Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Utah Tech
Game 3: Weber State back home for Utah Tech Saturday
9/13/2022 12:33:00 PM | Football
Wildcats are 2-0 and ranked 12th in the nation in the FCS polls. WSU hosts Utah Tech at 6 p.m. Saturday at Stewart Stadium.
• After an historic and dominating win at Utah State last week, the Weber State football team is back home for another in-state battle this Saturday night. Weber State will host Utah Tech Saturday night at Stewart Stadium in the final non-conference game of the season. The Wildcats and Trailblazers will kickoff at 6 p.m. Saturday night.
Media coverage
Saturday's game be televised throughout the state of Utah on KJZZ TV and will also be streamed on ESPN+. Dave Fox, Alema Harrington and Tony Parks will call the action.
The Weber State radio coverage will be on KLO 103.1 FM "The Wave" with Al Lewis, filling in for Steve Klauke, and former Wildcat head coach and athletic director Jerry Graybeal on the call.
Live stats available at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
Wildcats make history with 35-7 win at Utah State
Weber State made history with a dominating win at Utah State Saturday night in Logan. The Wildcats did not allow an offensive touchdown and totaled 401 yards in the win. The 'Cats allowed just 283 yards by Utah State and forced four interceptions. It was Weber State's first win over an FBS opponent since 1993 and the first win against Utah State since 1978. It was also the biggest margin of victory for a Big Sky team in an FBS game since 2015.
2-0 to start the year
The Wildcats are now 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 2003 (in a full season of play). Weber State has not started a full season 3-0 since 1998.
Wildcats move up in national polls
The win at Utah State moved Weber State up in the national polls. The Wildcats jumped up to 12th in the nation in the Stats Perform poll and 13th in the AFCA coaches poll. Weber State is one of five teams from the Big Sky Conference ranked in the top 14 of the Stats poll.
Desmond Williams named Big Sky Co-Defensive Player of the Week
After the win over the Aggies, Weber State senior safety Desmond Williams was named the Big Sky Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
The Corona, California native had a pick-six touchdown and had six tackles and a pass breakup in the win. He picked off a Utah State pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown with 2:43 left in the third quarter that made the score 28-7.
Williams also had six total tackles with five solo tackles and one pass breakup in the win. Through two games, Williams is second on the Wildcat team with 11 tackles, including eight solo tackles.
Defensive domination
Weber State held Utah State to just 283 yards of total offense with 126 yards rushing and 157 yards passing. The Wildcat defense forced four interceptions with Maxwell Anderson, Jalon Rock, Desmond Williams and Eddie Heckard all picking off USU passes.
WSU also held the Aggies to just 2 of 15 on third down conversion attempts.
National defensive rankings
We are just two games into the season but Weber State is proving itself as one of the top defensive teams in the nation.
The Wildcats lead the country in four defensive statistical categories and rank in the top five in five others.
Weber State is first in the nation interceptions with seven through two games. The Wildcat are also first in third down conversions, holding opponents to 4 of 29 on third downs for just 13.8 percent. The 'Cats are also first in turnovers forced with seven and first in team pass efficiency defense.
WSU ranks third in the country in scoring defense at just 6.0 points per game and is third in rushing defense at 46.0 yards per game. The Wildcats are also second in turnover margin (+4), third in red zone defense, and fourth in total defense (189 yards per game).
Weber State and Jackson State are the only two schools in the FCS that have not allowed an offensive touchdown through two games this year.
Maxwell Anderson is tied for second in the country with three interceptions through two games.
Career records watch
Several Wildcats are moving up in the career records list. Senior Josh Davis rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown in the win at Utah State and moved into sixth in WSU career all-purpose yards with 4,226 yards. He also ranks third in career rushing yards and sixth in career rushing touchdowns.
Eddie Heckard is now second in career pass breakups with 26 and Bronson Barron moved into 18th in career passing yards with 2,971 yards and 17 touchdowns.
After a big day with three catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns, Ty MacPherson is closing in on a couple of milestones. He needs four more catches to reach 100 for his career and eight more yards to reach 1,500.
Wildcats fourth in Big Sky preseason polls
The Wildcats were ranked fourth in the Big Sky preseason media and coaches polls. Montana was picked first in both polls with Sacramento State and Montan State third in the coaches poll and MSU second and Sacramento State third in the media poll.
A look back at 2021
After winning four straight Big Sky titles from 2017-20, Weber State is coming off a 6-5 record in 2021 and the Wildcats were tied for fifth in the Big Sky at 5-3. It was the first time the Wildcats missed the FCS Playoffs since 2015.
Weber State had 11 players that earned All-Big Sky honors last season and eight of those players are no longer in the program, including All-American Rashid Shaheed.
WSU has five players returning that earned All-Big Sky honors, including two on the first team. Junior offensive lineman Noah Atagi and junior cornerback Eddie Heckard both earned first-team honors last season and both have been named to multiple preseason All-America teams. Also returning is third-team All-Big Sky tight end Hayden Meacham and senior cornerback Marque Collins and junior defensive tackle Doug Schiess who both earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors last season.
Jay Hill wins 60th career win
Saturday's win gave Jay Hill his 60th win as head coach of the Wildcats. Hill is now in his ninth season at Weber State and is WSU's all-time leader in career wins with a record of 60-36. His .625 winning percentage is the second-highest in school history and he is 44-17 in Big Sky Conference games.
Hill has led the Wildcats to four Big Sky titles and five appearances in the FCS Playoffs. He has been named the Big Sky Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region Coach of the Year during his career at Weber State. Later this season he will coach his 100th career game at Weber State.
Coaching staff
New to the Wildcat staff this season is offensive coordinator Mickey Mental. Mental came to Weber State in February 2022 after 13 seasons at Division II Notre Dame College in Ohio, including the last two seasons as head coach. He was 16-2 in his two seasons as head coach and also spent five seasons as the offensive coordinator. Mental also coaches the Wildcat quarterbacks.
Also new to the Wildcat staff is David Fiefia who coaches the WSU tight ends. Fiefia came to Weber State in March after spending the last seven seasons as an assistant coach at Idaho State. He was a four-year running back at Utah State from 2000-03. James Cowser was promoted to a full-time assistant coach and coaches the defensive ends.
Team captains
As selected by their teammates, Weber State has five captains for the 2022 season. This year's captains are junior offensive lineman Noah Atagi, junior cornerback Eddie Heckard, senior wide receiver Ty MacPherson, junior linebacker Winston Reid and senior safety Desmond Williams. MacPherson also served as a team captain during the spring 2021 and the 2021 seasons.
About Utah Tech
Utah Tech enters Saturday's game with a 1-1 overall record. The Trailblazers opened the season with a 56-33 loss at No. 7 Sacramento State, then bounced back with a 56-10 home win over Chadron State last Saturday.
Paul Peterson is in his fourth season as head coach at Utah Tech.
WSU-UTU connections
The two in-state teams have several connections. Wildcat senior linebacker Simote Lokotui played at Utah Tech during the 2019 season...WSU has a couple of players from the St. George area on defense in Winston Reid and Shad Pulsipher...Utah Tech offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann was the wide receivers coach at Weber State in 2012 and 2013 under head coach Jody Sears...Utah Tech assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Mike Fassell is the son of former WSU assistant coach at longtime NFL coach Jim Fassell. Mike's brother John Fassell played football at Weber State under Jerry Graybeal and is now the special teams coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys.
Series history
This will be just the third game ever between the two schools. Weber State has won the first two meetings, including last season.
The 'Cats won in Ogden under head coach Ron McBride in 2008, picking up a 44-7 win.
Last season, the two teams met in St. George in the second game of the season, with the Wildcats winning 41-3. WSU led 14-3 at halftime before scoring four touchdowns in the second half. The 'Cats totaled 497 yards of total offense in the win and held then Dixie State to 352 yards. Dontae McMillan rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown and Damon Bankston had 51 yards and two touchdowns.
Quick hits
Weber State has 52 players on this year's roster from the state of Utah...The Wildcats improved to 48-7 under Jay Hill when leading the opponent in rushing yards...Weber State is also 34-5 under Hill when leading after the first quarter and 51-5 when leading after three quarters...Weber State is also 36-4 when scoring 30 or more points in a game and 35-5 when holding opponents under 20 points in a game...Kyle Thompson is tied for third in the nation with four field goals made through two games and Haze Hadley is fifth in the country in punt returns at 17.2 yards per return.
Up next
The Wildcats will begin Big Sky Conference play next week with a road game at UC Davis. WSU then has a bye on October 1 before hosting Eastern Washington for the annual Homecoming game at Weber State on October 8.
