Florida football’s Jon Sumrall picks QB1 after heated competition

One of the last remaining quarterback competitions in the SEC took place in Gainesville, as Florida staged the battle to see who would be its starting quarterback in its first season under Jon Sumrall.

On Monday, Sumrall named Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo as the Gators’ starter for their Week 1 clash against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 5, per Pete Nakos of On3 Sports.

Philo beat out redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. after a very competitive quarterback battle throughout spring ball and fall camp.

Philo is a former three-star recruit who never got a full-time chance as a starting quarterback at Georgia Tech, where Haynes King manned the position over the last few years. When he did get on the field, he showed that he is a talented thrower with a lot of potential, even if he is rough around the edges as a player.

In eight appearances with the Yellow Jackets, Philo completed 59-of-102 passes for 938 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions.

Jones committed to Florida as a three-star recruit in the class of 2025 and stuck around through the coaching change when Sumrall was hired. He made two appearances in 2025, throwing for 191 yards and two touchdowns during those games. Now, he will have to stay ready in case Philo is forced out of action for whatever reason.

Florida should have no trouble early in the season against Florida Atlantic and Campbell, but Philo will quickly be tested once the Gators get into SEC play. Florida will take on Auburn on the road in Week 3 on Sept. 19 before hosting No. 9 Ole Miss at The Swamp.

Overall, Florida will play five teams ranked in the preseason AP top 25 during its SEC schedule, including four teams in the preseason top 10.

That will make things extremely tough for Philo and Florida to get on a roll in their first season under Sumrall. Regardless, the Georgia Tech transfer has the talent and the ability to lift this Gators offense and make it a formidable one to stop in the SEC this fall.

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