The Jon Sumrall era began with a bang inside Ben Hill Griffin on Saturday night as the Gators throttled the FAU Owls, 66-21, in a game that showcased the program's explosive new offense.
The Orange and Blue logged 624 total yards of offense — the most since 2020 — and the 66 points scored were the most in a season opener since 1988 against Montana State. Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner deserves a heaping helping of credit for the corps' performance, thanks to a potent ground game headlined by Jadan Baugh's 160-yard effort and a steady presence under center from Aaron Philo.
SEC Network sideline reporter Taylor Davis spoke with Sumrall after the conclusion of the game. Here is what was said between the two.
With a lot of new pieces, you entered the year with a lot of questions. What answers did you get tonight?
I thought our offensive skill played
really good. They're explosive. Still got a lot of questions on defense. We've got a lot of room to grow.
66 points, led by Aaron Philo. What did you see from him?
It was fun to watch him play. He played confident, played poised, cut it loose, made good decisions, and that one interception wasn't on him. We should have caught that ball. Really proud of him.
You told us this is your dream. Day 1, first win. What was this like?
It's fun. I enjoy coaching. Today's about the players. Saturdays, it's their day. Every other day is my day. Sunday through Friday is about us coaching them. We've got a lot of work to do to go where we want to go.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Jon Sumrall's postgame quotes after Florida throttles FAU in opener
