TRAILBLAZERS RECENT OFFENSIVE SURGE LANDS MULTIPLE PLAYERS AT THE TOP OF THE WAC
By Rustyn Burnside, ESPN 977
When the Utah Tech Trailblazers kicked off the season in Sacramento State, no one was quite sure what to expect from Coach Paul Peterson’s group. Transition to Division 1 and the football reinstated Western Athletic Conference was expected to take some time as evident of last years 1-10 outcome. With Utah Tech focusing on their last regular season game against the most championship winning team in WAC history, the BYU Cougars, one thing is for certain. This team has been as hot as a St. George summer as of late, and is leaving fans and media members alike, impressed. Not only Is Utah Tech on a 3-game win streak, they have 129 points in the last three victories altogether. 47 on the road in the upset over Stephen F. Austin, 48 during a homecoming takedown of Southern Utah, and most recently a 34-point performance at home over Tarleton State. That checks in with a whopping 43 points per game average over their last three games. They will hope to carry this high-powered attack into Provo this Saturday. Regardless of how the season wraps up, one thing is certain, the Trailblazers appear to be on the fast track.
Now football is a team sport through and through, but a team is only as good as the individuals that it consists of. Let’s take a look at some of Utah Tech’s individual statistic leaders offensively in the WAC this season to get a good feel for how well this team has played as of late. Three different Trailblazers have accounted of a record tying 18 points in a single game. The WR corps gets things started with Rickie Johnson vs SUU and Joey Hobert at Stephen F. Austin. Quali Conley was the one however who started the trifecta touchdown stat while he got it done in the win over Chadron State. No other WAC team has as many three touchdown scorers in a single game as Utah Tech.
Speaking of season stats no one else is close on, look at Touchdown responsibility and passing Touchdowns. Recent gunslinger Victor Gabalis has two games a piece with 5 touchdowns. With no surprise, both were a part of the recent hot streak for the Trailblazers at SFA and VS SUU. Vic is also first in total passing yards in a game in the homecoming contest against the T-Birds where he hung 463.
The passing game can’t get all the credit however as the latest victory was courtesy of Quali Conley and the rush attack with the big fellas out front. Conley’s 215 rush yards over the Texans is the most by any player in the WAC this season in a single game. Tack on the fact that Conley did it in 25 carries, which is second in carries in a single game. It’s simple, Feed the man.
For the WR unit, multiple names need brought up. Rickie Johnson has the number one receiving game in the WAC with his 277 yards VS SUU. This performance also slated him number one in Yards per catch for a single game. Joey Hobert is tied up top for most receptions in a contest when he hauled in 11 balls against Sacramento State in the opener. Johnson and Hobert as previously discussed both pulled off three score games as well.
Lastly, Connor Brooksby proudly holds the longest Field Goal made in a game with a 55 yard knock through in front of the home town faithful VS SUU. These records alone make it easy to see why the Blazers have not only been winning recently, but absolutely tearing up the gridiron.