43-year old college football coach listed as 'name to eye' for Ole Miss job

The coaching carousel can create some fascinating spinoffs, and one being discussed involved Lane Kiffin. Sure, the Ole Miss boss is saying the right things to indicate that he may well stick in Oxford. But it's October and by December or January, Kiffin might have a different story. If he does indeed jet for Baton Rouge or Gainesville or somewhere else, one potential coach to watch was mentioned in connection with the potentially vacated Rebels job-- Tulane coach Jon Sumrall.

Sumrall has himself been mentioned for the LSU or Florida job (more likely LSU, as he's coaching in the state of Louisiana already), but a secondary story could arise if the much-coveted Lane Kiffin decides to make an off-season jump. Sumrall figures to be one of the major secondary targets of the off-season coaching cycle and Ole Miss would be a logical landing spot. In a recent column, Nicholas Rome termed Sumrall "a great name to eye" if Kiffin leaves Ole Miss.

Sumrall's story

Sumrall played linebacker at Kentucky before injuries ended his career. He was a graduate assistant for two years at Kentucky before moving on to San Diego and then Tulane. Sumrall was co-defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2014, when he moved on to Troy. After three seasons at Troy as assistant head coach, linebackers, and special teams coach, Sumrall then coached at Ole Miss as linebackers coach in 2018 under Matt Luke.

After his year at Oxford, Sumrall then moved on to Kentucky, where he coached inside linebackers from 2019 to 2021, serving as co-defensive coordinator for the last two seasons. At the end of that run, Sumrall took the head coaching job at Troy. Sumrall was 23-4 in two seasons at Troy. He's now 15-6 in his season and a half at Tulane.

Sumrall's teams tend to be strong on defense and adept at fundamental football. Sumrall drew some notice earlier this season with his comments in support of transfer QB Darian Mensah, who left Tulane for Duke and a massive NIL deal.

Sumrall has also been connected with the Kentucky job, which may come open after a second straight struggling season for Wildcat boss Mark Stoops. But given his excellence as a head coach and his experience in the SEC, Sumrall is indeed a name worth knowing on the not super unlikely chance that the Ole Miss job comes open.