After months of sorting through a quarterback battle in The Swamp, Jon Sumrall finally tipped his hand Monday: Aaron Philo is the guy Florida is preparing to start in Week 1 against Florida Atlantic.
Philo will not be locked in forever, but he has moved to the front of the line for now. Sumrall said the redshirt sophomore will get most of the first-team work as Florida gets ready for the opener.
“Philo will get the lion’s share of reps with the ones as we start to try to create cohesion within our football team to be ready for game one,” Sumrall said. “Doesn’t mean Tramell [Jones Jr.] won’t get some with the ones … but as we prepare for game one, Aaron Philo, we are preparing for him to be the starter.”
The shift comes after Saturday’s scrimmage, when Sumrall said Philo had the better day. He did not turn the ball over and added a rushing touchdown, according to sources. That performance marked a reversal from the previous Saturday, when Sumrall had said redshirt freshman Tramell Jones held the edge.
Sumrall said Philo’s play last week stood out because he handled the football cleanly and made sound decisions.
“I thought he protected the football, made good decisions Saturday,” Sumrall said of Philo. “He had a good week last week.”
The coach added that he met with both quarterbacks Sunday afternoon, and each one understands exactly where things stand in the competition.
Philo arrived from Georgia Tech already carrying some built-in familiarity with Florida’s new offense. Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner also came over from Georgia Tech, and that background has helped Philo settle in quickly.
“[He] operated at the line of scrimmage at just a touch higher level and was more efficient. There’s no surprise to that in Spring because he’d been in the system and Tramell had not,” Sumrall said. “Tramell has improved a ton, but I still think we’re able to operate the full offense at a little bit higher level right now with Aaron.”
That comfort extends beyond the playbook. Philo already knows receivers Bailey Stockton and Eric Singleton Jr., both of whom also spent time at Georgia Tech before arriving in Gainesville. His link with Stockton goes back even further to their high school days at Prince Avenue Christian school in Bogart, where the two won two Georgia state championships together.
Philo also brings more game experience than Jones. Last season at Georgia Tech, he started one game and completed 75% of his passes for 373 yards against Gardner-Webb. He also appeared in two other games during his sophomore season and played in five contests as a freshman, finishing with 565 total passing yards.
Still, this does not sound like a closed case. Sumrall made clear that Jones remains very much in the picture and could still see action as the season unfolds.
Jones’ most notable work last year came against Kentucky, when he played the entire second half after DJ Lagway was on the bench. In that game, Jones went 9-of-17 for 60 yards in his second and final appearance of the season.
With both quarterbacks carrying limited but meaningful experience, Sumrall said the staff could lean on both of them over the course of the year.
“It’s not something permanent … the guys will rally behind both,” Sumrall said. “For Tramell, it’s not like you’re being relegated or demoted and forgotten.
This is not fatal. I believe in Tramell Jones.
I’m a believer; I’ll go to battle with that dude. I'm fired up about both of them.
I just feel like right now, it’s where we need to go with the decision.”
For now, though, Florida has a clearer direction as it moves toward the opener and the first season of the Sumrall era. And Sumrall says the quarterback room is in a good place.
“I’m excited about the room,” Sumrall said. “The good news is both of them have elevated their play. Love both of them, fired up about both of them and grateful for both of their approaches as we’ve gone through this.”
In Other News...
Florida's Quarterback Battle Is Over And The Choice Says Plenty
Floridas quarterback picture finally came into focus after the second fall scrimmage, with Jon Sumrall naming transfer Aaron Philo as the starter for the upcoming season. The move settles a competition that had been one of the most watched parts of camp, and it gives the Gators a clear direction heading into the stretch run before opening week.
Philo arrives with a built-in advantage, since he already knows offensive coordinator Buster Faulkners system from his time at Georgia Tech, and that familiarity clearly mattered as Florida weighed him against Tramell Jones Jr. The decision says as much about what the staff wants from the offense as it does about the competition itself, and now the Gators can turn their focus to building around the quarterback who won it. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Offensive Line Battle Is Starting To Reveal Some Surprises
Floridas second intrasquad scrimmage of fall camp offered a clearer look at where the offensive line stands, and the early signs were encouraging. Coach Jon Sumrall came away with enough to name a projected starting lineup, a noteworthy step for a unit that spent the offseason reshaping itself physically and battling through a crowded competition for jobs. For a team trying to settle its protection up front, the improvement inside the line was one of the more significant developments of the day.
The flip side came from the other side of the ball, where the defense continued to create some havoc but still had issues to sort out. It forced turnovers, but communication problems and coverage breakdowns also showed up during the scrimmage, which is the kind of inconsistency that can overshadow the splash plays. With the offensive line beginning to clarify itself and the defense still working through some kinks, Floridas camp is starting to reveal which battles may be moving closer to resolution and which ones are still very much open. [Read more 🡒]
Florida's QB Decision Just Revealed Jon Sumrall's Offensive Priorities
Floridas first depth-chart call of the Jon Sumrall era arrived with little suspense on the surface and plenty underneath it. Redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo will start the Week 1 opener against Florida Atlantic, a choice that reflects a preference for familiarity in a new offensive setup under coordinator Buster Faulkner. Philo brings experience in the offense, and after a competitive fall camp, the staff weighed his comfort level and command heavily as it sorted through the quarterback race.
Tramell Jones Jr. remained in the mix through camp, and the decision came only after an intrasquad scrimmage helped sharpen the evaluation. For Florida, the choice is more than just a name on the opening depth chart. It offers an early look at what Sumrall and Faulkner value most at the game's most important position, and it sets up the first real test of how quickly the Gators can settle into the new system once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]