GAINESVILLE — Florida head coach Jon Sumrall has a big decision to make: Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. at quarterback?

Meanwhile, the Gators expect sophomore playmaker Vernell Brown III to provide a boost and make his long-awaited return during Saturday’s showdown with rival Georgia.

Philo practiced fully Monday after a shoulder injury sidelined him Oct. 17 at Texas, Sumrall said. In Philo’s absence, Jones stepped in and helped lead the Gators to a 27-24 upset in his first career start.

Sumrall, though, dismissed any idea of a quarterback controversy, recalling Philo’s reaction after Jones took the final snap in Austin.

“The first person to go over to Tramell after the kneel to win the game against Texas, first person to go dap him up was Philo,” Sumrall said. “They’re for each other.”

Only one, however, will start against No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) as No. 17 Florida (5-2, 3-2) pushes to build on the Texas win and remain in SEC contention.

Sumrall said he aims to decide on who will handle the majority of first-team reps by Wednesday, adding, “I’m probably not going to make some big formal announcement.”

Florida’s first-year coach is confident in whoever takes the first snap Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

“Both guys are available; believe in both guys,” he said. “I’ve always said the whole time I think we can win with either guy.”

Whoever gets the starting nod will handle the bulk of the snaps against the Bulldogs’ SEC-leading scoring defense, a unit allowing an average of just 15.9 points.

“We can play both,” Sumrall said. “Once we start the game, it’s that guy’s game usually, depending how he plays.”

Florida’s quarterback also stands to benefit from Brown’s return. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound receiver has missed three games because of a knee injury suffered at the end of a 6-yard run during the Gators’ 52-28 win Sept. 26 against Ole Miss.

Listed as questionable leading up to the past three games, Brown never made it onto the field. At Texas, Brown stood on the sideline in full equipment after appearing less than 100% healthy during warm-ups, according to Sumrall.

But the former Orlando Jones standout practiced last week and again Monday.

“I’ll put it like this: everyday, the last couple weeks, when he’s been running, I’m like, ‘Hey, how you feeling today?’” Sumrall said. “Because there’s been some times I’ve wondered, that it didn’t quite look right. Today he looked good. I didn’t go up to him and ask ‘Hey, how you feeling?’

“I just let him practice and he looked like he was feeling pretty good.”

The Gators’ offense is better with Brown on the field.

During losses Oct. 3 at Missouri and Oct. 10 against South Carolina in the Swamp, Florida clearly missed Brown’s explosiveness on the perimeter in the screen game, his ability to create separation with defenders and his threat as a punt returner.

At the time of his injury, Brown had a team-leading 17 catches and 271 receiving yards for two touchdowns, along with two punt-return scores during Florida’s Sept. 12 win against Campbell.

“I was telling somebody earlier that I don’t think anybody in the country can guard 1 (Brown’s number),” star tailback Jadan Baugh said Monday. “1 is different. Having him on the field, he opened up the field just with his presence.”

With Brown sidelined, Philo struggled in each loss to find his rhythm in each loss. He completed 42-of-62 passes (68%) for 424 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt, with two touchdowns and one interception while taking six sacks.

During Florida’s 4-0 start, the Georgia Tech transfer was 63-of-87 passing (72%) for 917 yards, averaging 10.5 yards per attempt, with six touchdowns and two interceptions while taking two sacks.

While Jones steered the offense, he didn’t fill up the stat sheet at Texas. He finished 22 of 35 for 155 yards, averaging a meager 4.4 yards per attempt, with two touchdowns. The sophomore from Jacksonville, though, made several critical throws, including a 17-yard completion on fourth-and-12 with 51 seconds remaining in the half and Florida trailing 17-3.

Three plays later, he found tight end Lacota Dippre for his first of two touchdown passes to the James Madison transfer.

Jones also ran for 52 yards, excluding an 11-yard sack. In the game’s final two minutes, he gained 9 yards on third-and-7 to ice the game.

“He stepped up big,” center Harrison Moore said Monday. “Something we preach a lot here is next man up. Everybody’s one play away from their role changing or stepping into the light. And he did a really good job.

“That boils down to he prepared like he was a starter every single week.”

Jones will prepare the same way this week, and might be rewarded with his second collegiate start. He’ll do so with a better understanding of what Philo endured during Florida’s first six games.

“He’s got a couple of bumps and bruises, too, now,” Sumrall said. “Pulled the guy fresh out of that garage and he goes and plays, and he got a couple fender benders. I noticed it last week. I’m like, ‘Are you alright?’ And he’s like ‘Yeah, I got this going on and don’t feel great here.’

“Welcome to SEC football.”

No team on the schedule embodies the SEC ethos like Georgia, the two-time reigning conference champion. Coach Kirby Smart’s squad is fast, physical and relentless.

Philo or Jones will find out soon who will be staring into the teeth of the Bulldogs’ defense on Florida’s first snap. Gator Nation is eager for an answer.

“I know that’s probably been a big point of conversation,” Sumrall said. “We need both of those guys ready to play. That’s what I’ll say. And I do believe in both of them being ready to play.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Up next

What: No. 17 UF (5-2, 3-2 SEC) vs. No. 3 Georgia (6-1, 4-1)

When: 3:30 p.m., Saturday

Where:Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

TV: ABC

Source: Yahoo Sports