Kyle Trask, University of Florida quarterback

Thursday night was not the first time former high school teammates were finalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

In 2018, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, who won the award, and Mississippi offensive lineman Greg Little were both up for the honor. Murray and Little were teammates at Allen High School.

One of the other 2018 finalists was then University of Houston quarterback D’Eriq King.

King was once again a finalist for the 2020 version of the award, which was announced during a virtual ceremony on Thursday night.

“It’s a huge honor,” King said. “It’s a credit to my teammates. To be selected once is amazing, but twice is a blessing.”

But King — now at the University of Miami — wasn’t alone. He was joined in the final five this time by one of his teammates at Manvel High School.

But it wasn’t one of King’s linemen, receivers or running backs battling with him for the honor. It was quarterback Kyle Trask, who King started ahead of in high school but still saw plenty of time on the field, as well.

Both signal callers were in the Class of 2016.

King was 655 of 1,023 passing through his four-year career for 10,315 yards with 140 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. King, who was listed at 5-9.5 and 170 pounds, also carried the ball 507 times for 3,445 yards and 48 touchdowns.

Trask — now at the University of Florida — was 114 of 156 for 1,737 yards with 17 touchdowns and no interceptions in three varsity seasons, but most of the numbers came during his junior and senior seasons.

“We were together every day for three years,” King said. “When you’re in the film room and on the practice field with someone who is just as good, you know you have to play your best. He pushed me in high school, and I pushed him. It helped each other get to where we are now.”

This past season at Miami, King threw for 2,573 yards with 22 touchdown passes compared to just five interceptions in the regular season. King completed 63.6 percent of passes (201 of 316) in the regular season, in addition to setting the mark for single-season rushing yards by a Miami quarterback with 520 yards on 122 carries.

King played four seasons at Houston, throwing for 4,925 yards and 50 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He also ran for 1,421 yards and 28 touchdowns, and he caught 59 passes for 504 yards and three touchdowns. Some of the receiving stats came in 2016 when former John Tyler Lion Greg Ward Jr. was the quarterback for Houston.

King transferred to the University of Miami for the 2020 season.

“When I got to Florida, I talked to Coach (Manny) Diaz and Coach (Rhett) Lashlee, and I understood the importance of winning right away,” King said.

Miami went 8-3 and played in the Cheez-It Bowl, where King suffered an ACL injury.

“When the bowl game was over, I came to Miami and had surgery,” King said. “I’ve been rehabbing twice a day. My goal is to be back for Game 1, but I’m taking it day-by-day.”

That first game of the 2021 season is against defending champion Alabama Sept. 4 in Atlanta.

Over at Florida this season, Trask threw for 4,125 yards and 43 touchdowns. Trask led the FBS in total touchdowns (46), touchdown passes, passing yards and passing yards per game (375). His passer rating of 186.65 was No. 5 in the nation.

Kirk Martin was the coach of King and Trask at Manvel High School in the Houston area. Martin spent two seasons as the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse University. After Joe Willis left Colleyville Heritage to take the football head coaching job at Tyler Legacy High School, Martin was named Willis’ replacement at Colleyville Heritage.

Martin once told the Tampa Bay Times, “In most people’s career, you don’t get one of those. To get two in the same class is incredible.”

Trask became the sixth quarterback to win the award on Thursday night.

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