Florida head coach Jon Sumrall named Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo the Gators' starting quarterback on Monday. His declaration ends a tightly contested competition with redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr.
Sumrall said Florida is preparing for Philo to take the first snaps in its Sept. 5 season opener against Florida Atlantic. Philo followed new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Georgia Tech this offseason — Faulkner had originally recruited the 6-foot-1-inch, 208-pound, Bogart, Georgia, native to Atlanta in 2024. Familiarity with Faulkner's system likely helped Philo separate himself.
From spring camp into late August, speculation persisted about which prospect would ultimately emerge as the successor to DJ Lagway, the former five-star
QB who left Gainesville for Baylor following a disappointing 2025 campaign. Jones pushed Philo in camp and showed flashes of exceptional athleticism along with the ability to improvise.
At Georgia Tech, Philo appeared in five games as a freshman, throwing for 565 yards and one touchdown while adding 76 yards on the ground to go along with one rushing TD. His first career start came against Gardner-Webb, when he completed 21 of 28 passes for 373 yards, a TD and an interception. Overall, Philo has just shy of 1,000 total passing yards at the FBS level.
Philo will become the 20th different starting quarterback since Tim Tebow played his final game at Florida in 2009. With three years of eligibility remaining, Philo could prove a long-term solution for Sumrall as he searches for stability in the initial stages of a program rebuild.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida names Aaron Philo starting quarterback for 2026 season
