Provo’s Stadium of Fire is a celebration of America’s independence and a precursor to the new season of BYU football. Once the smoke settles after Friday night’s patriotic spectacular at LaVell Edwards Stadium, the venue and the sky above it will go silent until the Cougars take the field on Aug. 30.
Fireworks and football go hand in hand. Both are colorful, fast moving, loud and dangerous. The varieties of pyro all come with a name, description and warning label. Here are a few that also apply to the Cougars once the fuse is lit.
The Instigator features 84 shells firing from 10 different tubes — very much the way Jay Hill unleashes a defense. BYU’s overwhelming attack was best in the Big 12 in 2024 and, with so many returning players, the defense is primed for a repeat performance this fall.
Lollipop Land is a long-lasting fountain featuring a variety of multiple colors. BYU’s defense turned its secondary into a lollipop land with multiple (21) interceptions that defined the 11-2 season.
Shell Shockers are firecrackers that deliver solo blasts much like linebackers Isaiah Glasker and Jack Kelly. The two combined for 75 unassisted tackles last season and 24.5 tackles for loss.
Cherry Bomb Blaster shoots individual balls of fire into the sky — one after the other. Kicker Will Ferrin did the same thing as he made 16 consecutive field goals, including a 44-yard bomb with three seconds remaining to blast the Utes.
Sir Lancelot is a six-shell firework that lights up the night — just as Parker Kingston did with his electrifying punt returns for touchdowns against No. 13 Kansas State and No. 23 Colorado.
Desert at Night is a fountain that also shoots fire balls. It dominates the evening atmosphere the same way BYU does. The Cougars are 28-4 in their last 32 night games, including 15-3 at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The season opener against Portland State will start at 6 p.m. and finish under the lights — advantage BYU.
Hello Neighbor is a 16-shot barrage of fireballs that will rattle the windows in a similar way to how BYU has turned the tables on Utah. Not only have the Cougars defeated the Utes in back-to-back games (2021, 2024), but they have reclaimed their edge in recruiting, according to 247Sports. The Utes will return to BYU’s neighborhood on Oct. 18.
Victory Vault is a montage of 24 shells that each include a special effect when it detonates. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake is building his own victory vault. Last year, he turned a team that was tabbed 13th in the preseason Big 12 media poll into a squad that finished No. 13 in the final AP Top 25. The rise in momentum has its own special effects. On the heels of landing five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, Sitake’s 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 25 by ESPN — highest in program history and tops in the Big 12.
Lonestar Lunatic will leave its mark on a fireworks show by sending 16 explosives into the sky as an appropriate flurry finale. BYU capped last season in the Lonestar State with a 36-14 win against Colorado in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. The Cougars’ goal for 2025 is to make it back to Texas for the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
There are as many potential scenarios for the upcoming season as there are types of fireworks. BYU’s quarterback situation only adds to the drama. The joy of watching everything unfold on the field will fill the months ahead. But before we can get there, we must first get to the sundown on Friday night when fireworks will fill the sky over LaVell Edwards Stadium — like it’s the Fourth of July.
Happy 249th Birthday America!
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