Florida coach Jon Sumrall announced Monday that redshirt sophomore quarterback Aaron Philo would take QB1 reps over redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. as the Gators prepare for a Sept. 5 season opener against Florida Atlantic.
On Tuesday, the pair spoke about the excitement around the position, their close relationship and the work that still needs to be done.
As expected, Philo was pleased to be named QB1. He’s prepared to put his head down and continue working to be the best player possible.
“I’m honored, and I don’t take it lightly at all,” Philo said. “It’s something I’ve worked my whole life to get to, and so I definitely don’t take it lightly, and I’m going to do everything in my power to bring Florida back.”
Philo is adamant he won’t let the announcement make him complacent in the competition.
“I understand that I have to go out there and I have to perform,” Philo said. “Practicing with [Jones] each and every day, he pushes me to be my best.”
Though the cliché, “if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have one,” has surrounded the program, the pair is extremely confident in one another, and the camaraderie built through months of offseason training has strengthened that confidence.
“We’ve both grown tremendously,” Philo said. “I feel like we could both go out there and we could both win games for this football program.”
Moreover, Philo said the intense quarterback battle has pushed him to continuously get better.
One of the biggest improvements Philo wanted to make following the Spring was protecting the ball and avoiding turnovers. He did just that, and has also worked to understand Florida’s pass protection scheme.
Now entering the season, Philo harped on the importance of getting his skill players the ball in space and relying on those around him.
“Just knowing the time and the place when you can force a ball, and also recognizing that we have really good running backs, we have really good receivers, so I don’t have to go out there and make hero throws,” Philo said. “I can protect the ball, make safe throws to those guys and let them go to work.”
During Philo’s time to speak with the media, Jones sat with Florida communications staff and kept a smile on his face. When he stepped up to the podium, Jones remained positive, despite the disheartening news.
“I was definitely disappointed, but after the decision, I had two choices to make,” Jones said. “I could either lay my head down ... Or I could keep competing. I can keep working. I can keep getting better ... That's what I'm gonna do."
He said the entire team, not just leaders, stepped up to support Jones and Philo and that they have been nothing but supportive of both players through their tight competition. That, he said, showcases the “player-led” direction the program is heading.
Because of that competition with Philo, Jones feels he has begun to scratch the surface of the player he can be. Most notably, he’s begun to understand the complex scheme offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner has in place, a major improvement from the start of the offseason.
“In spring, I was over here like, ‘Uhhh…’” Jones said. “But as soon as fall camp came, I knew where guys were at. I was comfortable, able to deliver the ball on time, and that’s where I started to make progress.”
Despite not getting the first reps on Sept. 5, Jones isn’t slowing down both on and off the field. He says he is going to be as prepared as possible the second his No. 9 gets called.
"I'm gonna be preparing like I'm a starter,” Jones said. “When the guys see you doing that, they keep that confidence in you, especially when you get in the game."
When wrapping up the day, with Philo now taking Jones’ seat near the back of the room, Florida’s current-QB2 left a strong message: the team comes first.
“It's not just all about [the competition],” Jones said. “That's a big thing, but that's not what it's all about. It's a bigger picture ... It's about success as a team and success at the University of Florida."
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Contact Curan Ahern at cahern@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @CuranAhern.
Max Bernstein is a fourth-year sports and media journalism major and sports management minor. This Fall, he is a Sports Editor and a Florida Gators and Jacksonville Jaguars reporter at The Alligator. Now in his ninth semester with The Alligator, Max previously served in roles including Digital Managing Editor, Sports Editor, Assistant Sports Editor and Football Reporter. He has also made appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. In the rare moments Max isn't working, he's usually with his girlfriend Reese, watching sports with his fraternity brothers or missing his family and his two cats.
Curan is a senior sports journalism student in his sixth semester at The Alligator. He is currently a sports editor and football beat reporter for the Gators and the Jaguars. He previously served as a men's tennis and sports enterprise reporter, and he is pursuing a public relations minor.
