In the midst of its head coaching search, the Florida athletic department appears to be doing its due diligence as it awaits word on Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin‘s decision.
The Gators plan to meet with Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, Swamp247 has confirmed.
The 43-year-old Sumrall is widely expected to take a Power Four coaching job, with Sumrall most recently being linked to Auburn as its potential replacement for former head coach Hugh Freeze. Additionally, Sumrall may emerge as a candidate at Ole Miss if Kiffin opts to depart the program in the near future, and initial reports linked Sumrall to the opening at LSU prior to the Tigers’ athletic department ramping up its pursuit of Kiffin.
Representatives of Kiffin’s family were in Gainesville on Sunday and Baton Rouge on Monday, according to a source.
Tulane is currently in the midst of an 8-2 season and ranked No. 24 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, a year removed from facing the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl at the conclusion of last season, his debut with the program.
“The coaching carousel to me is not even a thought because we’re in the midseason phase,” Sumrall said in late October ahead of the Green Wave’s contest with UTSA. “So whatever somebody else wants to do, another program wants to do, what people want to speculate, they’re free to do that. UTSA has my 100% focus. Our team playing the best it can has my 100% focus.”
A year ago, Sumrall was linked to the head coach opening at North Carolina before the Tar Heels’ program opted to hire legendary coach Bill Belichick for its vacancy.
Sumrall acknowledged in the offseason he was transparent with his players regarding head coaching speculation.
“I said, hey guys, here’s the deal,” Sumrall said. “I didn’t address distractions that come up in the season last year very well. I think we had maybe some players that were distracted. I’m never distracted. Like, I mean, I’m like so freaking micro-focused on how do we just get a little better every day. Man, through the conference championship game, which I would love to be a part of, everybody’s undivided attention is on this. And if we’re fortunate enough to play in the College Football Playoff, then everybody’s attention is on that. If I didn’t want to be the head coach at Tulane, if I was most concerned with coaching at a Power Four school, I wouldn’t be here because I’ve had those opportunities. If I was only making decisions based upon money, I wouldn’t be here because I’ve had other people offer me more money. I freaking love what I do. I love where I do it. I love who I do it with. Man, I’m coaching this freaking team. It’s all I’m worried about. Our guys know that.”
Prior to joining Tulane in 2024, Sumrall served as the head football coach at Troy University from 2022 to 2023.
Sumrall began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Kentucky. After a spell on the west coast at San Diego, Sumrall joined Tulane as the program’s defensive coordinator, a role he’d hold until 2015-17 when he joined Troy as associate head coach/linebackers assistant coach. From there, Sumrall moved to the Southeastern Conference, joining Ole Miss in 2018 as the linebackers assistant coach.
He returned to Kentucky from 2019-2021 before his first head coaching opportunity at Troy.