UF hires Tulane HC Jon Sumrall, what it means for FSU football

At one point in the 2025 season, both Florida State and Florida were ranked in the top 15. And while it's debated whether early-season polling is necessary, it does demonstrate how quickly things can change within a football program.

To give a brief snapshot of where the two programs are after yesterday's Sunshine Showdown, the Seminoles finished the season 5-7, and the Gators ended the year at 4-8.

UF fired former head coach Billy Napier in mid-October, while FSU shared they would retain Mike Norvell just over a week ago. Norvell has now gone 7-17 in his last 24 games.

However, it is the Gators who have found their next leader. With the formalities officially over, the University of Florida has announced its new head coach, former Tulane HC Jon Sumrall, on Sunday.

What Does The Sumrall Hire Mean For Florida State?

Sep 20, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall looks on during the second quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Florida State has had four head coaches in the last 49 years. The Gators have had four in the last 14 years. Interestingly enough, three of those four Gator coaches won at least 10 games in one season during their tenure.

Moreover, this is the first defensive-minded coach the Gators have hired since Will Muschamp in 2011 after Urban Meyer's departure from the Swamp.

Jon Sumrall played linebacker for Kentucky in the early 2000s, and worked his way through the coaching ranks, even becoming the co-defensive coordinator for the Wildcats under Mark Stoops in 2021. He became known as one of Stoops' best recruiters. UK had the 17th-ranked 2022 class (which was put together in 2021).

Additionally, Sumrall comes to Gainesville with a 42-11 record as a head coach, which includes two seasons at Troy and two seasons at Tulane, respectively. He won at least nine games in all four of those seasons as a head coach, winning two conference titles with Troy and qualifying both of his Tulane teams for a conference championship game in the American.

He's a winner, period. However, the question becomes, can he be a winner at the national level?

Sumrall will coach through the conclusion of Tulane's season, which includes a potential College Football Playoff bid. They face the North Texas Mean Green in the American championship on Friday in New Orleans.

If Sumrall can continue his history of winning football games, especially with the questions surrounding Florida State's coaching stability, it could be a real problems for the Seminoles down the line, especially in the recruiting department.

While Miami has underperformed, their program has at least won 10 games in 2024 and '25, and have knocked/are knocking on the door of the CFP both years.

Should Sumrall whip UF football into shape, FSU could be in a position where they are playing third fiddle to two other schools in the state, despite going 13-1 just two years ago.

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