Trenton Bourguet is hanging up the cleats and shoulder pads. His next chapter in football will require a whistle.
The Tucson native and former Marana High School standout played quarterback for the Arizona State Sun Devils the last six seasons following an illustrious career with the Tigers.
Bourguet, who was named the Star’s top high school football player in Southern Arizona entering the 2018 season, became Marana’s all-time leader for career passing yards with 7,612 yards and 86 touchdowns.
Bourguet, a longtime Arizona Wildcats fan, signed with the Herm Edwards-coached Arizona State football program as a walk-on, before earning a full-ride scholarship after the 2020 season. Bourguet’s collegiate debut was ASU’s 70-7 win over Arizona at Arizona Stadium during the pandemic-influenced season in 2020. In that game, Bourguet handed the ball off to Jackson He, who became the first Chinese-born player in college football to score a touchdown.
Quarterback Trenton Bourguet of the Marana Tigers arms for the end zone at Canyon del Oro High School football in Oro Valley on Sept. 28, 2017.
In Bourguet’s return to Tucson two years later, he completed 37 of 49 passes (76%) for 376 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a Territorial Cup loss.
This past season, as a backup to Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Sam Leavitt, Bourguet’s first and last appearance in 2024 was ASU’s 49-7 win over the Wildcats at the stadium Bourguet grew up around; he completed two passes for 71 yards and had a 64-yard touchdown. One of Bourguet’s completions in his final Territorial Cup was to his brother, Coben Bourguet, a walk-on receiver for the Sun Devils — which was the younger Bourguet’s first career reception.
“To complete a pass to my brother and do it against Arizona down in Tucson with all of my friends and family — that’s the stadium we grew up in, from the time we were born until about 15 years old, we were there every Saturday, tailgating and watching the Arizona Wildcats,” Trenton Bourguet said. “When the play got called in, I looked to see who the receiver was and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s Coben.’ I rarely get nervous, but my heart got a little excited.
Arizona State quarterback Trenton Bourguet celebrates with fans after Arizona State defeated UCLA in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Pasadena, Calif.
“I was like, ‘All right, just pitch and catch, we’ve done this a thousand times in the backyard.’ To do it in Tucson was special. That’s the field I got first college action in 2020 and for me to get my last throwing attempt in that stadium was a dream come true.”
During Bourguet’s time at ASU, he endured a global pandemic, clawed his way to a scholarship, experienced a coaching change from Edwards to Kenny Dillingham after the program was slammed with NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations and then was a part of the first Sun Devils team to win a Big 12 championship and play in the College Football Playoff.
Ironically, Bourguet’s last two games at ASU, the Big 12 title game (AT&T Stadium in Dallas) and the Peach Bowl (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta), were venues he helped Tucson Turf Elite win 7-on-7 national championships at. He quarterbacked the Tucson Turf Elite team in 2017 and coached the championship-winning group in ‘19, which had Atlanta Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson.
Now that Bourguet’s playing career has come to an end, the Marana product is “looking forward to getting into the coaching world,” he said.
Arizona State quarterback Trenton Bourguet (16) in the second half during an NCAA college football game against Arizona, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Tucson, Ariz. Arizona won 38-35.
“I’ve always told myself that I want to stay here at Arizona State with Coach Dillingham,” Bourget said. “This has been my home the last six years, so we’ll see what happens in the future and I’m looking forward to it.”
ESPN Tucson’s “Spears and Ali” caught up with Bourguet to reflect on his ASU journey and what’s next for the quarterback. Here’s part of that interview:
How would you summarize your ASU career and what you’ve accomplished in Tempe?
A: “It’s been a true blessing. I’ve been here for six years and I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, starting as a walk-on, being put on scholarship and backing up (Washington Commanders quarterback) Jayden Daniels, a Heisman Trophy winner and he’s doing his thing in the league. Just seeing how much the program has changed under Coach Dillingham and to go out on a Big 12 championship and run to the College Football Playoff, it was a dream come true.”
How many connections did you garner during your ASU career?
A: “That’s one thing I’ve always loved about sports: you’re going to meet so many different people from different places around the world, whether you’re on the same team as them or see them across the field. There are so many teammates I still talk to, like (Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back) Rachaad White, (San Francisco 49ers wide receiver) Ricky Pearsall; those are just a couple of people I met at Arizona State that went on to the next level. Whether they go on to the NFL or go a different path, those are connections I’ll have for the rest of my life. Memories not just on the football field, but the plane rides, the bus rides, traveling to hotels, it’s something you can’t take for granted, for sure.”
What have you learned from Dillingham in the last two years?
A: “The biggest thing with Coach Dillingham is energy and the passion he walks into the building with each and every day. Arizona State, that’s home for him. He’s from Scottsdale and that’s where he got his first (graduate assistant) position at. But what you see on TV, that’s what you get with him all the time. He walks into the building with high energy, playing basketball, shooting hoops, cracking jokes and to see someone that young and innovative, playing ping-pong and doing the shadowboxing trends that you see on TikTok — he’s either in his office or in the players’ lounge. That energy is contagious. He’s super hungry and super passionate about the game of football. He’s always trying to be the best at anything he’s doing. That has definitely rubbed off on his players.”
ASU quarterback and Marana High School grad Trenton Bourguet, left, speaks with coach Kenny Dillingham during the second half of the team’s win over UCLA in November.
How has the environment been with Dillingham and his coaching staff?
A: “For me, it’s been super cool. You can have fun, but you can also put in that extra work. Not everything has to be the same every day. … Keeping it fun, that’s what this game is all about. He’s big on having the most fun in the country and putting in the most work. That translates to us playing so long into the season, because it gets very easy to do things repetitively and it gets boring, so we try to mix it up. He also takes care of us outside of the facility. … To see it all come together this year was special.”
What’s next for you in the near future?
A: “I plan to get into coaching. I’d love to stay here at Arizona State, so we’re going to see what happens. I’m looking forward to getting a whistle around my neck and helping a team out any way I can.”
