Feleipe Franks won’t be coming back to play quarterback for the Gators. Here’s why.
The injury that ended Feleipe Franks’ season with the Gators is also the last game he will play for the University of Florida.
It’s the end of his UF career as Franks announced he won’t return, instead opting for either the NFL Draft or play elsewhere as a graduate transfer.
Franks made the announcement on Instagram.
Following an injury in September that cost Franks this season, the Gators turned to Kyle Trask to lead the offense. Trask has completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,636 yards and 24 touchdowns against six interceptions. Trask also has three rushing scores.
The only losses for the Gators this season were to LSU and Georgia, two teams in the College Football Playoff’s top four and two teams playing in this weekend’s SEC Championship game.
With Franks deciding to depart, Trask will battle redshirt freshman Emory Jones and incoming freshman Anthony Richardson — if he fulfills his Gators pledge by signing a national letter of intent on signing day — for the starting quarterback job next season.
The Gators are likely to secure a New Year’s Six Bowl game this year, and are waiting for who they will play next after ending the regular season with a 40-17 win over rival Florida State.
Franks, meanwhile, is set to make his next move in football following this season, whether it’s to the pros or for another college season at another school. Franks was drafted by the Boston Red Sox this past summer, though he remained committed to the Gators as the unquestioned starter entering the season brimming with confidence.
That confidence came after just one season with Dan Mullen, who has a track record of developing quality college quarterbacks.
Then in September against Kentucky, Franks had a season-ending leg injury that altered his and UF’s path at quarterback this season and beyond.
