
Jesse Garza brings captain-level grit to Southern Utah’s linebacker room
In the 2026 season, Jesse Garza looks like the kind of linebacker coaches trust immediately: a physical, hard-working senior who was named one of Southern Utah’s team captains and is praised for leadership, toughness, and doing the little things right. He arrived after playing all 12 games in 2025 at Eastern Illinois, where he totaled 23 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss, and he added 4 tackles in Southern Utah’s 2026 game against Colorado State. He’s a fit if you want dependable, high-motor linebacker play with veteran presence, not just highlight-reel flash.






