Adversity forced Florida head coach Jon Sumrall into an early gamble: choosing potential over proven talent. With DJ Lagway’s transfer to Baylor leaving a void at the quarterback position, Sumrall and his offensive coordinator brought in a former Georgia Tech three-star recruit to anchor the Gators’ rest.

The Florida Gators recruited Aaron Philo to the team, filling up the QB position alongside returning freshman Tramell Jones Jr. So, the Gators have two players, both with limited experience, but the team sees massive potential in them. Now, the major reason behind bringing Philo onto the team was Florida’s OC Buster Faulkner, who has known Philo since recruiting him for Georgia Tech. His confidence is even giving Sumrall hope of a turnaround.

“I think Buster had extreme confidence in him,” Jon Sumrall said during his first media interaction after the December 1 introductory conference. “As I did my homework, I thought the place he was at, they didn’t want to leave. There are a lot of people there who felt like he was ready to be the starter there, and I trust our offensive coordinator to make the call. I watched him in high school as well. He carries himself the right way.”

Philo enters his first season at Florida after completing two years at Georgia Tech as a backup QB. He recorded 938 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions, and rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown across a couple of seasons. Also, Philo made his first career start against Gardner-Webb in the same year, where he threw for 373 yards, scored one touchdown, and threw one interception while completing 75% of his passes. So, it’s pretty clear that this man has potential.

Now, with more reps on the field, Philo becomes a possible favorite entering the spring, but the Florida Gators are also high on Jones Jr., who’s a four-star recruit. He is left with four years of eligibility after taking a redshirt. In the 2025 season, Jones Jr. threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns in two game appearances.

What’s interesting is that there’s a major QB battle on its way. Faulkner assured Jones Jr. that he would give him a chance to compete for the QB1 role. So, both QBs might push each other really hard during the fall.

“We talked about things from last season that already fit into his offense, along with new concepts he’s adding,” Jones Jr. said to the Florida Victorious. “He emphasized my accuracy and getting the ball to playmakers, and how that can make this offense explosive.”

Now, betting on an inexperienced QB room can be a risky move for Jon Sumrall and his team. But this is not something new for him. Back at Tulane, he gave the starting position to Darian Mensah in 2024, and the result was a nine-win season for them. Cam Newton, who won the Heisman, became one of the most remarkable QBs in college football history, moved to Blinn and Auburn after two years of limited time at Florida.

Oregon’s Justin Herbert came into the team as a freshman who had no college experience but shone brightly as a starter. So, sometimes even potential turns things around for the teams. And Sumrall is putting all his money straight into it.

“I get it. That’s American Conference, not the SEC, so a little bit different,” he said. “But, if you got the right guy, sometimes I think experience can be oversold. There’s a lot of guys who are experienced that aren’t very good.”

However, the overhaul doesn’t just stop with them.

Jon Sumrall’s major portal retentions

After filling the QB position, Jon Sumrall also retained the program’s most important players on the team. He persuaded Edge Jayden Woods, who was planning to leave, to remain with the team. He went straight to Kansas City to visit his family personally, spending time talking and building trust. That effort worked, and Woods got back into the team.

Then Jon Sumrall recruited running back Jaden Baugh, who had heavy interest from Ohio State and Texas. The coach pulled his move again, visiting Baugh in Atlanta on Christmas Eve with his wife, children, mother, and even family dog. Now, how can a player pass on someone who puts in that much effort?

The remaining players include linebacker Myles Graham, wide receiver Vernell Brown III, and Dallas Wilson, who all decided to stay in Gainesville. Now, with that success, let’s wait and see how this season turns out for the Florida Gators.