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FAYETTEVILLE — Feleipe Franks will be back at The Swamp this weekend.
The fifth-year senior began his career at Florida, but decided to become a graduate transfer after last season and ended up at Arkansas. He’ll return to his old stomping grounds as the Razorbacks’ starting quarterback in their matchup with the No. 6 Gators on Saturday.
Speaking to the media after Arkansas’ 24-13 win over Tennessee, Franks said he still communicates with his old teammates and coaches and is looking forward to the game.
“The Florida game, man, it’s going to be kind of just crazy,” Franks said. “Not necessarily emotional for me, but I love all those guys on the staff and the players. It’ll just be fun to get back out there to play again in the Swamp.”
It’s been a long journey for Franks to get to this point. A former 6.0 four-star and top-60 recruit in the Class of 2016, he redshirted his first year and eventually became the starter as a redshirt freshman, when the Gators went 4-7.
As the full-time starter in 2018, Franks was booed by Florida fans multiple times, but led the Gators to a 10-win season that ended with a Peach Bowl victory and top-10 ranking. Last year, he went down with a season-ending injury in Week 3, allowing Kyle Trask to take over and eventually leading to his decision to transfer.
The move appears to be a win-win for everyone involved a little more than halfway through the 2020 season.
Trask has established himself as a Heisman Trophy candidate and the Gators have the inside track to the SEC Championship Game after knocking off Georgia last week.
On the flip side, Franks has provided much-needed stability at quarterback for Arkansas and the fans have welcomed him with open arms, which is why head coach Sam Pittman believes the quarterback is proud of his decision to come to Fayetteville.
“Arkansas hasn't treated him that way,” Pittman said about Franks’ up-and-down relationship with Florida fans. “Arkansas hasn't been critical of him and they shouldn't be. The guy came in here and has done a great job for us.”
Not only has Franks played 97.1 percent of the Razorbacks’ offensive snaps - which is saying something considering five different players started the last five games of the 2019 season - but he’s played well.
Through six games, he’s completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 1,428 yards, 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions, while adding another 259 non-sack yards on 54 carries. His 154.7 quarterback rating is fifth in the SEC and a dramatic improvement from last year’s SEC-worst 101.4 team quarterback rating.
“Obviously, in this league, you have to have a great quarterback if you're going to be good, and Feleipe has been nothing but great for us this year,” wide receiver Mike Woods said. “Whether it's in the air, on the ground, whatever, Feleipe gets the job done. He's a warrior. That's what we need.”
At his current pace, Franks would break the UA’s single-season record for completion percentage - currently held by Kevin Scanlon, who completed 66.2 percent of his passes in 1979. He’d also post top-10 marks in passing yards and touchdowns, despite playing fewer games and having no non-conference games in which to pad his stats.
“My main focus is just spreading the ball around to the guys and they make plays for me,” Franks said. “I’d be selfish if I took any credit for that. Those receivers have done a great job in wet games, windy games, always bringing their A game, and the O-line always bringing their A game.”
Florida head coach Dan Mullen said Monday that he wasn’t surprised by Franks’ high touchdown-to-interception ratio or the strong arm he’s displayed at times for the Razorbacks.
Having coached him for two years in Gainesville, he said he knew Franks would have a successful season.
“He’s a veteran player now…so the games and moments aren’t too much for him,” Mullen said. “I know he’s playing kind of a newer offense, but when you’re an older veteran guy, I think you understand concepts, you understand coverages, you understand what’s going on out there on the field.
“He’s picked it up really fast and I think he’s having a great year. I wouldn’t have expected anything less than that from him, the Feleipe I know.”
Despite the lack of support from fans at Florida, Franks had a very close relationship with Mullen and his wife, Megan. The couple helped him through his recovery after his season-ending ankle injury last year.
In fact, Mullen said Franks had texted him as recently as a couple of weeks ago and that he has been in contact with Megan even more frequently.
“I’m happy for him because the whole thing came down to, ‘I want to make sure I’m on the field playing next year,’” Mullen said. “Here he is having a great season. That’s what you want, so I’m happy for him, I’m happy in how it’s working out for him, but I want to go compete, I want to beat his butt on Saturday.”
That desire to win goes both ways, Mullen said, but it won’t impact their relationship.
“He wants to come in here and beat my butt, beat everybody on the team’s butt,” Mullen said. “That’s what competitors want to do and he’s a competitor, so he’s going to want to do it. But it’s not going to change the relationships or how you feel about each other.”
The storyline of Franks returning to Florida to face his former team is one of the most intriguing of the bizarre 2020 season. Arkansas was not scheduled to play the Gators this year, but they were one of two SEC East opponents - along with Georgia - added to its slate when the SEC went to a 10-game, conference-only format.
Even Pittman is excited about the opportunity for Franks. He pointed to not being in Gainesville with him for his homecoming as the most disappointing thing about him testing positive for COVID-19 and possibly missing the game.
“Feleipe knows how confident we are in him and I think he'll play well,” Pittman said. “He's got the demeanor, the mentality to handle going back to Florida. … I think he just knows if he goes and does his job well, we'll have an opportunity to move the ball and score some points.”
There will be no shortage of motivation for both sides when they kick off at 6 p.m. CT Saturday on ESPN.
“Every game that you play, there’s guys with friends that you’re playing against or guys you competed against or guys you know,” Mullen said. “This one is probably different because it’s a guy who was your teammate for quite a long time.
“I think it’ll be huge motivation for him and for their team to get his back to try to help him win and then motivation for our guys to want to go compete and beat one of their friends.”
