After failing to secure the most coveted coach in the country, the Florida Gators announced Sunday the hiring of Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as the program’s next head coach at an average of nearly $7.5 million per year, with significant incentives tied to the College Football Playoff.
“The University of Florida is one of the premier programs in college football, and it’s an incredible honor to serve as the head football coach,” Sumrall said. “I believe in building a team rooted in toughness, accountability and a relentless competitive spirit. Florida has everything necessary to compete at the highest level—the resources, the support, the tradition and the passion of Gator Nation. My family and I are excited to get to work.
“One of my first priorities will be to assemble an incredible staff, including an offensive coordinator who understands that, at Florida, having an explosive offense isn’t optional – it’s mandatory!”
No. 23 Tulane (10-2), sitting at No. 24 in the CFP, goes up against No. 22 North Texas in the American Conference championship Friday to make a strong case for a playoff berth. The Gators will introduce Sumrall Monday at 3:15 p.m.
“Jon is a proven winner and an exceptional leader who has built successful programs at every stop,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. “He brings tremendous energy, strong recruiting relationships across our footprint, and a philosophy rooted in toughness, discipline, and player development.
“He will cultivate a daily culture of competitiveness, accountability, and winning that drives success on the field and throughout our program.”
Loading ...After a month-long saga that saw betting odds constantly flip between LSU and Florida to land Lane Kiffin, the Ole Miss coach is expected to take the Tigers into the next era of their football program after Brian Kelly’s midseason firing. What remains uncertain for Kiffin is whether he will be allowed to continue coaching Ole Miss in the postseason.
In six years with the Rebels, he was 55-19 in a difficult SEC. Ole Miss didn’t try to hide its extensive efforts to extend the coach and keep him in Oxford, but with both LSU and Florida in the rumor mill offering seemingly unlimited resources, Kiffin ultimately decided Baton Rouge was the best place for him to compete for a national championship.
“While I am looking forward to a new start with a unique opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the incredible six years I spent at Ole Miss and will be rooting hard for the team to complete their mission and bring a championship to Oxford.” Kiffin wrote.
After Billy Napier’s disappointing 22-23 record led to his anticipated firing, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin promised the fan base he would look at the elite candidates rather than poaching another coach from a Group of Five team like Napier. Sumrall is 42-11 in four seasons as a head coach, including a 1-1 bowl record.
“I will conduct the search with a high degree of confidentiality to protect the privacy of those involved,” Stricklin said Oct. 19 after firing Napier. “The search will focus on the hiring of an elite football coach who will embody the standard we have at the University of Florida, and we will continue to provide all of the necessary resources for that coach, his staff and the players to be successful.
He will take over an LSU roster that went 7-5 overall (3-5 SEC) this season, but undoubtedly has resources. Kiffin will also bring some talent in the transfer portal to shape the Rebels roster how he sees fit.
The coaching dominoes continued to fall Sunday with reports of Auburn hiring Alex Golesh as head coach on a six-year deal, according to Thamel.
Sumrall, 43, played linebacker at Kentucky (2002-04) and returned to his alma mater as an assistant for three years before becoming Troy’s head coach in 2022. He won consecutive Sun Belt championships in two seasons with the Trojans and is 19-7 in his two years with Tulane, leading the Green Wave to the American championship game both seasons.
He will become the fifth head coach at UF since Urban Meyer, who led the Gators to two national championships, stepped down in 2010. Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen led Florida to pockets of success before Napier’s unsuccessful turn (22-23) from 2022.
Speculation had Sumrall as a candidate at Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss.
