Florida has a chance to get healthier at the right time, with Aaron Philo and Vernell Brown III both trending toward being available for Saturday’s rivalry game against No. 3 Georgia.
Both players practiced Monday, and Jon Sumrall said at his press conference that each is moving in the right direction. He stopped short of guaranteeing either one will suit up, but the signs were better than they were earlier in the week.
“Both guys are available; I believe in both guys,” said Sumrall. “Not going to name a starter today - I know that's been a big point of conversation. We need both those guys to be ready to play, that's what I'll say, and I do believe in both of them being ready to play.”
Philo has been working back from a throwing shoulder injury suffered in Florida’s Week 5 loss to South Carolina. That injury kept him out of the team’s 27-24 upset win over Texas, where Tramell Jones Jr. stepped in for the Georgia Tech transfer. Sumrall said Philo could have gone in only if the situation turned into an emergency.
Jones is also nursing injuries from his first career start against the Longhorns, though he is expected to be available Saturday. He went 22 of 35 for 155 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in Austin.
Brown’s return would be just as welcome. The Orlando native has been out since suffering a knee injury against Ole Miss on Sept. 26, missing three straight games. Before going down, he had caught 17 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, and he also added two punt-return touchdowns.
“VB looks really good. Practiced last week, practiced today; today is an hour-ish long run-through for us. But he looks normal to me,” Sumrall added.
Florida’s quarterback picture remains unsettled for now, with Sumrall set to keep evaluating both Philo and Jones before deciding later in the week.
In Other News...
Florida Still Has A Guard Question Heading Into Miami
Boogie Flands absence for Floridas exhibition against Stetson gave the Gators an early look at how the backcourt might have to adapt if the starting point guard is unavailable. Denzel Aberdeen slid over to point guard, Urban Klavar moved into the starting lineup at shooting guard, and Florida still handled business in an 85-68 win, with Klavar and Aberdeen carrying much of the scoring load.
Even with the result in hand, the setup left the bigger question hanging as the Gators shift their attention to the regular-season opener against Miami. Todd Golden praised the way his team performed, but the illness that sidelined Fland added another layer to Floridas guard rotation picture, and the staff now has a short window to sort out how it wants the backcourt arranged when the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Florida-Georgia Just Lost The Rivalry Feeling Fans Loved Most
For the first time in 31 years, the Georgia-Florida game is leaving Jacksonville, with this years meeting set for Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta because of construction at EverBank Stadium. The setup changes more than the location on the schedule. It strips away the strange, enduring charm that made this rivalry weekend feel like its own holiday, from the old tailgating scenes to the beach gatherings that have long defined the trip for fans on both sides.
The move also comes with a 50-50 ticket split between the schools, and the matchup is already mapped out to land in Tampa in 2027 before returning to Jacksonville through 2031. Even with a path back to the river city, the rotation underscores how much is lost when Florida and Georgia are not meeting in the place that gave the rivalry its distinct personality, and it has plenty of fans and former players thinking about what used to make the weekend feel bigger than just another SEC game. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Best Shot Vs Georgia Comes Down To One Brutal Test
With Florida and Georgia heading into another rivalry meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the spotlight is on a familiar kind of uncertainty for the Gators: quarterback play. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy expects No. 3 Georgia to bounce back from its recent loss, while Florida is still sorting out its own answer under center, with Jon Sumrall yet to name a starter between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. It is the kind of week where every practice rep matters and every hint from the coaches gets parsed for more than it probably should.
Georgias quarterback situation adds another layer, even if the Bulldogs appear to be in better shape overall. Kirby Smart said Gunner Stockton dealt with a shoulder stinger after the last game but did not show concussion symptoms, which at least eases one concern for a team trying to steady itself after a loss. For Florida, though, the bigger issue is simpler and more pressing: finding the quarterback who can handle the moment in a game where one rough stretch can quickly tilt the whole afternoon. [Read more 🡒]