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Image Credit: Hannah White, UAA
While head coach Jon Sumrall has made numerous major decisions since taking over the Florida Gators this offseason, perhaps none has been more significant than the one announced Monday. Redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo has been named Florida’s starting quarterback — at least for Week 1 of the 2026 season — just months after joining the program as a transfer from Georgia Tech.
Philo spent the last two seasons as a backup for the Yellow Jackets under new Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
Though his numbers were not overly impressive — 58% completions for 938 yards with two touchdowns, three interceptions, 95 yards rushing and a rushing score in six total appearances — only once in his career has he been singularly prepared to start a game. That came in a 59-12 win over Gardner-Webb last season in which Philo completed 21 of 28 passes for 373 yards with a TD and INT.
Philo won the job over redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr., who impressed during brief apperances in two games last season when he threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns while completing 21 of 35 passes. The duo split snaps during spring and summer practice with Faulkner saying neither had separated himself. Last week, Sumrall noted how Philo was having more success with motions and shifts at the line of scrimmage, likely given his familarity with Faulkner’s office.
Both impressed during the Orange & Blue Debut, though Philo (193 yards, two touchdowns) threw 11 more passes than Jones (210 yards, two touchdowns) in the spring game.
While the competition will remain ongoing to some degree, Sumrall needed to name a starter with two weeks remaining before the season begins to better divvy up first-team reps in practice. Philo will now receive the majority of those opportunities. Florida opens its campaign on Sept. 5 against FAU.
Philo, a former three-star prospect in the Class of 2024, broke Trevor Lawrence’s high school passing record in Georgia.
With DJ Lagway entering the transfer portal this offseason, Florida will once again enter a campaign with a new starting signal caller. Since Tim Tebow led the Gators across three straight seasons (2007-09), the Gators have only had one other quarterback start and finish consecutive campaigns (Kyle Trask, 2019-20).
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