Bearing down: BYU's Tucson natives love Arizona in Big 12, but still want to beat 'Cats

PROVO — One of the top football families in Tucson will make the trip to LaVell Edwards Stadium when the University of Arizona plays BYU this Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. MDT, FOX), but don't expect "Bear Down" to be in their vocabulary during "Big Noon Kickoff."

That's because it's the family of BYU reserve quarterback Treyson Bourguet, whose parents Toby and Vanessa and younger sister Rylen will be on hand to support him like they have since he transferred to BYU from Western Michigan.

Football is what the family does.

Treyson Bourguet is the third of four children in the Bourguet household — Treyson because he's the third son behind older brothers Trenton and Coben, who both play at Arizona State. But the younger Bourguet carved his own path in the MAC before moving closer to home to play for head coach Kalani Sitake.

When asked by KSL.com earlier this week if that led to any extra feelings about playing the school that the Salpointe Catholic graduate grew up cheering on, Bourguet admitted it was a bit "surreal" to see the Wildcats on BYU's Big 12 schedule.

"Growing up, you always imagined yourself playing for your hometown team, which for me was Arizona," he said. "I actually committed to Arizona under coach (Kevin) Sumlin; things didn't work out, but I'm right where I'm supposed to be at BYU. This is home.

"So I just treat this game like any other game. I know we're playing my hometown (school), but it's just another game for us."

Bourguet fell in love with the sport from the time he was 5-6 years old, when he would join his older brothers in the backyard and play for hours. That love for football likely came from dad Toby, whom Treyson Bourguet recalls staying up late on a school night to watch in flag football tournaments.

The younger Bourguet even played at halftime of the NFL's Pro Bowl when he was 14 as a part of Flag Football Nationals. But when it comes to flag football, where more than 700,000 players play in over 1,800 leagues in all 50 states per NFL Flag, another Bourguet outshines the rest.

That would be baby sister Rylen, a seven-time state champion in volleyball, soccer and beach volleyball — who earned a scholarship to play beach at Arizona State.

But when the LA organizing committee announced that flag football would be part of the Olympic program as a host event in 2028, she made the tough decision to withdraw and focus on competing internationally in the sport, per KVOA television in Tucson.

"She just fell in love with flag football … and she's been grinding," Bourguet said of Rylen, who was named to the USA Football U20 Select team this past summer. "She works out probably three times a day, seven days a week. She's coming (to Provo) for the game this week, but she's already had me hook her up with a couple of trainers out here. She's just a grinder who loves to compete and work, and I'm really excited for her bright future."

BYU has 11 players on the football roster for 2024-25 from Arizona, a state that has proven fertile recruiting ground due to a large concentration of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who regularly trade winters in Provo for summers in Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler and Mesa.

One of the Wildcats' biggest recruiting challengers historically has been BYU.

"Honestly, I think they get most of the high school talent from Arizona. They probably have done a better job of recruiting Arizona guys than ASU has," said BYU safety Tommy Prassas, a Basha High alum from Chandler who grew up an Arizona State fan. "It's mostly homegrown Arizona boys, and they've always had a solid team. They had a great coaching staff last year, and got another good one this year."

Bourguet is one of two players on BYU's roster from Tucson alongside sophomore safety Chika Ebunoha. Both of them admitted circling Saturday's matchup against the Wildcats when their Big 12 schedule was released in the spring.

"My family and friends have been nothing but supportive since I came out there. I know they've got my back," said Ebunoha, who has played in three games in 2024 at cornerback and special teams. "But I know it's going to be fun."

While they'll both be representing their hometown in BYU colors when they run out of the tunnel Saturday afternoon at LaVell Edwards Stadium, they — and their families — are happy to represent the school that has welcomed them with open arms, too.

"I know a lot of people from my hometown will be keeping up with it," said Ebunoha, whose first name Chikaodinaka means "In God's hands" in the native language of his parents' home land of Nigeria. "But like any other game, I'm just excited to play in (LaVell Edwards Stadium) and to feel the atmosphere."

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