Braden Pegan fueled a dominant shutout victory, torching his former squad for 122 yards and two scores as he cements his role as the Utes' premier deep threat.
Utah Utes wide receiver Braden Pegan went off against his former team on Saturday. But if you ask him, this was just another day at the office. Pegan downplayed the significance of facing Utah State during the week and again during Saturday's postgame press conference.
"I love those guys over there, but we don't prepare for any team differently," Pegan said. "It's nameless, faceless opponents every week, so we have a game, we're going to come out and try and win no matter who it is. Ball was falling our way today and it was exciting to see."
The Utes picked up a 33-0 shutout win over Utah State. In a contest that was done practically before it started, Pegan picked the right time to shine as Devon Dampier's favorite target. They connected for two scores in the game. Pegan finished with eight receptions for 122 yards. Not really a "revenge game," but he definitely wanted to send a message early in the game.
"You want to see him have success against anyone, but you could see a different type of focus for him in this one. He really wanted to perform well," Utes coach Morgan Scalley said.
Pegan took his time to get to this stage in his career and seems to be soaking up the entire experience. He had just one catch in three seasons with UCLA. His change of direction put him back at home with Utah State before coming over with offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven. The Utes have many offensive talents, including Pegan. McGiven knew how productive he could be and being able to bring him into Salt Lake City was a no-brainer.
McGiven's offense as a whole has been fun to watch throughout the first three games. Pegan has been a major reason why the Utes' offense has been successful. He's currently 51st in the nation and 8th in the Big 12 with 235 yards in three games. This comes after making two major shifts in his football career. Going from Los Angeles to Logan was hard. Then again to Salt Lake City for his final stop.
The biggest upgrade for Pegan's career was coming to Utah. Being able to contiune with McGiven as his coordinator and Dampier as his quarterback will set him up to shine. They all believe in each other's abilities to help the Utes' offense grow.
As the season moves into Big 12 conference play, we'll get a ready sense of how Pegan can be an asset for the Utes. It's clear he'll be getting many touches from here on out.
“If you’re going to play him one-on-one, that’s kind of what’s going to happen,” Dampier said after the game. “The ball is going to find him, and plays are going to be made.”
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