Forever an underdog, Kyle Trask was made for this SEC Championship moment
Eighteen months ago, Kyle Trask was an obscure backup most outside the Florida football building thought would transfer.
Trask was stuck on the depth chart behind Feleipe Franks, who was coming off a Peach Bowl MVP and widely expected to take a significant leap as a third-year starter playing his second season in quarterback guru Dan Mullen’s system. Trask was just fighting his rear off to stay QB 2, ahead of big-time recruit Emory Jones, the highest-rated quarterback recruit to ever sign for Mullen. Many fans entered the 2019 season convinced Jones was QB 2, or at least convinced Trask was the underdog in that battle. The fact that Trask and Jones played in Florida’s home opener that season against UT-Martin did little to dispel that fan fiction.
There were no public whispers about Trask leaving, but there are rarely rumblings when you are talking about a backup who only received a third recruiting star because Florida offered and wasn’t even in the top 2,000 of the 247 Composite recruiting rankings. But it was a possibility, one so serious that even Trask’s family discussed whether their son might be better off somewhere else.
Every athlete wants the chance to play, and sitting on the bench and waiting your turn is, for better or worse, largely a relic of the past in the age of the transfer portal. Trask wanted to play too, of course, but after 7 years of being a backup quarterback, Trask wasn’t disheartened by the anonymity. Trask sat behind nationally coveted D’Eriq King in high school in Manvel, Texas, satisfied with being the big-armed, headstrong backup quarterback who pushed “Johnny 5 Star” to get better. In his mind, simply doing his job, and taking his chances to play — typically late in games that King and Manvel had salted away — had given him the chance to earn a scholarship to Florida. It was a formula he trusted.
“Patience paid off for me before, and I thought it could again,” Trask said this summer when asked in a media session why he waited around at Florida.
In the end, Trask simply bet on himself. Plus, he was comfortable at Florida. And he believed in Mullen and the Florida coaches when they told him they would always look out for his best interests.
“I liked being in Gainesville, at a great university getting a world-class education, with great friends away from football and a coaching staff I trusted. I made the personal decision to stick it out and just told myself if and when my chance came, I would be ready to play.”
As we all know now, the chance came last season in the SEC opener at Kentucky. Franks was lost for the season with a leg injury after a freakish tackle on a quarterback scramble. With the Gators down double digits, Trask stepped in and guided the Gators to a comeback victory, running for the go-ahead touchdown himself.
Since that fateful night in Lexington, Trask has gone from emergency hero of the moment to Florida folk legend to almost certain Heisman Trophy finalist. He entered the Kentucky game with 2 career touchdown passes. He has thrown 64 in the 20 football games since, amassing over 6,000 yards passing along the way and posting an excellent 16-4 record as a starter.
All the while, he’s remained an underdog, with whispers of “he’s not that good” and “he’s just a system guy” swirling around him. The critiques came in all vintages and colors, morphing ever so slightly as Trask swatted away one after another.
First, folks wondered if he could beat a good SEC defense.
Cleaning up late against a Kentucky team that had no film on him was one thing. But how would he fare against a nationally-respected defense? He answered those questions for the first time a season ago against Auburn, which came to Gainesville ranked first nationally in total defense and left 24-13 losers. Trask threw for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns, playing the second half with a bulky knee brace after spraining his knee in the first half. Emory Jones, who played well in that game, returned to the bench in favor of an injured Trask, putting the “Trask or Jones” discussions to bed forever — or so we thought.
Second, folks wondered if Trask could compete in a big football game away from The Swamp.
The Auburn win was nice, but how would he fare in Death Valley, at night, against mighty Joe Burrow and LSU? Trask answered that bell too, throwing for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns in a tremendous back and forth football game Burrow would later call “the toughest game we played all season.”
Still, the doubters lingered.
When Trask and Florida lost to Georgia in a game where Trask played good but not great, the voices swelled. Was Trask good enough to win the biggest games? Could Florida get back to Atlanta with Trask at the helm? Even when Trask helped lead Florida to the program’s first Orange Bowl win since 2001, the fan base spent much of an interminably long offseason debating whether Mullen should turn the reins over to Jones in 2020.
Trask shook that off too, believing in himself and in his teammates. Even when spring football was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trask worked relentlessly in the offseason with his receiving corps, developing a rapport with multiple receivers, learning their favorite routes, where they liked the football placed.
“There wasn’t ever a week where Trask wasn’t working with someone, calling one of us, pushing us forward,” Florida senior Trevon Grimes said earlier this season. “That’s who he is as a leader.”
As for big games, Trask answered that bell too, in Florida’s biggest wins but also as a leader in and after defeats.
Trask torched Georgia with a Cocktail Party performance for the ages, throwing for 474 yards and 4 touchdowns and leading the Gators on a 41-7 scoring run that put the game to bed after Florida had fallen behind 14-0 early. The game vanquished years of Cocktail Party demons for the Gators, and will always be a part of Trask’s formidable Florida legacy.
But Trask has led in other ways too.
In Florida’s loss to LSU, Trask shook off 3 first-half turnovers to rally the Gators. They reclaimed the lead, then lost it in the final minute. Down 3, Trask led the Gators 41 yards in just 20 seconds, only to see Evan McPherson’s game-tying kick sail about a cleat’s length left. After the defeat, Trask was among the first Gators to point to Atlanta, reminding teammates that the SEC Championship was still very much on the table. He also took ownership of his performance with the media after the game, acknowledging that had he played better in the first half, things may have been different.
Earlier in the season, in Florida’s other loss, at Texas A&M, Trask threw for 312 yards, 4 touchdowns and had only 9 incompletions, numbers good enough to win most any game where his defense could force a punt.
In other words, save one lousy half against LSU, Trask has done enough to win every game Florida’s played. In the rare instances Trask has not played well, he’s done what leaders do and been accountable.
Trask enters the SEC Championship Game leading the nation in passing yards and ahead of Joe Burrow’s record-setting touchdown-per-game pace from 2019. (He won’t catch Burrow’s historic numbers because he won’t play enough games.) He sits in the top 5 nationally in passing efficiency and top 10 nationally in yards per pass attempt.
He also enters the SEC Championship a huge underdog. Again.
Florida opened as a 23-point underdog, the second-largest point spread in SEC Championship game history, behind only the 1995 SEC Championship where Florida was a 24-point favorite. The spread has shrunk to 18 as a I write this, but Trask still opened as a bigger underdog Saturday than he was the last time he was here, when the Gators faced Alabama and opened as a 22-point underdog in 2016. Trask was a fourth-string quarterback then, but he kept the backpack players were given and promised himself he would use it until Florida returned and he could get a new one.
“I told myself I’m not going to switch backpacks until we get back here,” Trask told the media this week “It’s getting a little beat up — I’m not going to lie. I guess I’ll get to switch this year.”
He also hopes to switch up Florida’s history in this game, which now features 3 consecutive losses (all to Alabama). It won’t be easy. Alabama is a team without any weaknesses, and in Mac Jones, the Tide feature their own version of Trask, a guy relentlessly downgraded as a simple game-manager who is in fact a game-changer. If anyone understands that, it’s Trask. Mullen recognized that this week, when he compared Jones to Trask directly.
“Much like Kyle Trask, (Mac Jones) does a fantastic job of getting his team into the right play, getting the ball to his playmakers, taking what the defense gives them. He’s had a great year,” Mullen said.
He has, and in no small part due to Jones, Florida seems unlikely to win Saturday night. But if ever an underdog was made for this moment, it’s Kyle Trask. If Florida is going to do the very unlikely, who better to lead them than a guy who has spent his whole career doing the unlikely?
Always nice to hear their stories. Seems like a great kid.
Heisman is supposed to go to the best player that elevates their team. Florida without Trask would not be playing in this game. Bama without Jones and Smith would still be playing in this game. drop.
Great article and an inspiring story of perseverance. Trask is an all time Gator great and an inspiration.
Great year by Trask – he overcame a lot and stayed with the program
Just hope he plays well, regardless of final score.
“The scores in these games don’t matter.”
Actual quote from Nashville
Naturally, it matters if you win or lose, idiot.
After wallowing in a quarterback wasteland for so long, this guy has been a breath of fresh air. NFL or not, I imagine he’ll be successful at whatever he puts his hand to.
I think he is pretty much assured of NFL riches. He will be a first rounder, and heck, who couldn’t live off of what they get in their first contract.
I don’t think he’s be a first rounder. There are probably be four quarterbacks who get drafted ahead of him. But he can retire as a multi-millionaire even if he’s a career backup.
*There are probably four
I think he and Mac go first round. Hell these NFL guys can not resist a QB. If that guy from North Dakota State, and BYU can go with the competition they play against, then Mac and Trask ought to be shoe ins. Sorry couldn’t resist that one.
The two guys you mention probably go three and four behind Lawrence and Fields. Jones and Trask would probably go higher if it weren’t for the recent NFL infatuation with dual threat guys.
Mac Jones-1st rounder
Kyle Trask-2nd rounder
There will not be five quarterbacks taken in the first round. And Jones might come back for another season.
Ok this article is presenting a feel good story a inspirational story! Well guess what Mac Jones story is very very similar if not being identical! rising up from being obscure on Bamas dept chart overcoming doubt from the fan base no one believing he would be the man and on and on! Well guess what to the Author of this article Mac Jones will be just as inspired to win this game as Kyle. Ok let’s move on to other intangibles like other factors that will decide the game
Man you Bama fans have some sort of complex where you get all bent out of shape if praise is given to anyone other than a Bama player. Their stories aren’t identical at all. Mac was a multi year starter in high school who had a scholarship offer from Kentucky before his junior year. He was good enough to get a scholarship from arguably the greatest college football coach of all time. He had power 5 options and chose to go to a program where they were loaded with elite players. Trask didn’t have options other than FCS programs. The only similarity is they took over for injured starters and thrived, that’s about it.
I agree so Bama, go to your page so you can hug your feel good story about mac..
Had this Alabama fan read the piece, he would have seen where it called Mac’s story a “mirror image” of Trask.
But it’s so much easier to just read the title and rush to the comments to bash you.
We have pages? Are they just issued or do they require some amount of remuneration? I was under the impression that all the pages belonged to saturdaydownsouth.com, and not to individual teams.
I can’t speak for TrunksnorterU nut for me I missed the Mac mirror when my eyes teamed up from laughing so hard when I read the…He ended up leading a comeback in the second half…can’t remember what teared me up, was it the 3 straight 3 and outs, or marching to a field goal or probably the final drive marching to a missed field goal. I can’t speak for you, or Kyle, but me thinks that had he played better in the first half and/or the second Half things may have been different…
Other than that, great story. Nothing but kudos to Kyle for where he came from and where he’s at now…it’s like a Stetson Bennett story, only with a successful ending…
Don’t you hate it when u fat thumb words trying to be a smartassery…
^but….teared^
Yes 8by5…when you don’t agree with the fan base the article is about you have your own pages and your unwelcome on their lawn, however if you agree with homer on their lawn you are allowed to play, just don’t piss or poop on their lawn, got it?
Alright Humper but the bottle down.
Lol… Man y’all pulling straws all the way around for motivation!From your coach making dumb comments to these type articles. You guys just play the game!!
ROll TIDE!
It’s ok Bama fan, your team should win easily, there’s no reason to get your panties in a wad about an inspirational story about a Gator.
Wow.
Come on, dude. He is a great story of perseverance and determination. He, so far as I know, is a great example. I have pointed it out to my son. Mac is also a similar story, but that is not the point of the article. It is not always about you. I hope BOTH do well tonight, though I will be pulling for Bama’s defense to do better. Roll tide and chill.
The kid has guts. When you bet on yourself, good things happen. The G-5 could learn from him. I don’t know where this guy gets his lines, but the opening lines that I saw last Sunday had Bama at -14 and today they are at -17.
Yeah I saw 23 at Bovada Sunday. Turned out to be an error, but the piece had been submitted. Thanks Tide!
Gotcha. You’re welcome.
Trask has been loyal to the Gators. He’s never presented any problems to the university. Good student and representative of the program. Hope he plays to the best of his abilities and brings us a conference title. The strongest contribution he’s given is to the younger quarterbacks on how to compete and be a model student/athlete. Hope Jones and Richardson learned from Trask’s example.
Good article Neil.
These are the kind of kids you want to see succeed.
Thank you!
It was a good article Neil, did you get to match the title with the article, it matched well (:
If Mac Jones played at Florida he would be the equivalent of Felipe. Trask is the man.
Man leave that meth alone! SERIOUSLY!!! LOL
ROLL TIDE!!
Don’t ya just wish you could run block? Keep Bama off field for at least little bit. First half it may be match scores, but then it’s Najee, Najee, then Smith against tired Fla D. Happened to us in 2012. We kep close even ahead till we got bludgeoned and then boom. Over the top. We had Grantham then too.
Trask has the momentum on his side. He’s coming off 2 TD passes and 2 TD runs his last game, whereas Game Manager had 0 TD passes and 0 TD runs his last game. If Game Manager wins the Heisman, it will be the first time in history the award is given to a Game Manager.
Exactly, if Jones wasn’t playing behind an NFL O-line in college he would be the equivalent of Bo Nix. Hell, if Bo Nix transfers to Bama he can be the next Mac Jones.
Exactly. Glad to see someone here on SDS knows football.
Aren’t you guys the people that talk about the Targets that Trask has to throw to? Does Trask block, pass, and catch his passes? Did Burrow play alone? I would say that the coach needs to up his recruiting over the long haul. You guys are idiots.
There is no comparison between Nix and Jones. Nix has poor throwing mechanics and does not see the field well. Jones is a much better quarterback than Nix.
Wrong, 3TD passes…beautiful spiral to Ricks for 68 yards…
If Trask wins the Heisman It will be the first time In History the Ed Smith posture trophy is given to a QB coming off a two game losing streak…
When you compare Trask’s numbers in a 10 game all Sec season, with #11 coming up, to former SEC QB’s with 12 game seasons including cupcakes and a bowl game or playoffs the only one that comes close is Burrow last year.
True, but Burrow never lost 2 games much less in a row and he won the Heisman having played and beaten 8 teams with winning records last year, Trask is 1-1, if he goes 2-1 he will put himself in the favorites position, if he doesn’t, well…even Footba Johnny beat bama
Tebow won with 3 regular season losses LMAO.
Ok. And that justifies g8rLlife’s comparison of Trask to Burrow how?
Let the record show I do acknowledge I was wrong about the 2losses in a row QB remark. Surprisingly to me Tebow was one of several.
Trask deservess the Heisman. Outstanding performance in tonight’s game. Maybe the voters won’t realize this Alabama defense has no clue how to stop the forward pass. Reguardless, the point was made, Florida would not be near what they are without this guy.
I have a feeling it will be GIVEN to Lawrence, almost like a lifetime achievement award. He sure didn’t earn it this season.
Dude is a real Bama fan? You don’t have to concede nothing to no one this thread. Mac deserve this Heisman more than anyone! In the head to head match up Mac won and beat Trask in all aspects tonight! Dude come over to the Bama thread and post ur love for Bama it ain’t even about our defense tonight y’all hoping on that just shout out to this great team and win!