Florida Spring Game: Tramell Jones Jr. makes a strong statement to be the starting quarterback for the Gators
The Florida Gators had their spring game on Saturday afternoon and the quarterback battle took center stage. Despite Aaron Philo being experienced in this offense, Tramell Jones Jr. arguably looked better on Saturday.
The Florida Gators had their spring game on Saturday afternoon, and it ended up being a barnburner. The biggest story coming into the game was the quarterback battle.
Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. are the top options for Gators head coach Jon Sumrall, and they performed well during the spring game.
- Philo: 18-24, 166 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
- Jones Jr.: 13-17, 210 yards, 2 touchdowns
Some pretty impressive numbers from both players, but the latter showcased why he should be the starting quarterback.
Tramell Jones Jr. makes spring game statement
Going into the game, Sumrall was clear that he wasn’t going to name a starting quarterback. That continued after the spring game.
“I think that room’s done good things as a whole. I’ll sit down with all those guys on Monday and have a really transparent conversation about, hey, after 15 practices, this is where we are. I’ll talk to them about, hey, if we had to play a game next week, this is probably what it would look like. I won’t make an announcement because we don’t play a game next week, but I want them to know kind of after we wrap up, I think our players, they deserve and earned.”
Gators HC Jon Sumrall
Even with that information, it was obvious that Jones was good during the spring game. He only got game action in two games as a true freshman, but he was good enough to earn the backup quarterback spot after a successful fall camp.
That growth continued in the spring game, as he attacked down the field with ease. His first touchdown pass was a beautifully thrown corner route to senior wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. The touch and the footwork are perfect.
Having a quarterback who can attack vertically downfield is huge for the success of an explosive passing offense. It wasn’t his only great throw of the game, as his second touchdown pass was to Micah Mays.
You couldn’t ask for a better throw from Jones, and executing the double move was excellent on the part of Mays. Seeing Jones hit both deep balls with that kind of accuracy is huge, and even more impressive considering that both Mays and Singleton are transfers who just got onto campus.
There are still months left until the Gators have to play their season opener, and Jones is going to be competing at every turn. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him win the job.
