ST. GEORGE, Utah -- As season 2.0 for United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football gets set to kickoff, we will preview each of the nine league members as we countdown to the opening of the 2024 campaign and the "Chase for the Crown". Utah Tech, now competing as a full FCS program, looks to build on its solid foundation.

NOTEWORTHY
* The Blazers completed their four-year NCAA Transition phase over the summer and enter 2024 as full-fledged FCS participants with their sights set on competing for UAC and national recognition

* New Head Coach LANCE ANDERSON, takes over a Utah Tech program that only began playing football in 2006 (DII) and made the move to FCS in 2019... Anderson comes to the Beehive State after serving as the senior offensive analyst at Boise State in 2023 but also spent 16 seasons including the last nine as Defensive Coordinator at Stanford

* Utah Tech was 2-9 last season including a 1-5 mark in UAC play but saw three of their league losses decided by one score... Blazers will play 10 consecutive Saturdays before having a bye on Nov. 9

* Trailblazers had one player garner preseason All-UAC honors in long snapper Ryan Kean... Tech only returns two offensive starters from a year ago while welcoming back seven players from the defensive unit

UTAH TECH QUICK FACTS
2023 Record: 2-9 (1-5 UAC / T7th)
Program Best Record: 4-7 (2022 - FCS); 8-3 (2019 - DII) 
NCAA FCS Playoff Appearances: n/a
Head Coach: Lance Anderson
Career Record: 0-0 (1st Season)

KEY RETURNERS
- DANIEL THOMASON (WR, JR) - Top returning pass catcher having hauled in 15 receptions for 219 yards (14.6 ypr) and one TD
- JARED FOTU (LB, JR) - Top returning tackler for the Blazers with 82 total tackles last season highlighted by 39 solo stops... Recorded three TFLs 

2024 SCHEDULE
Aug. 31 | Montana State
Sept. 7 | @UNLV
Sept. 14 | Northern Arizona
Sept. 21 | @UC Davis
Sept. 28 | Abilene Christian*
Oct. 5 | @North Alabama*
Oct. 12 | @Tarleton State*
Oct. 19 | Austin Peay*
Oct. 26 | @EKU*
Nov. 2 | Central Arkansas*
Nov. 16 | West Georgia*
Nov. 23 | @Southern Utah*

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