Jon Sumrall Details Florida Gators' 2026 Spring Game Format

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Ahead of his first spring game as the Florida Gators' head coach on Saturday, Jon Sumrall is moving the annual scrimmage to a more traditional format: offense versus defense, with no drafting players or splitting up position groups.

That format is a change from previous head coach Billy Napier's, where he would split the roster, coaching staff, training staff and other members of the support staff down the middle through a draft to create two teams. The key reason for keeping it simply offense versus defense, Sumrall said, is so they can continue to test different groupings as they look to build the depth chart.

"You'll see different rotations in there," he detailed on Tuesday. "So I wouldn't put a whole lot – when you look into the, who are the ones, we ain't there yet. Like, yeah, there will be a depth chart. There will be guys that start game one. But right now, who's the starter? Nobody? Who's a backup? Everybody.”

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall has had a hands-on approach as he looks to build his first depth chart. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sumrall also detailed the scoring format for the scrimmage, which will have four 15-minute quarters with a running clock that only stops for scores, penalties, change of possession, and during the last two minutes of each half.

Offense will have a traditional scoring format with six-point touchdowns, three-point field goals, two-point conversions and one-point extra points

"It’s extremely unique football," Sumrall joked.

There is a slight twist, however. In addition to the traditional points after touchdowns, the offense will have a chance to get a four-point conversion from the 10-yard line, a decision Sumrall said is made with the understanding that the defense has non-traditional ways to score.

To balance the offense, the defense will get six points for a takeaway, three points for a three-and-out or turnover on downs and one point for a forced punt. Sumrall said this defensive scoring format is something he has done in each of his last four years as a head coach.

"I don't really know. It came out of my brain," Sumrall said of the format's origin. "The reason I came with it my first year Troy, we had like nine offensive linemen available. But we couldn't go to two teams with nine O-line. To have two teams, you need 10. And so I just said, 'Well, let's go offense versus defense. Let the offense get points by how the offense gets points. Let's get the defense opportunity to get points.' Did it that way, and then it just kind of made sense. I'm like, yeah, I sort of like this, so stuck with it."

Sumrall added that the offense will be in blue jerseys, defense in white jerseys and quarterbacks in non-contact orange jerseys.

"We're not gonna actually wear orange and blue because that would be ridiculously confusing for two teams being in a colored jersey," he quipped.

Florida enters Saturday's spring game with plenty of optimism for the Sumrall era but plenty of question marks surrounding its roster, including who will be the starting quarterback between Tramell Jones Jr. and Aaron Philo, what the revamped offensive line will look like under position coach Phil Trautwein and if the defense will take a big step forward under new coordinator Brad White.

He also re-emphasized the need to still build depth.

"I don't feel really good, in full disclosure, I am very uncomfortable with the depth of how competitive we are," he said. "In this league, you better be. We're not there yet - at all. It's a little uneasy for me. So we need to challenge some guys to go play football."

In addition to looking to answer some questions about his roster, Sumrall is also hoping the spring game can answer some of the fan's questions about his team.

“I just want guys to play fast and physical," he said. "You know, we're not gonna be perfect. There will be some mistakes made. I might make one on Saturday. We may put a bad play-call in. But I want (the fans) to feel that our guys enjoy playing the game, and that they're gonna play with an edge and a chip on their shoulder."

Kickoff inside the Swamp is at noon. Information for pregame festivities, giveaways and in-game traditions can be found at Florida's official football website.