Florida Gators Name Aaron Philo as Starting QB for Week 1

The Florida Gators have officially named Aaron Philo as their starting quarterback for the upcoming season opener against Florida Atlantic on September 5. This announcement was made by head coach Jon Sumrall on Monday, following the departure of DJ Lagway, who has transferred to the Baylor Bears.

Aaron Philo, who previously served as a backup at Georgia Tech, has limited in-game experience, having attempted only 102 passes over the last two seasons. He completed 59 of those attempts for a total of 938 yards, along with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Additionally, Philo has contributed 95 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

The Gators' schedule includes challenging matchups against several ranked teams, particularly in weeks 3 to 9, where they will face five Top 25 opponents, including No. 5 Texas and No. 3 Georgia. Philo will need to navigate this tough slate to help the Gators regain their competitive edge in the SEC.