Florida is about to rent Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall as its subsequent head coach, a supply briefed on the choice mentioned.
Sumrall, 43, turned a high goal because the Gators light within the competitors to land Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin. Sumrall replaces Billy Napier, who was fired in October halfway by way of his fourth season.
Sumrall has a 42-11 document in profitable runs at a pair of Group of 5 applications; he has led his staff to the convention championship sport in every of his 4 seasons as a head coach. This yr, he has No. 24 Tulane (10-2) in subsequent week’s American Convention championship sport with an opportunity to earn a School Soccer Playoff bid if it beats North Texas.
Sumrall is anticipated to educate Tulane within the Playoff if it will get in, the supply mentioned.
Earlier than taking up the Inexperienced Wave two years in the past, he inherited a Troy program that was 10-13 within the two seasons earlier than his arrival. He received 23 of his 27 video games with two Solar Belt titles.
Sumrall has deep roots within the SEC and Southeast. He grew up in Huntsville, Ala. — which explains why he was additionally a candidate in Auburn’s teaching search. He performed linebacker at Kentucky and was a place coach at Ole Miss and the Wildcats. He was Mark Stoops’ co-defensive coordinator in 2021 when Kentucky upset No. 10 Florida.
Sumrall will attempt to revitalize a Florida program that has underachieved for a lot of the final 15 years. Napier’s 22-23 document by way of three and a half seasons was the worst by a Gators head coach in 75 years (excluding interims). He was the fourth consecutive coach who did not final 4 full seasons, following Dan Mullen, Jim McElwain and Will Muschamp. The job, nevertheless, has improved. After lagging behind in amenities, Florida opened its $85 million football-only complicated in 2022 and allowed Napier to construct one of many largest assist staffs within the nation. The Gators completed this season 4-8 after defeating Florida State on Saturday.
Certainly one of Sumrall’s first jobs might be to win over a skeptical fan base. Though LSU and Ole Miss additionally wished to get (or maintain) Kiffin, the pull felt deeper with the Gators. Kiffin’s potential to area high-scoring offenses and needle opponents together with his quips made him the modern-day model of Gators legend Steve Spurrier. As an alternative of hiring the highest candidate within the teaching carousel who felt like a match, Florida obtained one other Group of 5 coach from the state of Louisiana.
Historical past offers a silver lining of types for Florida. Eight years in the past, the Gators regarded right into a pair of different high-profile, in-demand coaches. They obtained neither. Former Oregon/NFL head coach Chip Kelly took the UCLA job, and UCF’s Scott Frost selected a homecoming at Nebraska. Florida employed Mullen, who felt like a No. 3 possibility however outperformed Kelly and Frost by going 34-15 with three appearances in New Yr’s Six bowl video games.
It’s the second consecutive time the Gators have employed a Group of 5 coach nonetheless vying for a convention title. Florida allowed Napier to maintain teaching Louisiana for an additional week as he began recruiting and constructing his new workers. It’s unclear what Sumrall and the Gators will do that time with the Inexperienced Wave.
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