Jon Sumrall has been one of the more impressive Group of Five coaches over his career. In four seasons, he’s led his teams to a 42-11 record. He spent two years at Troy and delivered the school two Sun Belt titles. After joining Tulane in 2024, Sumrall has again found success, reaching the American Conference championship game in both seasons with the Green Wave.
The Florida Gators took note—and the program just gave him a massive raise to come to Gainesville.
Florida and Sumrall agreed to a six-year contract worth $44.7 million. The deal will pay Sumrall just shy of $7.5 million per season with incentives around making the College Football Playoff. He’s earning $3 million a year with his Tulane contract, so it’s an increase of 150%.
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The Gators had a year to forget this season. Florida finished a paltry 4-8 and fired previous head coach Billy Napier on Oct. 19. Interim coach Billy Gonzales has been leading the football team ever since.
In a statement, Sumrall acknowledged the expectations that will be placed on him at Florida. He noted that the program has “everything necessary to compete at the highest level—the resources, the support, the tradition, and the passion of Gator Nation.”
Sumrall also expressed the need for a solid support system around him, alluding to Florida’s inconsistent offensive attack this season. “One of my first priorities will be to assemble an incredible staff, including an offensive coordinator who understands that, at Florida, having an explosive offense isn’t optional—it’s mandatory.”
The Green Wave are 10-2 this season and will face off against North Texas in the American Conference championship game. Tulane is allowing Sumrall to coach that title game; if the school is invited to the College Football Playoff, Sumrall will also continue coaching throughout the playoff.
In a statement announcing the news, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin called Sumrall “a proven winner and an exceptional leader.” If Tulane can win the American title, it’s possible he’ll be coming off a College Football Playoff appearance. That will only bring more excitement to Florida fans, who are already looking forward to 2026.
