Despite leading Tulane to the playoffs, Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall lands behind veteran peers in recent rankings. Can his Urban Meyer-like energy finally break the cycle of coaching disappointments?
After four successful years with two conference championships, 40 wins, and 12 losses, a Group of 6 coach was given an opportunity to coach the Florida Gators.
That resume was Billy Napier's after four seasons at Louisiana before he arrived in Gainesville in 2022.
Jon Sumrall had similar numbers during his two seasons at Troy and two seasons at Tulane, winning three conference championships and going 43-12 overall in four years. However, Sumrall did lead Tulane to the 12-team College Football Playoff, something Napier didn't have the opportunity to make at Louisiana.
So will things be different for Sumrall at Florida than they were for Napier?
There's reason to believe so based on Sumrall's actions this spring. He's bringing an infectious energy that is reminiscent of legendary coach Urban Meyer. Still, he has yet to coach a game for Florida, and we'll learn more about the direction of the program in September.
USA Today ranked Sumrall as the No. 22 best coach in the country, noting that he has more to prove in the SEC before he climbs the rankings.
This might be the last chance to buy low on Sumrall stock. He won more than 78% of his games in four seasons as a Group of Six coach. He took Tulane to the CFP. Sure, he must still prove himself in the SEC, but there’s no reason to think he can’t reinvigorate Florida.
"He played in this conference. He’s worked in it, too, as an assistant. Sumrall became a hot commodity on the coaching carousel. He’s a good consolation prize for Florida after it missed on Kiffin.
Sure, Sumrall needs to punch above his weight at Florida this year before he cracks the top 15, but USA Today put Houston head coach Willie Fritz at No. 20 after he went 10-3 last season. He's 222–127 as a college head coach.
It's curious why Sumrall is behind Fritz after leading Tulane to the CFP last season. While Fritz has a history of turning around programs, there's a reason why Sumrall was thought of as a top consolation prize for Lane Kiffin.
