BYU Football Takeaways From a Monster Win Over Utah Tech

It feels good to be back, doesn’t it? BYU unloaded on the Utah Tech Trailblazers enroute to a tidy, 63-7 win to get the 2026 season started right. BYU looked awesome as we expected, but it was also against a clearly inferior opponent. That said, I think there are still things that can be observed about this BYU team against such competition. After all, FCS games tend to be a harbinger of things to come in the Kalani Sitake era. If that holds, BYU is in for another special year. Here are seven things I took away from a monster win.

1. I see where he gets the name

BYU wide receiver Legend Glasker against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

Legend Glasker was the best player on the field by a pretty wide margin. Three touchdowns on five total touches ain’t a bad way to start a career, but his fluidity, physicality, and ball skills stand out far beyond the raw numbers. His twitchiness carving through the defense on his first two touchdowns allowed him to walk in virtually untouched despite heavy traffic. He posted the highest run-blocking grade of all the wide receivers and third best on the team, including a massive pancake block to spring LJ Martin loose. Finally, his 33-yard touchdown showed what he can do when the ball is in the air.

dude -- Legand Glasker is unreal pic.twitter.com/CNjoTnuDG9
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) September 6, 2026

Legend beat his man off the line and looked to be running wide open on a deep crosser. A Utah Tech linebacker saw the danger and sprinted back to cut off the route. Bear Bachmeier threw the pass right at the back of the dropping defender, knowing exactly what his receiver would do. Glasker snapped off his route, quickly cut in front of the defender, snagging the pass, and danced into the end zone. Those instincts are not something you can teach. I know it’s Utah Tech, but traits pop off the screen against any competition, and this kid has them.

2. Cannon DeVries is going to make sure BYU’s special teams keep it rolling after losing Parker Kingston

SHOT OUT OF A CANNON (DEVRIES) 💥💥

📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/zbxB8gS3OF
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) September 6, 2026

Cannon DeVries performance surprised everyone expect those who watched him back at Weber High, where he averaged 145 total yards per game and 15 touchdowns as a senior. He was also in the fabled 2021 Utah State 100 meter final, where he ran a 10.8 100M alongside Parker Kingston, Smith Snowden, and Cody Hagen. That talent, unsurprisingly, translated to the next level. BYU’s starting nickel amassed 173 all purpose yards on 3 total returns, which by the time he left the game, exceeded Utah Tech's total offensive output. This was BYU’s single best return game since Stacey Corley took two kickoffs back for touchdowns against Air Force in 1989, but DeVries still averaged more yards per return (57.7 to 51.25) and he did it on his first try. Such a cool moment for the lifelong BYU fan.

3. BYU’s offense looked as sharp as can be expected this early in the year

BYU wide receiver Kyler Kasper against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

It's hard to picture a better first outing from the starting offense. BYU scored touchdowns on six of its first eight drives, despite a hyper-conservative game plan from offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. It seemed early on that BYU was performing a roll call of its offensive playmakers, getting 9 different players touches in their first 20 plays. Once everyone was acclimated and the playbook opened up, the offense looked like we thought it would, scoring 3 touchdowns and amassing 161 yards on just 12 total plays. That’s what you expect a top-notch offense to do against an overmatched opponent.

BYU’s offensive line was also dominant, allowing just one attributable pressure on 24 snaps. Bruce Mitchell, Andrew Gentry, Sonny Makasini, and Paki Finau each pitched a perfect game in pass protection while Paki Finau posted the 6th highest PFF run blocking grade of any FBS offensive lineman this season.

In the end, BYU scored 63 points while getting 17 total players a chance to get integrated into the offense. That plus no turnovers, only two negative plays, one penalty, and minimal injuries qualifies as a rousing success for a first outing against an FCS foe.

4. Bear Bachmeier is better than he was a year ago

BYU QB Bear Bachmeier against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

It’s difficult to say how much better given the quality of the opponent, but it’s clear that Bachmeier is in full command of this offense. He threw nearly as many touchdowns as incompletions, a stat that would have flipped if the field was just a yard wider. Bachmeier’s incompletions were as follows: an end zone fade to Kyler Kasper that was caught just out of bounds, a drop by Walker Lyons, a 60-yard bomb that fell just out of reach of a tangled-up Reggie Frischknecht, and a pass batted down at the line. Not a bad throw in the entire bunch.

Scampers for Six!!

📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/1Z8Gw5VIsF
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 6, 2026

Bachmeier was also excellent under pressure despite being blitzed on 60% of his dropbacks. Credit to the offensive line for allowing pressure on just 22% of those drop backs. On his six pressured snaps, Bachmeier was 3/3 for 61 yards and a touchdown. On one he was sacked while on the other two he scrambled for 28 yards and another touchdown. Bachmeier was everything you wanted him to be in week one, but his most impressive throw was one of his incompletions. I was not aware that Bachmeier had the arm strength to chuck it 60 yards downfield, but now that I do, it opens up a lot of possibilities for this offense and their newfound star receiver.

5. My concerns about running back depth have lessened

BYU RB Devaughn Eka against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

BYU has some absolute “dawgs” at running back this season. LJ Martin did LJ things, running for 54 yards on 7 carries and 6 yards per carry after contact. It was those behind him that needed to show they could step up given the opportunity. Through one game, the depth passed the test. Four different running backs had multiple carries and average more than 6 yards per carry. BYU’s leading rusher on the night Devaughn Eka was a force, forcing 4 missed tackles on 8 carries with a touchdown and a 7.4 yard per carry average. Perhaps the biggest surprise, though was Journee Tonga. The true freshman joined the program in Fall Camp before rocketing up the depth chart with his play. Listed at 5’8, 198 yards, Tonga is a bowling ball with bumpers on, changing directions quickly and with force. On his 37-yard run, he burst out of his first cut with impressive acceleration before toying with a defender running down field like prime DeAnthony Thomas. He was fun to watch and earned more carries, especially with the apparent injury to Sione Moa.

6. My concerns about defensive depth, especially at safety, have increased

I was not impressed with the defense once BYU made its way down the depth chart. 135 of Utah Tech’s 184 total yards came on their final two drives where they marched down the field with little resistance. Some of that might have been by design, but Utah Tech was able to complete chunk plays down the field against an inexperienced BYU secondary. That might be worth monitoring after the injury to Raider Damuni early in the game. The answer behind him appears to be a mixture of Tommy Prassas and true freshman Kennan Pula, who both played well under the circumstances in their first action. Pula was BYU’s third best coverage man according to PFF behind only Evan Johnson and Therrian Alexander on 32 total snaps. He is young, but very talented, and will need to play a massive role this season.

7. The starting defense looked to be as advertised

BYU cornerback Evan Johnson against Utah Tech | BYU Photo

Any day you can force a turnover on the first play of the game is a good day. Tre Alexander’s acrobatic interception set the tone for what was a dominant day for the starting defense. Utah Tech mustered just 49 yards, 1.9 yards per play, and 1 first down on their first 10 drives of the night. What was most surprising is BYU pretty much did all of that playing base defense, with only one non-defensive lineman rushing the passer more than 3 times all night. That also helps explain the relative lack of pressure on Utah Tech, recording only one sack on 31 total passes. That said, when guys like Nusi Taumoepeau, Hunter Clegg, and Keanu Tanuvasa, and Tausili Akana only play 23 combined pass rush snaps, and Utah Tech is getting the ball out in 2 seconds or less, I don’t think it’s time to worry just yet. Despite the lack of pass rush, BYU still generated four turnovers and three interceptions. BYU’s corners look as advertised, with Tre Alexander and Evan Johnson allowing just one catch for four yards and two interceptions on just four targets combined.

8. Like always, Cougar Nation showed up

Up 56-7 against an FCS opponent in the 4th quarter. The Southern Californian mind cannot comprehend this. pic.twitter.com/GQSy06qmLW
— Joe Wheat (@joewheat27) September 6, 2026

A lot was made last week about USC fans' paltry attendance to watch the no. 14 ranked team play overmatched opponents. That is clearly not an issue at BYU. A beyond-capacity crowd stayed planted well into the fourth quarter of a 56-point victory. The energy stayed high through the third quarter break as nearly the entire stadium joined the ROC in swaying to Kanye West’s “Power” with the scoreboard reading 56-7. The players joined in as well, including running down the sideline to join the crowd as the song came to a close. It was cool to watch. It’s a crazy world, but for 6-7 nights a year, there is beauty all around in Lavell Edward's Stadium.

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