Florida quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. met with reporters after Aaron Philo was named the Gators’ starter for the season opener.
Jones discussed his reaction to the decision, his relationship with Philo and how the competition helped both quarterbacks improve throughout fall camp. He also reflected on his own development in offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s system and how he plans to respond after falling short of the starting job.
The redshirt freshman also touched on his role moving forward, what he learned during the competition and his confidence in Florida’s offense entering the season.
Here’s everything Jones had to say.
What was your reaction to the news that Aaron Philo will start, and does it change your mentality?
Definitely, I understand. Definitely disappointed. But after the decision, I had two choices to make. I could either
lay my head down, just shy away from the opportunity. My teammates will see me down. That's not the kind of energy you want to hold.
Or option two: I can keep competing. I can keep working. I can keep getting better. I can keep developing in the offense. That's exactly what I'm going to do.
Do you reflect on where you were at this time last year and how far you've come?
Yeah, of course. I look at last year, but even look at spring, just how much I've grown and developed and getting the offense together and getting everybody in the same spot that I think they need to be in and which they are going to be in, and just learning football and being able to break down defenses, being able to make different throws and just learning football in general.
How tough were the fumble on the end around and the interceptions for you personally?
It's not really tough. I can't be scared when going out there. Every interception isn't a bad interception. The interception, it's fourth down in a game, two-minute drill, the ball has to go somewhere.
So stuff like that, it's the kind of interception it is. Of course, you want to take care of the football. You don't want to fumble. The ball is the program. Coach Buster is always on that, especially in our unit. The ball is the program. So you don't want things like that.
But I think it's the bigger picture and why the decision was made, for sure.
Which leaders reached out to you, and how much did those messages help?
It really wasn't just the leaders. It was really the whole team.
The whole team was willing to stick with us. Philo talked about it, how we were going to keep it just between us until the news broke out in the press conference. Then we went and lifted, came back in the locker room, then it broke and a whole bunch of guys started coming up to me.
Really the whole team, to be honest. Just to see that confidence, my confidence is there because the team really believed in me and also believed in Philo.
Did you have a moment where you were disappointed, or did you immediately move forward?
Of course. You work all offseason, you want to be the quarterback here, and you want to play because being a quarterback at the University of Florida is different, and that's exactly what I want to do.
So I'm going to keep working. I'm going to keep learning the offense. When my number is called, I'll be ready.
What does the team's reaction say about how you and Aaron Philo handled the competition?
The guys don't really care about those things. They love what we have internally as a program, and we built something this offseason that can't be broken. So after the news was broken, the guys were really like, that's fine. We really believe in both of the guys, and we believe that both of the guys can go out there and win the game for us.
So even though that was broke, the guys are still together with both of us.
What lessons from last year's quarterback competition can you carry with you now?
When you go into a situation, no matter what it is, just put your head down and work.
When you compete, it brings the best out of you and the best will be shown. You leap two veterans, which Aidan Warner was there, and he's still a great football player. He's here this year. You got Will Griffin, and you got Aaron Williams. All those guys are great. I believe that they can do things and have intangibles for us to also win games if they're being put out there.
But when you do those things last year, and then you come back, and you're competing this year, I think that's just brought the best out of me in the past two years. I think the growth and development has been drastic just because of those things.
What's your comfort level in the offense now?
I'm closer to where I want to be than I was in spring, and I was closer to where I want to be when I was even in summer, when I talked to you guys last. Just knowing snap time and knowing formations, knowing where my guys are going to be at. Just like Philo said, you're going to be comfortable, and you're going to be able to play free and deliver the ball on time anytime.
But I've definitely gotten way more comfortable in the offense.
Why did you want to speak to the media after the starting quarterback was announced?
That just shows that Coach still has confidence in me because, like you said, usually guys backing up don't usually come in here and talk.
But that just shows the program still has confidence in me and thinks I can win football games. The message I just want to bring out is I'm going to keep working. Head is up, energy is up. When my number is called, I'll be ready.
Were you surprised when they asked you to speak?
Not really, because Coach Sumrall talked to me and Philo and was like, "We can win with both of you." I met with Coach Buster after and Coach Craddock, and they said the exact same thing. So when they said they wanted me to come and speak, I was like, "OK."
I have no problem with talking to you guys anyway.
Does sitting in here and listening to each other speak sum up how close you and Aaron Philo have become?
For sure. We both have a goal to be the starting quarterback, and I think that's something you want.
We both have the goal to be better. Just throughout this offseason, just being with him, working out with him at the same rack, we've grown a relationship, and we want to see each other succeed no matter who's out there playing. We're going to keep pushing each other in every practice, and that's what we're going to do.
Do you look at your situation positively as a second-year player taking first-team reps?
I do take it as a positive. God has a plan, and I'm going to follow that plan. So if that's the decision they made, then I'm going to stay on course, and I'm going to keep going; I'm going to keep pushing.
Of course, being a second-year guy taking first-team reps is a blessing, and I'm grateful for it, and I'm grateful for the opportunity, but I'm going to keep on going.
How did the quarterback competition make you better over the offseason?
Just from off the field in the weight room to us running to us being on the field, I think it just brought the best out of both of us. I think that's where everyone was able to see what we could do, especially in the highest of the high moments.
Then they could see the lowest of the low moments. But seeing what we could do, I think that gave the team confidence, and also gave the coaches confidence.
Did you feel like you were gaining ground in the competition, and what did it mean to get the start in Saturday's scrimmage?
Definitely. I did feel like I was gaining ground because in spring, I'm over here like (mimics confusion).
But as soon as fall camp came, I knew where guys were at. I was comfortable, able to deliver the ball on time. That's where I started to make progress. I was like, "Yeah, I can do this." Then just the guys being able to see it.
I was grateful that the coaches gave me the opportunity to do that. Drove down the field, was able to punch the ball in first drive, and it was a great feeling for those guys.
How do you intend to stay ready if your number is called during the season?
I have to prepare like I'm the starter because you never really know what's going to happen. I'm out there in the game, but I'm going to be preparing just like I'm starting, watching film, practicing hard, straining in practice.
When the guys see you also doing that, there's still confidence in you, especially when you go in the game, that you're still able to do this thing and that I can lead the team to win. So that's what I'll be doing.
What was it like having lunch with Danny Wuerffel?
It was great. It was great. He talked to us about what he was doing while he was here at Florida. He had to go to class and how he had to go in and walk around.
Then he talked about him playing pickleball and just what he does going around the country and all the states playing pickleball and things like that.
Had you met Danny Wuerffel before?
I have met him before. I think I met him before I committed. When I came on a visit, I met him, and I've also had many conversations with him throughout the whole process while I've been here.
Did Danny Wuerffel say anything to you about the quarterback competition?
He didn't really speak on it. He really was just talking about the University of Florida in general and playing quarterback here.
Is there a benefit to not always talking about the quarterback competition?
For sure. It definitely is, because that's just not what it's all about. Of course, that's a big thing, but that's just not what it's all about.
It's a bigger picture, and it's really just not about us. It's about the whole team in general and about success as a team and success at the University of Florida.
What kind of comfort does having so many weapons around you give you as a quarterback?
Being able to have confidence in those guys, they can do really anything with the ball as long as you get it to them in space on time and then just let those guys do the rest.
So when you know those guys are able to do what they do and have the ability, the comfort level shoots to the roof.
Does Jon Sumrall saying the starting job isn't an anointing add pressure for you to stay ready?
No added pressure. If you stay ready, then your preparation throughout the week will show in the game.
If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready.
How have you seen the team's physical and mental toughness change from last year?
I give a lot of credit to Coach Whitt because of just the discipline and the standard he holds us to. I think it started with the gantlet and the work we put in the offseason in the winter. He just held us to a high standard, and he always stayed on us. I think it just made our toughness through the roof.
Especially when we got to spring, we were able to push through the adversity and the hard times. That stuff we went through through the winter, we were able to stick together and push through those things.
How much can you learn as a quarterback by watching the game from the sideline?
You're able to go through the game mentally and get mental reps. Last year I was backing up DJ. I was able to go through the whole game mentally.
What would I do? Listening to the play call while it came in and then operating like I would be at the line of scrimmage. You just go through it mentally. Where would you go with the football? So I think getting those mental reps every play and also in practice, I think that'll get you to the next level.
How has your mental approach to watching the game changed from last year?
It definitely has. Just looking at little nuances that the defense has and just looking at things, not being a robot on the field and playing football, because there's a lot of things that you can do.
You can be robotic on the field, but playing the actual game the way it is, there's a lot of different nuances for sure that I've learned.
Is there a plan for you to get into games early in the season or situationally?
I have no idea. I'm just going to be ready. So when my number is called, I'm going to be in there ready to go.
What was the main message you took away from hearing the national championship coaches speak?
They talked about the team and their journey to winning a national championship.
They talked about the adversity piece and what their team did throughout practice and their practice habits and what the team did because it's player-led. Player-led teams win national championships. So they talked about the team aspect and what they did in their journey to be able to win those games.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Tramell Jones reacts to Aaron Philo winning Florida's starting QB job
