot, but it sucks when the student section doesn’t respond well, and that’s been a pretty rare instance, especially this year,” Harber said. “I feel like we’ve had a really good student section.”

As the Utah Tech cheer team prepares for their own competitions this year, along with their game day responsibilities, they continue to strengthen the Trailblazer spirit. 

Editor’s midseason predictions: Brigham Young University Cougars

The Brigham Young University football team has smashed expectations so far, but will they be able to keep pace?

Ranked No. 13 in the preseason Big 12 poll, BYU was majorly overlooked and was given a win total by the oddsmakers in Vegas set at over/under 3.5. The Cougars out of Provo took these as insults and have been on a mission to prove them wrong ever since.

BYU started by taking care of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision opponent in the Salukis of Southern Illinois University before visiting a hostile environment at Southern Methodist University; surviving without letting in a touchdown on defense to the Mustangs who averaged over 50 points per game at home. This game at SMU showed the level of play that this BYU defense can be expected to play.

Following another week on the road in Laramie, Wyoming, the Cougars returned to Lavell Edwards Stadium with a 3-0 record and a looming matchup with the No. 13 ranked Kansas State University Wildcats.

Jake Retzlaff and the Cougars’ offense were struggling, however, the defense had another idea. With 2:10 remaining in the game, the BYU offense finally got on the board with a field goal by Will Ferrin, making it a 6-3 game.

On the ensuing drive, the Cougar’s defense came up with a forced fumble and returned it to the house giving BYU a 10-6 lead following the point after. Two plays later, the BYU defense struck again with an interception in plus territory, leading to another Cougar touchdown by Chase Roberts.

The second half started just as the first ended, as not even three plays in the Cougars forced another interception that was once again turned into six points by the offense. With the first two phases of the game rolling for the Cougars, the emotions, energy and pure turbulence in the stadium, Parker Kingston found the end zone on a 90-yard punt return touchdown, blowing the hypothetical roof off the stadium.

This was the first game since 1996 that BYU scored on offense, defense and special teams in the same game. The pandemonium continued as the Cougars coasted into a 38-9 victory on their home field.

Being in the crowd for this upset showed the true power that the Roar of the Cougar — the BYU student section — has, with noise meters that were constantly over 90 decibels. The Cougars’ fans left Kansas State fans, who traveled out to Provo, leaving with praise and awe of the atmosphere.

Sitting at 5-0 currently and 2-0 in Big 12 play, the Cougars have had just enough of a blend of offense and a stellar defense making them one of two undefeated squads in the Big 12.

Despite the lackluster offensive output through three games, the Cougars’ defense was able to make up the difference. The BYU defense totaled only 11 sacs over the course of the 2023 season. After the first half of the 2024 season, the Cougars have already reached 10 in that category.

The offense has also started to produce as they exploded out to a 21-0 first quarter lead against the Baylor University Bears before tapering off and holding onto the win in Waco, Texas.

The Cougars sat on bye week this past weekend before they play host to the University of Arizona Wildcats Oct. 12. This matchup with the Wildcats will be under national gaze as the Fox Big Noon Kickoff team will be in Provo.

The next four games will test the depth, strength and resilience of this BYU team with a realistic look at the team heading into Salt Lake for their matchup with the University of Utah Utes, at a 6-2 record with trap games in both Florida and Arizona.

However, if the Cougars come out of the bye week with a stronger offensive game plan and come out of Arizona 6-0, I’m confident they will have what it takes to walk into Arlington, Texas, and the Big 12 Championship game as an undefeated or one-loss team. This would come as a surprise to everyone after a disappointing end to last season dropping five straight and missing out on bowl eligibility.

Eligibility this season shouldn’t be a struggle needing only one win and having games against Arizona State University, the University of Houston and the University of Kansas rounding out their schedule.

Overall, the outlook for the Cougars is looking up and with a healthy roster and a strong couple of bye weeks, I see the BYU program going officially 12-0 in the regular season, especially after the Utes struggled against an Arizona team and the slow, sluggish performance of the University of Central Florida team against the University of Miami.

In a bonus prediction, I see the Cougars in a matchup with Iowa State University in the Big 12 Championship that will be a defensive, master class with the final score being in the realm of 21-17 in favor of the Cougars.

Trail continues to crumble: Trailblazers defeated by Abilene Christian Wildcats

Despite their highest-scoring game of the season, Utah Tech University fell to Abilene Christian University 55-30 at Greater Zion Stadium.

While the game got out of hand for Utah Tech in the second half, the first half was largely competitive as Abilene Christian led 27-16 going into the break. After both teams were forced to punt on their opening drives, Utah Tech running back Chris Street opened the scoring on a seven-yard rushing touchdown.

Abilene Christian responded with a touchdown of their own on their next drive; a 76-yard pass from Maverick McIvor to Blayne Taylor. Following a Utah Tech punt on their next drive, Abilene Christian scored on a 53-yard rushing touchdown by Sam Hicks as Abilene Christian closed the quarter leading 14-7.

Going into the second quarter, both teams exchanged field goals on their opening drives. Abilene Christian extended their lead to 20-10 following another field goal. Utah Tech was able to move the ball on their next drive but missed a 41-yard field goal.

Sam Hicks then scored again for Abilene Christian on a 35-yard run. Utah Tech then drove down the field with 27 seconds remaining in the half, scoring on a 32-yard pass from Reggie Graff to Eric Olsen to close the gap to 27-16. 

“That first half, there was a lot of examples of that lack of execution,” Utah Tech head coach Lance Anderson said. “Not finishing plays and some of the plays that Abilene Christian made were a lack of execution on our part.”

Abilene Christian began to take over the game in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three of their first four drives, while Utah Tech was forced to punt and later had a fumble that resulted in a scoop-and-score for Abilene Christian. Abilene Christian was able to have big plays throughout the game as they extended their lead to 41-16 by the end of the third quarter. 

“The defense struggled tonight, even when the offense had a much better game,” Preston Affleck, a junior business management major from Riverton, said. 

To start the fourth quarter, Sam Hicks scored again for Abilene Christian on an eight-yard rushing touchdown, and Chris Wright returned a Utah Tech fumble for an Abilene Christian touchdown. Utah Tech bounced back with a touchdown on their next drive as quarterback Reggie Graff scored for Utah Tech on a nine-yard rushing touchdown.

After Utah Tech forced an Abilene Christian punt, Trailblazers running back Bretton Stone scored on a 10-yard rush with three minutes remaining — the last score of the game.

Utah Tech had their best game offensively of the season, scoring a season high 30 points. Quarterback Reggie Graff led the Trailblazers in passing with 231 yards and a touchdown while also leading the team in rushing with 79 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Maverick McIvor led Abilene Christian’s air attack with 286 yards passing and two touchdowns on 33 attempts. Sam Hicks led Abilene Christian’s attack on the ground, rushing for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. 

As Utah Tech prepares to travel on the road, some students would like to see better support from the student section to give Utah Tech a true home-field advantage.

“I would love to see more support from the student section,” Zachary Moore, a sophomore general education major from St. George, said. “It was lacking energy and a lot of people left after the first quarter.”

Following their first conference game of the season, Utah Tech falls to 0-5. The Trailblazers will look to get their first win of the season as they head on the road to play the University of North Alabama Oct. 5. 

Game day guide: Trailblazers’ weekly rundown

Utah Tech University athletics struggled offensively, going winless with a record of 0-4-2 in all contests throughout the past week, Sept. 15-21.

Men’s soccer

The Trailblazers opened the week at Greater Zion Stadium playing the California Polytechnic State University Mustangs. Utah Tech worked the game to a 1-1 draw with the Mustangs taking the lead in the fourth minute of the match by Quinn Mahoney. Damian Arguello responded in the 44th minute tying the game and ultimately bringing the match to its eventual final score.

Utah Tech then hit the road for a matchup against the University of California Irvine. UC Irvine hit the pitch ready to play on their home field scoring two goals in the first half, both goals were scored by Agaton Pourshahidi, a junior forward for Irvine.

The second half came with a bundle of goals with both teams hitting the back of the net twice. The Anteaters started the second half by extending their lead to 3-0 before Trailblazer forward Oliver Stone, capitalized on a penalty kick following a UC Irvine yellow card. The Trailblazers followed the penalty up with a header goal by Angel Saldana in the 79th minute to cut the deficit to one before giving up the dagger in the hat-trick goal by Pourshahidi.

The Trailblazers enter a bye week before hosting California Baptist University Oct. 3.

Women’s soccer

Looking to bounce back from a couple of heartbreaks last week, the Trailblazers continued to an Idaho road trip playing the University of Idaho Vandals in a match filled with second-half excitement. The game was a tale of the two goaltenders through the first half, with a scoreless tie on the board at the break.

The second half started and in the 51st minute, the deadlock was broken by Lataya Brost which held as the only goal for the better part of the second half. The floodgates then opened starting in the 80th minute where the Vandals knotted the game at one a-piece with a strike by Kahvayli Miller.

The Trailblazers’ leading scorer, Lacy Fox, then got a chance from the penalty spot, which was capitalized by regaining the lead in the 88th minute. The Vandals were able to answer, tying the game 2-2 18 seconds later, which held up as the clock struck zero, leaving the Trailblazers with their third straight game without a win.

Portland State University then played host to the Trailblazers in the final non-conference match on Utah Tech’s schedule. The match saw Emily Blanchard open the scoring in the 55th minute after yet another scoreless first 45. The Vikings were able to level the game in the 83rd minute with a lofting goal by Ocean Rideout. That score would remain as the Trailblazers finish non-conference play with a record of 3-2-4.

Utah Tech will remain on the road as they travel to Phoenix, Arizona, to face Grand Canyon University.

Women’s volleyball

The Trailblazers’ home series with Northern Arizona University saw Utah Tech lose in a sweeping fashion at Burns Arena before traveling down to NAU, where the Trailblazers were unable to steal a win in the fifth set.

Game one of the home opener ended 3-0 with Utah Tech losing each set 25-19, 25-23 and 27-25 respectively. Kennedi Knudsen’s 15 kills were unable to lift the Trailblazers over the Lumberjacks.

In game two, the Trailblazers showed a little more grit winning both sets two and three but they were ultimately out-battled losing in five sets with the scores 12-25, 25-22, 25-22, 21-25 and 11-15. Statistically, Nana Asiata shined having 18 kills in the match.

The Trailblazers return to Burns Arena Sept. 26 to host Abilene Christian University.

Football

Utah Tech football struggled to keep the ball on offense in their road matchup against the University of California Davis, giving up the ball on the defensive side multiple times.

Freshman quarterback Reggie Graff out of Dixie High School threw for 95 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a game where Graff only completed 33% of his passes. Following a three-and-out on UC Davis’s first drive and two consecutive turnovers on the Utah Tech side of the field led to an early UC Davis lead.

After the first half, UC Davis led 18-0 after a missed pat on the opening score and four field goals. The second half had both teams put in two touchdowns, leading to a final score of 32-14. The Trailblazers were outgunned 223 to 417 yards and had 40 less snaps on offense. Utah Tech also was minus three in turnover margin, losing two fumbles and throwing for two interceptions.

In a post-game press conference, head coach Lance Anderson was asked about the defense and how they fought throughout the game.

“The defense fought hard. They had their backs against the wall on many occasions, but they really came out and competed hard,” Anderson said. “To compete against good teams like [UC Davis,] we can’t have those turnovers.”

This loss leaves the Trailblazers with a 0-4 record going into next week’s homecoming game against Abilene Christian.

To see upcoming schedules or view in-depth stats click here.

Chris Street honors former Trailblazer with special jersey number

Utah Tech University football running back Chris Street will continue the program’s tradition of honoring former player Abraham Reinhardt, who died in 2019, by wearing his No. 3 jersey.

Before his death in 2019, Reinhardt was recognized for his abilities, both on and off the field. Since his death, it has become a tradition for one player to be chosen to wear Reinhardt’s number that season.

Street, a senior applied sociology major from Eastvale, California, is the fifth player awarded the honor due to his accomplishments, both as a player and as a member of the community.

“I love Chris as a player on the field, but I’m really proud of the man that Chris is going to grow into… off the field,” Jamison Clark, Utah Tech football running back coach, said. “I think that’s what wearing No. 3 should represent.”

In his lone season at Utah Tech, Reinhardt also had a significant impact on the field. He led and co-led the Trailblazers in three defensive categories as a linebacker and was selected to the first team all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

As Street enters his second season at Utah Tech, he will work to honor Reinhardt’s legacy through his play and mentality.

Last season, Street played all 11 games and was second on the Trailblazers in carries, yards and rushing touchdowns.

“It comes down to pure will and determination,” Street said. “I have to have the will to be great and have the will to go to practice every day and go my hardest. Especially just to bring the team along with me, we all have to collectively buy in and have a strong will and be determined to go forward in a positive manner.”

In addition to his contributions on the field, Reinhardt was known as a leader on the team and an exemplary person. Street feels a personal responsibility to carry on his reputation through his leadership on the field and his conduct in the community. 

“I feel like it just goes hand in hand to my everyday life,” Street said. “I always feel that pressure to be a good person in the community and to be a good person in general.”

Street’s leadership played a huge reason as to why he was chosen to carry on this tradition. 

“Chris has a lot of the same characteristics that Abe had such as hard work, toughness, trust and accountability,” Lance Anderson, Utah Tech head football, said. “And you definitely see those things in Chris Street. Also, a big part of that three jersey, is the leadership ability that Abe displayed. Chris is very much a leader on the team as well. He’s on our leadership council and he’s been elected to captain each of the first two weeks this season. The team definitely looks to Chris as a leader and he is definitely a positive role model.”

As Utah Tech changed their coaching staff this season, it has allowed new coaches to learn about Reinhardt’s legacy and the tradition of the No. 3 jersey. Anderson slowly began to learn about Reinhardt’s importance to the university as well as the tradition of passing on his jersey number.

“When I first got here, I saw the jersey outside of our locker room and really didn’t know what it meant,” Anderson said. “I was told initially that we set that jersey aside and we will award it to someone. Later on, I heard about Abe and his story and was touched, especially as I started to learn more about him, his character, his leadership abilities and it really struck a chord with me and I felt that it was a priority that we continue to embrace this.”

While Utah Tech’s football team has undergone many changes, such as the move to Division I, the commitment to honor Reinhardt’s legacy will not. Although it’s been several years since Reinhardt’s death, his impression on the Utah Tech football community still remains. Street learned this himself through the reception he received when given the opportunity to wear Reinhardt’s jersey number.

“The reception‘s been really positive, especially after the media went out about it,” Street said. “A lot of his former teachers or friends were messaging me to tell me that he was a great man and to represent this well.”

As Reinhardt’s legacy continues to live on through a school name change, different coaching staffs and players, Anderson wants to make sure the importance of jersey No. 3 lives on. 

He said, “We want to make it mean something to our guys to wear that three jersey and I think it does already and we are going to continue to embrace that tradition.”

Trailblazers left defeated in football season opener

In their season opener, Utah Tech University’s football team lost 7-31 to Montana State University in a game that they were held to six first downs offensively.

Montana State controlled the game throughout, largely due to their ability to control the line of scrimmage. They rushed for 335 yards after rushing for 362 yards in their win against New Mexico University last week. Montana State running back Scottre Humphrey led the rushing attack with 20 carries for 104 yards. Quarterback Tommy Mellott also had six carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

The Utah Tech defense did show some promise as they were left on the field for a majority of the game and came up with some stops in the red zone. 

“I felt all night long they competed and never gave up,” Lance Anderson, Utah Tech head football coach, said. “The defense was put in a tough position; they were on the field a lot but they battled. Now, execution still has to be better.”

Utah Tech’s offense struggled throughout the game, starting with ten three-and-outs before finally moving the chains in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Deacon Hill went 11-23 with 104 yards passing and the Trailblazers rushed for 64 yards. In the first three quarters, Utah Tech was held to just 41 yards of total offense.

In the fourth quarter, the offense did start to get going. Hill scored on a 24-yard run that put Utah Tech on the board. The Trailblazers failed to reach the end zone again but were able to move the ball more effectively. 

“We had a tough start but we showed life at the end, so I’m hoping to see some promise out of the offense here,” Utah Tech spectator Nolan Houskeeper, a junior electrical engineering major from Boise, Idaho, said. “We are just getting started and making sure that we can start to connect, get the rust off and feel put together as a team when it comes to the actual field play.”

While the game was largely out of reach, being able to score and move the ball more effectively allows for the offense to make adjustments going forward. Along with the bright moments for the offense and defense, the special teams unit blocked a Montana State field goal and forced a miss later in the game. 

Despite the loss, Utah Tech fans still hope that the team can make the necessary adjustments as the season wears on. 

“We held close with them all night long,” spectator Sonya Scriven, a sophomore exercise science major from Grantsville, said. “As we get our positioning better and our offense gets to know each other better, it will be a big help.”

Utah Tech heads on the road next week to play the University of Las Vegas, Nevada Sept. 7. UNLV opened their season with a 27-7 win against Houston University as they prepare to host the Trailblazers next week.