Breaking Down Jon Sumrall as the Potential Next Virginia Tech Head Coach

Could Tulane's coach be heading to Blacksburg?

Aug 30, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall looks on against Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech is still looking to find its next head coach. The hunt might attract big household names, but one under-the-radar option is Jon Sumrall. In his young coaching career, he has achieved considerable success at smaller programs, but would he make sense to make the jump and become the next coach of the Hokies? Let's break it down.

Background/Resume:

Sumrall played linebacker at Kentucky from 2002 to 2004. He started coaching there as a graduate assistant just a year later because of a neck injury that forced him to retire from playing.

He rose through the ranks of college coaching, holding positions such as defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and co-defensive coordinator at places like San Diego, Ole Miss and Kentucky.

Sumrall is in his second year as the head coach of Tulane. Currently, Tulane is 13-6 under him. Before Tulane, Sumrall coached at Troy for two seasons. In those seasons, Troy saw some of its best seasons. In his first season in 2022, Troy finished 12-2 and was 19th in the final AP poll. The next season, Troy finished 11-3. In both of his seasons coaching the Trojans, they were able to win the Sun Belt Championship.

Aug 30, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall runs out the tunnel with defensive end Gerrod Henderson (10) and safety Tavare Smith (13) against Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Pluses::

• Proven Success in Group of 5: Sumrall is not a first-time head coach, so if Virginia Tech hired him, it would not be his first time leading a college program. He is 36-10 overall as a college football head coach. He has won two conference championships and won Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2022. Sumrall is a proven winner, and Virginia Tech could use someone who knows how to win.
• Strong Defensive Background: He has two decades of experience coaching on the defensive side of the ball. In his head coaching years, his team allowed just under 20 points per game to its opponent. Having that kind of lockdown defense is crucial in a conference with a lot of offensive talent like the ACC.
• Proven Quick Turnaround Ability: At Troy, Sumrall took over a program that won just five games in 2021. In his first season, Troy won 12 games, a Sun Belt title and a bowl game. That is the sort of quick success Virginia Tech will be looking for, especially with the pressure that the school will feel after the new athletic budget was just announced, putting a spotlight on the football team to win quickly.

Minuses:

• Limited experience at Power Four: While Sumrall has coached at big conference schools like Kentucky and Ole Miss, that was only in assistant coaching roles. He has never had the pressure of being the head coach for a massive school like Virginia Tech. While his resume as a head coach is impressive, it might still be a risk to take a chance on someone who has never been the head coach in a conference like the ACC before.
• Financial Commitment: Tulane and Sumrall agreed to a contract extension in December 2024. The details of his buyout are unknown, but it is likely substantial, meaning that Virginia Tech would have to make a significant financial commitment to hire him. This is a big risk for a school that wants to win as soon as possible, and that kind of financial commitment to someone who has never been a Power 4 head coach before is risky.
• Unproven Offensive Identity: His teams at Troy and Tulane were about defensive toughness. His offenses were not forced to score a plethora of touchdowns to win games due to the strength of Sumrall's defenses. In recent history, Virginia Tech’s offense has been very inconsistent. The hiring team could look at the Hokies’ struggles on offense and not want to pair that with a defensively-minded head whistle.

Dec 20, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall against the Florida Gators prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Is he a realistic option?

Sumrall is a realistic option to coach Virginia Tech. He is already a hot name that has even been predicted to be an SEC coach in 2026 by Lane Kiffin. If Kiffin is right, Virginia Tech will have to be aggressive and make an offer early before an SEC school is able to make an offer that Virginia Tech is likely not able to match. If Virginia Tech can secure him, it would be a really strong hire. He is young, innovative and already has had success as a head coach, albeit at a lower level.