Florida QB battle: Jon Sumrall makes no guarantees on timeline, job security

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall has not committed to a starting quarterback for the 2026 season. In fact, even if he makes a decision on Game No. 1, that doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind!

“Just because you start game one doesn’t mean you start game 12,” Sumrall said, via On3’s Andy Staples. “There is no timeline.”

Aaron Philo is considered the favorite to win the job for the Gators going into the 2026 season. However, Tramell Jones Jr. is in contention to win the job as well.

As Sumrall put it, either one could start to begin the season, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will play all 12 games during the regular season under center.

“We got a long way to go to identify who’s going to be the trigger man that gets the opportunity to start game one,” Sumrall said in May. “They are doing well is supporting each other. They’re challenging each other, but they’re doing it in a healthy competitive way. I tell them all the time, you don’t elevate by pushing someone else down. And really, someone else elevating should help you elevate. Like, and so I like how they’re competing with each other, not against each other.”

Jon Sumrall won’t name starting QB right now, race wide open

Philo is a transfer from Georgia Tech, playing two seasons for the Yellow Jackets. In eight game appearances, Philo has 938 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 57.8% completion percentage.

Jones appeared in two games for Florida last year, but not under Sumrall. He was 21-of-35 passing for 191 yards, two touchdowns and zero picks.

The old adage is if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. But Sumrall and Florida might truly have two quarterbacks here because it’s hard to tell which one will standout at the moment. The inexperience factor is the biggest one, so the battle has to carefully play itself out.

This story will be updated