Florida Hires Tulane's Jon Sumrall as New Head Coach

Sumrall brings success from the Group of Six to the SEC with hopes of leading the Gators back to the FBS Playoffs.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 3:49pm

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The University of Florida has hired Jon Sumrall, previously the head coach at Tulane, as their new head football coach. Sumrall had success at Tulane, leading the Green Wave to two straight conference championship games. Florida hopes Sumrall can continue that success in Gainesville and get the Gators back to the FBS Playoffs.

Why it matters

Florida is looking to rebound after a disappointing season under former head coach Billy Napier. Sumrall's track record of winning at Tulane has the Gators optimistic he can turn the program around and restore Florida as a national title contender.

The details

Sumrall, a former linebacker at Kentucky, spent the past two seasons as the head coach at Tulane in the American Athletic Conference. During his time with the Green Wave, he led the team to two straight conference championship game appearances, winning the title in 2025. Tulane's playoff run that year ended with a 41-10 loss to Ole Miss. Florida is hoping Sumrall can bring that same level of success to Gainesville. The Gators also brought in several key transfers, including quarterback Aaron Philo from Georgia Tech and wide receiver Eric Singleton from Auburn, to bolster the roster.

  • Sumrall was hired as Florida's new head coach in March 2026.
  • In 2024, Sumrall's Tulane team lost the AAC championship game.
  • In 2025, Sumrall's Tulane team won the AAC championship and earned a spot in the FBS playoffs.

The players

Jon Sumrall

The new head football coach at the University of Florida, previously the head coach at Tulane where he led the Green Wave to two straight conference championship game appearances.

Aaron Philo

A transfer quarterback from Georgia Tech who will compete for the starting job at Florida.

Eric Singleton

A transfer wide receiver from Auburn who will add depth to Florida's receiving corps.

Buster Faulkner

The new offensive coordinator at Florida, previously in the same role at Georgia Tech.

Jadan Baugh

A talented running back who was one of the best freshmen in the country last season and is expected to be a star for Florida in 2026.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Sumrall's success at Tulane has the Gators optimistic he can turn the program around and restore Florida as a national title contender, but he'll need to quickly get the team's talented transfers and returning players to mesh in order to make a playoff push in his first season.