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After coach Jon Sumrall named redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo the starting quarterback on Monday, Philo and redshirt freshman quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. spoke to the media on Tuesday about the battle, how they’ll compete going forward, and what they each want to continue working on.
Philo on winning the battle, and going forward
Philo was happy to be named the starting quarterback, but he’s not content with just being named the starter. He wants to be the quarterback to bring Florida football back to national prominence.
“I’m very blessed, very honored, and it’s something that I’ve worked my whole life to get to,” Philo said. “I definitely don’t take it lightly, and I’m going to do everything in my power to bring Florida back.”
Not being complacent starts in practices for Philo, and he knows he has to consistently be at his best with Jones Jr. right behind him.
“Tramell pushes me each and every day, so I understand that I have to go out there and I have to perform,” Philo said. “Practicing with him each and every day, he pushes me to be my best.”
One of the things Philo has worked on the most is limiting turnovers, but when one does happen, he uses lessons from his time playing baseball to help him move on.
“I used to pitch in baseball, and if you throw a ball, you got to move on to the next pitch, and it’s kind of like that in football,” Philo said. “Something happens; you got to move on to the next play.”
To avoid turnovers, he said the biggest thing for him is realizing when to pick his spots in throwing the ball down the field.
Even though he was named the starter, Philo expressed full confidence in Jones.
“I feel like we can both go out there and we can both win games for this football program, and I’m extremely confident in him,” Philo said.
Switching to his focus on his starting offensive line, Philo said they have gotten significantly better over the course of the offseason.
“They’ve grown so much just throughout the spring and throughout the summer; they’ve battled their butts off,” Philo said. “I’m really excited for them to see them go out play.”
Outside of limiting turnovers, understanding different pass protections is an area of the game Philo said he wants to improve. More continuity on his offensive line is something he thinks will help him understand the protections.
Jones Jr. on continuing to compete
Despite being disappointed in losing the battle, Jones Jr. said that he is still fully focused on competing.
“I had two choices to make: I can either lay my head down, shy away from an opportunity, or I can keep getting better, keep developing in the offense, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” Jones Jr. said.
Despite losing the battle out of training camp, Jones Jr. was complimentary of his growth as a player over the last year, specifically since the spring. He said his comfort level in offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s system has grown significantly since the spring and summer.
Even though he was named the backup, Jones didn’t lose confidence because his teammates showed they still believe in him.
“We lifted, then came back in the locker room, and then it broke, and a whole bunch of guys started coming up to me, like the whole team, to be honest,” Jones Jr. said. “My confidence came because the team really believed in me.”
The confidence isn’t just from the players, Sumrall had Jones speak to the media to show his confidence in Jones Jr. hadn’t wavered.
Jones Jr. said he is still preparing like he is the starter, and he is fully focused on the team and Philo’s success. Staying prepared with mental repetitions and not changing his practice habits are how Jones said he can stay prepared.
“If you stay ready, then your preparation throughout the week is showing the game,” Jones Jr. said. “If you stay ready, you won’t have to get ready.”
Despite his determination to be prepared to be the starter, it will be Philo leading the offense onto the field against Florida Atlantic on September 5. Kickoff is at 7:45 pm.
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