After Florida QB Battle, Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones’ Bond Unbroken

Florida’s quarterback competition may have produced a starter, but it hasn’t yet produced a losing attitude. 

After Florida coach Jon Sumrall announced Aaron Philo would open the 2026 season as the Gators’ starting quarterback, the competition between Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. entered a new stage. On Tuesday, the two quarterbacks discussed their battle for the position and their outlook for the season as Florida enters the final stretch of fall camp. 

For Philo, earning the starting job represented the beginning of a role he had long been preparing for. 

“I don’t take it lightly at all. I don’t take this position for granted,” he said. “I’m very blessed, very honored, and it’s something that I’ve worked my whole life to get to … and I’m going to do everything in my power to bring Florida back.”

 Being named QB1 doesn’t mean Philo’s work – or his competition with Jones –  is over. Throughout the offseason, the two have pushed one another while learning how to handle the demands of the position. Part of Philo’s development has centered on protecting the ball and responding well after a bad play, while also understanding when a play calls for him to rely on the talent around him rather than his own.

“Recognizing we have really good running backs, we have really good receivers,” he said. “So I don’t have to go out there and make hero throws. I can protect the ball, make safe throws to those guys and let them go to work.”

Philo began taking first reps this week as Jones continues his development behind him. Although Sumrall’s decision was unsurprisingly disappointing for Jones, it did not represent the end of his work to earn the starting position.

“After the decision, I had two choices to make. I could lay my head down, shy away from the opportunity, and my team can see me down. That’s not the kind of energy you want to hold,” he said. “Or option two, I can keep competing, I can keep working, I can keep getting better, I can keep developing in the offense. And that’s exactly what I want to do.”

Jones’ response to the announcement has been shaped in part by the people around him. Immediately after the news broke to the team following Monday’s practice, Jones said teammates approached him in the locker room to express their confidence in him. 

That support, he said, wasn’t just limited to the team’s leaders. Instead, it reflected a broader, strong culture Florida has established in the offseason, no matter who starts at quarterback.

“The guys don’t really care about those things,” Jones said. “I mean they love what we have internally as a program, and we built something this offseason that can’t be broken.”

That trust in their overall team mirrors a belief that Jones and Philo have built with one another. For the past few months, the two have battled for the same role. Yet the heavy competition hasn’t prevented them from forming a bond. Whether it was working out at the same rack or taking reps together during camp, the two have created a dynamic that pushes the other to be better. 

Jones said the relationship still hasn’t changed since Philo was named the starter. The two share the same goal of improving and plan to continue pushing each other throughout the season. 

Philo echoed that confidence in Jones, pointing to the growth he has seen from him.

“Tramell, he’s just grown so much throughout just learning the offense and everything,” Philo said. “And I feel like we could both go out there and we could both win games for this football program. I’m extremely confident in him and I think he’s confident in me.”

As the next few weeks unfold, the two quarterbacks will return to practice, where they will continue doing what they have throughout the offseason: competing, learning and pushing one another forward.

For Jones, the message remains simple.

“I’m gonna keep working,” he said. “My head is up, energy is up, and my number is gonna be called. I’ll be ready.”

The Gators open their season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium against FAU on Sept. 5. Regardless of who holds the QB1 title throughout the season, Jones highlighted that the larger focus remains clear.

“It’s a bigger picture,” Jones said. “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.”

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