CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah Football took another step forward Monday as the Thunderbirds strapped on shoulder pads for the first time in fall camp, bringing a noticeable increase in intensity and physicality.

Head coach DeLane Fitzgerald said the first practice in pads gave the team an opportunity to play a more physical brand of football while showcasing the competitive balance between the offense and defense.

"Today was more physical than the first two practices, and as a football coach, you love as much physicality as you can get," Fitzgerald said. "I'm absolutely in love with the back and forth between our offense and defense."

After the defense controlled much of the opening two practices, Fitzgerald was encouraged to see the offense respond on day three.

"Our defense got the better of our offense the first two practices," he said. "Today it was a lot more offense getting the better of it."

One of the biggest improvements came in protecting the football. After multiple turnovers during the opening practices, the Thunderbirds finished Monday's workout without giving the ball away.

While pleased with the progress, Fitzgerald emphasized that offensive development naturally takes time, especially with several new faces working into the lineup.

"I think it takes longer for a college offense to come together," Fitzgerald said. "There are so many moving pieces that have to work together for a play to be successful. I don't think we're a finished product on offense; we were just better today."

Although Southern Utah returns starters Sirri Kandiyeli, Krush Sowers, and Jalani Liva, along with several players who gained some experience last season, Fitzgerald believes the unit's greatest strength is its potential.

"Right now it's a bunch of guys with an enormous amount of potential," he said. "We see them getting better, sometimes daily, but all the time weekly."

New offensive line coach Ron Hudson has seen that growth firsthand during his first fall camp with the Thunderbirds after joining the staff earlier this year.

Hudson praised the culture Fitzgerald and his staff have built, saying it was one of the biggest reasons he was excited to join the program.

"This program is about discipline, toughness, grit and physicality," Hudson said. "There aren't a lot of programs that truly live that every day. It's sound football, and it's about developing character."

Hudson knows there will be a learning curve as the team progresses throughout fall camp. At the same time, he believes the competition throughout the group is accelerating that development.

"Nobody has a spot locked down," Hudson said. "Everybody's competing, and they play like that. What's really cool is that while they're competing against each other, they're also helping each other. They're coaching each other on the side and making each other better."

Hudson also believes the offensive line has the physical tools to compete immediately while continuing to develop over the coming seasons.

"We have great size, great length, and our strength numbers are some of the best I've ever been around," Hudson said. "Some of these guys will put on another 20 pounds over the next couple of years, but where they are right now, we're in a good position to be competitive."

The Thunderbirds will continue fall camp as they prepare for the 2026 season and their return to the Big Sky Conference.

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