Why Florida Players Are Not Wearing Gators Logo in Offseason Workouts

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Jon Sumrall's main message since taking over the Florida Gators football program has been that winning immediately is the expectation. His other message?

"We haven't earned a damn thing," he said on Saturday.

As a result, as the team begins its offseason workout program under new Director of Football Performance Rusty Whitt, none of Florida's players will be wearing a UF logo during workouts. Instead, they will just be wearing plain shirts with their last names in small font on their upper left chest and in big font across their backs.

"Gotta earn the logo. We ain't earned it yet," Sumrall said. "... All we've got is our name. Where are you gonna put our freaking name on every day? So to wear the Florida Gator logo, to wear the Gators across your helmet, or the script, or to wear the Gator head. You got to earn that."

Gators in motion ⚡️ #GoGators pic.twitter.com/mJ5T8NDBug
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) January 21, 2026

The logo-less equipment is not a new idea to the program. Urban Meyer famously did the same thing in his six years leading the program, two of which ended in national championships.

"I didn't know that. That doesn't surprise me," Sumrall said.

Still, the move is a signal of Sumrall's goals to bring the program back to being a consistent title contender. That goal starts with the offseason training program led by Whitt, a Sumrall carry-over from both Troy and Tulane with experience at Army (2019), Texas Tech (2016-18) and Louisiana (2013-15).

He's also known for his decorated career as a Special Forces Sergeant in the United States Army from 2003-09, during which he received a combat infantry badge, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor. During his time in the armed forces, Whitt was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom V and VI.

Sumrall is hoping Whitt's mindset from those experiences rub off on the team.

"Toughness, confidence, discipline, accountability, grit, just the mindset we're going to work hard," Sumrall said on what he wants Whitt to instill. "We're never going to back down anything we ever do. We're going to put them through some things that they have not experienced. They already have seen some of that. It's going to be real. It's going to be live."

This is the opportunity. @Atm_Jayden x @eoyebadejo #GoGators pic.twitter.com/Ll1LeFbzdd
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) January 22, 2026

Florida is a long way from taking the field to officially start Sumrall's win-now goals, with the season kicking off on Sept. 5 against FAU. For now, the team will look to win the offseason with a strong workout program and the upcoming spring camp.

As for when the players will finally get to wear the logo?

"I haven’t thought about that yet," Sumrall said. "I just want to see them work their ass off."

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