Florida Gators HC Jon Sumrall Responds to Jabs From Kirby Smart During SEC Media Days

Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall responds to some earlier jabs from Georgia Bulldogs' head coach Kirby Smart.

Day three of the 2026 SEC Media Days are underway as another set of coaches and players from the conference arrive in Tampa, Florida to answer a handful of questions regarding the upcoming college football season.

The latest coach to come to the podium is Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall, who is entering his first season with the program. Sumrall covered a plethora of topics, but one discussion seemed to grab the attention of multiple fanbases.

Following his speech, coach Sumrall was prompted on an earlier interaction he had with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart during the offseason. During an event to present a Steve Spurrier award, the Bulldogs' head coach jokingly called out Sumrall, citing the large amount of new head coaches the Gators have had over his tenure.

The moment went extremely viral, and Sumrall was prompted to offer his response to Smart's comments. The Gators' head coach appeared to hold no animosity towards Georgia's head coach, and complimented the rivalry the two teams share.

Jon Sumrall Responds to Kirby Smart's Comments

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall talks on the sideline during spring practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"Yeah, it's a great rivalry, I think it's one of the best rivalries in college football. I have a lot of respect for Kirby [Smart] and the job he's done over the years, they're very consistent," said Sumrall. "That was a fun event and I think it was a night we were all able to let our guard down and have a little fun. Kirby and I had caught up before the event, and it was all good nature. What would you expect from the coach Spurrier award show other than a lot of jabs being thrown?"

While the two coaches comments may stir up their respective fan bases, it appears that there will be no bad blood between Smart and Sumrall when their programs face off during the 2026 college football season.

Sumrall and Smart will meet up and coach against each other for the first time on Saturday, October 31st as the two teams converge on Atlanta, Georgia for their annual rivalry matchup. This will be the first meeting to take place outside of Jacksonville in more than 30 years.

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