Who Is Coaching Tulane in the American Conference Championship? Everything to Know About the Green Wave HC Situation

Tulane enters the AAC Championship Game on Friday, December 5, with a 10–2 record, two Power Four victories, and a chance to crash the College Football Playoff, but the biggest question surrounding the Green Wave isn’t about their matchup with North Texas.

Despite being hired as the next head coach of the Florida Gators, Jon Sumrall is staying at Tulane through the AAC title game and beyond, should the Green Wave win and advance to the expanded CFP. In a rare and rapidly growing trend this postseason, Sumrall will continue leading his current team while simultaneously preparing for his future program.

And here’s the twist: His opponent Friday night is in the exact same situation.
North Texas head coach Eric Morris has accepted the Oklahoma State job, yet he’s also remaining with the Mean Green through the end of their postseason run. The winning coach on Friday will continue this dual-role coaching arrangement for at least a few more weeks.

Welcome to the new normal of college football’s chaotic December calendar.

Why Is Tulane Keeping Jon Sumrall Despite His Florida Move?

With Tulane sitting on the edge of a potential playoff berth, projected to be either the No. 11 or No. 12 seed, the decision to keep Sumrall wasn’t a difficult one for athletic director David Harris.

“We believe it’s the right thing to do for our student-athletes and it gives us the best opportunity to win those games,” Harris said.

When Sumrall agreed to take the Florida job, he was upfront with Gators AD Scott Stricklin and intended to finish the season with Tulane, and Florida would have to allow him to do so. They agreed. Tulane followed suit, embracing the rare arrangement at a time when most coaches bolt immediately to recruit, hire staff, and build early rosters.

This year, two playoff-bound Group of Five teams could be led by coaches who have already accepted Power Conference jobs. And it’s refreshing. These coaches, and the schools hiring them, are prioritizing the players who helped them reach these opportunities.

In only his second season, Sumrall has Tulane positioned for another breakthrough:

• 10–2 record
• Wins over Duke and Northwestern
• 61.2% chance to win the AAC and reach the CFP
• PFSN team grades:
  • Offense: 76.8 (63rd)
  • Defense: 73.9 (77th)

Tulane doesn’t have elite NIL firepower or top-tier recruiting pipelines, but Sumrall has produced wins through discipline, toughness, and balance.

He went 9–5 in his debut season, replacing Willie Fritz, proving immediately that he could sustain and elevate the program. This year’s success is further proof that Sumrall doesn’t need blue-chip talent to stack victories.

Do-It-All QB: Jake Retzlaff

Perhaps Sumrall’s most impressive feat this season is what he’s done with transfer QB Jake Retzlaff, who arrived from BYU in the spring and was thrust into the starting job.
All he’s done since is thrive:

• 87.3 PFSN grade (23rd in the country)
• 561 rushing yards (23rd among QBs)
• 14 rushing TDs (5th among QBs)

He leads the team in rushing, providing Tulane with a dynamic dual-threat element that has reshaped the offense. The passing game is a collective effort, with four receivers over 400 yards, reflecting Sumrall’s balanced approach.

Tulane’s Defense: Opportunistic and Inspired

While not loaded with star power, Tulane’s defense has been an opportunistic, high-effort unit, very much in the mold of Sumrall’s defensive background.
Key metrics:

• 12 interceptions (29th nationally)
• 19 total turnovers forced (32nd)
• 22.75 points per game (51st in the country)

They don’t dominate statistically, but they create high-impact plays at crucial moments. And they’ll need every bit of that against the high-powered North Texas offense led by redshirt freshman standout Drew Mestemaker and play-caller Eric Morris.

What Does Sumrall Staying Mean Vs North Texas In AAC Title Game?

Everything.

This matchup shapes up as: Good on good: Tulane’s opportunistic defense vs. North Texas’ elite offense.

If Sumrall had left immediately, Tulane would be entering the AAC Championship with an interim staff, a disrupted game plan, and a leaderless locker room. Instead, they enter with:

• Continuity
• The same staff and systems
• The coach who built this year’s identity
• The locker room fully bought into finishing the mission he instilled

The situation may be unusual, but it’s a massive boost for Tulane’s chances on Friday night. Tulane’s head-coaching situation, like North Texas’, is part of a growing but incredibly rare December trend: coaches accepting Power Four jobs while staying to finish historic seasons with their current teams.

For Tulane, keeping Sumrall means giving this 10–2 team the best chance to win the AAC Championship and punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff. On Friday, the Green Wave takes the field with the same head coach who led them all year; still locked in, still committed, and still determined to finish what he started.