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For the first four innings Thursday night against Utah, BYU couldn’t muster any offensive momentum.

The Cougars weren’t without opportunities, having put seven men on base, but they only managed to get one run out of the early traffic, repeatedly fading with runners in scoring position. Anything that could have become a spark was quickly extinguished.

In the bottom of the fifth, BYU trailed by two runs and had runners at the corners. The Cougars had already stranded two men on three separate occasions, so when Bryker Hurdsman had two strikes against him in a two-out at bat, there was fair reason to believe a fourth such disappointment was imminent.

But Hurdsman wouldn’t be the one to make that third out — it took the Utes another five batters after him to finally escape the frame, at which point BYU had scored five runs to pull ahead with a comfortable cushion.

The Cougars never looked back following their fifth inning breakthrough, as they held on to capture a 6-4 victory in Provo to open the 3-game rivalry series.

“I think we got unlucky early. We hit some balls hard and got caught, you know what I mean? I thought we had really good at-bats and got (Utah starting pitcher Colter McAnelly’s) pitch count up and maybe wore him down a little bit, so I liked our approach throughout, it was just a matter of time before we got a big hit,” BYU head coach Trent Pratt said postgame.

“We had guys on base every inning, and we just couldn’t come through the big hit, and then in that (fifth) inning, we were able to come through with a couple big hits and put a five on the board.”

Hurdsman kickstarted the two-out BYU rally with the first of three consecutive RBI singles, with Crew McChesney and Tualau Wolfgramm’s respective game-tying and go-ahead knocks each coming on the first pitch they saw.

Even after a Utah pitching change, Matt Hansen walked to load the bases, setting up a Ridge Erickson single to score two more runs and put BYU ahead by three.

The Cougars ended up batting around the order in the fifth — Luke Anderson led off the inning with a single, scored on Hurdsman’s hit and then made the third out.

BYU’s 5 through 9 hitters in the lineup, previously hitless on the night, were the ones to flip the ballgame, all doing so with two outs and exclusively through singles and walking.

“That’s where experience comes in. There’s really nothing they haven’t seen,” Pratt said of his lineup. “A lot of these kids have started for four years, so they don’t get rattled, they don’t get fazed.

“If we get down, they just keep playing, because they know we can strike fast. We have a chance to get back in any game.”

BYU starter Wayland Crane was less than electric on the mound — he allowed five hits, walked three Utah batters, plunked two others and only threw strikes on half of his pitches — but he battled through five innings to allow just one earned run, repeatedly playing Houdini to escape trouble and keep the cold Cougar bats in the ballgame.

With the bases loaded and one out in the third inning, Crane induced a badly-needed double play to keep the Utes off the scoreboard, which Pratt referred to as “the turning point of the game.”

“(Crane) was just gutsy,” Pratt said. “… He wasn’t sharp, but he found a way to just make pitches, and we played good defense behind him to get him out of some jams.”

Dan Brousseau relieved Crane for three innings of one-run ball with three punchouts, and Ashton Johnson tossed a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the season.

“Dan was awesome. He came in and just threw strikes,” Pratt said. “That’s the thing, when we got in trouble, it’s because we walk guys or hit guys. Then (Johnson) does what he always does, we know from the game, he’s gonna throw strikes.

“If someone’s gonna beat us, they have to get a bunch of hits.”

Utah’s seven hits — three for extra bases — proved insufficient, as the road team went 3 for 15 with runners on, including 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

Daniel Arambula smacked a double, a solo home run and walked, Cal Miller got on base three times and Jet Gilliam logged two hits, but no other Utes reached safely more than once.

While six of his 14 recorded outs came via strikeout, McAnelly was charged for all six of BYU’s runs to take the loss, while Crane came away with his second career win.

BYU now moves to 23-21 on the year and 12-10 in Big 12 play, while the Utes fall to 21-19 and 9-13 against league foes.

The second game of the series will take place Friday at 6 p.m. in Provo.

The Utah Jazz are projected to have over $20 million in salary cap space this summer.

That’s not enough for a star-level signing, and with how this year’s free agency class expects to shake out, it’d be hard for Utah to stumble upon an All-Star-level talent on the market anyways.

But in the pool of the veterans that are slated for new contracts around the league this summer, there are several the Jazz should be keeping an eye on as potential fits who can make an impact in next season’s rotation.

Let’s look at a batch of five free agents that could be strong fits for the Jazz:

Robert Williams | C, Trail Blazers (UFA)

The Jazz could have a plan in place for their big man rotation next season as is by re-signing Walker Kessler and Jusuf Nurkic to new deals. But if the focus is on bolstering their defensive side of the ball in their frontcourt depth, the Time Lord is worth a look.

Williams has faced consistent injury issues in recent seasons, but this year has been a relatively positive outcome in terms of his availability in production. He played just over 17 minutes a night in 59 games for 6.7 points on over 70% shooting from the field, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.

This Jazz front office, with ties to the Celtics and their draft history, has some of the same people who initially selected Williams as a first rounder in 2018. If they wanted to land him on their team once again, this offseason’s free agency would be the time to do so.

Rui Hachumura | PF, Lakers (UFA)

Hachimura will be a coveted free agent hitting the market this summer simply due to his outstanding season as a shooter (over 43% 3PT) to pair with his versatile length. But those same reasons are exactly why the LA Lakers forward needs to be on the Jazz’s radar.

He fits the Jazz’s prototypical length and versatility they aspire to in their top players while being able to provide a bit of a better spark on the defensive side of the ball; something Utah and their front office will be searching to add to next year’s roster all offseason.

If Hachimura can fall within the Jazz’s price range, which remains to be determined, he’s a no-brainer to add to their list of free agency targets.

Tobias Harris | SF, Pistons (UFA)

A 15-year veteran with over 1,000 career games played, Harris has proven he can be an impactful and consistent scorer in the frontcourt for years. And as the Jazz are looking to make their official jump to a playoff team, that experience can be largely impactful for a budding roster like Utah.

He’s turning 34 in July, but he’s averaged double figures in every season since 2013, and he’s made the playoffs every year of the past eight seasons.

There’s no doubt he can find a premier role as a connecting piece on the Jazz’s bench to help them make their aspired jump in the standings next season–– even if not exactly filling their defensive needs.

The Jazz have also been linked as a fit for Tobias Harris in past offseasons. It would not be a shock if those rumors spark up again this summer.

Lu Dort | SG, Thunder (TO)

Dort would have to have his team option declined from the Thunder in order to hit the free agent pool, but he’d bring a defensive spark on the Jazz’s perimeter they’ve been coveting to play for some time now.

Offensively, he’s not the most seamless fit for the Jazz. He shot under 40% from the field this season for the Thunder, and would need to be masked by other positive offensive fits around him for truly be effective. Thankfully, Utah does have that.

Dort is the type of player you hate to see competing against you on the other side, but can learn to appreciate if he’s playing for your team. As a high-end defender who’s a proven starter for a championship team, he should be on Utah’s radar.

Marcus Smart | PG, Lakers (PO)

I’ve been pounding the table for Smart to Utah for the past couple of offseasons now, and if he declines his $5 million player option with the Lakers this summer, it’ll open up a perfect opportunity for the veteran guard to land with the Jazz once again.

Smart might not be the same Defensive Player of the Year-caliber presence on the perimeter like he was with the Celtics in 2022, but he’s still a positive defender with tons of experience that could be of benefit to a budding Jazz roster, even if he’s never quite been the most consistent threat offensively.

At a similarly valued deal from what he’s landed with the Lakers, don’t be surprised if Danny Ainge ends up pursuing the same guard he drafted while at the helm in Boston back in 2014.

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A federal drug enforcement official fired up a pill press in Salt Lake City Wednesday, cupping his hand to catch little blue tablets as the machine cranked and spat them out at a rapid pace. 

The highly unusual scene illustrated how easy it is to make and turn big profits from illicit pills containing the powerful synthetic opioid, said Miguel Chino, assistant special agent in charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain field division.

“It only costs the cartel about one cent a pill,” Chino told reporters before starting the demonstration. “Here in the state of Utah, you buy a pill for $1 to $5, so the profit margin is extremely big.” 

Chino and Melissa Holyoak, the first assistant U.S. attorney for Utah, touted their agencies’ efforts to fight a flood of illicit fentanyl in the state and across the country. They noted the DEA seized a record-high 2 million fentanyl pills in Utah last year and said they’re working toward a goal of eliminating the drug’s presence altogether. 

Their announcement came on a national day of awareness for the highly addictive drug and the devastation it’s caused families and communities. As Chino poured powder down a chute and into a pill press previously recovered by the DEA, he emphasized it did not contain any of the actual drug, of which even a tiny amount can be fatal. 

The officials attributed a national drop in drug overdose deaths and a similar downward trend in Utah largely to law enforcement efforts and prosecutions. But they said fentanyl pills, often made to look like less powerful drugs such as oxycodone, Xanax and Percocet, are still making their way to Utah communities from Mexico in large amounts. 

Just this week, Holyoak said, her office filed charges in a case involving 225,000 pills hidden away in pieces of ready-to-build furniture.  

“No matter how creative and no matter how much is being flooded into the United States, we will remain vigilant,” Holyoak said.  

The DEA accuses the Sinaloa and CJNG Cartels of being responsible for the majority of fentanyl entering the United States, which Chino said travels by bus or car. Often the pills are pressed before crossing the border into the U.S., but the drug also comes to Utah in powder form, Chino said.

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In Utah, fentanyl surpassed methamphetamine as the most common drug in  overdoses in 2023, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. The following year, the two drugs were about even, with meth involved in 44% of overdose deaths, and fentanyl in 43%. 

The federal officials said one death is too many and they’re working to prevent overdoses 

“We have men and women out all hours of the night working to eliminate this, seizing drugs, doing drug buys, doing search warrants, whatever they can do,” Chino said. 

In December, President Donald Trump designated the drug a “a weapon of mass destruction,” calling it “closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic.”

Trump has claimed without evidence that Venezuelan boats struck by the U.S. military last year were carrying fentanyl. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, most illicit fentanyl in the U.S. comes from Mexico and is mostly smuggled through official ports of entry by U.S. citizens. 

This week, the U.S. military said its latest strike on an accused drug-trafficking boat killed two “narco-terrorists.” The operation raised the death toll of the strikes that began in September to at least 170. 

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Most college football programs look vastly different year over year thanks to the transfer portal, and Utah isn’t an exception.

For Morgan Scalley’s first season as head coach, the Utes will have 55% of their production from last season’s 11-2 squad on the roster and 16 newcomers via the portal after losing 20 to college football’s free agency.

Some of Utah’s additions will likely wind up being depth pieces who rarely see the field, though several others are in line to play vital roles following the team’s NFL draft departures and graduates.

Here’s a look at four newcomers who could play big roles in 2026.

Braden Pegan (WR)

Wide receiver isn’t a position Utah has prioritized historically. In fact, the Utes haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Dres Anderson crossed the threshold in 2013 with 1,002 yards.

Pegan, a four-star transfer who tallied 926 receiving yards at Utah State last season, has an opportunity to snap Utah’s 1,000-yard drought in 2026. With Ryan Davis graduated and JJ Buchanan at Michigan, the 6-foot-3 junior should be Utah’s top receiving target going into the regular season. His familiarity with Kevin McGiven, his former Utah State offensive coordinator who’s now at Utah, will help ease the transition for Devon Dampier and the other returners from last season.

“That’s one of those dudes that you wish you had 20 of them,” Scalley said of Pegan after spring practice. “He’s such a good kid, smart football player, athletic, can jump out of the gym. We’re excited to have him.”

Ethan Day (DE)

The departures of John Henry Daley (Michigan) and Logan Fano (NFL) created some voids for Scalley and company to fill along the defensive line going into the offseason.

Utah addressed the need right away with the addition of Day, a 6-foot-4, 250 pound defensive end who recorded 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks at North Texas, in early January.

In addition to his productivity, the junior from California brings experience and leadership to the Utes defense, as evidenced by his appointment to the team’s leadership council in March. As far as his role on the field is concerned, he’s likely poised to start on one side of the defensive line, across from either Lance Holtzclaw or Kash Dillon on the other.

Getting after the quarterback at a consistent rate is a major key to Utah’s defense being successful in 2026. Expecting Day to put up Daley’s All-America numbers would be asking too much; if he can apply pressure and force quick throws at a steady rate, the Utes would be in good shape.

Cedric Jefferson (OT)

How the Utes plug their offensive line holes after losing all five of last season’s starters to the draft and graduation remains to be seen at this point. A few veterans who’ve logged snaps as backups, like Zereoue Williams and Keith Olson, for example, are potential candidates to replace either (or both) Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu at the tackle spots, but it wouldn’t be surprising if blue-chip prospect Kelvin Obot got a starting nod at left tackle, either.

For now, we’re picking Jefferson, a transfer from Montana State who started every game for the national champion Bobcats in 2025, to start for the Utes at right tackle because of his experience in a run-heavy offense (Montana State was No. 2 in the FCS in rush attempts and No. 5 in rush yards per game last season).

Regardless of offensive scheme, O-line play has been pivotal to Utah’s success over the past two decades. If Jefferson does end up starting at right tackle, he’ll need to be able to handle Big 12 pass rushers and establish the edge in the run game for the Utes’ offense to be effective.

Elijah Reed (CB)

Utah was one of the best defenses against the pass in the Big 12 last season because its defensive backs and pass rush essentially worked hand-in-hand; Daley and Fano brought the heat off the edge while their teammates on the backend were sound with their coverage.

With Smith Snowden (Michigan), Blake Cotton (graduated), Don Saunders (Purdue) and Tao Johnson (UCLA) gone, Utah went into the offseason needing to replenish its depth at defensive back. Snagging Reed, a transfer from Akron who recorded a pair of interceptions while allowing just one touchdown in 2025, helped address the team’s need at the cornerback position.

If Reed is as effective in coverage against Big 12 wide receivers as he was against Mid-American Conference pass catchers, Utah’s defense will hardly miss a beat in 2026.

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This story was originally published on Construction Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Construction Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

• Granite Construction continued its multiyear buying spree by snatching up a Provo, Utah-based infrastructure contractor, according to a Monday news release. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

• Kenny Seng Construction focuses on earthwork, site preparation, utility installation, concrete work and construction management. It runs a gravel pit and recycling yard, as well as a fleet of multiuse dump trucks. The firm was founded in 1985 and has annual revenue of approximately $150 million per the release.

• “KSC is a great fit for Granite,” Kyle Larkin, Granite’s president and CEO, said in a statement emailed to Construction Dive. “Our cultures and values are closely aligned, and KSC’s work complements what Granite already does well and expands Granite’s service offerings in Utah.”

Dive Insight:

The move builds on Watsonville, California-based Granite’s “home market” strategy, where it supplies material from its own yards to help it build infrastructure projects in the nearby construction markets. The KSC deal includes a hard rock quarry with 1 million tons of annual production and approximately 45 million tons of reserves, according to the announcement. 

In addition to subdivision and land development, KSC focuses on the education market with experience in school site work and athletic complexes, according to its website. 

The acquisition builds on both the broader trend of mergers and acquisitions in the building and construction technology industries, as well as Granite’s own penchant for “bolt-on” acquisitions. On its most recent earnings call in February, the firm said it would continue to look for additional purchase targets. In 2025, it bought Warren Paving and Papich Construction, along with Cinderlite Trucking via its subsidiary, Centennial Aggregate. 

KSC’s leadership team will continue to steer the organization while the company will maintain its brand, Granite said.

“Granite is growing, and this deal is in line with that effort,” Granite CFO Staci Woolsey said in a statement shared with Construction Dive. “As with our other recent acquisitions KSC is a well-led, high-performing company that will provide immediate benefits to our bottom line. We are excited to welcome them to our team.”

Granite is scheduled to report its first quarter 2026 earnings on Thursday. 

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Medical Board issued a letter late April condemning the use of AI for prescription refills, asking that a new program implementing the tech’s use be suspended.

The program, which the State of Utah and AI health platform Doctronic entered into an agreement to introduce, uses AI to allows “30-, 60-, or 90-day renewals for medications that have already been prescribed by a licensed provider.”

The system is intended to give patients with chronic conditions a faster way to refill medications. Back in January, when the State of Utah and Doctronic made the agreement, it became the first state-approved program in the United States to legally prescribe routine refills using an autonomous AI health platform.

“This partnership with Utah enables patients, pharmacists, and physicians to work together more efficiently, with measurable results that benefit the entire healthcare system. We hope other states follow Utah’s lead,” said Matt Pavelle, Co-CEO of Doctronic.

Now, nearly four months later, the Utah Medical Licensing Board has issued a letter stating that their agency was made aware of the agreement only after its implementation, once the system was already live and available for use.

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The board is now condemning the AI program, saying that while they support the exploration of future implementation, they also “have a stewardship to protect Utah citizens” and are “tasked with protecting the public in the State of Utah.”

According to the medical board, while the program may seem innocuous, they believe the oversight of prescription refills is “a task reserved for properly licensed medical practitioners for
critical safety and clinical reasons.”

“Each refill requires reassessment and clinical decision-making to safely adjust doses, monitor for side effects, contraindications, or new drug interactions, and ensure the medication remains effective,” the letter from the board states.

They went on to say that patients who continue refilling medications without assessment may remain on outdated or suboptimal therapy for months or years.

“There is a reason prescription refills require physician authorization,” the letter states.

They further stated that proceeding with the agreement without consulting the Utah Medical Board potentially places Utah citizens at risk, calling it a major concern of the board. The board said it’s “imperative” that professionals with medical backgrounds review all proposals prior to implementation.

The board said they must not allow AI or other financial motivations to override their obligation to protect Utah citizens, claiming this is “precisely what occurred here.”

“It is the strong recommendation of the Utah Medical Licensing Board that this program be
immediately suspended pending further discussion,” the letter states. “We look forward to working with the Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy to explore ways to safely implement AI in the practice of medicine.”

While the Department of Commerce declined to interview with ABC4 News on this matter, they did provide a response they sent to the board, which said in part, “your letter strongly recommended the immediate suspension of the Doctronic program pending further discussion. Because the pilot is currently in phase one — where a licensed physician reviews every refill decision, ensuring the program is already operating safely at the standard of care — we will not be suspending the pilot at this time.”

Doctronic Cofounder Dr. Adam Oskowitz provided a statement to ABC4 News Monday, which said “we are participating in the process as designed, with defined safeguards, physician  oversight of every prescription in the first phase of the program, and continued physician involvement throughout. We remain focused on demonstrating safe, evidence-based expansion of routine care access.”

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — For the 250th birthday of the United States, the Beehive State is unveiling a brand new license plate designed for the occasion.

The Utah Design Review Board has just unveiled its new “America 250” license plate, which will be available to Utahns beginning June 1, 2026.

What to know about events marking America’s 250th

The license plate features a blue background with the 1776 American flag covering the left side, while a subtle pattern using the beehive logo from the Utah State flag crosses the right side. The design review board, which oversees visual standards for license plates and driver’s licenses, says this design, “honors the nation’s founding while maintaining a clean, recognizable look consistent with Utah’s new design standards.”

“Utahns are excited to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and reflect on the principles that
have shaped our nation. This plate is a simple way for people across our state to show that
pride and be part of this historic milestone,” Senator Dan McCay, Senate representative on the Design Review Board, is quoted as saying.

These America 250 license plates will only be available for one year, and sales will conclude on July 31, 2027, “marking the close of the semiquincentennial celebration period.”

Utahns can visit dmv.utah.gov to request the license plate and even customize it for a fee. The Utah State Tax Commission notes that while “USA250” is used on the example, it is not an available option.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.