If the SEC is going to return to the top, its to-do list prominently includes successful rebuilding jobs at those two schools. The 2025 rise of Vanderbilt and Mississippi was great, but the ceiling is arguably higher at Auburn and Florida.<\/p>\n
But before worrying about ceilings, they have to get off the floor.<\/p>\n
The Tigers have had five straight losing seasons for the first time since 1946\u201350, a run of futility that led to the Shug Jordan era and the program\u2019s arrival as a major player in the sport. Bryan Harsin was a bad hire, pushed out during his second season in 2022. Then Hugh Freeze turned out to be worse, failing to deliver anything approaching his success at Mississippi and Liberty in three inglorious seasons.<\/p>\n
The Gators have had four losing seasons in the last five\u2014like Auburn, it\u2019s the program\u2019s worst stretch since after World War II, when Florida went 17-29-3 from 1945 to \u201949. Four coaches have come and gone in Gainesville since Urban Meyer\u2019s tenure ended in 2010, with flickers of promise extinguished by downpours of dysfunction and mediocrity, from Will Muschamp to Jim McElwain to Dan Mullen to Billy Napier.<\/p>\n
For proud programs that are located in prime recruiting territory, the recent results have been dispiriting. For passionate fans who are just waiting for a reason to roar again, it\u2019s been embarrassing. Just about the only solace either has had in recent years in Alabama icon Nick Saban\u2019s retirement (for Auburn) and the swan dive into irrelevance by Florida State (for Florida).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Otherwise, it\u2019s been grim. A single snapshot covers both programs: Common rival Georgia has beaten Auburn nine straight times (tying its longest streak in a series that dates to 1892) and Florida five straight (its longest streak since six straight from 1978 to \u201983).<\/p>\n
Most recently, both programs busted hiring coaches who won elsewhere in the SEC (Mullen and Freeze) and someone moving up from the Group of 6 conference ranks (Napier and Harsin). Now both have gone down similar replacement paths, dipping into the American Conference for their new guy.<\/p>\n
Alex Golesh arrives at Auburn from South Florida, where he revived a beaten-down program by recording a 23\u201315 record in three seasons. Golesh\u2019s final Bulls team was his best one, going 9\u20133 and upsetting Florida in The Swamp in Week 2. Prior to that, the 42-year-old Golesh was offensive coordinator at Tennessee, helping establish Josh Heupel\u2019s up-tempo, big-play offense.<\/p>\n
Jon Sumrall is the next man at up Florida after 20 wins in two seasons at Tulane, taking the Green Wave to the College Football Playoff last season. Prior to that, the 44-year-old former Kentucky player and defensive assistant coach was 23\u20134 at Troy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Florida](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/01ky361kmjhtak1jkj23.jpg\" "\\"Florida")
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Florida head coach Jon Sumrall speaks to the team after their spring game. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
On paper, these look like good hires who can restore prominence. How long that might take is the unknown variable.<\/p>\n
Golesh gave himself a chance for a quick transition by bringing his star USF quarterback with him, Byrum Brown. He was one of the top dual-threat QBs in the nation last year, accumulating 42 total touchdowns while rushing for more than 1,000 yards and passing for more than 3,000. He\u2019s just 45 yards away from the 10,000-yard career total offense mark, having fit seamlessly into Golesh\u2019s attack for three years.<\/p>\n
\u201cByrum Brown represents everything that\u2019s right about Auburn football and the identity that we\u2019re building,\u201d Golesh said Tuesday at SEC media days. \u201cA guy that went into the portal after last season and you talk about a couple days where you sit there and cringe, like, Man, everybody in the country is going after this kid. Gives me a level of confidence going into the season that we\u2019re led by that guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sumrall did not retain former five-star QB DJ Lagway, who left Florida for Baylor. It remains to be seen how much of a loss that is, given his wildly inconsistent performances. His place will likely be taken by Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo, who showed promise backing up Haynes King there, but redshirt freshman holder Tramell Jones Jr. is in the mix as well. Whoever quarterbacks the Gators will spend a lot of time handing off to one of the top running backs in the SEC, Jadan Baugh.<\/p>\n
Like every SEC coach of the 21st century not named Mike Leach, both Golesh and Sumrall have arrived preaching smashmouth toughness. It\u2019s certainly the most proven path to victory in the league, as currently embodied by kingpin Georgia and previously by Nick Saban-era Alabama.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first piece of this identity that we\u2019ve hammered home is the ability to be physically and mentally tough,\u201d Golesh said. \u201cThat\u2019s what Auburn football was built on, physical and mental toughness. The ability to be the most violent football team on the field every Saturday. Violent. I think that\u2019s something you can watch and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked in May what his Florida teams will look like, Sumrall sounded similar to Golesh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to see our toughness carry over,\u201d he said. \u201cAt Troy, we were blue-collar tough. It didn\u2019t matter if it was a back alley or the biggest venue in college football, those guys were going to come out and fight. Tulane, we were a little sexier athletically. I think we still needed to be tough. Those teams that hit Troy and Tulane, you knew every time you played them, they were going to bring it.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is never a better time for a new coach than right before preseason camp, when he\u2019s undefeated and seen as the cure-all for everything that had gone wrong at that school before him. Golesh and Sumrall should give Auburn and Florida a chance to get well. Both powerhouses have been down way too long.<\/p>\n
More College Football From Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n
Listen to SI\u2019s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, below or on Apple<\/a> and Spotify<\/a>. Watch the show on SI\u2019s College YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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