Who is Jon Sumrall? Florida Gators new football head coach
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Jon Sumrall of the Tulane Green Wave talks to an official during the game against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field on November 22, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaiah Vaz
The Florida Gators have hired Tulane's Jon Sumrall to be its next football head coach, the university announced on Sunday.
ESPN and the Associated Press, citing sources, broke the news in separate reports that the Gators were finalizing a deal to hire Sumrall.
The Gators fired Billy Napier as the team's head coach in October after four seasons – and a disappointing start to the 2025 season. Napier's Gator record ended at 22-23.
"Known for his energy, leadership, program-building skills and consistent results, Sumrall will officially take over the Gators program following the conclusion of Tulane's season," UF said in a news release.
American Athletic Conference Championship
Tulane competes in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game on Dec. 5. A win would mean Tulane would likely compete in the College Football Playoffs.
"Jon Sumrall is a proven winner and an exceptional leader who has built successful programs at every stop," Stricklin said.
"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. Jon fully understands the expectations at the University of Florida, including our expectations to produce championship teams that feature a dynamic offense, and we're excited to welcome him and his family to Gator Nation."
What they're saying:
"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!"
Who is Jon Sumrall?
Jon Sumrall was hired to lead Tulane University's football team in December 2023 – the school's 42nd football head coach, according to his online bio.
Before that, he coached the team at Troy University. He also was the linebackers coach at Ole Miss in 2018. Before that, he was the co-defensive coordinator at Tulane.
He played football at the University of Kentucky as a linebacker. He was redshirted as a freshman, according to his online bio. He graduated with a degree in finance and served as a graduate assistant for the Wildcats during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Sumrall has several accomplishments under his belt. He led Troy University to a 23-4 record, two Sun Belt Conference championships, double-digital winning steaks, and was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, according to his Tulane University bio.
Twice, he's been a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
Coaching history
2024-25 Head Coach, Tulane
2022-23 Head Coach, Troy
2021 Defensive Coordinator, Kentucky
2019-20 Assistant Coach, Inside Linebackers, Kentucky
2018 Assistant Coach, Linebackers, Ole Miss
2015-17 Assistant Head Coach, Linebackers/Special Teams, Troy
2012-14 Defensive Coordinator, Tulane
2010-11 Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, San Diego
2007-09 Defensive Line, San Diego
2005-06 Graduate Assistant, Kentucky
The Source: The Florida Gators announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall Sunday afternoon in a news release. Additional info pulled from ESPN, Association Press, and online bios at Tulane University, Troy University, and University of Kentucky.