There are still seven and a half months until the start of college football’s 2026 campaign, but it is never too early to start thinking about who will start under center for the Florida Gators.
The passing of the head coaching torch to Jon Sumrall has this year, in particular, a bit more wide open than the past several seasons in Gainesville. The erstwhile face of the program, DJ Lagway, has left for greener pastures — presumably with the Baylor Bears — leaving the Orange and Blue without a sure-shot option under center.
Advertisement
Sumrall and his staff did manage to snag a play-caller out of the NCAA transfer portal, bringing former Georgia Tech backup Aaron Philo into the fold. The rising redshirt sophomore is still an unproven talent, but he has shown some sparks in his appearances for the Yellow Jackets.
ESPN’s Eli Lederman, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg recently took a stab at predicting the starting QBs for every Power Four team, and picked Philo as the choice for Florida when it opens up against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the Swamp on Sept. 5. As for why he will start the season under center, they offered the following explanation.
“Florida didn’t get the traditional coordinator-quarterback package deal, but Philo played for new Gators OC Buster Faulkner as Georgia Tech’s backup to Haynes King the past two seasons. He understands Faulkner’s scheme and drew very good reviews while at Georgia Tech, where he filled in several times for King and started a game this past season, passing for 373 yards.”
It makes sense that he would be viewed more favorably than the other options, given his familiarity with the incoming system. However, he is still a bit wet behind the ears.
Advertisement
“While at Georgia Tech, the 6-2, 220-pound Philo completed 59 of 102 passes for 938 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, and added 95 rushing yards and a score. Philo must show he can handle more volume at a program that yearns to recapture elite quarterback play. But his connection with Faulkner is significant here.”
Still, that connection does not necessarily mean that Philo has a smoothly-paved path to the starting spot under center. Expect the incumbent backup, as well as a new face from the prep ranks, to give him a run for his money.
“The Gators bring back Tramell Jones Jr., a former four-star recruit from Jacksonville who appeared in two lopsided games this past fall, a win over Long Island and a loss to Kentucky. He finished with 191 passing yards and two touchdowns while connecting on 60% of his attempts. Florida also adds incoming freshman Will Griffin, the nation’s No. 123 overall recruit, a pocket passer from Tampa.”
While Philo appears to have the early inside edge on the others, there is still a lot of time before the opening kickoff. Between spring practice, the Orange and Blue Game, summer workouts and fall practice, there is plenty of room for things to change.
Advertisement
But for now, the Gator Nation hopes that Philo was the right choice out of the transfer portal. It could be a long season if the Gators misfired on him.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football’s 2026 starting quarterback prediction
