Florida’s quarterback picture is still unsettled, but Buster Faulkner isn’t sounding like a coach ready to chase a quick fix.
With the Gators trying to sort out an offense that hasn’t found much rhythm, Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. have both gotten chances under center. Even so, Faulkner made it plain that he wants to keep working with the quarterbacks already on campus rather than jumping straight to the transfer market.
“The beauty of it is the portal doesn’t open for a while. We got three games to evaluate everything,” Faulkner said.
That evaluation period matters because Florida’s season still has three games left, giving the staff more time to study what it has before the offseason hits. Faulkner said he understands the need to look at every position, but he drew a clear line when it came to quarterback development.
“I do understand that it is a process with the quarterback position, and I will not rush that process,” Faulkner said. “I'm gonna bring them along. It's our job to coach them.”
Experience is part of the issue. Faulkner brought up Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer and his 45 career starts as an example of how much a veteran can change the equation. Florida’s quarterbacks, by comparison, have far less game experience, and Faulkner said that kind of exposure has to be built over time.
“There’s no substitute for game reps,” Faulkner said. “We got to continue to bring them along, continue to develop, continue to believe in them, and then put the things around them that they need to be successful.”
The schedule may at least give Florida a better chance to gather answers. Kentucky comes next, and the Wildcats rank 108th out of 138 teams in passing yards allowed at 238.2. Vanderbilt sits 81st in that category, and Florida State is 110th.
That’s a different challenge than what the Gators just faced. Oklahoma is 10th in college football in passing yards allowed at 170.7 per game, while Georgia is 29th at 186.6.
For now, Faulkner is sticking with development over panic. The quarterback question isn’t going away, and the way Florida handles the final stretch of this season will help shape how that position looks heading into 2027.
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For Florida, the timing is notable because Awaka is widely viewed as a player who can help answer a looming roster need after Rueben Chinyelus departure. Golden praised both signees for their skills and work ethic, and the early return on this class is already showing up in the rankings, where Florida sits 21st nationally and sixth in the SEC according to Rivals. [Read more 🡒]