Coaches Trade Jabs at Steve Spurrier Awards Ceremony

Cristobal, Smart, Mullen, and Sumrall engage in playful roast battle at annual event

Feb. 25, 2026 at 1:48am

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The annual Steve Spurrier Awards ceremony hosted by the former Florida Gators head coach turned into an all-out roast battle, as coaches including Mario Cristobal, Kirby Smart, Dan Mullen, and Jon Sumrall traded jabs on topics ranging from NIL, the transfer portal, rivalries, and the number of coaches Florida has fired in recent years.

Why it matters

The event showcased the playful rivalries and personalities of some of college football's top coaches, highlighting the competitive spirit and camaraderie within the sport, even as the landscape continues to evolve with NIL and the transfer portal.

The details

During the ceremony, Cristobal took a shot at Florida's loss to Miami last year, while Smart joked about the number of coaches the Gators have fired and the real estate success of Spurrier's daughter. Mullen reflected on his own tenure at Florida, and former Gators coach Doug Dickey poked fun at Spurrier's early coaching career. The roast battle demonstrated the coaches' ability to engage in friendly trash talk while maintaining respect for one another.

  • The Football Writer's Association of America (FWAA) held its annual Steve Spurrier Awards on Monday.

The players

Steve Spurrier

Former head coach of the Florida Gators, who hosted the annual awards ceremony.

Mario Cristobal

Head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, who was present to support one of his players.

Kirby Smart

Head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, who was present to support one of his players.

Dan Mullen

Former head coach of the Florida Gators, who was named First-Year Coach of the Year after leading UNLV to a 10-4 record.

Jon Sumrall

Current head coach of the Florida Gators, who was present at the event.

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What they’re saying

“Man, I'm in enemy territory. I feel like some of y'all are on Kirby's side. You guys are super professional. I never felt so welcome in enemy territory. Except last year at the Swamp, 41-17.”

— Mario Cristobal, Head Coach, Miami Hurricanes

“I don't know why you're over here laughing, too, Coach Sumrall. I gotta ask (Spurrier) a question. Your daughter is a realtor, did I hear that right? Is she the best realtor in Gainesville? One of the best. OK. Well, you're the fourth coach I've played since being at Georgia, so she's getting a lot of money selling houses. She's going through it.”

— Kirby Smart, Head Coach, Georgia Bulldogs

“I always knew that I'd win a coach of the year award here in Gainesville. Happened a couple of years later than I thought it might, but I always knew I'd win one... With the state of things here now, Coach Sumrall, I think eight wins probably get you the award next year.”

— Dan Mullen, Former Head Coach, Florida Gators

What’s next

The coaches will continue to face off on the field as their teams compete in the upcoming college football season.

The takeaway

The Spurrier Awards showcased the competitive spirit and camaraderie among college football's top coaches, as they engaged in friendly trash talk while maintaining respect for one another, even as the sport continues to evolve with new challenges like NIL and the transfer portal.