2020 Heisman Trophy: Florida QB Kyle Trask finishes fourth among finalists

Football

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Image Credit: UAA / Courtney Culbreath

The Heisman Trust announced Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith as winner of the 2020 Heisman Trophy on Tuesday night. Florida Gators redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Trask, one of four finalists for the Heisman, finished fourth in balloting.

Smith, Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence and Alabama QB Mac Jones finished ahead of Trask, who was the Heisman favorite for most of the season but saw his candidacy fall over Florida’s final three games.

Trask is the fifth Gators player to be a Heisman finalist, following Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1995-96), Rex Grossman (2001) and Tim Tebow (2007-08). Spurrier (1966), Wuerffel (1996) and Tebow (2007) previously won the award and now have statues outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Having put together a tremendous 11-game resume ahead of voting, Trask led the nation with 43 touchdown passes (11 more than any other player) and 46 total touchdowns. He completed 69.7% of his passes this season for a nation-high 4,125 yards with only five interceptions before balloting. His average of 375 yards passing per game was also an FBS high this season.

Trask’s teammate, junior tight end Kyle Pitts, finished 10th in the Heisman voting. He is the first tight end to achieve that recognition since 1977. Pitts compiled 770 yards and 12 touchdowns on 43 receptions but only played eight games after missing three due to injury this season.

Trask and Pitts are the 10th and 11th Gators to ever be in the top 10 of Heisman ballot, also joining fullback Jimmy DuBose (1975), WR Wes Chandler (1977), running back Emmitt Smith (1987, 1989) and QB Shane Matthews (1991). This is the 14th Heisman Trophy ceremony in which a Florida player was among a top 10 vote getter.