While the quarterback battle draws attention, Florida's true offensive line instability creates pre-camp unease, impacting crucial protection.
New Florida head coach Jon Sumrall suggested that he was most worried about the trenches before training camp this summer.
The Gators are loaded at receiver and running back. The defense has plenty of capable pieces. However, the offensive line is not yet set in stone after spring football, and that seems to be more pressing than the quarterback battle.
“Now look, I completely understand the interest in it, I’m interested in it," Sumrall said of the quarterback battle. "But I’m interested in like 1,000 other things. And so I think too often, the storyline is always the quarterback, the quarterback, the quarterback.
"I’m like, well, I’m pretty (expletive) worried about who the right tackle is and who the left tackle is who. So those decisions are as important, to be quite honest with you, because they’re protecting the quarterback.”
Sumrall and the coaching staff are trying to find the right combination that works for the upcoming season.
Much attention has been focused on Florida's quarterback competition between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. this spring. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports believes Philo will win the starting job.
However, that doesn't mean Florida is really set at quarterback. Crawford ranked Philo as the No. 46 best quarterback in the country and the 13th best signal caller in the SEC.
"Labeled an under-the-radar transfer this spring, Philo comes to Gainesville from Georgia Tech, where he backed up Haynes King last season," Crawford wrote.
"Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner asked him to join him with the Gators after leaving the Yellow Jackets as well. Jon Sumrall hopes the pairing could be the answer for first-year success in the SEC after winning big at Tulane the last couple of seasons."
The offense could be a mess in Sumrall's first season with the team if the five men ip front and quarterback are unable to get on the same page before the start of the season.
Both quarterbacks had issues during spring ball, with Philo struggling with turnovers while trying to push the ball downfield. It could take a few games for Philo to become more comfortable running the offense.