Tulane coach Jon Sumrall led the No. 24 Green Wave to a comprehensive 27-0 win over the Charlotte 49ers in Week 14 of college football action. The win improved the Green Wave to 10-2 for the season and clinched a place in the American Conference championship game against the North Texas Mean Green.
On Sunday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the Gators, who had moved on from Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin, were finalizing a six-year deal with Sumrall, worth $7.5 million annually.
Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Florida Hiring Jon Sumrall
In his four-year tenure as head coach of the Gators, Napier had a 22-23 overall record and a 12-16 SEC record and was sacked after a 3-4 start to the current season. On the other hand, in his two stints as a college football coach at Troy and Tulane, Sumrall has compiled a 42-11 record.
Fans on X had mixed reactions to the news of the Gators hiring the Green Wave coach.
“More free wins for Tennessee. I will take it,” one fan tweeted.
More free wins for Tennessee. I will take it.
— The Average Vols Fan (@BasedVols) November 30, 2025
“After all that “No More G5 Coach talk” look at yall,” another fan tweeted.
After all that “No More G5 Coach talk” 💀💀 look at yall
— Oregon Cane 🟧🟩(Jay) 🇯🇲 (@jamrock1986) November 30, 2025
“Auburn made a better hire,” one fan tweeted.
Auburn made a better hire.
— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) November 30, 2025
“It worked out so well the last time Florida hired a G5 coach from Louisiana!” Another fan tweeted.
It worked out so well the last time Florida hired a G5 coach from Louisiana!
— Set The Line Podcast (@SetTheLinePod) November 30, 2025
“Is that Billy Napier?” One fan joked.
Is that Billy Napier?
— D (@daltowp) November 30, 2025
After clinching a place in the American Conference championship game, Sumrall’s Tulane team has a 61.2% chance of clinching a berth in the College Football Playoff, according to PFSN’s College Football Playoff Meter.
Sumrall Was a Leading HC Candidate for Auburn
Before he was appointed as the Florida coach, Sumrall was widely coveted by the Auburn Tigers, who fired Hugh Freeze last month and have been conducting a nationwide search for a new head coach. They hired Alex Golesh of the USF Bulls on Sunday.
Sumrall has a history of reviving struggling teams, starting with leading the Troy Trojans to two consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships and a 23-4 overall record after they had gone 5-7 in the season before his arrival. In two seasons at Tulane, he has a 19-7 record and is on the verge of leading the Green Wave to the College Football Playoff.
Sumrall will have his work cut out for him in Gainesville as the Gators have not won nine or more games since 2019 under former coach Dan Mullen, who led them to an 11-2 record, and have not won an SEC title since 2008 under former coach Urban Meyer.
