Can’t lose: Former TCU football guard and Michigan native discuss Fiesta Bowl allegiances

Justin Trejo is about as Texas as it gets, at least on the surface.

He played football at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth from 2008 to 2012 as the Horned Frogs rose to national prominence. After graduating with a degree in communications and Spanish, she continued to work in the Dallas area. Like any good Texan, he is still involved in football and coaches at WT White High School in Dallas.

However, when you ask him if he identifies as a Texan, the Detroit native balks at the question.

I’m still a Michigander, he said. I can’t say I’m from Texas. I’m a blue collar guy and I’m from Detroit. There is no doubt about it.

Trejo also grew up a Michigan football fan, which complicates things on the 31st. December when his Horned Frogs took on the Wolverines in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. This tugs at both of his loyalties.

I can’t lose in this game, he said. I get to see two teams that are very passionate about playing.

Trejo was born and raised in the Eight Mile Wyoming neighborhood west of Detroit to parents Michael and Elzbieta. His father played football at San Jose State, and Trejo soon dreamed of playing in college as well.

Like many Michiganders with network dreams, Trejo gravitated toward the Michigan Wolverines. He remembers a childhood visit to Michigan Stadium as a pivotal moment in his fandom.

It is a monument to football, he said. I thought I liked football, I thought I liked it, and then when you finally see it, you understand.

As Trejo grew into a 6-foot-3, 270-pound offensive lineman, his family briefly moved to St. Paul, Minnesota to finish his high school career. He wanted to walk on at Michigan, but admitted he couldn’t get into school.

So I packed my bags, took a risk on myself and went to TCU, she said, adding that Fort Worth University was very supportive of Hispanic students like her.

Read more: TCU, Michigans opponent in the College Football Playoff semifinals

Trejo was the only Michigan native during his time at TCU, he said. This year, the Horned Frogs are also missing a Michigan native, with only a handful of players on the roster even hailing from the Midwest.

He still absolutely loved his time at TCU and formed a brotherhood with his teammates. The campus is wonderful, she said, with flowers always done and a massive Christmas tree unveiled right after Thanksgiving.

Its aesthetic is different from UM, but it’s really beautiful, he said.

Trejo played at TCU during the programs time he rose to national prominence under former head coach Gary Patterson. The Horned Frogs were 54-11 when Trejo was on the team and won the 2011 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin, capping an undefeated season.

Although he grew up loving Michigan, he likes to point out that he won more Rose Bowls during his college career than the Wolverines in a conference that rarely plays in the game.

“My claim to fame is that I’m a guy from the Midwest, and I won the Rose Bowl and I wasn’t even in the top ten,” he said.

Although Trejo, who grew to a 6-foot-4, 305-pound guard, saw only a few snaps during his career, he is proud to have been a part of building the program into one that eventually made its first College Football Playoff appearance. year.

TCU football is about getting up early every day and grinding it out in the weight room, he said. We learn that if you continue to build and invest in yourself and invest in the program, you will eventually help build what we have now.

When the Fiesta Bowl rolls around on New Year’s Eve, Trejo expects Wolverine and Horned Frog fans to get along. His childhood love meets the show that helped shape him into the man he is today, and he said that makes it the perfect viewing experience for him.

I can’t be upset, he said. I’m rooting for TCU, but I won’t be shocked if Michigan wins as well.

Read more on MLive:

Michigan’s second crack at College Football Playoff: What’s different in 2022?

Michigan football’s redshirt update is coming to the Fiesta Bowl

These Vrbo, AirBnB places are perfect for Wolverine fans heading to the Fiesta Bowl