Florida Has a Quarterback Question Again: Philo or Jones Against Oklahoma, and Vernell Brown III Has a Setback
No. 25 Florida officially has quarterback uncertainty. Coach Jon Sumrall put an 'or' between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. on the depth chart Monday after both threw two turnovers in the 27-8 loss to Georgia, and receiver Vernell Brown III - 17 catches, 271 yards and two punt-return touchdowns in September - had a setback in his recovery from a sprained right knee and is unlikely to face Oklahoma on Saturday.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - No. 25 Florida officially has quarterback uncertainty, the Associated Press reported in the file read by the Florida Desk this run. Coach Jon Sumrall tweaked his depth chart Monday by putting an “or” between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr., listing them as co-first-teamers for Saturday's game against Oklahoma in the Swamp.
The change follows the 27-8 loss to Georgia in Atlanta on Saturday, in which Sumrall benched Philo after two interceptions and Jones replaced him in the second quarter and committed two more turnovers. “I need both of them to be ready to be our starter at any point,” Sumrall said. “We're going to move forward with, 'Hey man, both of you guys are competing every day.'” He confirmed a plan is in place to assess the position through the week but does not intend to name a starter publicly ahead of the contest. Florida is 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the SEC; Oklahoma is 4-4 and 2-3, and Saturday's 7:45 p.m. kickoff on the SEC Network is the Sooners' first-ever trip to the Swamp and the schools' first meeting as SEC opponents.
Sumrall's harder point was about the men in front of whoever starts. Florida's offensive line has been so porous that it is difficult to tell which quarterback gives the Gators a better chance, the AP reported. “I don't know if Tom Brady was our quarterback on Saturday if it would have helped us,” Sumrall said. “And I'm not trying to be a smart aleck. He would have been under too much duress and pressure to operate.” Both quarterbacks practiced Monday.
Whoever starts likely will not have receiver Vernell Brown III. Brown had a setback last week in his recovery from a sprained right knee, missed his fourth consecutive game against Georgia, had his knee drained last Thursday and had another treatment Monday. He has 17 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns this season and has returned two punts for scores. “He wants to play. He's doing everything he can to play,” Sumrall said. “It's a real injury that we thought we were on the other side of that he had a setback last week, and it sucks.” Running back Duke Clark, by contrast, practiced Monday and could be available. Quotes in this story are the AP's and 247Sports' reported quotes from Sumrall's Monday press conference, carried as reported.
