Philo named starter after fall scrimmage

Florida coach Jon Sumrall named Aaron Philo as the team's starting quarterback for the 2026 season opener against Florida Atlantic, the coach announced Monday. The decision came after the Gators' second fall scrimmage, with Sumrall noting that Philo would receive the "lion's share of reps" as game preparation begins.

"We are preparing for him to be the starter for Week 1," Sumrall said.

Philo, a redshirt sophomore from Bogart, Ga., transferred to Florida from Georgia Tech, where he played under offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who now holds the same role in Gainesville. Philo backed up Haynes King at Georgia Tech last season and played in eight games over the last two years, passing for 938 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Beating out Tramell Jones Jr.

Philo won the starting job over redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr., who played in two games last season for the Gators, passing for 191 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions while backing up DJ Lagway, now at Baylor. According to CBS Sports, Philo received most of the first-team reps during the last week of practice and impressed in Saturday night's scrimmage, including a 15-yard touchdown run.

Sumrall said the quarterback competition remained even after spring and earlier this month, but that changed after he and his offensive staff reviewed film over the weekend. Per CBS Sports, Sumrall said Philo will get most of the first-team reps this week as the team prepares for Week 1.

Sumrall: 'Not an anointing'

Sumrall was careful to frame the decision as open to change, saying he did not view Philo's selection as an "anointing." He emphasized that Jones would still have an opportunity to win the job.

"I want both of them to want to be the guy," Sumrall said, via Andrew Abadie of the Gainesville Sun. "There's a lot of stories … of guys that weren't the starter until certain points in their career that are great players. I mean, you can look at Tom Brady was a pretty good pro quarterback and didn't start as a youngster. And so there's a lot of those situations. But I think the guys will rally around (Philo); I really do. We've got good, good locker room chemistry and culture. We need to keep it there."

"This is not an anointing," Sumrall added. "It's not some permanent (decision where) you're just a starter forever, because you've got to keep playing good. And 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. So I'm fired up about both of them."

Fit in Faulkner's scheme

Philo's familiarity with Faulkner's offense was a key factor in the decision. CBS Sports noted that Faulkner's scheme requires a quarterback who can operate quickly, distribute the football in space and punish defenses when safeties creep toward the line of scrimmage. Philo, who played with confidence at Georgia Tech, understands leverage and has enough mobility to extend possessions without abandoning the structure of the offense. His experience in the system should accelerate his transition to Florida, though adjustments against SEC defenses are expected.

Sumrall's background

Sumrall was hired in the offseason from Tulane, where he led the Green Wave to back-to-back American Conference championship games. The Huntsville native replaces Billy Napier, who was fired midway through last season and is now at James Madison. Florida opens its 2026 season against Florida Atlantic.