This week “Zone Read” heads to Salt Lake City to catch up with former Queen Creek High standout, now Utah Utes starting linebacker, and leading tackler, Trey Reynolds.

We discuss his path from high school to the present day, his Mormon Mission in Nashville, their big game this weekend against rival BYU in the “Holy War,” and much more.

It’s been a minute since you and I spoke, take us through your time from QC to present. “Yeah, for sure. It’s always great to talk to you, Eric. I graduated a semester early from high school (Class of ’21), and got up here to Utah. I did a full year up here. That was the season we won the Pac-12 Championship. 

“Then I went on my Mission. I served in the Tennessee-Nashville Mission. I loved my time out there. I served there for two years, from 2022 to 2024. Then I came back, and I’ve been at Utah ever since…here we are in the 2026 season.”

How did you grow the most, both spiritually and mentally, from your Mission experience? “For sure. That was the most growing I did in my life. The Mission teaches you so many things. My relationship with my heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ, at a rate I couldn’t have had otherwise. Talking about Jesus Christ every single day and helping people. I really found my love and appreciation for the people in Nashville. I loved it and my testimony grew so much.”

“Mentally, it grew me a lot, too. I feel like it made me better prepared for football. It helped me a lot of ways I didn’t ever really know. It help me be more focused and loving to my teammates and the people around me. I had the opportunity to be in leadership positions for most of my Mission.

“Now I’m a captain on the team, and it’s helping me a lot.”

Away from football, how much have you enjoyed being at U of U, and experiencing Salt Lake City? “I love it here. I’m not much of a city guy (laughing) but for being a (big) city, it’s really fun. Me and my wife go out on date nights all the time.

“I love the outdoors, as well, so there’s a lot of great hunting, fishing, and lakes around here. It has a little bit of everything. I love this place. You can drive five minutes in any direction and be out of the city.”

Rice-Eccles Stadium is such a cool environment, and the MUSS (Mighty Utah Student Section) starts it all. How much juice do they bring you guys?  “I haven’t had a crowd match that noise since I started playing college football. I’ve never heard a stadium louder than what the MUSS brings. It really is a home field advantage.

“It’s crazy because you can’t ever hear out there. When I’m out there, it’s always loud because we’re on defense. We have it dialed in and these offenses come in here, and they have no idea what they’re in for. We get some help from those guys. We’ll get some delay of games, some false starts. It’s awesome.”

What will the scene be like this weekend with BYU coming to town? “Well, it’s an early game, so we’ll have to bring the juice and energy. They’re a good team. We know that. We’re preparing for them. We’re excited to play.”

Explain what it’s like to play in the ‘Holy War,’ since you’ve been a part of a few of these. “Just another week. That’s how we’re treating it.”

Oh, come on, Trey (laughing)! “I know, I know. It’s just another week. It’s just another weekend. We’re preparing for them just like everybody else. So far, we’re 8-0. We have something special with this group, and we’re not treating it any different. 

“When you play mad, when you play upset, that’s when you make mistakes. We’re excited to go out there and show what we have, because it’s really about us, and not anyone else.”

Describe what it’s like to practice against Devon Dampier every week. “It’s awesome (laughing). He’s a freakin’ good player. He makes us better.

‘It’s pretty cool because we have a really good offense and we have a really good defense. We sharpen each other up. We’re really playing a team game here, and Devon is leading that on the offensive side of the ball. He’s been a great leader. He’s really good at what he does, and I can’t speak highly enough about that guy. He’s a good dude. He’s hilarious. Everyone gravitates to him. That’s what makes him such a good leader.”

You’re listed as a senior but do you have another year to play? “I do.”

Are you going to come back? “We’ll see. I’ve talking about it. We’ll see. If I decide to stay in college, I want to play another year here at Utah for sure.”

Has the transition from Coach Whittingham to Coach Scalley been as seamless on the inside as it’s appeared on the outside?  “Absolutely. Absolutely. It’s been very beneficial for us and we love where Scalley has taken the program.

“Honestly, he revived the program a little bit, and it’s been awesome to see. Love Scalley. Love his energy. Love how dedicated and focused he is on the game and getting us better.”

You come from a family of athletes. Your dad, Paul, played at ASU. All your siblings are athletes, including your younger brother, Tait, who is starting to come into his own as true freshman starting quarterback at Clemson.  Did you see his touchdown run against Florida State (last week)? “Yes. They were playing when we were flying home (from Cincinnati). I started watching from the second quarter on the bus, then watched on the plane. Luckily, we had wi-fi. and I got to watch it live.

“I was jumping up and down on the plane (laughing).”

That’s so great. In fairness, it hasn’t been perfect for him – as it to be expected for a true freshman stepping in at that level. Have you been advising him, or giving him any advice, through those ups and downs? “A little bit. I’ve talked to him a few times. I have full confidence in him, so really haven’t given him a lot of advice – mostly just encouragement. He’s a smart kid. He can figure it out on his own. He’s a good player.

“They’ve had some ups and downs this season, but from game one, until now, they’ve improved like crazy. They were getting some hate but he doesn’t care. He’s a natural leader.”

Last question – your head coach at QC, Travis Schureman, stepped down this off-season. He’s now working with Joe Germaine, another coach you’re very familiar with. He will, to me at least, always be the face of that program. What has meant to you in terms of your growth and maturity as a person, and a player? “He’s a great guy. His family, and Joe’s, their families have been really good friends to me, and my family.

“I can’t speak enough about those guys and what they mean to us. Coach Schureman, especially, is a really, really good friend of my family, and a great human being. He’d give his shirt off the back for anyone, and we’d do the same for him because that’s who he is.

“If he (reads) this, love you Coach Schureman, and Coach Germaine. Love those guys to death.”  

The post Zone Read: Former Queen Creek Star, Utah Linebacker Trey Reynolds Unplugged first appeared on Sports360AZ.



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