Southern Utah 2022 Football Season Preview
Southern Utah 2022 Football Season Preview
DENVER – As the countdown continues to the start of the 2022 NCAA football season, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) begins its football preview series with Southern Utah.
WELCOME TO THE WAC
Southern Utah will officially begin in its first season as a member of the WAC when it kicks off the 2022 season on Sept. 1 against St. Thomas (Minn.) in Cedar City, Utah. The Thunderbirds previously won a pair of championships as members of the Big Sky Conference (2015, 2017).
THE BATTLE FOR UTAH
Southern Utah’s introduction to the WAC reignites an in-state rivalry with Utah Tech, whom the Thunderbirds defeated 36-7 on Sept. 3, 2009, and 52-0 on Nov. 6, 2010, in the previous two series meetings between the teams. Southern Utah and Utah Tech are set to clash twice during the 2022 campaign, with a conference showdown scheduled for Sept. 24 at Southern Utah and a rematch slated for Nov. 5 at Utah Tech.
COACH FITZGERALD JOINS THE THUNDERBIRDS
Head coach DeLane Fitzgerald was hired by Southern Utah in December of 2021 and is entering his first season at the helm of the Thunderbirds. Fitzgerald departed Frostburg State as the winningest coach in program history, compiling a 62-19 (.765) record over eight seasons while adding conference championships in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
MILLER RETURNS UNDER CENTER, IMPACT TRANSFER STRAND BOLSTERS D LINE
Southern Utah quarterback Justin Miller is back for his third season as the Thunderbirds’ starter, throwing for nearly 6,000 yards and 25 touchdowns thus far in Cedar City. Miller enjoyed his most productive season at Southern Utah during the spring 2021 season, completing 65.8 percent of his passes and throwing 15 touchdowns in just six games in his debut year as the program’s starter.
A key addition on the defensive side of the ball for the Thunderbirds is Frostburg State transfer Zach Strand, who arrived at Southern Utah alongside head coach DeLane Fitzgerald. Strand was a three-time all-conference first-team choice and was the 2020 MEC Defensive Player of the Year at Frostburg State, registering 30.0 sacks and 56.5 tackles for loss during his career with the Bobcats.
2022 SOUTHERN UTAH FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.), 6 p.m. MT
Sept. 10 at Utah, 11:30 a.m. MT
Sept. 17 at Western Illinois, 2 p.m. MT
Sept. 24 vs. Utah Tech, 6 p.m. MT (Conference game)
Oct. 1 at Eastern Kentucky, 4 p.m. MT
Oct. 8 vs. Tarleton, 6 p.m. MT (Conference game)
Oct. 15 at Abilene Christian, 2:25 p.m. MT (Conference game)
Oct. 22 vs. Stephen F. Austin, 1 p.m. MT (Conference game)
Nov. 5 at Utah Tech, 6 p.m. MT
Nov. 12 vs. Lincoln (Calif.), 1 p.m. MT
Nov. 19 at Sam Houston, 11 a.m. MT (Conference game)
- WAC -