Five revelations from BYU football's season-opening win over Utah Tech

We hadn't seen BYU football take the field since December of 2025. In the span of a college football offseason, speculation becomes the nourishment of the fanatics. Predictions, observations, and reminiscing -- there's little else one can talk about when the field is clean and the stands are empty.

Welcome back, BYU football. Oh, how we've missed you.

The Cougars handled business from kickoff to the final whistle against FCS foe Utah Tech, vaulting the stagnant Trailblazers under the lights of LaVell Edwards Stadium precisely how one would expect a Power Four Conference contender to -- 63-7, the final score from Provo.

By the halftime whistle, this game was in the books, and the Cougars' starters were on the sidelines.

But after eight whole months of speculation and uncertainty, what are some rock-solid takeaways from BYU's first on-field appearance of 2026?

Five takeaways from BYU football's win vs Utah Tech

The Legend is true

After months of rumblings suggested that freshman wide-out Legend Glasker was ready to take control of the receiving room, I was skeptical.

When he was named as a starter, I was cautiously optimistic.

Now having seen him in action, I think that predictions of a run at first-team All-Big 12 were not offseason mania; Legend Glasker is the most explosive player in the receiving corps.

Glasker broke in the scoreboard when he punched through a jet sweep touchdown, darting between tackles and breaking into daylight for an 8-yard dash to the goal line.

Then, Bear Bachmeier found Glasker's digit with a chest-high pass completion near the sideline. With air to breathe and a lane to the North end zone, Glasker slipped through the obstacle course and tip-toed in for another score.

For good measure, he whipped between two Tech secondaries downfield for his third score of the game.

Speed, athleticism, acceleration, and reliable hands, Glasker validated his own Legend in game one. And while Utah Tech certainly won't be the best defense the Cougars face this year, Glasker was the clear star of the day, and a massive relief for a BYU receiving room filled with uncertainty, having lost four major contributors last season.

Bear Bachmeier is fanning his bullets

Bachmeier was excellent in his first sophomore appearance. In a slimmer frame, Bear was accurate, decisive, and productive, connecting on 16 of his 20 throws for just 2 yards shy of 200 yards. He impressed last year in his first start against FCS Portland State, and this year's version of Bear looks more comfortable than ever behind his offensive line.

But what really excited me about his output, was his target variety.

As a freshman still learning the offense, Bachmeier heavily targeted his top three receivers -- Roberts, Kingston, and Ryan -- while the remainder were lucky to be targeted. When a quarterback has top receivers as accomplished as last year's bunch, he'd be wise to target them often.

Against Utah Tech, though, Bear shared the love across the receiving room. Completing a pass to eight different receivers, only Kyler Kasper and Legend Glasker caught more than two passes, with 4 and 3 receptions, respectively.

This year's team has countless weapons through the air (including the dynamic tight end duo of Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga, who combined for four receptions), and it's clear that BYU football has no shortage of talented receivers despite that being perhaps the team's biggest question mark entering the season.

LJ Martin takes no prisoners

Tackling LJ Martin is simple. To tackle him, just do what you'd do when tackling a bulldozer: run and hide.

The power back who tormented the Big 12 Conference last season, Martin returned to Provo for his senior year with unfinished business, and the Utah Tech defense had no answer for him.

He averaged 7.7 yards per carry on 7 carries, the majority of which included a chunk of yards after first contact. It wasn't a big numbers game for LJ, but he's returning in exactly the same form that won him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors a year ago.

Martin won't have to do it all by himself this year, either, as his backups Moa, Rex, and Tonga all looked great in their time on the field.

Devaughn Eka, the Cougars' leading rusher on the night, posted 59 yards on 8 rushes during garbage time. Last year's crop was a little thin behind Martin, so it's exciting to see so many running backs produce at a promising level.

Poppinga's defense looks fantastic

After UTU went scoreless against Montana State, the transitive property would suggest the 14th-ranked Cougars should likewise hold their guests to zero.

And with the starters on the field, Utah Tech struggled mightily to move the football, as the Cougars forced a fumble, snagged three interceptions, and held Tech to 184 total yards, a far cry from BYU's 521 yards.

Though Utah Tech managed to score their first points of the season against the Cougars' reserves, Poppinga's unit looked fast, organized, and disciplined. And that was without All-American candidate Isaiah Glasker, who sat out this game as a precautionary measure, though he's expected to suit up against Arizona next weekend.

BYU made a name for themselves last year as a power-running, stout defensive team, and that identity remains intact one week into the year.

Special teams goes nearly unblemished

Good news: Cannon DeVries is an excellent kick returner. Sure hands, quick feet, and a good head on his shoulders that knows how to measure risk while 11 rocket-powered cannon balls are flung in his direction.

He handled punt returning responsibilities gracefully. When receiving the second-half kickoff, he took Tech to the yard.

BYU's kicking game, meanwhile, was perfect on extra points, converting 9/9 PATs.

In his only field goal attempt of the evening, however, starting kicker Matthias Dunn went wide from 47 yards out. He didn't get another chance, as BYU's offense didn't try for another field goal at any point in the game.

It wasn't a good miss -- well wide of its target -- but I'll hold off on criticism until we can see some more out of his leg. If Dunn continues to struggle, Brody Laga (who went 3/3 on PATs) comes next on the depth chart.

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