By the time Florida buried Long Island under a 38-0 halftime deficit, few questions remained about the outcome of the game.
But as fans slowly started funneling out of the stands in the second half, they caught a glimpse of the Gators’ potential future at quarterback after DJ Lagway: Tramell Jones Jr.
Since training camp began July 30, head coach Billy Napier has remained vague when referencing the backup quarterback spot. He continuously preached the abilities of each individual in the Gators’ quarterback room without declaring any one individual as the primary backup.
But the Gators’ head coach couldn’t have made that decision any clearer following No. 15 Florida’s (1-0) 55-0 win against the Long Island Sharks (0-1).
“Tramell has earned the job,” Napier said confidently. “This is an opportunity to give him a lot of work, and we felt strongly about that.”
Jones completed 12 of 18 passing attempts for two touchdowns and 131 passing yards. He entered the game in relief of Lagway, who logged three touchdowns and 120 passing yards.
“He's really had a strong surge the last few weeks,” Napier said. “He just kept getting better, and he's a pure passer, man. He can really throw it. He's got velocity on the ball. The spin rate is impressive, and then he's a very accurate quarterback.”
Jones’ path to the backup spot appeared unlikely entering the fall. The freshman quarterback began training camp behind redshirt sophomore Aidan Warner and Louisville redshirt senior transfer Harrison Bailey.
Each quarterback received praise from Napier during camp, and until Jones jogged onto the field in the second half against LIU, fans were unsure of who UF’s backup quarterback truly was.
“I think all of our quarterbacks have taken advantage of the reps,” Napier said July 30. “There's a ton of competition amongst that group there, and there's a little bit of a blessing here that we're going to get a chance to give those guys a ton of reps and see how they respond to that.”
As training camp progressed, Jones gradually began to earn acclaim from Napier. The Gators’ head coach called him “buzz-worthy” Aug. 11, and his teammates chimed in following Florida’s opening victory.
“I'm so proud of Tramell,” Lagway said. “The things he's dealt with the last year or so with his injury in high school. Man, I'm so proud of him. I'm so excited for his journey. He's going to be a heck of a player.”
Jones entered the spring coming off a torn ACL he suffered during his senior year of high school. The injury kept him limited throughout most of spring training camp, but he finally got back up to speed in the summer, months before the season kicked off.
The true freshman was a four-star recruit from Mandarin High School and was a top-25 quarterback prospect in the country. He originally committed to Florida State before flipping to Florida in November 2024.
“He’s electrifying,” UF linebacker Myles Graham said. “You can see it with his legs. He can do it with his arm. He's got a great deep ball. He's accurate. He'll be a great player for us one day.”
On his first drive, Jones immediately placed Florida in scoring position after a 21-yard strike to redshirt freshman receiver TJ Abrams. The Gators began the drive on the 33-yard line, and he completed three straight passes to set up a 41-yard field goal from Trey Smack.
The Jacksonville native tossed two touchdowns over the next three drives, leading the Gators 64 yards down the field and capping off the drive with a 4-yard pass to tight end Tony Livingston.
In the final seconds of the fourth quarter, Jones delivered a final strike to redshirt senior wide receiver Taylor Spierto, who recorded his first career touchdown.
“The guy made a memory tonight that he'll remember the rest of his life,” Napier said of Spierto’s touchdown. “Pretty special.”
Fans might have to wait a while before seeing Jones back in action. Lagway is Florida’s uncontested starter but has dealt with injury concerns since his freshman season.
The sophomore quarterback strained his hamstring against Georgia in 2024. Additionally, a shoulder injury prevented Lagway from throwing during spring training camp, and he suffered a calf strain that placed him in a boot heading into Florida’s fall camp.
Lagway put all questions regarding his health to rest following his Week 1 performance, but he said there’s still plenty for him to improve upon.
“I feel like we didn't play the Gator brand of football offensively,” Lagway said. “Offensively, the pass game, I got to do better, and it starts with me.”
Contact Luke Adragna at ladragna@alligator.org. Follow him on X @lukeadrag.
Luke Adragna is working his fifth semester at The Alligator and returns as the Summer 2025 assistant sports editor. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his cat Pete and researching niche professional athletes (shoutout Jacquizz Rodgers).
