Kyle Trask is congratulated by teammates, including fellow quarterback Feleipe Franks, earlier this season. (Photo: Matt Stamey/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Trask Can't Catch a Break; Franks Needs One
Thursday, November 8, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kyle Trask has never been the guy. Not at Florida. Not at Manvel High in Texas.
If those words read familiar in this space, they should. That was the lede to this column on Trask during spring practice as he and Feleipe Franks battled to impress first-year Gators coach Dan Mullen.
Eight months later, Trask finally appeared in position to perhaps take a turn as the guy.
He certainly was primed for a more meaningful role, perhaps even make his first career start on Saturday. As Mullen evaluated the quarterbacks in practice this week, Trask had emerged as the next great hope for Florida fans, whether in reality or fantasy remained to be seen.
Mullen kept his thoughts on the quarterback situation to himself this week as questions arose following Saturday's loss to Missouri in which Mullen benched Franks in place of Trask in the second half.
"I'm not going to share what our strategy is," Mullen said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Media Teleconference. "I haven't done that all year, so I don't plan on sharing that strategy just yet."
Mullen won't have too, now.
Trask's father, Michael Trask, posted a message on Facebook to let Gators fans know his son will bounce back from yet another setback.
"Gator Nation, I am sad to say that Kyle was injured today in practice while doing a trick play where he hands off to the RB and then goes out for a pass. The throw to Kyle was low and when he planted his foot to catch the pass he felt a pop,'' Michael Trask wrote.
"Unfortunately, he fractured his foot and will be out for the season. Just a freak injury. The good news is that it will be minor surgery and he will be 100 [percent] for spring ball in 2019. Thank you for all the well wishes and support for Kyle, we appreciate you very much! Continue to pray for Kyle's recovery."
Kyle Trask's streak of bad luck continued Wednesday when he suffered a season-ending surgery at practice. (Photo: Jay Metz/UAA Communications)
First, you've got to feel for Trask, who also suffered a broken foot in practice prior to last season's season opener against Michigan. Trask had surgery to place a pin in the foot and missed the season. Considering the way the season unfolded – Florida used Franks, Luke Del Rio and Malik Zaire during a 4-7 season – there was a good chance Trask would have had an opportunity to play at some point.
Instead, he took his first college snaps in the season-opening win over Charleston Southern in September. However, with Franks showing steady improvement and the Gators starting the season 6-1 and climbing to ninth in the Associated Press Top 25, Trask was firmly entrenched as spectator.
And then the Gators lost to Georgia and Missouri. In Saturday's 21-point defeat to the Tigers, Trask took over for a struggling Franks in the second half and completed 10 of 18 passes for 126 yards and his first career touchdown.
"He throws a nice ball and he runs hard. He's got good size. Very similar to Feleipe's, you know,'' Mullen said this week. "Feleipe probably has a little stronger arm, probably a little more athletic. Trask might be a little more physical when he runs the ball."
Trask's injury opens the door wide open for Franks to continue as the Gators' starter, which was not out of the question prior to Trask's injury. Mullen has stood strong behind Franks all season and while true freshman Emory Jones played sparingly in the loss to Georgia, Franks was back at starter in the loss to Missouri.
He finished 9 of 22 for a season-low 84 yards, prompting the move to Trask late in the third quarter and the Gators trailing 35-10.
The Gators have three regular-season games remaining and a bowl game. Barring a reversal in philosophy from Mullen, Franks will continue to be the starting quarterback. Mullen has said repeatedly that the plan is to use Jones in two more games to maintain his redshirt.
Franks has had his ups and downs with the Gators, facing the standard scrutiny from a fan base hungry for the next great Gators quarterback. The third-year sophomore has started 17 games over the last two seasons and less than a month ago threw for a career-high 284 yards in Florida's comeback win at Vanderbilt.
Two losses and two appearances by other quarterbacks not named Franks altered the optics on UF's quarterback situation.
One bad break later, the best-case scenario is for Franks to regain his footing, Florida to win out, and Gator Nation to get behind No. 13. He could use a break.
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