Transfer Aaron Philo has been named the starting quarterback for the Florida Gators entering the season, new coach Jon Sumrall said Monday.
Philo, who arrived from Georgia Tech along with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, won the job over second-year quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. and will debut against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 5 (TV: SEC Network, 7:45 p.m. ET).
"We are preparing for him to be the starter for Week 1," said Sumrall, who made the decision after the Gators' second fall scrimmage Saturday.
Philo, a 6-foot-1, 207-pound junior from Bogart, Georgia, had been the perceived favorite because of his familiarity with Faulkner's system, which includes a kaleidoscope of pre-snap shifts and motions that compromise defenses.
He started for Georgia Tech against Gardner-Webb last year and appeared in three games as he backed up stalwart Haynes King. He played well in that game against an FCS opponent, completing 75% of his passes (21-of-28) for 373 yards. He threw both a touchdown and an interception.
Jones played the second half of Florida's blowout loss at Kentucky last year, completing 9 of 17 passes for 60 yards. He also threw for 131 yards in mop-up duty against Long Island.
For a team that went 4-8 last year, Florida should have a good amount of skill to surround Philo. Jadan Baugh earned second-team All-SEC honors last year while rushing for 1,170 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Sumrall is a devout disciple of the run game.
The Gators' receiver room has an argument to be the best in the SEC, as it has productive transfer Eric Singleton and talented underclassmen Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III. Wake Forest transfer Micah Mays Jr. also flashed in Florida's spring game.
