GAINESVILLE - Florida’s quarterback situation is still unsettled, but Jon Sumrall made it clear Monday that the Gators’ problems in Atlanta ran far deeper than who lined up under center.
After a 27-8 loss to Georgia, Sumrall said the offense was undone by a mix of turnovers, missed assignments and missed chances that piled up all afternoon. Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. combined for four turnovers, the offensive line was overmatched, the run game vanished and receiver Eric Singleton Sr. dropped two passes that could have changed the shape of the day.
“I don’t know if Tom Brady was our quarterback on Saturday if it would have helped us,” Sumrall said Monday. “I’m not trying to be a smart aleck.”
That was the message from the coach: one player wasn’t going to solve it.
Florida managed only a two-yard touchdown run from Jones with 6:59 left, a score that at least kept the Gators’ NCAA-record scoring streak alive at 481 games, a run that dates to 1988. It was also Florida’s lowest point total of the season, and Sumrall said he spent extra time Monday in the offensive meeting room after that performance.
“We’re not making the quarterback’s job any easier,” Sumrall said. “So I called out the other 10 guys out in the room today that play along with the quarterback.”
The starter for Saturday’s home game against Oklahoma still hasn’t been named. Sumrall said he has not decided between Philo and Jones, who came on after the third series and two interceptions in Philo’s return from a one-game absence because of a shoulder injury.
“There will be one guy that starts and one guy that doesn’t,” Sumrall said. “I’m not gonna make a big quarterback-one announcement.
I have a plan that is already kind of in motion and in place. But I don’t know that it helps us with me naming a starter today.
“We need both of them to be ready to play to go win.”
The coach also pointed directly at the mistakes from both quarterbacks. Philo’s first interception came on an underhanded desperation throw while Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson was closing in.
“That was on him, just not making a good decision of knowing the journey is over,” Sumrall said of Philo.
Philo’s second pick was tipped by Singleton, who later had a long catchable pass from Jones slip through his hands. Jones also forced a throw into the end zone that was intercepted with Florida trailing 24-0 and 4:50 left in the third quarter.
The turnovers weren’t limited to the quarterbacks. Jones also lost the ball after backup tailback Evan Pryor missed a block on Georgia linebacker Quintavius Johnson, who jarred it loose. Chris Cole scooped it up and raced 66 yards for a touchdown.
“I fully understand that we need to play better at quarterback. We do,” Sumrall said. “We can’t turn the football over like we have, especially in particular last week’s game - it’s been the worst one of the year.”
Florida may need help from elsewhere this week, but it likely won’t come from Vernell Brown III. The sophomore receiver missed his fourth straight game with a right knee injury after a setback in Wednesday’s practice caused swelling and required trainers to drain fluid from the joint.
Sumrall said Brown had a minor procedure Monday as the medical staff tried a new treatment to help the knee heal.
“Something that is new that we haven’t done that the medical staff thought maybe was something we should try that could be helpful,” Sumrall said.
With the setback, Brown’s return won’t be rushed.
“At this point, I think we’ve probably as soon as he started to kind of feel close to better, we’ve tried to expedite his return maybe,” Sumrall said. “I think now we’re gonna probably try to make sure he gets fully right before trying to return.”
There was a small bit of good news on the injury front: sophomore tailback Duke Clark practiced Monday after missing the last two games with an ankle injury, Sumrall said.
Oklahoma (4-4, 2-3 SEC) at Florida (5-3, 3-3)
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