Florida might be getting their starting quarterback Aaron Philo back for Saturday’s monster SEC showdown against No. 3 Georgia in Atlanta, but don’t expect Coach Jon Sumrall to spill the beans on who’s actually under center. Philo, who missed that huge win on October 17 against then-No. 7 Texas with a bum throwing shoulder, was out there practicing Monday, splitting first-team reps with backup Tramell Jones Jr. Seriously? Jones just delivered a historic road victory against a top-10 squad, and it’s still an open competition?
The QB Conundrum: Philo’s Return vs. Jones’s Grit
Philo’s injury goes back to October 10, when he got dinged up late in a home loss to South Carolina. He even made the trip to Austin as the emergency QB, watching Jones do work. And what work it was! Jones stepped up big time, becoming the first Florida quarterback since Jesse Palmer way back in 1997 to win his first career start on the road against a top-10 team. He completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards, slinging two touchdowns with zero interceptions. Plus, he scrambled for 41 yards on 10 carries, including a clutch third-and-7 keeper that iced the game. That’s a performance that makes you say, “This kid’s got it!”
But Coach Sumrall is playing it close to the vest, saying he needs to see how both QBs get through practice this week. He’s talking about “health and availability,” the “full body of work,” and “most recent activities.” He even dropped a line about, “If one guy goes out all week and practices really good and the other guy doesn’t, then that’ll tell me something.” Come on, coach, this is Georgia! The Gators are 5-2 overall, 3-2 in the SEC. Every snap matters. You’d think the guy who just delivered the goods gets the nod, but Sumrall keeps saying, “I’ve said the whole time I think we can win with either guy.” Talk about keeping everyone guessing, especially No. 3 Georgia.
Bumps, Bruises, and a Much-Needed Boost
Here’s the kicker though: Jones, the hero of the Texas game, is also expected to pop up on Wednesday night’s injury report. Sumrall wouldn’t go into specifics, but he confirmed Jones has been dealing with “a couple of bumps and bruises” since taking down the Longhorns. Sumrall even joked, “We pulled the guy fresh out of that garage and he goes and plays, and he got a couple fender benders.” He noticed it last week, and Jones was apparently saying he didn’t feel great. Welcome to SEC football, indeed, kid!
But it’s not all question marks for Florida’s offense. They’re getting some serious speed back in receiver Vernell Brown III. He’s been out for over a month, missing the last three games thanks to a sprained right knee he picked up in the home win against then-No. 4 Ole Miss back on September 26. Sumrall called it the “lowest-grade strain,” but Brown just wasn’t feeling 100%. This guy is electric! He’s got 17 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns on the season, AND he’s returned five punts for 173 yards and two scores. That’s a game-changer! Sumrall confirmed, “VB looks really good, practiced last week, practiced (Monday). He looks normal to me. … He looked like he was feeling pretty good.” Whoever is throwing the ball on Saturday, having VB III back is a massive shot in the arm.
So, the Gators are heading into Atlanta against third-ranked Georgia with their starting QB potentially back, their heroic backup banged up, and a dynamic receiver finally healthy. Who gets the start at QB? Sumrall isn’t telling, and it makes Saturday’s game against Georgia even more of a wild card. This is gonna be a barn burner!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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