With just a week to go until Utah kicks off the Morgan Scalley era vs. Idaho on Sept. 3, Utah Athletics has announced changes to the game experience at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The most noticeable change for fans is the addition of new LED lights, which allow for light shows and changing colors. Utah is the latest program to install the “Instant-strike” LED lighting, which will be in use during the team’s entrance and after touchdowns, field goals and quarter breaks.
The team posted a preview of the system’s capabilities, including the ability to light the stadium up in red.
The Moment of Loudness, a fourth-quarter tradition that started after the deaths of Ute players Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe, will continue this year.
Held between the third and fourth quarters, the video — originally narrated by former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham — asked fans to create a “Moment of Loudness” in honor of Jordan and Lowe.
Over the years, the video has also expanded to include fan-submitted photos of loved ones who have passed away, creating a powerful and meaningful tradition.
The “Moment of Loudness” video will be updated for the Scalley era and will include prominent Utah football alumni that played with Jordan and Lowe, emphasizing the importance of family within the program.
Utah will also unveil new “surprise” elements related to the team’s entrance to the field and the “Utah Mili,” the team’s pregame chant. The team’s entrance to the field five minutes before the game will feature new music and visuals.
Utah’s student section, the MUSS, will now be general admission, with students encouraged to arrive early to games. Utah is also adding an “on field host” for pregame programming and timeouts.
The Olympic Cauldron lighting has been moved from the first quarter break to 42 minutes before kickoff, where it will be accompanied by a blast from the Utah Thunder II cannon (back for another season) to signal Ute fans to start entering the stadium.
Utah has a seven-game home schedule this season, welcoming Idaho, Arkansas, Utah State, Kansas, Houston, BYU and West Virginia to Rice-Eccles Stadium.
