Trente Jones Love for the MMB
Special shout out to Trente Jones for something that probably didn’t make the broadcast.
After the trophy presentation when it was all euphoria and post-game interviews, the Michigan Marching Band was making their way onto the field to celebrate and ultimately March out of the stadium. As many here appreciate, the members and staff of the MMB work incredibly hard, put in long hours, and are an important part of the gameday experience for many. The Rose Bowl is a grueling trip, with 16-18 hour days with all the rehearsals and commitments. (All worth it, but it is a LOT.)
At that point, Trente went over to interact with the band. Wasn’t just a quick fist bump, either. He started with some hugs, posed for selfies, put on a shako (MMB hat), and then made his way THROUGH the band, doing more of the same.
As someone who marched in Rose Bowls years ago, and now has a kid in the band, I was deeply moved. Just another example of how these players get it.
January 2nd, 2024 at 11:59 AM ^
He's been an unsung hero all year, coming in on the bigger run packages and goal line stuff.
To see him ball out in the biggest game of the year was fitting and well deserved.
He sounds like a great human being to boot.
Go Blue!
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:00 PM ^
I want him back next year so bad. Both for the health of the line and to improve his draft stock. He's got 2nd round potential or better.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
Update: MMB link to instagram video…
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1lgWhzLJ_s/?igsh=MWprYWduZWhvaDJxbA==
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:40 PM ^
Out of all the videos I have watched so far, this one might be the best. Football is awesome and I probably invest way too much of my time in Michigan Athletics, but seeing our team's athletes showing respect and support like this it takes joy for the team to a whole other level. Well done Trente!
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^
He persevered through and stayed. He reciprocated the love he must feel. Thank you for sharing this! Makes me love the team even more
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^
Very cool. Trente is awesome.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:14 PM ^
Alabama thinks so.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^
Former MMB member who marched in a Rose Bowl here. Did not see or know this. Awesome.
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:30 PM ^
A lot more authentic than Peyton Manning conducting the Tennessee band for a self promotional photo op.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:01 PM ^
Thanks for sharing this
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:01 PM ^
My wife and I were both in the band as undergrads. Love seeing this from Trente! GO BLUE!!!!
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:01 PM ^
I saw some of the band kids posting videos of this, too. Just awesome. Trente is a real hero of the season for coming in how he did and when he did. Also loved seeing his big bear hug with Harbaugh right after the game. IIRC the blog writers have mentioned in passing concern for Trente's mental health--something to do with social media posts maybe? I didn't see what they were talking about personally, but regardless I hope he knows he's an absolute champion. Sending him nothing but love.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:05 PM ^
That moment between Trente and Coach: it was beautiful to see.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:02 PM ^
Thanks for sharing. As a former athlete-only type, I never thought much of that side of the rails until later in life when my son joined his high school band (in fact, I regretfully admit to being quite disparaging towards them when I was a younger idiot). Witnessing the amount of work required combined with the amazing culture changed my views. I'm glad to hear Trente appreciates them, especially at his age and situation.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:28 PM ^
My son was in his high school marching band for 4 years. My wife and I weren't extreme band parents, but we did chaperone several band trips to regional competitions. Your comment brought me back to those days. The kids played at the Friday night football game and returned to campus the next morning to go through their routine one more time. We'd load the trucks, get the kids on the bus, and then they'd warm up for another hour or two before their show. A typical competition would take 10-12 hours of their day on Saturday. And these things are judged by multiple reviewers. The culture was amazing. The kids were incredibly polite, focused, hard-working, organized and dedicated to their craft. If you're ever in a position to hire a marching band kid, do it. You won't regret it.
Maybe I've shared this before, but after returning from one trip, someone noticed a small fire had started by one of the rear tires. The brake pad likely wore out, the brake overheated, and some debris caught on fire. As the chaperone, I should have done something more than direct traffic away from the fire. Instead, one of the band kids ran to the band room, got a fire extinguisher, and put the fire out. That's something I'll never forget.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:28 PM ^
"As the chaperone, I should have done something more than direct traffic away from the fire."
As the chaperone, your job is the safety of the kids - directing them away from a fire was the right thing to do. Let someone else find an extinguisher and call the fire dept. Well done!
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:24 PM ^
Yeah I had 2 band kids, one went on to the MMB. A few years back Harbaugh dropped by a practice to speak to them and express appreciation, so it's good to see that attitude being fostered.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:04 PM ^
Great detail, and props to Trente and the MMB.
A bit of a non-sequitur here, but saw in one of many articles I read today that JJ has a tattoo reading: "Attached to nothing, connected to everything". Wisdom. Seems like Trente is connected to everything and not attached to just his part in it. And truly feel like it's a team-wide ethic.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:06 PM ^
I freaking love that kid. I love the way he told Harbaugh he loved him. I love this story. I love the way HE STAYED and is a big reason WE ARE ON THE PRECIPICE.
Heck yea. Go Blue. Get it, Trente.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:09 PM ^
The Rose Bowl trip is a pinnacle experience for an MMB member. That's the dream. I will say that every interaction I ever had with a player when I was in the band was always really positive and appreciative. I'm sure they still have the tradition of the MMB going to the practice field during Band Week and performing pregame and the postgame highlights for the team (which was always great as a football junkie, because that meant I got to watch practice). So they got to see what we did, outside of game day. A few players even came to practice at Elbel every now and then. They get it.
The schedule for this bowl trip seemed a bit more truncated and missing some of the highlights. Doesn't look like they got to really experience Disneyland, which was the highlight on my Rose Bowl trip. We did the parade and got the rest of the day/evening in the parks for free. Looks like they did the parade, then had to go straight to rehearsal and then a pep rally. Probably a budgetary decision, unfortunately, now that they have to work around the B1GCG and next week, too. Just felt bad for them.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:45 PM ^
They arrived at LAX, went to a rehearsal, then went directly to Disney for free time from around 5pm to 10 pm. The next morning, they went back to Disney and performed early before heading to the pep rally.
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:01 PM ^
This is good to hear!
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:13 PM ^
Unfortunately, the performance for the team during Band Week no longer happens. They did it in Harbaugh's first season but apparently he didn't see the point and it was discontinued.
January 2nd, 2024 at 4:14 PM ^
The Band Week tradition started under Eric Becher in, I believe, 1984. It had been done once before (under Cavender?) several years earlier, and one of the players wrote Dr. Becher a letter describing the fond memory he had. So Becher contacted Bo and he liked the idea.
I don't blame Harbaugh for discontinuing it, though. The players are incredibly pressed for time at that point. And, as a five-year MMB member (I was a slow student), we as a band weren't really all that good that first week. The band improves a lot as the season progresses. By bowl games, MMB is unsurpassed.
January 2nd, 2024 at 4:59 PM ^
It was like 10-20 minutes. They'd finish, we'd go on, not exactly a huge ask of their time. I always liked it as a gesture between the organizations, because there were so few opportunities for the football program and the MMB to really interact. It made us feel appreciated, and vice versa.
There's another root in this tradition in that from the start of the Bo era, Dr. Revelli would go over each fall and teach the football team how to sing The Victors properly. Ran the whole thing like a band rehearsal and put them through their paces. Having a relationship and appreciation between the two programs is a good thing.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:11 PM ^
Trente is a different guy. I think he also has a 4.0. Dude is special.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:18 PM ^
I really like Trente, I think it was his fault that the LB came in and blew up the fleeflicker tho.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:21 PM ^
Hey, we have a week of breakdowns and analysis coming our way to get into that stuff! And Bless God that we do! For now, WE REVEL!
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:53 PM ^
I thought that was a good move by the Alabama lineman on more that anything. Blake would say it was on him I'm sure. I didn't play college ball, but those kind of plays are muscle memory and PTSD from previous hits as well. It was the hardest hitting game of the year for both teams, maybe. Definitely for Alabama, they were shell shocked at halftime. Nobody was bringing it harder than Max... wow.
Donovan would take bake his transcontinental as well I bet. JJ made a crazy play on that catch and pass to make up for it.
What a game.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:24 PM ^
Trente is my favorite player. I always pull for the Georgia guys that make Michigan their home.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:15 PM ^
Him and Sainristil for me.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:25 PM ^
Love it.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:27 PM ^
Well.. You can't have one without the other.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:36 PM ^
My amazing nephew is in the band. They showed him during the anthem and the emotion of seeing him on that field for that game was something I won't forget. They do work so so hard. He told me Zinter was doing the same, coming up to band members looking to pose for selfies and just be kids enjoying what will be one of the more memorable nights of all their lives. I love hearing the players get they're ALL part of why we love this whole damned thing. it's not just about the team the team, it's all about friggin Michigan, baby. Go Blue!!
BEAT WASHINGTON
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:42 PM ^
That's really great - thanks for sharing.
As you said, the Rose Bowl is a grind for the band. I'm not comparing it to what the football team has to do, but it's not a straight vacation. January 1 starts around 3:30-4:00 am for breakfast before the Rose Parade and doesn't really stop. But, when the team wins in Pasadena (as you and I know), it's a tremendous feeling. And it's fantastic to hear that Trente shared some of that joy with the band.
I can only imagine how much cooler it was for you (and a couple of other folks I know) to watch your own kids march in the Rose Bowl n years after you last did it. It's special just on it's own, but getting to celebrate postgame on that field is absolutely tremendous, and I hope you got to enjoy your kids' celebration to the fullest.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:48 PM ^
It is the BEST.
My daughter just graduated after 4 years in the MMB and was with us at the game. My other daughter starts at Michigan Law this fall. She was with us too. We are lucky and very proud parents.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:49 PM ^
That's wonderful. Good for him.
And good for your kid.
And good for you, mvp!
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:50 PM ^
Great interview from Sam with Trente earlier in the week
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:59 PM ^
You can play on Sundays at Michigan without being the one. You can be the one any given day. Trente is the epitome of a Michigan man. There was another video from Media day where Trente is playing Connect Four in the background and gets beat. Life is not going to beat Trente.
This goes to Harbaugh talking about how he can fail 20 times; yet he celebrates the 21st success. Washington is similar in spirit. This is going to be such an epic championship.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:26 PM ^
What a great interview. Worth the time.
Go be a National Champion, Sir.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:51 PM ^
Great story. Thank you so much for sharing this!!
There really is just something so special about the players on this team. I know there have been great Michigan players and great Michigan teams -- and I have seen so many of them -- but I would stack these players, these people, up against any of them.
Thank you, Team 144. One more to go.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:55 PM ^
Trente was very nice to me and my kids at both NIL events we saw him at this year. Last year’s BTCG he came over to our area on the field after the game and signed autographs and posed for pics.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:00 PM ^
I really want him to come back next year. He is a great young man who has worked through a lot. A true team player.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:04 PM ^
A close friend of mine was in the MMB during the 1982 and 1983 seasons (marched in the '83 Rose Bowl against UCLA and the '84 Sugar Bowl against Auburn) and he loved your post. So do I.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:14 PM ^
Between this, the fact that he stuck around when he easily could have chosen to leave, and the video of him hugging Ben Herbert after the Ohio game, I’m so appreciative of having this young man wear the block M. Keep it up big guy. We love you!
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:14 PM ^
He stayed, and he became a champion.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:27 PM ^
One more Championship to go . . .
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:23 PM ^
Love Trente! So happy for him.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:33 PM ^
GO BLUE!!!
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
Trente Jones is awesome. So proud to have him on our team and so happy he's getting a chance to shine. Hope he comes back next year (can he?) and earns himself a high draft position.