GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Kyle Trask is ready to take the next step.

“In order to be an elite quarterback, you gotta be consistent in your performance," said the Gators quarterback. "So the biggest thing for me is just treat every rep like it’s your last and overall consistency.”

Last weekend, Trask had a good starting debut in the 34-3 win over Tennessee. The redshirt junior threw for for 293 yards, two scores and two picks.

"He played well," said quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson. "He put us in position and he made some big time throws and helped us move the ball. As always, some stuff that gotta continue to clean up and work but everything is pretty coachable in terms of mistakes we needed to get cleaned up. Was proud of the way he stepped up to the challenge and performed at a high level.”

“There’s some little things in there just as a team, like communication," said Trask. "And that just comes with reps and experience, making sure we’re always on the same page.”

He has certainly earned the respect from those around the program.

“That’s a kid with great character, a kid with great work ethic," said offensive line coach John Hevesy. "Pays attention to detail in everything he’s doing. That to me sums up every kid we have and every first year player that’s out there. To me, you do your job, you prepare every day to play like you are going to play, and when the opportunity shows, you show up to play. It’s kudos to him and his character for what he’s done.”

In the win over the Vols, Trask threw to nine different targets. The Texan signal caller is prepared for another air raid if he is called upon.

“Absolutely. Always,” Trask said. “I love airing the ball out.”

Trask could very well have to air it out more.

Florida is averaging 4.21 yards a carry, ranking 11th in the SEC, while it's 136.8 yards per game is 90th in the country.

“I’d love to be 50-50 at the end of the year,” Gators head coach Dan Mullen said about his hopes for the offense. “But most of the year when you look at us, we usually tilt more one way or the other. A lot of that is we’re going to build around the strength of our players and make sure our best guys are getting the ball in their hands.”

Trask is eager for an opportunity to show his skills as a passer.

Against the Vols, he was able to time a few precise down the field passes, carving up the visitors' defense easily-shown by his 29-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Swain.

“When I saw the corner safety, that is something, even in high school you got to take dig post on a corner safety, we have been running that since we stepped foot on campus,” Trask said. “We definitely have some reps at that. It definitely showed on how smooth we executed it.”

Trask did have some mistakes in his first start, turning over the ball three times. Mullen hopes his starter will use this week to use those as teachable moments- especially before Florida's most grueling part of the schedule.

“You always want to be prepared but three of our next five games are against top six teams, top seven teams in the country," said the Gators head coach. "I think Kyle just needs to continue on the path that he's on. Everybody has seen his preparation. He prepares the right way getting into a game and he's going to be ready for that moment."

“It’s just about your weekly process and your preparation and finding your routine, what works for you," said Johnson. "I think that football players are really creatures of habit so as you kinda get into, ‘this is how I operate on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, this is what I do to prepare myself for the game and just getting into that routine and finding something that really fits and that works for you and for how your mind operates. Whether it’s nutrition, recovery, your academics, your study habits; and just finding that balance of you getting into a great routine and go perform at a high level.”

"The biggest thing to build on is experience, him being out there in every situation – managing the clock, managing the play clock, making sure he's getting the right checks, being comfortable I in how he's using cadence to his advantage, making sure he's got communication with the receivers and offensive line," added Mullen.

"And decision making – when I'm going to take a sack, I'm going to throw this away, this play's not there so I'm not going to try to make something happen that's not there. All of those things are a lot of experience things so the more experience you get the better you're going to be.”

No matter what is required from him, Trask will be ready.

“It just goes back to Coach Mullen and his staff,” he said. “They are just really good at preparing for whatever moment presents itself.”

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