How Florida football QBs Aaron Philo, Tramell Jones Jr bonded this summer

Florida football quarterbacks Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. will continue an intense competition this month to determine who wins the starting job for the 2026 season.

Off the field, though, Philio and Jones look to build each other up, not tear each other down.

From golf outings to hosting offensive linemen for steak dinners, Philo and Jones have forged a bond that belies the jealousies that can emerge competing for the most important position on the football field. One of the two will start for the Florida Gators in their season opener against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 5 at The Swamp (7:45 p.m., SEC Network). But the other will need to be ready just in case.

“We’re very similar in a lot of ways,” Philo said. “Just how we approach everything in the building, outside the building. How we handle ourselves. So really just, I feel like we’ve learned a lot from each other and I feel like competing with each other, it’s easy to build off each other.”

Jones said he respects how Philo, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Georgia Tech, has helped him and other members of the team learn the offense. Philo played under new Florida football offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner last season when Faulkner called the plays for the Yellow Jackets.

“We want to see each other succeed, and I want to see him succeed for sure,” Jones said. “And I think that’s why we both get along so well because no matter who’s going on the field, we want to see the other person be good.”

football QBs Aaron Philo, Tramell Jones Jr. are bonding

An example of the bonding between Philo and Jones came during a recent golf outing. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson tagged along, though Wilson didn’t tell the two it was his first time playing golf.

“We had to tell him to stop.,” Philo said. “He was in the bunker one time and then he just couldn’t even get out of it. So, it was a little rough, but it was good to see him out there trying.”

Jones said the time on the golf course with Philo allowed the two to get to know each other on a more personal level.

“When he gets on the field you know how hard he is pushing to get on that next level,” Jones said. “So, when you see him on the field and know how hard he is pushing, you kind of look deeper than that. Because you know who he is off the field and what he’s going to bring to the table for us.”

Jones and Philo also arranged a dinner for UF’s offensive linemen at Hawkstone, a Gainesville country club. Former Gator and 2024 Olympic gold medal hurdler Grant Holloway spoke to the quarterbacks and linemen after dinner.

“Steak and lobster and some potatoes,” Jones said. “Everyone came together, It was a great night.”

Philo respects what Jones, a redshirt freshman from Mandarin High in Jacksonville who backed up DJ Lagway, brings to the quarterback position. Jones showed off his accuracy and arm strength during UF’s third practice of fall camp on August 7, hitting multiple receivers in stride.

“He’s a really smart player,” Philo said. “I think he understands the defense really well. Obviously he has a lot of zip on his ball. I think he’s got a really strong arm, but he’s a really smart player and really sharp.”

Philo brings the advantage of having played under Faulkner’s intricate system.

“He knows where everyone is,” Jones said. “He knows the process. Quick processor. He’s smart. Those are things that stand out because he knows where to go with the football. Quick delivery can make any throw. Has a great arm, and he’s very decisive.”

Jones said the feedback he received from UF coaches last spring centered on processing the offense more quickly. He feels like he’s made strides in that area over the summer.

“Going quickly through my reads, knowing where everyone’s at, motions, just process with the offense, getting everybody down fast, knowing where everyone’s at,” Jones said. “We have athletes. You can get those guys the ball fast, let them do what they need to do − and touchdown.”

Florida football coach Jon Sumrall said there is no timetable this camp on when he will make the starting quarterback decision. Faulkner said the starting quarterback needs to be “the toughest guy physically and mentally in the building.”

“You judge a quarterback really on how well does he perform on third down and two-minute drills,” Faulkner said. “Especially, like I said, in the SEC, obviously the NFL, that’s a big deal. So that’s something we’ll look forward to.

“They got to protect the football. We want to see how they protect the ball. We’re going to put them in a lot of tough situations. We’ll throw the ball more in camp than we probably have here in the past, just to kind of, you know, see where we’re at and see where those guys are.”

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: How Florida football QBs Aaron Philo, Tramell Jones Jr bonded this summer