Coming out of Florida's second fall scrimmage, Gators coach Jon Sumrall named Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo as the team's starting quarterback ahead of next month's opener against FAU. One of Florida's top transfers this cycle after joining former Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner in Gainesville, Philo backed up Haynes King last season and beat out Tramell Jones Jr. for the job with the Gators.
Philo has received most of the first-team reps during the last week of practice and reportedly impressed during Saturday night's scrimmage, highlighted by a 15-yard touchdown run early on.
Undecided on Florida's quarterback battle after spring, Sumrall said the position remained even earlier this month as both players pushed for the job. That changed after Sumrall and his offensive staff reviewed film over the weekend.
He said Monday that Philo will get the "lion's share of reps" this week as game prep begins.
"We are preparing for him to be the starter for Week 1," Sumrall said.
Faulkner's offensive scheme at Florida
Faulkner wants a passer who can operate quickly, distribute the football in space and punish defenses when safeties creep toward the line of scrimmage.
Philo checks every box. He played with confidence at Georgia Tech, understanding leverage and has enough mobility to extend possessions without abandoning the structure of the offense. Those are two areas of strength Philo reportedly displayed during both camp scrimmages this month.
Most importantly, Philo's comfortable playing aggressively. Florida needs a quarterback capable of creating explosive plays while keeping the offense on schedule, and Philo's experience in Faulkner's system should accelerate that transition.
There will be adjustments against SEC defenses, but the scheme familiarity makes Philo a natural fit for what Florida wants offensively.
