Florida football players, coaches remain confident in QB Aaron Philo
· Yahoo Sports
It's not easy being a first-year starting quarterack in the SEC.
Florida football junior Aaron Philo is learning the hard way.
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Philo turned the ball over twice in UF's 38-19 homecoming loss to South Carolina, dropping to 4-2 as the starting quarterback for the Florida Gators. But Florida players and coaches still expressed confidence in the 6-foot-1, 207-pound Georgia Tech transfer, who ranks eighth in the SEC in passing yardage (223.5 yards per game) and second in completion percentage (70.5 %).
"Losing is not fun," Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said. "One thing about him, he takes it personal. That's why I like him. So, the last two weeks haven't been fun for anybody. That's not what any of us want to do. And he definitely knows. He's the quarterback of the football team. It all starts with him and that's just the reality of the position."
Faulkner said that other than the fumble on the scramble into the teeth of South Carolina's defense and the interception on a route to Bailey Stockton, Philo played within himself against the Gamecocks, His best throw came on a 59-yard catch-and-run TD pass in the first quarter to wide receiver Bailey Stockton.
"He was throwing the ball on time," Faulkner said. "He was taking what the defense gives him. I thought he looked more comfortable probably this week, and was seeing it a lot better than really he was the week before.
"He plays extremely hard, smart. You know, he's done a lot of really good things. He's still, what, seven games as a starter in this league, and he's got a lot of football left to play."
Philo was not made available to reporters this week, but Florida sophomore receiver Dallas Wilson said he's remaining a positive presence in the locker room.
“We were literally just lifting," Wilson said. "That’s my boy. He always has got a smile on his face and is always known to be a leader. So, the offense, we never lost confidence at all. We still the same offense. There’s just some things we have got to work on."
Can Florida football QB Aaron Philo, team regroup against Texas?
Faulkner said one of the keys is for Florida to play better around Philo when UF next plays on Saturday, October 17 at No. 6 Texas (noon, ABC). UF's receiving corps has been banged up, with wide receiver Vernell Brown III out the last two games and Eric Singleton Jr. at less than 100 percent. Faulkner said Singleton has been a full-go this week in practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury on September 5 against FAU.
"Getting some continuity there is going to be, you know, hopefully ignite us, because he is an explosive guy," Faulkner said.
Protection has been another issue. Philo was sacked just twice in UF's first four games. He's been sacked six times in UF's back-to-back losses against Missouri and South Carolina. The inability to generate the ground game (81.5 ypg during UF's two-game losing streak) has resulted in Florida getting into more third-and-long downs.
"We've got to be able, again, go back to staying on schedule, being more detailed, being able to hey when we're 2nd-and-8 we got to be in a 3rd-and-4 and not 3rd-and-nine, alright," Faulkner said. "And then the same thing when you're playing catch up in the second half, it takes all the play-action game out of the equation because they're able to pin their ears back."
Florida football coach Jon Sumrall said he isn't looking to make a change at quarterback as long as Philo stays healthy.
"Philo, honestly, with his decision-making was decent, was good," Sumrall said. "I think there's some things − I go back to the throw to Bailey (Stockton) on the empty option route, was a little bit hot. Could have maybe had a little bit more touch and waited for him to get open. But his performance wasn't such that, like: you played so bad that you cost us by yourself. There's a lot of things around him that need to go better."
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football players, coaches remain confident in QB Aaron Philo