PROVO, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – Kedon Slovis is no stranger to season openers. Slovis was the starting quarterback for USC in 2019, and for Pittsburgh in 2022.

But this Saturday, Slovis will be making his first start for his newest and last college football team, BYU.

“I’m super excited,” Slovis said. “It’s obviously felt great being here and being a part of the offense, and the family here. But I’m here to play in games.”

Slovis will get his chance Saturday against Sam Houston, but this won’t be the first time he has played at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Slovis was the quarterback when USC came into Provo and lost to Zach Wilson and the Cougars in 2019, 30-27.

“Hopefully wearing blue will be a lot more fun playing in LaVell Edwards Stadium,” Slovis said. “I think just having some practices there recently in fall camp has made that feel like more and more like home every time I play there.”

Slovis, who is not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has felt at home ever since arriving on campus last spring after playing at Pittsburgh in 2022. He says his style and attitude have fit BYU’s culture perfectly.

“It just worked,” Slovis said. “Looking at my teammates and the coaching staff, I feel like we’re so similar as people, our values, and what we value in a competitive environment and a football environment. All my teammates are super selfless and they don’t have too big of an ego. So I think for me, it’s been easy.”

Even though he’s been at BYU for just a few months, Slovis’ leadership skills have been on full display during spring practice and fall camp.

“We knew what he could do on the field,” said BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. “It’s the things you can’t put on paper and don’t see on film. We saw there was something special about him when we saw him interact with the team. We just let him do it.”

“They let me be myself, and that made it easier,” Slovis said.

Slovis is fully aware of what kind of pressures comes with being the quarterback at BYU, and he says he is ready for it.

“Obviously I want to please the fan base, the coaches and the teammates around me,” Slovis said. “But, just the way it’s been brought about and what is expected of me, and that is being super capable. I think it’s also been brought to my strengths, and I feel very confident in being able to do that.”

BYU and Sam Houston will kick off the 2023 season Saturday at 8:15 p.m.