Utah Tech Trailblazers Open Spring Camp Ahead of Big Sky Debut

Utah Tech football kicks off its 2026 spring camp on Tuesday, March 17, with head coach Lance Anderson overseeing a roster built for a historic transition: the Trailblazers' first season competing in the Big Sky Conference.

The 14-practice slate will run through Saturday, April 18, when the program's annual spring game caps the work at Greater Zion Stadium at 6 p.m. MT. That game will offer the first public look at a roster Anderson is assembling from two distinct groups: 23 returning letter winners and 35 newcomers, a significant infusion of fresh talent alongside veterans who know the system.

The stakes attached to this particular spring camp are higher than most. Utah Tech isn't just tuning up for another season; it's installing the habits, personnel groupings, and scheme adjustments necessary to compete in a conference that has produced consistent FCS contenders. The outcome of these 14 practices figures to shape the program's trajectory well before the first kickoff.

That opener is worth circling: Utah Tech opens at home against Montana State, the reigning Division I FCS champion. Five home games are on the docket for the 2026 season, which also includes matchups against BYU and Montana. For a program stepping into the Big Sky for the first time, the schedule offers no soft entry point.

The roster composition reflects how Anderson is approaching that challenge. The 23 returning letter winners give the Trailblazers continuity on both sides of the ball, while the 35 newcomers suggest aggressive roster-building in the offseason to close any gaps before conference play begins. Practice times have not yet been finalized, per the program's announcement.

Opening against a defending FCS champion in your conference debut year is the kind of scheduling decision that either energizes a program or exposes it early. Spring camp, starting Tuesday, is where Utah Tech begins finding out which one it will be.