Kyle Trask gives his perspective on his journey from a backup for ‘6 or 7 years’ to Heisman contender
By Keith Farner
Published:
For several of the Heisman Trophy contenders this year, they took a winding path to become the star quarterback at their school. Florida QB Kyle Trask is definitely in that group, as the redshirt senior is in his first full season at the helm of the Gators offense.
Radio host Dan Patrick appeared to be dumbfounded about Trask’s story when he had the Florida quarterback on his show as a guest. Trask tried to explain what it’s been like to be a backup in high school, and never start a game, and then not start a game in college until his redshirt junior season. Patrick considered Trask the leading candidate for the Heisman and “feels like an overnight sensation.”
“It’s been a crazy journey, it’s been a lot of hard work and just persistence and just trusting the process,” Trask said. “At the end of the day, I’m glad to be where I am now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Trask noted that, “I almost got my degree at Florida before I stepped foot on the field.”
Patrick again was amazed when he pointed out Trask’s numbers of 31 touchdowns and three interceptions.
“I was a backup for six or seven years, but in my head, I knew I was going to get that opportunity,” he said. “So I kind of just grinded it out and I finally got my shot, and I just tried to make the most of it.”
Trask said it was “very humbling” to backup the likes of Feleipe Franks at Florida and D’Eriq King in high school. He said it was tough to put in the work during the week only to be on the sideline on game day. But it taught him a lot about hard work and staying consistent in his preparation.
“You’re a backup, so you’re only one play away from going in the game, so you’ve got to be ready to go and just as prepared as the starter,” Trask said.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
