Florida’s high-powered offense showed no signs of slowing down Saturday night against Arkansas.
Quarterback Kyle Trask passed for 356 yards and six touchdowns as the No. 6 Gators rolled up 593 yards of offense and routed Arkansas 63-35 to spoil Razorback quarterback Feleipe Franks’ return to the stadium he used to call home.
Trask threw five touchdowns passes in the first half against Arkansas (3-4). He improved his season total to 28 touchdowns against just three interceptions.
“I think I did a great job of executing and being efficient,” Trask said. “You strive for perfection, but it's really hard to get there.”
More from WholeHogSports
https://www.wholeho…">Full coverage from Arkansas' loss at Florida
Florida (5-1), playing without injured star tight end Kyle Pitts, blasted Georgia 44-28 last week as Trask threw for 474 yards.
Trask, who took over as the starter when Franks suffered a season-ending ankle injury the third game last season, completed 23 of 29 passes against Arkansas while moving himself squarely into the Heisman Trophy conversation.
He did not start in high school while backing up current Miami quarterback D’Eriq King in Manvel, Texas. He then had to sit behind starters — including Franks — for three years at Florida.
“It is one of the great learning things for people in what he has been able to do,” Mullen said. “In high school, he probably could have transferred, but he stuck it out and helped his team be really successful and got an opportunity to go to college. He could have been a graduate transfer after graduating here, and stuck it out. Then all of a sudden, his number was called.
“You could see he was completely prepared when his number was called. From that moment forth, he has continue to nothing, but work harder and prepare even more.”
As for Trask’s run at the Heisman, Mullen talked team success. The SEC East-leading Gators are the driver's seat for a potential SEC Championship Game against No. 1 Alabama next month.
“The more success teams have sometimes, the more individual awards come,” Mullen said. “If we keep being successful as a team, we keep making plays, he’s going to have the opportunity to get individual awards.”
Trask’s six touchdowns were one short of the school record of seven held by Doug Johnson (1997) and Terry Dean (1994), and he now has at least four touchdowns in six straight SEC games - a league record.
Franks played well in his return. He completed 15 of 19 passes for 250 yards and two touchdown passes to Mike Woods of 82 and 47 yards.
Franks gavae way in fourth quarter to backup quarterback KJ Jefferson, who rushed for a 12-yard touchdown with 40 seconds remaining.
“I am really proud of him,” Mullen said of Franks. “To come in here in this type of environment...I thought Feleipe played pretty well. We got after him. I think there were some guys that were excited to hit him because they had been waiting for years to hit him and got to go hit him a couple of times."
Mullen and Franks spoke on the field after the game.
“I am so proud of what he has done,” Mullen said. “I think he knows how much we love him, how much he was part of this program go helping us build to where we are. He is a Gator that played here, helped us to a a New Year’s Six bowl game and helped us to a top 10 finish. He is a Gator alum and a graduate.
“It was great to see him and I am just really proud of him and I am really happy for him and the success he is having. Because, I tell you what, he is having a great year and leading a team that people didn’t except a lot (from) into having a great team.”
Trask credited Franks with helping him last season after Franks' injury.
“He played a big role,” Trask said. “He was very supportive, helping me, coaching me up if he ever saw something in the defense that I may have not seen. I give him a lot of credit.”
Arkansas played the game without head coach Sam Pittman, who was in Fayetteville due to a positive covid-19 diagnosis.
Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom filled in for Pittman. Odom is the last visiting SEC head coach to win at Florida, a 38-17 victory by his Missouri team two years ago.
“I know Sam couldn’t be here tonight, but I know Barry really well and you can see that personality that team has and the mental toughness they have,” Mullen said “They continued to fight and that doesn’t surprise when Feleipe is at quarterback.
“You don’t see a guy that really just shows up on campus as a grad transfer and becomes a team captain. That just shows the type of character and the person he is, and the success they are having against a lot of teams I think has a lot to do with his leadership.”