Florida Gators Bench Aaron Philo, Name New Starting QB vs. Oklahoma

The Florida Gators have made a quarterback change ahead of their Saturday matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Tramell Jones Jr. will be the anticipated starter, replacing incumbent Aaron Philo, according to a report first broken by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.

The decision was confirmed by multiple outlets Monday evening, though head coach Jon Sumrall had tried to downplay any announcement earlier that day.

“There wouldn’t be some big quarterback one announcement,” Sumrall said Monday.

“We need both of them ready to go play.”

Despite that statement, the Gators are now moving forward with Jones Jr. under center.

This will be the true sophomore’s second career start.

Jones Jr. first stepped into the role earlier this season when he led Florida to a road upset over Texas.

In that game, he completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

He also replaced Philo in last week’s 31-17 loss to Georgia.

Against the Bulldogs, Jones Jr. went 18-for-25 for 172 yards, threw one interception and ran for a touchdown.

Philo was pulled after throwing two interceptions in three drives.

He has now lost his last three starts.

Jones Jr. also turned the ball over twice against Georgia, including an interception in the end zone as Florida attempted a long-shot comeback.

Sumrall emphasized that the problems went beyond the quarterback position.

“I don’t know if Tom Brady was our quarterback on Saturday if it would have helped us,” Sumrall said.

“And I’m not trying to be a smart aleck. He would have been under too much duress and pressure to operate.”

The comment underscored the offensive line issues that have plagued the Gators all season.

Florida has allowed 28 sacks through nine games, ranking near the bottom of the SEC in pass protection.

One major concern surrounding Jones Jr. is his physical health.

Sumrall revealed after the Georgia loss that Jones Jr. is currently dealing with an injury that could require surgery in the offseason.

The head coach declined to offer specifics about the injury or its severity.

That uncertainty adds risk to the quarterback change, especially with four regular-season games remaining.

Defensive lineman Emmanuel Oyebadejo praised how Philo has handled the situation.

“To see how he’s handled that whole situation has been great,” Oyebadejo said this week.

“I always say he’s like a true professional just handling that. Maybe he hasn’t always gotten the way. We all want to play. We all want to be impactful, but he’s handled that great. When he has come in, I feel like he has done what he’s supposed to, to the best of his ability.”

Philo arrived at Florida as a highly touted transfer with three years of starting experience at Georgia Tech.

He completed 62.4 percent of his passes this season for 2,108 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

But his recent slide — three straight losses with a combined five turnovers — forced the coaching staff’s hand.

Florida enters the Oklahoma game ranked 24th in the College Football Playoff Poll.

The Gators are 5-4 overall and 3-3 in SEC play.

Despite the loss to Georgia, Sumrall said Monday that “there’s a lot left to play for.”

Florida will likely be favored in three of its final four games: Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Florida State.

The lone exception is a road game at No. 6 Kentucky, which would give the Gators a chance at a third top-10 win this season.

“It’s a huge difference going 5-7 versus 9-3,” defensive lineman Brendan Bett said.

“So, the goal is we have a lot more ball to play.”

A 9-3 finish would put Florida in strong position for a New Year’s Six bowl bid.

Even an 8-4 record would likely secure a solid bowl game and build momentum for recruiting.

Sumrall has already made an impact on the recruiting trail, with Florida leading for several elite prospects according to On3.

The Oklahoma game kicks off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Gainesville.

The Sooners are 5-4 this season and have struggled on the road, going 1-3 away from Norman.

Oklahoma’s defense ranks 45th nationally in yards allowed per game, but the unit has been vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks.

That plays into Jones Jr.’s strengths, as he has rushed for 234 yards and four touchdowns this season.

The Gators will need to establish the run early to take pressure off their new starter.

Florida’s rushing attack averages 178 yards per game, led by running back Treyaun Webb with 892 yards and nine touchdowns.

Webb has topped 100 yards in four of the last five games.

If the running game clicks, Jones Jr. can operate in play-action situations that suit his skill set.

The question is whether Florida’s offensive line can hold up long enough to make that work.

Georgia sacked Jones Jr. three times and hit him eight times in the loss.