Take Five Breakdown: The Jon Sumrall Era Begins

Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators

• Florida Football Preseason Superlatives
• Notebook: Depth chart released
• Former Florida Football Player Roundtable I
• Post-Fall Camp Ranking of Florida position-by-position
• Notebook: Philo named starting quarterback
• Updated Fall Football Roster
• Tulane player goes in-depth on Sumrall

The Jon Sumrall era officially begins on Saturday, as the Florida Gators open up the 2026 football season at home against Florida Atlantic. The Gators missed the AP Poll’s Top 25 list, coming in with only 51 votes. This season is a chance for the program to rebrand and rebuild, as only half of the team are returning players. To learn more about who the Gators face for their season debut, Inside the Gators spoke with Robbie Lastella, freelance sports writer for FAU.

Five FAU Owls to Know

Caden Veltkamp, Quarterback, Graduate Student

• You absolutely have to know his name heading into Saturday. He led the FBS in completions per game (28.8) and was third in pass yards per game (303.4) last season. However, the quarterback did throw the most interceptions in the FBS (17). This is a defining season for Veltkamp as he will most likely declare for the NFL draft in January. However, he will need to stay healthy. The quarterback suffered a shoulder injury last season that he played through and had surgery during the off-season. He did not take any reps in spring, including in FAU’s spring game, so Saturday’s live game reps should be an interesting test and judgement of where he is at.

Easton Messer, Wide Receiver, Fifth Year Senior

• Another big name for the Owls is Easton Messer. Since transferring from Western Kentucky alongside Caden Veltkamp, Messer has been an offensive weapon for the Owls, leading the conference with 104 receptions for 1,052 yards last season. Similar to Veltkamp, Messer had the opportunity to declare for the NFL draft, as he is a fifth year senior, but he ultimately decided to come back for one last run. This season he was named to the preseason All-Conference First Teams for Phil Steele and Athlon Magazine, is on the preseason Paul Hornung Award Watch List, and he was selected to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. Messer and Veltkamp are also close friends and have been roommates since their freshman year at Western Kentucky. Even through the ups and downs of the programs they have been at, their connection and chemistry is why they lead an elite air raid offense.

Leon Hart Jr., Linebacker, Graduate Student

• Leon Hart Jr. is going to be a big piece for this team. Hart finished the season with 96 tackles and one sack. In last year’s season opener against Maryland, he led the team with 12 tackles, including five solo. Hart is another guy who could have hit the transfer portal, but with his return, the Owls are optimistic about his role on the defensive side of the ball.

CJ Doggette Jr., Defensive Lineman, Graduate Student

• Doggette joined the Owls in 2025 after transferring from Ohio. In 2024, he had a pretty solid year for the Bobcats in terms of rushing the passer, and as a run defender. Last season, with FAU, he finished with 28 tackles and four sacks for 27 yards. Doggette was named to the preseason Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list for best defensive player and the Rimington Trophy watch list for best interior lineman. He also found himself ranking at a cozy No. 42 on the Athletic’s “College Football ‘Freaks’ List.” Doggette coming back is another huge point of retention for the Owls.

Kelby Valsin, Wide Receiver, Senior

• My final player to watch out for is the Texas Tech transfer, Kelby Valsin. Valsin appeared in all 14 games in 2025, finishing with three catches for 35 yards and a single punt return. He played for Coach Kittley (Offensive Coordinator at the time) at Texas Tech, and then transferred to FAU this off-season. Valsin is fast and in the spring game, he had a couple of solid targets in the endzone, recorded a touchdown, and displayed his elite route running. If FAU gets in the red zone on saturday, he will definitely be one to look out for.

Five Fast Facts

• The Gators are 4-0 all-time against FAU.
• The two teams have not faced one another since 2021, when Florida beat FAU 35-14.
• FAU Head Coach, Zach Kittley, is the youngest active FBS head coach. The team went 4-8 last year, in his first season.
• The Owls have the third longest active losing streaks vs. power conference teams (33), since the power conference era began in 1998.
• The Gators are 27.5-favorites against the Owls.

Five Game Day Storylines

Jon Sumrall’s Debut

• Probably one of, if not the biggest, storyline surrounding Saturday’s game is Jon Sumrall’s debut in the Swamp. All eyes will be on Sumrall, his staff, and what the team has accomplished in the off-season. Sumrall is coming from Tulane, another American conference school, so, he is not unfamiliar with FAU. The two programs faced off on November 15, 2025, where he led the Green Wave to a 35-24 win over the Owls. He has a chance to repeat that on Saturday with his new squad. But if he does not, the conversation around Florida’s new head coach could change quickly.

FAU’s Elite Passing Offense

• If there is one thing to know about FAU football, it is that they have an elite passing offense. Last season, they led the FBS with 340.2 passing yards per game. It should not be much different this year, as they were able to retain some of those key offensive playmakers this season. While the run game was not as productive as the passing attack last season, the Owls still have the chance to make things difficult for Florida’s defense.

Aaron Philo Has the Start

• Another big storyline this offseason for Florida has been who the starting quarterback will be. Well, we have our answer, and it is former Georgia Tech quarterback, Aaron Philo. Last season, he completed 75% of his passes (21 of 28) for 373 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Philo already has experience under the offensive system, since he played under Offensive Coordinator Buster Faulkner at Georgia Tech. Gator Nation is a little conflicted on the coaching staff’s decision, with some people believing Tramell Jones should be the starter. But no matter how you feel, the decision is made and it is time to hop on the Philo train. FAU will not be Florida’s hardest test this season, but it gives Philo a chance to prove himself to Gator Nation. His debut will shape how fans judge him and the offense, moving forward.

Caden Veltkamp Returns

• There is a lot of buzz down in south florida over starting quarterback, Caden Veltkamp, returning for his second season with the Owls. Veltkamp is a graduate student, so he had the choice to transfer for his final season, or to declare for the 2026 NFL draft. Well, he chose neither. Veltkamp was a huge reason for the Owls’ elite offense last year, and if he stays healthy, he might bring some big success to the program this season. Florida might want to get a few sacks in on Saturday to keep his passing production at bay…

Retention

• Retention is not easy to get in a G5 program, but FAU bucked that trend. The Owls are tied for the most returning starters (11) in the American conference, alongside Navy and Army. Even though the overall output last season was not great (going 4-8), the big pieces that performed well, stayed put. So, there is a lot of optimism around the program this year. On the other hand, Florida struggled a little more with bringing back starters. With the depth chart released Monday, August 31, only seven of the Gators’ starters are returners. However, Jon Sumrall’s “core five” are back: Jadan Baugh (RB), Vernell Brown III (WR), Myles Graham (LB), Dallas Wilson (WR) and Jayden Woods (JACK), so that should be enough to ease any worries for Gator fans.

Prediction

• Ross: 43-22
• Lastella: 48-31

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