Trent Chesnut is in his 22nd season with the Fighting Illini in 2021 as the head football equipment manager, handling all of the day-to-day aspects of the football program, including purchasing, maintenance, organization and management of the student assistant program.

Chesnut is responsible for all home games and practice set-up, tear down and storage of equipment, as well as assigning and managing team and official locker rooms, chain gangs and game-day ball crews.

Prior to returning to his home state of Illinois, Chesnut was the head equipment coordinator at the University of Nevada for eight years and worked for three seasons as the UNLV assistant equipment manager. During his time at Nevada, he was responsible for the football and baseball programs as well as overseeing the entire athletic equipment department.

Chesnut earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University in 1990. He has been an active and certified member of AEMA since 1992 and also is a member of the Schutt Athletic Council.

A native of Hoopeston, Illinois, Chesnut has one son, Jake, who graduated from Illinois in 2016.

Chesnut married the former Janet Johnson in 2017.

Updated July 2021