ESPN grades Florida’s hiring of Jon Sumrall
On Monday, ESPN released its grades for the 2025 college football coaching cycle. For Florida, the move to hire Jon Sumrall earned a B+.
Analysts Adam Rittenberg and Andrea Adelson explained why the Florida Gators made a strong choice and why the job still comes with major challenges.
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Why ESPN thinks Jon Sumrall fits
ESPN pointed to Sumrall’s SEC background, personality and leadership style as reasons he shouldn’t be viewed the same as Billy Napier.
“Florida fans: Sumrall isn’t Billy Napier. Yes, Sumrall is another promising Group of 5 coach from a program in Louisiana, just as Napier was when he came to Gainesville. But Sumrall is a different personality who comes from the opposite side of the ball and has more ties to the SEC, where he both played (Kentucky) and coached (Ole Miss, Kentucky). He is more comfortable than Napier was in being the face of a major program and will delegate to his coordinators while compiling a strong staff.”
Rittenberg also highlighted Sumrall’s track record as a winner and the belief that Florida’s issues weren’t related to talent.
“The other thing Sumrall brings is wins. He won Sun Belt titles in both of his seasons at Troy and went to the American Conference title game in his first year at Tulane… Florida didn’t have a talent problem under Napier, and Sumrall should continue to excel in personnel while translating it better on the field.”
What challenges ESPN sees ahead
Adelson wrote that Sumrall begins his tenure facing a fan base that hoped for Lane Kiffin and now expects success fast.
“First and foremost, Sumrall has to find a way to win over a fan base that thought it had a shot at landing Lane Kiffin… Once Sumrall has done that, he has to find a way to win at what has proved to be one of the hardest jobs to crack in the SEC.”
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She also noted Florida’s lack of patience with recent coaches and how quickly the pressure can mount in Gainesville. The program still carries national expectations, but the leash for coaches has gotten shorter with each change.
“Florida goes through coaches at a fairly frequent clip. If past is precedent, Sumrall will be given a year or two to find success before the fan base starts to turn on him; four years max to compete for a championship.”
Final grade and long-term outlook
Rittenberg wrapped up the grade by focusing on Sumrall’s long-term potential. ESPN’s B+ reflects belief in Sumrall’s upside, but also the reality that expectations in Gainesville remain sky-high.
“Sumrall has the ingredients to become the next great SEC coach. He’s an excellent communicator who connects with a range of people and should get Florida fans excited about the future, even if they might be skeptical at first because of his background.
“Florida isn’t where I initially saw Sumrall ending up in a wild coaching cycle, but if the school gives him some time, he should stabilize and elevate the Gators’ on-field performance and start getting more out of very talented rosters there.
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