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The night was all about Feleipe Franks, but Kyle Trask stole the show.
Florida’s former quarterback dominated the storylines this week, and yet, the current UF signal caller grabbed all the headlines Saturday in a 63-35 win over Arkansas.
After becoming the first QB in SEC history with four-plus touchdowns in five straight games, Trask rewrote the record books again. His six TDs brought his season total to 28, surpassing record-holder Tua Tagovailoa (27) and Joe Burrow (25) for the most passing scores through the first six games.
Not bad company.
Trask also became the first Gators quarterback to throw six touchdowns in multiple games in a season. And he did it Saturday without star tight end Kyle Pitts, who will also miss the Vanderbilt game following nose surgery.
“You’re down Kyle Pitts, great playmaker, but [Kemore] Gamble and [Keon] Zipperer step up and have really good games,” UF coach Dan Mullen said. “The wideouts did a really nice job and Kyle Trask did a really good job distributing the ball, not getting panicky, taking what they were going to give us all night.”
Trask finished with 356 yards on 23 of 29 passing and outperformed Franks, who threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Both went to wide receiver Mike Woods for 47 yards and 82 yards, a career long.
Franks embraced Mullen and Trask after the game, followed by a swarm of former teammates and staff members.
“I spent so many years with both of those guys, and to see Kyle flourishing and Coach Mullen flourishing and him giving me words of encouragement, that was awesome. To have that makes me feel good,” Franks said. “That relationship is not something that’s there two to three years. You create those bonds, and it’s there lifelong.”
Trask and Franks traded first-quarter touchdowns before Florida seized control in the second period with TD receptions by Trevon Grimes (23 yards), Justin Shorter (21 yards), Jacob Copeland (33 yards) and Zipperer (five yards). Trask finished the half with 285 yards and a 35-14 lead.
“I think I just did a great job at being efficient and taking it one play at a time," Trask said. "I also think our offense as an entire unit was doing their job every single play, and that’s why we had such success tonight.”
He tossed his sixth touchdown pass early in the fourth to Zipperer, who had three receptions for 47 yards and two scores in place of Pitts. Trask became just the fifth quarterback in league history with multiple six-touchdown games in a season, along with Burrow, Tim Couch, Drew Lock and Brandon Allen.
Trask also joined Tim Tebow (2007, 2008) and Danny Wuerffel (1995, 1996) as the only Gators to post multiple seasons with 25 passing touchdowns. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports asked Mullen if his QB should be the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.
“I don’t know if he’s the frontrunner, I don’t get to vote. I think you have a vote, so if you want to say that, that’s awesome. I don’t get one so I can’t say that, he doesn’t have one so he can’t, neither of us have really any say on that,” Mullen said. “I think that the more success teams have sometimes, the more individual awards come.”
Trask is certainly putting together a compelling case. Among all Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks since 1990, his 28 touchdowns and 2,171 passing yards through six games would trail only Lamar Jackson (30 in 2016 — 15 rushing, 15 passing) for the most total touchdowns and Ty Detmer (2,513 yards) for the most passing yards.
"Stats are cool, but we’re here to win games. That’s all I’m focused on," said Trask, who admits he heard the 'Trask for Heisman' chants from the fans. "I heard it, obviously."
Franks heard a small chorus of boos from the home crowd before Arkansas' first play, but brushed it off with his first touchdown to Woods on the opening drive. Franks admits it was hard to keep his emotions in check against the Gators, but thought he "handled it OK."
"I'm really proud of him, you know, to come in here and in this type of environment. He's 15-19 for 250 and two touchdowns. I thought Feleipe played pretty well at times," Mullen said. "I think he knows how much we love him, how much he's part of this program and helping us build where we are. I mean, he's a Gator. He played here.
"Helped us win a New Year Six Bowl here. Helped us to a top-10 finish and is an alum, a graduate. And so, it's great to see him and just I'm really proud of what he's doing, and I'm really happy for him and the success he's having. I tell you what, he's leading a team that people didn't expect a lot out of into having a great year.”
