3 Misconceptions About Florida’s Open QB Competition

Florida is set to have an open quarterback competition with Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo and 2025 backup Tramell Jones Jr. headlining the Gators' options.

Florida Gators quarterback Aaron Philo transferred to Florida after two years as the backup at Georgia Tech. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

As spring camp nears for Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators, a true quarterback competition will likely dominate the buzz out of Gainesville for the near future, with transfer Aaron Philo and rising sophomore Tramell Jones Jr. headlining what is expected to be a competitive battle for the starting spot ahead of 2026.

The Gators' quarterback room, comprised of Philo, Jones Jr., true freshman Will Griffin, Aidan Warner and walk-on Aaron Williams, is one of the biggest question marks in the entire SEC heading into the 2026 season. Lacking collegiate experience, with the unit combining to have just 392 career snaps amongst its five members, new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and head coach Jon Sumrall will have to rely on a first-year starter while up against the gauntlet that is an SEC schedule.

Regardless, Florida’s new staff has shared a confidence in the group despite its lack of proven success.

“I like our quarterback room. Is there maybe a known, proven starter in that room? No. Is there guys that think can help us win football games here? Yeah,” Sumrall said. “I go back to past experiences. We started Darian Mensah my first year at Tulane, and he had never taken a collegiate snap. I get it, that's the American Conference, not the SEC, so a little bit different, but if you got the right guy, sometimes I think experience can be oversold. There's a lot of guys that are experienced that aren't very good.”

Despite the vote of confidence, Florida’s unit is still filled with unknowns, with the uncertainty leading to numerous misconceptions about the battle as spring camp approaches.

A Starter Is Already Decided on

Leaving a seemingly guaranteed starting spot at Georgia Tech, many believed the addition of the transfer Philo came with the guarantee that he would be the starter at Florida. While showing flashes in his time with the Yellow Jackets and being the most experienced of the bunch, both Sumrall and Faulkner have shut down such an idea early in their time on campus.

“We got a lot of work to do to figure out... Long way from making that decision, but they'll make it for us,” Sumrall said on the competition. “We're going to compete. Everybody is going to get what they earn. There is no starting quarterback yet.”

This isn't something that is new to Philo, either. While recruiting Philo in the portal, Faulkner made it clear he would be entering an open competition.

“That's one thing that these guys that didn’t make the trip with me, they know there's nothing guaranteed," Faulkner said. "I'm all about competition. We're gonna play the best player, so nothing was guaranteed to him, and he was still willing to make the move."

Tramell Jones Jr. will compete for the starting quarterback role. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

While bringing in Philo as the only transfer addition was a strong indication of the staff's trust in the third-year quarterback and a reason many believed he had already earned the starting spot, Sumrall shared it was also a trust in Jones Jr. and a confidence in the rising sophomore’s potential.

“Yeah, Buster is very confident in Philo and his readiness to be a high-level player. So that made me more confident because he saw him every day for the last couple years, so that was a huge part of that,” Sumrall said on the decision. “Then I would also say, too, I think it also is probably an endorsement of how I feel about Tramell. I think Tramell has got a really high ceiling, too, so I'm excited.”

Philo and Jones Jr., and even the freshman Griffin, who is labeled by ESPN as the most college-ready quarterback of the 2026 class, seem to enter the spring with a true even shot at the job.

Jones Jr.’s Mobility Is Better Than Philo’s

After three seasons where Faulkner's offense included a 700-plus-yard rusher at quarterback in Haynes King, a misconception has spread that Jones Jr. has a slight advantage due to his better mobility. While the new Faulkner, known for adapting to the roster, has dropped hints of a game plan less reliant on the quarterback run game, the idea that Jones Jr. is a noticeably better rusher than Philo is also misguided.

Aaron Philo was an effective runner in his limited number of attempts at Georgia Tech. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

At the NCAA level, Philo’s 5.8 yards per attempt on 16 rushes is much better than Jones Jr.’s 2.9 on seven, while the former Georgia high school passing record holder rushed for a recorded 1,200 yards and 32 touchdowns in 47 games at Prince Avenue Christian. Jones Jr.’s 356 yards and two touchdowns in 35 games at Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin.

Though both are considered pocket passers, Philo could be argued as a better rusher than Jones Jr., with both having the ability to make an impact in the run game despite the common misconception.

Florida’s Season Relies on Whoever Wins the Job

After DJ Lagway was labeled the savior of Florida football just to end up at Baylor two years later, the idea that the Gators will go as far as the winner of the quarterback competition seems just as flawed as relying on the former five-star so heavily. Whether it is Philo, Jones Jr. or another under center, the Gators have the offensive talent to make life easy for the young quarterbacks. Their success seems more reliant on the offensive scheme rather than on one player.

Florida Gators quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. played in two games last season. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Though no quarterback in the room exactly has the raw talent of a quarterback like Lagway or former Gators starter Anthony Richardson, the winner will likely be the one who can distribute the ball and make the right throws rather than the highlight ones.

“You want a guy that makes good decisions in the pocket. You want a winner… Another thing is accuracy… A lot of guys are looking for the arm strength, the arm talent, but a guy that can put it where it needs to go is huge,” new Gators quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock said about what they look for in a starter. “I think that's a huge thing nowadays. It kind of gets overlooked.”

While their ability to manage Faulkner’s offense will be critical, the idea that the starter will be asked to be a game-changer seems to be yet another misconception ahead of the open competition.