Updated Dec. 26, 2025, 9:05 p.m. ET
The Florida football program has experienced significant turnover since the hiring of Jon Sumrall as its new coach, including the departure of once highly heralded quarterback DJ Lagway via the transfer portal.
The sophomore signal-caller played a significant role in saving Billy Napier’s job in 2024 while the Gators snapped a three-season sub-.500 streak. However, Lagway was plagued by injuries and poor performances this past season en route to the Gators’ 4-8 finish. Lagway’s 14 interceptions led the Southeastern Conference; many of them were rally killers for the Gators.
While backup Tramell Jones Jr. flashed potential in place of Lagway this past fall, Sumrall will need a much more proven leader under center to restore the program’s respectability. USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg recently suggested Notre Dame Fighting Irish backup Kenny Minchey as a potential option, but he does not bring the kind of clout this team needs to succeed.
So who should Florida target when the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2? The Athletic’s Manny Navarro predicts the Gators will go after former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets backup Aaron Philo, a 6-foot-2-inch, 220-pound redshirt junior with three years of eligibility remaining.
“Former Tulane coach Jon Sumrall hired Buster Faulkner away from Georgia Tech to be Florida’s new offensive coordinator, and it seems inevitable Philo will follow him to Gainesville,” Navarro offers.
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In a separate article, The Athletic’s Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales ranked the 14 best available quarterbacks who have declared their entry into the transfer portal. Philo ranks last among them, but the authors offer a positive outlook on the young man’s potential.
“Philo is intriguing. Because he was behind Haynes King, he took fewer offensive snaps in 2025 (63) than any of the players above him on this list. But what he has shown in his limited duty over the last two seasons has antennas up. In 180 snaps over the last two seasons, Philo is responsible for 29 explosive plays, a 3.4 percent explosive play rate, according to TruMedia. If he were a full-time starter, that would put him in the top 30 nationally in that time frame,” they note.
“What he’ll look like in a QB1 role remains an open question. He’s a solid passer, both from the pocket and on the run, with good ability to create outside the pocket. He’s not quite the battering ram King was, but he’s more than capable of moving the chains as a runner. With former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner joining Jon Sumrall’s staff at Florida, the Gators appear to be the likely destination.”
For what it is worth, Minchey is No. 12 on that list.
It appears that all three authors agree that Philo will land at Florida. Will he be a good fit? Stay tuned.
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