Trey Burton. Remember that name.
He won’t have a Bible verse on his eye black, and you probably won’t see many fans wearing his jersey, but he could deliver a jump pass and a quarterback run or two.
The freshman quarterback’s versatility will be the closest thing to Tim Tebow you’re going to get.
If you thought the freshman version of Tebow was fun to watch, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Burton is expected line up as tight end while also acting as the catalyst for the popular wildcat package.
“He’s playing it all,” offensive coordinator Steve Addazio said. “He is a playmaker. He’s a total ball player. He lines up, takes snaps, direct runs and is playing that hip-slash-fullback-flex-out guy. He can do a lot of things. It’s pretty amazing, really.”
The 6-foot-2, 222-pound quarterback provides the trait the spread offense needs to survive in Gainesville: a matchup nightmare.
Let’s break down the mismatches Burton will create.
First and foremost, he will be utilized as a quarterback in short-yardage and goal-line situations for one reason — to run the ball. The days of pounding the signal-caller up the middle and predictable play-calling will still be around this season at UF.
Burton will single-handedly keep this alive. Addazio loves calling those quarterback runs, and the freshman will excel at them — giving the offense something it won’t get from starter John Brantley.
Tight end will be the second spot where Burton will see time, but he won’t be of the traditional variety. Coaches say he will play in the “Aaron Hernandez position.”
While this may be true, Burton will probably do less blocking than Hernandez because of his inexperience with that facet of the job. He will act as more of a hybrid tight end that lines up anywhere from the outside to the backfield, and he’ll be a load for most linebackers and defensive backs to handle.
The final role he could assume is on the kickoff return team, where Meyer mentioned Burton as a possible lead blocker for Jeff Demps.
Burton’s combination of size and speed allows him to act as the primary blocker but also handle the ball if need be.
I know, this all sounds outlandish. A freshman quarterback acting as a goal-line threat, a tight end and a lead blocker on special teams is not usually ideal, but in this case it works.
“We thought he was a real good [recruit], but he’s doing a little better right now.,” Meyer said. “He ‘s so versatile and he’s so football smart. You tell him one time and it’s done.”
No, he wasn’t describing the freshman version of Tebow. This statement was about Burton.
You’ll notice the similarities between the two. Just wait.
