Mr. Versatility - Trey Burton Gives the Gators a Little Bit of Everything
Tuesday, September 20, 2011 | Football
By Sam Newton, UF Communications
When Trey Burton signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Florida, most Gator fans thought they were getting another quarterback. They were wrong. They were getting another fullback, tight end, running back and that's just the beginning.
With over a full year under his belt, fans now know what to expect from Burton: a little bit of everything. A true sophomore, who is widely considered to be the most versatile player for the Orange and Blue, has shown the ability to do anything on the football field.
“Trey's a football player. He's got natural instincts," first-year head coach Will Muschamp gleamed. "He's a guy that really gives a defense problems from the standpoint of, 'What is he?' Because he can play in the slot, he can play in the backfield, he can be in protection, he can free release. He does an awful lot of things."
Burton's natural instincts were on full display during his first year at UF. The Venice, Fla., native ranked third on the team in rushing yards (349), second in receptions (32) and first in touchdowns (12). Burton recorded six of those dozen touchdowns, five rushing and one receiving, in a memorable performance against Kentucky. The six touchdowns is a Florida single-game record.
With his impressive freshman campaign, Burton now finds his name among several Gator greats. Burton's total of 12 touchdowns is good enough for third all-time among Florida freshmen, trailing only Jabar Gaffney (14) and Emmitt Smith (13). Adding to his fabulous freshman season, Burton was named to the 2010 SEC All-Freshman Team and named SEC Freshman Player of the Week twice during last season.
Entering 2011 under the direction of Muschamp and a pro-style offense coordinated by Charlie Weis, Burton is making the new coaches' jobs a little bit easier.
"I told the coaches, I'll do anything they want me to do," Burton explained. "My worst fear is sitting on the bench."
It's that mentality that not only earns the respect of his coaches, but also his teammates.
“He's a program guy. He does everything right. I love him," marveled senior running back Chris Rainey. "He can catch, he can run, he can block. He can do everything. We need people like that."
"He's a team guy. He tells me all the time, 'whatever I can do to help this team, I will.' I respect him a lot for that," redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley said of Burton's team-first mentality. “I've seen him down in a three-point stance, playing fullback in the I-formation, playing attached tight end and detached tight end. He's doing a great job, and he loves it."
Burton has also used the 'whatever-it-takes' mindset to build tremendous chemistry with coaches and teammates.
“Trey gets it,” Muschamp stated. “He understands the game. It comes to him very easily. He's one of those guys it's fun to be around.”
“Trey is one of those guys who let his actions speak for him,” former Gator and current Miami Dolphin center Mike Pouncey said. “He just goes as hard as he can and does everything the right way and it's paying off for him. He comes out and works had every day.”
Teammates and coaches aren't the only ones noticing Burton's worth to the Gators.
“The guy is a very good player,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban pointed out. “He does create some problems. It creates more problems when you've got one guy who can do it all because you have to defend it all, all the time. This guy is a very good player."
While many see Burton's versatility on the field, he is also well-rounded off of it. Burton attended the Athletes in Action Christian Academy in Colorado in the summer of 2010 with Gator teammates Omarius Hines, Jordan Reed and Jelani Jenkins. He also earned a place on the 2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll with his efforts in the classroom and spends time giving back to the Gainesville community.
"It's important for us to use our position as Florida Gators to better our community," Burton noted. "We are looked up to by many and we need to positively affect as many people as we can."
Burton, who was a captain of team Go Gettas for the 2011 Gator Football Charity Challenge, isn't the only resourceful football player in his family. His brother, Clay, is a freshman member the Gators and isn't a stranger to playing multiple positions himself. Clay entered camp in early August as a defensive end but quickly found himself on the other side of the ball, lining up at tight end after injuries shook up the position.
No matter what position on the field Trey Burton plays, the versatile sophomore is ready for his name to be called. Gator fans should keep their eyes fixed on number 8, especially since he's sure to be a major factor for the Orange and Blue.
