Florida Gators' Jon Sumrall Reveals Strong Friendship With LSU Football's Lane Kiffin

The Southeastern Conference has undergone significant changes this offseason with over a handful of programs bringing in new head coaches ahead of the 2026 season.

In what became one of the most chaotic coaching carousels in the history of the sport, Lane Kiffin headline the list of shot-callers to move to a new program after inking a deal with the LSU Tigers following six years at Ole Miss.

Along with Kiffin making a seismic move, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall made the decision to depart Louisiana for the head coaching gig with the Florida Gators.

Across November, there remained significant buzz surrounding a three-team race for Kiffin between LSU, Florida, and Ole Miss - where Sumrall made sure to address the "elephant in the room" during his introductory press conference.

“And I do want to be very direct on one thing… Lane Kiffin and I have been going through the same thing and we’ve talked a lot. We were both in agreement that I was the right man for this job,” Sumrall joked. “So, he co-signed on that.”

Now, Sumrall has clarified his comments while detailing his friendship with Kiffin as the two begin new chapters in their coaching careers.

LSU Tigers Football. — Sep 20, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (left) and Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall (right) embrace after the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

“We didn’t agree that I should take this job, but we did talk,” Sumrall said. “Lane and I have a good relationship. Lots of respect for Lane. He’s had great success, most recently at Ole Miss. He and I have had an open-line of communication for a while.

"In my first game as a head coach (Troy in 2022), we played at Ole Miss. [Kiffin's father Monty], postgame, came over and spent some time with me in our locker room and that connection was real for me.

"I’ve got a ton of respect for Monty’s career, and some of the things he told me that day as a first time head coach made a tremendous impact on me.”

As the offseason rolls on, Sumrall has reiterated that there's a relationship there with Kiffin as the two gear up for what will be a historic season in the Southeastern Conference.

“Lane and I have a good relationship and an open-line of communication. We talked a handful of times in November. He called me one time and we were just BSing with each other, because we were kind of going through the same thing. Then I was like, wait, no we’re not. You’re at Ole Miss and I’m at Tulane. It’s a little different.

"But, I have a lot of respect for him and he’s a great football coach. He’s a great dude and has a good sense of humor. I like interacting with him. We did have some discussions.

"We didn’t decide who should go where. I knew Florida was going to be an opportunity for me, and I decided I want to come here.”

More LSU News:

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Paul Finebaum Reveals Bold Statement on LSU Football's Lane Kiffin Amid Major Move

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