Trace Armstrong - College Career

College Career

Armstrong accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, where he began his college career as a defensive tackle for the Arizona State Sun Devils football team. He red-shirted in 1984, and as a freshman in 1985 he played in ten games with three starts, totaling thirty-two tackles (two for a loss).

As a sophomore in 1986, he was a back-up with two starts on the 10–1–1 Sun Devils that finished fourth in the Associated Press football poll and defeated the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. Armstrong recovered a key fumble in the Sun Devils' defeat of the USC Trojans that sealed the Devils' Rose Bowl bid. Armstrong finished the 1986 season with twenty-six tackles (one for a loss—a quarterback sack), one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

As a junior starter in 1987, Armstrong had a key role in the defeat of the Oregon State Beavers, when he sacked Erik Wilhelm in the end zone for a safety that began a 11–0 surge by the Sun Devils in sealing a 30–21 win. The 1987 Sun Devils finished #20 in the final AP poll after defeating Air Force in the 1987 Freedom Bowl. Armstrong ended the 1987 season with fifty-one tackles (ten for a loss including a team-leading seven sacks). He was an honorable mention All-America by both the AP and UPI.

Trace was denied a final year of eligibility by the NCAA due to an "academic mix-up," which he could only recoup if he transferred to another school. However, he was granted immediate eligibility after the NCAA waived its transfer rule in an unusual academic status case from high school which allowed the transfer.

As a result, Armstrong transferred to the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and played final college season for coach Galen Hall's Florida Gators football team in 1988. He was recognized as a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection and a first-team All-American at defensive tackle. He set a new Gators single-season record for most tackles for a loss with nineteen, including seven sacks. In all, Armstrong made fifty-nine tackles with forty-one of those solo. Armstrong finished his college career on the sidelines in the Gators' 14–10 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini in the All American Bowl on December 29, 1988. Armstrong underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his left knee two weeks before the bowl game and could not play.

Armstrong ended his college career with 169 tackles, including thirty-two tackles for losses and fifteen quarterback sacks. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 1989, and returned to earn a master's degree in business administration in 2006. As part of a fan poll conducted by The Gainesville Sun in 2006, he was voted to the Florida Gators 100th Anniversary Team as a defensive lineman together with other Gators like Jack Youngblood, Wilber Marshall and Kevin Carter. He was also inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2000.