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By now, most of us have heard the story of the quiet kid from Manvel, Texas. Against all odds, this young man earned a D-I scholarship offer despite having been a backup since ninth grade. Quietly, he waited in the wings, hoping and trusting that his day would come. It wasn’t for lack of talent that he was relegated to the role of QB2. No. Instead, it was merely an instance of being behind somebody that was just an electric presence in the 5A-11 ranks of Texas high school football.

In fact, this unassuming young man was so good that his coach, Kirk Martin, at Manvel High School used to joke that one day he would be known as the fool that didn’t start Kyle Trask. But it’s because Coach Martin understood just how special Trask was that he campaigned so hard for him. And for all of the deserved ire that Florida fans have for Doug Nussmeier, he deserves lots of credit for listening to Martin.

After speaking with Martin and seeing some tape on Kyle, Nussmeier invited the talented young quarterback to Gainesville for a midsummer camp. Trask left such an impression that he was invited to Florida’s annual Friday Night Lights event in July. The event is known as a veritable who’s who in each recruiting class. As such, the staff at Florida would have an opportunity to see Trask competing head-to-head with the best recruits in the nation.

What happened next was a sign of things to come that was, somehow, overlooked by the rest of the world. In one weekend, this quiet kid who played “backup” to D’Eriq King showed exactly who he was. Not only did Trask hold his own against the nation’s top recruits, he shined. So much so that he was offered a scholarship that very weekend. Trask committed the very next day, revealing his character in the process.

After the Gators received his commitment, Trask suddenly became a very intriguing prospect to a number of high-profile programs. However, Kyle shut them all down immediately. He felt very strongly about being loyal to “the guys who believed in [him] and took a chance on [him].”

Only a few months later, Trask left the quarterback room at Manvel High and joined the Gators. But just like in high school, Trask would have to prove his mettle against a higher rated and more sought after quarterback, in Feleipe Franks. Trask didn’t mind. He knew that if he worked hard and remained patient, his chance would come.

Like the entirety of his high school career, Trask was forced to take the long way around. Twice, Trask suffered injuries that sidelined him before he ever even stepped onto Steve Spurrier-Florida Field. The second injury only seemed to have delayed the inevitable, as Trask was rumored to have finally won the starting job following a lopsided homecoming loss to Mizzou. Despite the setback, Trask continued to work hard and remained focused on being a great teammate and leader.

At this point, Feleipe Franks seemed to finally be putting it all together and it looked like Trask might spend his entire collegiate career as a backup. Transferring was never even a possibility as far as Kyle was concerned. Whether he got to play or not, he was going to see his commitment through. And then it happened.

Late in the third quarter and on the road in Lexington, Franks suffered a broken and dislocated ankle. Trask came in off of the bench and the world took notice. Down by 11-points, Trask led the Gators comeback and Florida came away with the win and a new found admiration for the quiet kid from Manvel, Texas.

In his first career start, Kyle defeated rival Tennessee 34-3. By the end of an abbreviated first season as QB1, Trask had an 8-2 record as a starter, 2,941 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions on a 66.9% completion rate. As good as his inaugural season was, Trask wasn’t going to be satisfied. Instead, he went to work during the offseason, improving his footwork, working on his throwing mechanics, and developing a greater rapport with his receivers.

The results were immediately evident despite a COVID-19 cancellation of Spring practice and a shortened fall camp. In the Gators opening game of 2020, Trask lit up the Ole Miss defense in Oxford, completing 30 passes for 416 yards and 6 touchdowns. This type of production was more of the rule than the exception for what will be known as one of the greatest single seasons a Florida quarterback has ever had.

At the time of this writing, Florida still has their third consecutive New Year’s Six Bowl Game to prepare for, but Kyle Trask has already broken the SEC record for most touchdowns through the first 8 games of a season (34), most consecutive games with 4 or more passing touchdowns (6), the Florida single-season passing touchdowns record (currently 43), and single-season passing yards (currently 4,125).

Additionally, Trask led the Gators to an SEC East Division Title and became the first quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards on Alabama since Trevor Lawrence in the 2017 National Championship, nearly willing the Gators to the upset win in the SEC Championship game. All of this took place because Kyle was patient, humble, and willing to be a teammate before becoming a star. Even as the Heisman chatter began to grow louder and louder, Kyle always remained focused on what was best for the team.

Although it remains to be seen whether or not Trask will receive the Heisman Trophy, one thing is absolutely certain. There is nobody more deserving of that honor than the quiet kid from Manvel, Texas. Kyle Trask is living proof that hard work, patience, perseverance, and selflessness can pay off. As a fan, it has been a wonderful honor to be able to watch such a special talent lead the team that I have cheered for my entire life.

Whatever decision Kyle makes for his future, Gator Nation has truly been blessed to see him in the orange and blue. Kyle Trask will always be one of our favorite Gators!