Florida is preparing sophomore Tramell Jones Jr. to start at No. 7 Texas on Saturday if starting quarterback Aaron Philo cannot play, with coach Jon Sumrall saying the backup is ready for the job. Philo, who hurt his shoulder late in Florida’s 38-19 loss to South Carolina, was listed as questionable in the SEC‘s initial availability report Wednesday night and has been limited in practice this week.
The Gators and Longhorns kick off at noon ET Saturday on ABC. Florida’s quarterback situation has become the central storyline heading into the matchup, with the coaching staff balancing Philo’s recovery against the need to have Jones ready for a possible first career start.
The Main Development
Philo’s shoulder injury has put his availability in question just days before Florida travels to face a ranked Texas team. According to ESPN, the redshirt freshman was limited in practice this week after exiting the South Carolina game in the fourth quarter. Jones stepped in and led one late touchdown drive, completing 6 of 8 passes for 40 yards with an interception.
Sumrall confirmed Monday that Jones has been taking snaps with the starters this week, a sign the staff is treating the backup’s readiness as a real possibility rather than a formality. “Sumrall made it clear that Jones would be getting meaningful reps in practice throughout the week,” according to CBS Sports.
What It Means For The Depth Chart
If Philo sits out, Jones would make his first career start, with true freshman Will Griffin and multi-year backup Aidan Warner behind him on the depth chart, according to Sports Illustrated. Sumrall has voiced public confidence in his backup’s ability to handle the job. “I think Tramel can win football games here, and believe in Tramel. So, I like our quarterback room,” Sumrall said, per CBS Sports.
Sumrall went further when discussing Jones’ development in a Sports Illustrated report, saying, “When we put him at the end, in those situations, I want to make sure we continue growing because I believe in Tramell. I’ve said this publicly: I think Tramell can be our starting quarterback here, and we can win football games.”
Season Numbers For Both Quarterbacks
Philo has started every game this season for Florida, throwing for more than 1,300 yards with nine passing touchdowns and three interceptions, numbers that vary slightly between ESPN’s 1,341-yard, 70.5% completion figure and Sports Illustrated’s 1,351-yard total. He has also rushed for touchdowns, giving him a dozen scores overall by ESPN’s count.
Jones has appeared in five games this season, completing 23 of 29 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, according to CBS Sports. Over Florida’s last two losses, both of which Jones has played in, he went 11 of 13 for 126 yards with a touchdown and an interception, per Sports Illustrated. He battled Philo for the starting job in preseason practice and appeared in two games last season as a reserve under Florida’s previous coaching staff, after arriving as a three-star prospect.
Coaches Defend Philo Amid Offensive Struggles
Sumrall has pushed back on criticism of Philo’s play, pointing instead to issues around him on offense. “There are a lot of things around him that need to get better,” Sumrall said, according to CBS Sports.
Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner echoed that sentiment while also addressing how Philo has handled recent scrutiny. “He’s a tough, mentally really tough kid. Like I said, he wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t really tough. So he’s handling that fine,” Faulkner said, per Sports Illustrated.
Sumrall offered a more detailed defense of Philo’s performance in the same report. “I’m not saying he played perfect. He didn’t.
But it’s really easy to critique the quarterback position when we don’t block the edge rusher very good. You’re getting ready to get smacked, and you have to speed up your process, and you don’t get the opportunity to take a good picture of the coverage. But yeah, there’s plenty of things he’s got to work on, cleanup, correct,” Sumrall said.
What’s Next
Florida faces Texas at noon ET Saturday on ABC. The SEC‘s final game-day availability report typically arrives the morning of kickoff, which will determine whether Philo or Jones takes the first snap under center for the Gators.
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