CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah football standouts Will Burns and Lincoln Tuioti-Mariner have been selected to represent the Thunderbirds at the 2026 Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend, presented by Northern Quest Resort & Casino, the conference announced Tuesday.
Burns and Tuioti-Mariner will join Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald as Southern Utah's representatives at the annual event, which will take place July 25-27 in Spokane, Washington. The Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend serves as the official start to the conference football season. It will feature coaches, student-athletes, media members, and conference officials from all 13 football-playing institutions.
Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said
"Will and Lincoln are tremendous representatives of our football program, our university, and our community. Both have earned the respect of their teammates through their work ethic and leadership. We are excited for them to represent Southern Utah on the conference stage as we return to the Big Sky Conference."
A dynamic dual-threat quarterback, Burns emerged as one of the Thunderbirds' most versatile offensive weapons during the 2025 season. The redshirt junior appeared in 11 games, rushing for 380 yards and four touchdowns while averaging nearly 7.8 yards per carry. He also completed 22-of-31 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown.
Burns delivered one of his top performances against Idaho State, rushing for 107 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown run. He later accounted for 161 total yards and two touchdowns in a road victory at North Alabama. Prior to arriving at Southern Utah, Burns earned Southern California Football Association Offensive Player of the Year honors at Golden West College after totaling 2,507 yards of offense and 29 touchdowns.
Tuioti-Mariner enters his senior season as one of the leaders of the Thunderbirds defense. The Las Vegas native appeared in 10 games during the 2025 season, recording 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, and three pass breakups.
Before transferring to Southern Utah, Tuioti-Mariner made an impact at Air Force, where he totaled 50 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble during the 2024 season. A former standout at Bishop Gorman High School, he helped lead the Gaels to three state championships and was a two-time First Team All-State selection.
The Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend officially begins on Saturday, July 25, and concludes Monday, July 27. Monday's activities will feature more than four hours of live coverage from Northern Quest Resort & Casino beginning at 9 a.m. Pacific Time on ESPN+ and Scripps Sports, with interviews from all 13 conference football programs.
Southern Utah returns to the Big Sky Conference this season and will open the 2026 campaign on August 29 on the road at Montana.
Tickets
Season tickets for the upcoming Southern Utah Football campaign are now available, giving fans the chance to lock in their seats for an exciting new era in Cedar City. With the Thunderbirds set to begin their transition into the Big Sky Conference, now is the time to secure your spot at Eccles Coliseum and be part of the action all season long. For more information and to purchase, visit tbirdtickets.com.
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