Florida’s coaching carousel has stopped spinning - and Jon Sumrall is stepping off as the new head coach of the Gators. After building a reputation at Tulane, Sumrall now takes the reins in Gainesville, where the expectations are sky-high and the quarterback room is suddenly wide open.
With DJ Lagway moving on after two seasons as Florida’s starter, the Gators are officially in the market for a new QB. And in today’s college football landscape, that means diving headfirst into the transfer portal.
There’s no shortage of signal-callers available, but one name is starting to gain traction: Aaron Philo, the Georgia Tech backup who could be on the move - and possibly straight into the heart of Florida’s offense.
Here’s why that buzz is building: Sumrall brought in Buster Faulkner from Georgia Tech to serve as Florida’s new offensive coordinator. And Faulkner knows Philo well. That connection could be the key to unlocking a potential transfer, giving the Gators a quarterback who’s already familiar with the system - and the coach calling the plays.
Philo’s college résumé isn’t long, but it’s intriguing. He’s played in eight games over two seasons behind Haynes King, Georgia Tech’s established starter.
In that time, he’s completed 57.8% of his passes for 938 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. On the ground, he’s added 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, showing he’s got some mobility to work with.
Now, let’s be real - handing the keys to the Florida offense to a relatively untested quarterback would be a bold move. Philo hasn’t had the chance to consistently lead an offense, and the SEC isn’t exactly the place you want to be learning on the fly.
But what he lacks in experience, he might make up for in familiarity. If Faulkner believes Philo can execute his offense, that could be enough to tip the scales.
It’s a gamble, no doubt. But in the transfer portal era, sometimes the best fit isn’t the flashiest name - it’s the one who already knows the playbook.
Florida’s quarterback situation is far from settled, but if Philo makes the move to Gainesville, it’ll be a storyline worth watching all offseason long.