Jon Sumrall explains why finishing the job at Tulane is important after American Championship

Jon Sumrall has hammered home over the past week that how a coach finishes at a school matters just as much as how he begins. After leading Tulane to a 34–21 victory over North Texas in the American Conference Championship on Friday night, he made sure everyone understood why staying on the sideline, even after accepting the Florida job, was the only option in his mind.

“I’ve said it a lot. I think just as important, if not more important than how you start at a place, it’s how you finish,” Sumrall shared postgame. “I’m forever indebted to Tulane. I was an assistant coach here over a decade ago. It’s been a complete privilege and honor for me to be the head football coach here. 

“And you know, I think in my introductory press conference two years ago I said, ‘We’re going to win the conference championship. We’re gonna go to the College Football Playoff.’ And I also said, ‘We’re going to win it,’ so we got work to do. Job’s not done.”

The Green Wave looked every bit like a Playoff team Friday. They dominated a North Texas offense that entered the night leading the nation at 46.8 points per game. After an early touchdown by the Mean Green, Tulane responded with 31 unanswered points and never relinquished control.

Now 11–2 on the season and 20–7 under Sumrall, Tulane is poised for one of the biggest moments in program history. In the meantime, quarterback Jake Retzlaff didn’t mince words when asked about his head coach’s impact.

QB Jake Retzlaff on Jon Sumrall: ‘He deserves to go coach wherever he wants to coach’

“This guy has been unbelievable,” Retzlaff stated. “The way he gives it every day, day in and day out, we’re blessed to have him lead us. … He has given the program to us. And so we’re just indebted to him to go finish this job and play for a guy like him. It’s not taken lightly on us. He deserves to go coach wherever he wants to coach, because he’s that kind of coach.”

Additionally, Retzlaff emphasized that Tulane’s push toward the Playoff is as much about legacy as it is wins: “We’re never going to have a team like this again,” he added. “We’re never going to have a coach like this again. So us finishing the job, with Coach, is too important to put words to.”

Alas, Sumrall thanked Tulane’s administration for allowing him to remain on the sideline through the postseason, but he thanked his players even more. “They could have said, ‘No, we don’t want you to coach us because you’re leaving,’” he noted.

Instead, the Green Wave chose to remain united under Sumrall’s watch. Now, with their conference crown secured and a potential CFP berth on deck, Sumrall and Tulane have one final mission together to finish the job they started. Bet against them at your own risk.