Does Florida, Jon Sumrall Have a Midseason Quarterback Battle?

The Florida Gators and head coach Jon Sumrall find themselves back in the AP Top 25 rankings after an impressive victory on the road against the Texas Longhorns in Week 7, 27-24.

Saturday’s win over the former No. 1-ranked team came with plenty of adversity, as the Gators entered last week’s contest without starting quarterback Aaron Philo. The junior playmaker suffered a shoulder injury in the program’s Week 6 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, which forced sophomore quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. into the starting role against a stout Longhorns defense.

However, the moment was not too big for Jones, who became a catalyst for the Gators’ offense.

Should Jones Become Florida’s Starting QB?

With the chance to add a key top-25 victory to its resume, Jones and the Gators did not shy away from the opportunity.

Jones finished the contest with 155 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, while completing 22 of his 35 pass attempts. In addition to his stellar efforts through the air, the dual-threat playmaker kept Texas’ defense on their toes with his legs, accumulating 41 rushing yards on 10 carries.

Now, with the Georgia Bulldogs next on the schedule, the primary question surrounding the program this week will be centered around the starting quarterback position and whether or not Sumrall makes the change to Jones.

The entire debate between Philo and Jones will first come down to whether Philo is even healthy to play this week against Georgia. When discussing the injury, Sumrall did not give an exact timeline for the return of the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback, but it was made clear that the injury was not season-ending. Obviously, if Philo is out this week against the Bulldogs, Jones will get another crack at the starting position in a critical matchup against a top-five program.

On the flip side, if Philo is fully healthy for Week 7, Sumrall must make a tough decision on naming his starting quarterback.

Both quarterbacks proved to be efficient within offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s system, as Philo and Jones both maintain a 70% completion rate this season. But the key difference between the players has nothing to do with their ability to throw the football; rather, it is what each quarterback can do on the ground.

There have been multiple examples of Philo using his legs to extend a play this season; however, Jones’ rushing ability brings a whole new element to the offense. Many SEC teams are beginning to shift their focus towards stopping star running back Jadan Baugh when facing the Gators, which is starting to limit his production on a weekly basis. Jones is the perfect counter to opposing defenses keying in on Baugh, as his legs force teams to account for another weapon in the run game.

Whether or not Philo is ready to go this week, the decision for Sumrall should be clear — Jones’ combination of efficiency through the air and his rushing ability puts the offense in a better spot during its upcoming brutal stretch of conference play.