Sumrall Addresses Job Opportunities at Weekly Press Conference...Again

Speaking to the Media about Job Speculation

During his weekly media conference, and for the second time in two days, Tulane football coach Jon Sumrall was asked to comment on speculation that he is up for various coaching opportunities at Power Four schools, including LSU. Though Sumrall said much of the same as what he did on Monday when we talked to him, he did elaborate more effusively later in his comments. When asked about these rumors, this was his response today (Tuesday) to the media on-hand.

Sumrall: I love all y'all for being here, for covering our program. I'm grateful for it. You got a job to do, you got to ask that question. I got a job to do, it's to coach this football team. I've dealt with it every year as a head coach. I understand it comes with territory. I get those questions because we're having success. That's about our players. And the coaching carousel to me is not even a thought because we're in the mid-season phase. So whatever somebody else wants to do, another program wants to do, what people want to speculate, they're free to do that. UTSA has my 100% focus. Our team playing the best it can has my 100% focus. We haven't played our best yet. I'm a little bit urgent and nauseous and fear of complacency because we haven't played very good yet. And so whatever's going out there in that world, that's great for people to speculate. Just like you've got a job to do, you've got to ask that question. I've got a job to do. It's to coach this football team.

More Detail on Mid-Season Distractions

Sumrall was then asked if he had addressed the rumors with his team. He looked back to the Summer and mentioned how he met with his squad to talk to them about distractions.

Sumrall: I talked to our team. I said, "Hey, guys, here's the deal. I didn't address distractions that came up in the season last year very well." I think we had maybe some players that were distracted. I'm never distracted. I'm like so freaking micro-focused on how do we just get a little better every day.

But I pulled back the curtain for our team. I said, "Guys, there's coach movement. There's player movement. And so what I discussed with our team this summer in late July, before we started training camp, "If you're in this room, you're all into this team. Coaches, players, everybody, through the season."

It's Not Just about How Much Money You Make

Speaking further about coach movement, Sumrall point out how many people stuck around from last year.

Sumrall: We've got plenty of coaches that have had opportunities to leave last year. If I didn't want to be the head coach at Tulane, if I was most concerned with coaching at a Power Four school, I wouldn't be here, because I've had those opportunities. If I was only making decisions based upon money, I wouldn't be here, because I've had other people offer me more money. I freaking love what I do. I love where I do it. I love who I do it with, but I'm coaching this freaking team. (It's) all ll I'm worried about, our guys know that. They feel that.

Tulane takes on UTSA in a prime time game Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.