$15 million college football coach emerges as candidate for SEC vacancy

Arkansas fired Sam Pittman on September 28 after the Razorbacks' 2-3 start to the college football season, and the program has been conducting a wide-ranging search for his replacement ever since.

Tulane’s Jon Sumrall has emerged as a top name linked to several Power-4 openings this cycle, including Arkansas, among others.

He has seen growing buzz as a potential SEC candidate due to consecutive successful seasons at Tulane and previously at Troy.

On Saturday, the situation took another turn when On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Arkansas’ search is “beginning to enter the final stages” and that the buzz around Sumrall is increasing, suggesting Sumrall is firmly in the conversation for the Arkansas vacancy.

Arkansas is beginning to enter the final stages of its coaching search, sources tell @On3sports.

Intel: https://t.co/n2pAmckgrv pic.twitter.com/uR6Ln96Y3l
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) November 22, 2025

Sumrall’s head-coaching resume includes an outstanding run at Troy (23-4 across two seasons with back-to-back Sun Belt titles and Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors) and strong early returns at Tulane.

In 2024, his first time leading the Green Wave, Sumrall finished with a 9-5 overall record.

This season, Tulane is 8-2 and ranked No. 24 in the AP Top 25 after signature wins over Northwestern, Duke, Army, Memphis, and Florida Atlantic.

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

After last season, Sumrall signed an extension with Tulane valued at roughly $15 million, keeping him under contract through 2029 with an annual salary of around $3 million.

Given his rapid rise at just 43 years old, many have listed Sumrall as among the most coveted coaches on the market, with some outlets projecting him to be a finalist for several SEC openings.

Beyond Arkansas, Sumrall has been linked to openings at Auburn, Florida, LSU and other Power programs.

Reports recently showed active interest from Florida and Auburn at different points, with some meetings scheduled and others reportedly called off or evolving rapidly as the carousel shifted.

Given Nakos’ phrasing that Arkansas is “beginning to enter the final stages,” a decision could realistically come before the end of November or in early December.

Read More at College Football HQ