Orlando Sentinel

QBS CAN’T PASS UP MINI ‘REUNION’

Trask spends shutdown training with former teammate King

- By Edgar Thompson

GAINESVILL­E — UF quarterbac­k Kyle Trask spent the coronaviru­s shutdown back home in Manvel, Texas, south of Houston.

There, Trask worked out six days a week preparing for the upcoming season while reconnecti­ng with former teammate and new Miami Hurricanes quarterbac­k D’Eriq King.

Trask and King spent three hours together Tuesdays and Thursdays at a local quarterbac­k academy, renewing a friendship tracing to when they were 15-year-olds at Manvel High.

UF FOOTBALL

“We’ve always been competing all throughout high school,” Trask said. “To get back out there and compete with each other and we’re also pretty good friends, so it was pretty cool just to meet up again.”

If this were a season ago, Trask and King would also be meeting on the field. The Gators and Hurricanes kicked off the 2019 campaign Aug. 24 in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, where UF prevailed 24-20.

Much has changed dramatical­ly each quarterbac­k since then.

Trask spent the opener on the sideline as Feleipe Franks’ backup while King prepared

for to build on his 51-touchdown 2018 season with the Houston Cougars.

Three games later, Franks suffered a season-ending injury at Kentucky, paving the way for Trask to step in, seize the starting job and emerge as one of the top quarterbac­ks in the SEC. Following Houston’s 1-3 start, King announced he was going to redshirt and he eventually transferre­d to Miami.

The two quarterbac­ks from outside Houston now will finish their college careers in the state of Florida. But Trask and King have been through a dramatic role

 ?? MICHAEL REAVES/GETTY ?? UF quarterbac­k Kyle Trask surveys the field during the Gators’ 36-28 win against Virginia during the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
MICHAEL REAVES/GETTY UF quarterbac­k Kyle Trask surveys the field during the Gators’ 36-28 win against Virginia during the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

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