The biggest question facing the Florida football program heading into 2026 is who will start under center for Jon Sumrall’s debut campaign as head coach.
The Gators had a potential star in DJ Lagway, but between the dismissal of Billy Napier, a 4-8 finish to the season, and most importantly, a sophomore slump that was due to offseason injuries and lack of preparation, the former five-star recruit has decided to seek greener pastures via the transfer portal.
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So, it appears that the position is wide open heading into the Jan. 2 opening of the transfer portal. Will Florida stick with its in-house options or will Sumrall and Co. jump into the transfer portal for teir next signal caller?
The Athletic’s Antonio Morales attempted to answer that question in his look at where Power 4 teams stand heading into transfer portal season. Here is what he had to offer.
“The Gators will have a new quarterback with DJ Lagway on the move,” Morales begins.
“Does Tramell Jones Jr. have a chance to take over the starting role as a redshirt freshman? Is Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo a candidate to follow offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to Gainesville? This will be one of the more interesting programs to watch in the next few weeks.”
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It feels like another major “make-or-break” moment for the program, not long after Florida hitched its future on Sumrall’s potential. None of the options really move the needle, whether it is Jones, Philo or even Notre Dame Fighting Irish backup Kenny Minchey.
Whoever ends up starting under center on Sept. 5 will have the weight of the Gator Nation riding on his shoulders. Hopefully, he can thrive in a punishing SEC environment and lead the Orange and Blue to a winning campaign, which has evaded Gainesville in four of the past seasons.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football’s quarterback outlook heading into 2026
