3 aha moments from BYU’s Week 1 victory over Utah Tech

There was little doubt prior to kickoff that BYU's season opener against Utah Tech wasn't going to go exactly as it went. The No. 14-ranked Cougars, a seven-touchdown favorite, overwhelmed the Trailblazers in all phases of the game to win by eight touchdowns, 63-7.

Along the way, there were three key plays that set BYU on a course to quickly turn opening night into a glorified pre-game workout for next week's Big 12 opener against Arizona . Here they are:

Cannon DeVries had dreamed about just such a moment growing up in North Ogden and playing football at Weber High — he wanted to get to LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo and return a kickoff for a touchdown.

Saturday night against Utah Tech — his moment came.

Determined for a return, DeVries fielded the second-half kickoff a couple of steps inside his own end zone. Once he reached the 7-yard line, he veered away from the right side to the left. On the way, he shook off a would-be tackler around the 15.

"After the first guy missed, I made a couple of more guys miss and saw the comeback open, so I made a move," said DeVries. By the time he reached the Y logo at midfield, "it was green grass from there. I knew I was gone."

"You don't feel your legs the last 20 yards," he said. "It's like a 400-meter dash. You are just running with whatever is left in the tank."

The 6-foot-0, 184-pound sophomore, who also started at cornerback, had more than enough fuel to get him there to give BYU a 49-0 lead.

True freshman Legend Glasker made quite a first impression at BYU, scoring three touchdowns in his debut, including two on his first two touches — a 9-yard run and a 26-yard reception in the first quarter. However, it was his third touchdown, a 33-yard grab in the second quarter, that put him in a rare place.

"The people around me, the coaches and players, they bought into me a lot, and they trust me," said the former Lehi High star. "So, I feel like when they entrusted me, I can just really go out there and do this with their trust. I feel like I can do anything."

Glasker became the first BYU freshman to score three or more touchdowns in a game since 2012 when Jamaal Williams (who watched from the sideline) scored four times against Georgia Tech. Glasker is also the first BYU player with three touchdowns in a half since Keanu Hill pulled it off — also against Utah Tech in 2022.

A legendary start for a young player with big plans and with a wise quarterback who isn't much older than he is.

"Bear Bachmeier is just so smart," Glasker said. "I feel like his smarts help me do better on the field — just looking at the defense and seeing what he wants me to do."

Glasker isn't the only one using three fingers to count up his big plays. Senior cornerback Evan Johnson intercepted Utah Tech's CJ Tiller early in the second quarter for his third interception in his last four games.

Johnson turned momentum in BYU's favor against UCF last November with an interception in the second quarter. He saved the game at the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech with an interception in the end zone with 14 seconds remaining.

On Saturday, Johnson's diving grab was part of a four-takeaway night for the defense — the most for BYU in a season opener since 2003 — back when the dynamic defender was only 2 years old.

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts "Y's Guys" at ysguys.com and is the author of the children's book "C is for Cougar," available at deseretbook.com.