Treyson Bourguet sat down with some of his BYU teammates at the Costco food court in Provo, Utah.
After a few moments went by, the owner of a nearby sneaker store approached the table of BYU players and told Bourguet that his brother recently purchased sneakers from him and if Bourguet ever needed shoes, “’I’ll hook you up.’”
Bourguet’s internal response: “My brother? The only brothers that have come up here are my little brothers and they’re 16 and 13 years old,” he said.
The sneaker store owner’s response: “’Just keep killing it with the (Los Angeles) Rams, bro, and I’ll hook you up,’” Bourguet recalled.
“It’s funny, I’ll walk around and I’m one of the only players with a beard, so people would think I’m (Rams star wide receiver) Puka Nacua,” Bourguet said. “It’s funny.”
The 6-2, 205-pound former Salpointe Catholic star is now a redshirt junior and in his second season with the Cougars following a two-year stint at Western Michigan. In two seasons at Western Michigan, Bourguet passed for 1,314 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions in 10 games.
Western Michigan quarterback Treyson Bourguet (2) hands off the ball to running back Jalen Buckley (29) during the team's "snow game" matchup with Central Michigan on Nov. 16, 2022, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
Following the suspension and departure of BYU starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff, Bourguet contended for the starting quarterback job, but Stanford and true freshman Bear Bachmeier was named the starter over Bourguet and Micah Hillstead.
Starter or backup, Bourguet returning to Arizona Stadium this weekend was a surreal experience for a Tucsonan whose family had season tickets to go to UA games. Nearly three years ago, Treyson’s older brother, Trenton, nearly quarterbacked Arizona State to a win over the hometown Wildcats in Tucson.
“It’s a feeling that I never thought I would have growing up as a kid, being on the opposite sideline,” Treyson Bourguet said. “I’m super excited for the opportunity and it’s just another game.”
Bourguet is the latest Tucson native or former Wildcat to make their return to Arizona Stadium as an opponent this season. Former Salpointe Catholic running back David Cordero (Hawaii) — Bourguet’s high school teammate — and former Pusch Ridge Christian offensive lineman Will Way (Weber State) and safety Gunner Maldonado (Kansas State) all found their way to Tucson this season.
Bourguet recently joined ESPN Tucson’s “Spears & Ali” to talk about his visit to Tucson and becoming the latest Bourguet to face the Wildcats at Arizona Stadium.
What is your favorite memory of Arizona Stadium?
A: “Either the game-winning Hail Mary versus Cal or when we stormed the field versus ASU in 2014 to go to the Pac-12 Championship.”
What do you remember about your experience at UA football games?
A: “Growing up, we had season tickets and tailgated every Saturday. We had a huge section kind of near the visiting locker room. The biggest thing I remember was how crazy the environment gets, the student section is always packed and going nuts. As a kid, I was so obsessed with the fight song because that’s all I would hear Saturday night.”
Considering you’re a quarterback, is it safe to say Nick Foles was your favorite Wildcat?
A: “I forget why, but Nick Foles came to my house one time and had dinner with us. I remember being a kid and seeing my Superman. He wasn’t a human, he was a superhero to me. Just seeing him and meeting him and watching him play when I was a kid, that was really awesome.”
Every quarterback wants to be the starter, but what have you learned over the years about the mindset of a backup?
Bourguet
A: “In life, things don’t always go your way. No matter what happens or what the situation is, you have to be prepared for your moment at all times. ... You always have to prepare like you’re the starter and continue to be the leader on the team and someone that your teammates look up to and just follow whenever your number is called.”
How much have you leaned on Trenton Bourguet for advice, considering he went through similar circumstances at ASU?
A: “A ton. I still remember when Trenton got his first-career start or when he got first got playing time, I was a starter at Western Michigan. Watching him being ready and staying ready really inspired me. Throughout my whole career, I’ve been through some ups and downs. I’ve been the guy, I’ve been the backup, and I’ve been competing for the job. No matter what, I’m the same person.
“I prepare the same exact way no matter what. He’s been a huge inspiration. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would be. To see how he handled his adversity and everything that he’s been through and where he’s at now, it’s very inspiring.”
“It’s a blessing, for sure. I don’t know what I would do without him. He’s been at every seat at the table. He’s been the scout-team (quarterback), the fifth-string (quarterback), he’s been the backup, he’s been the starter and now he’s a coach. He has insight from all different angles. He helps me ease my mind when I have questions and can’t really figure out what’s going on or why. If I have questions about certain plays or defenses, he’s always been there. It’s a blessing to have him.”
How would you summarize your college football journey?
A: “It’s been a blessing. I went all the way to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and played two seasons at Western Michigan and learned a lot about myself on and off the football field. I decided to come back closer to home and go to BYU. It’s been a blessing. Everything that I’ve gone through — the good, the bad, the ugly — it’s all been amazing and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
You were a one-time UA commit. Can you disclose what that time was like and why you didn’t end up sticking with Arizona?
Salpointe Catholic’s Treyson Bourguet (3) yells while celebrating his touchdown during the first half of the Class 5A State Quarterfinals between the Salpointe Catholic Lancers and the Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep Saints in Tucson on Nov. 26, 2021.
A: “As a sophomore in high school, I was offered by the U of A. A couple of my 7-on-7 teammates did, as well. We had a big group chat. At that time, COVID happened, so we’re all in a lockdown, and college recruiting was in a weird situation.
“After a year or so, we didn’t know what the world would look like in a year, two years or three years, but we knew that our family was going to be in Arizona. ... We wanted to stay home, and we wanted to see how many people we could get to stay home.
“That was an important and big day, a big moment for my family. ... Obviously, things don’t always go your way. It wasn’t my place or my journey to go to the U of A in that manner. I don’t look back and regret any decisions or wish that things went differently.
“I’m exactly where I need to be and I know that. God is going to take me on a rollercoaster throughout life, but I know he’s right there with me the entire time and is going to lead the way. I’m very blessed to be where I am. Things didn’t go exactly how I thought they were going to go, but it’s going how God planned it.”
Tucson native and quarterback Treyson Bourguet grew up attending Arizona football games and was a diehard UA fan. In Arizona’s battle with No. 18 BYU, Bourguet is the Wildcats’ opposition.
How is your experience at BYU and how is it being a part of head coach Kalani Sitake’s program?
A: “The football players, the athletes and even just people in general, are amazing. They’re top notch and second to none. When you walk around in the community and they love you. ... Coach Kalani is amazing. The culture and the standard he’s built at BYU, it’s so awesome and it’s something that you can’t replicate. It’s something that I was raised on with my parents, the standards and morals they have, it’s awesome. I’m glad and blessed to be in this situation.”
