League reveals SEC Media Days schedule as Jon Sumrall makes his debut

On Wednesday, the Southeastern Conference announced the appearance schedule for its annual SEC Football Kickoff Media Days presented by Regions. This year’s event will run from July 20-23 and features six first-year coaches at new schools, including Forida’s Jon Sumrall.

Sumrall is one of four coaches speaking on the third day, July 22. The other first-year coaches at 2026 SEC Media Days will be Auburn’s Alex Golesh, Mississippi’s Pete Golding, LSU’s Lane Kiffin, Kentucky’s Will Stein and Ryan Silverfield of Arkansas. Kiffin is the only one who’s coached in the SEC.

This year is the first time the city of Tampa and the state of Florida have hosted the SEC’s preseason media extravaganza, which will be held at the Tampa Marriott Water Street and JW Marriott. Dallas, Nashville and Atlanta have served as hosts the previous three years.

A more detailed daily schedule with full TV information, rotational breakdown and student-athlete attendees will be available prior to the event in early July. SEC Network will once again bring the four-day event to a national audience.

SEC media days schedule​

Monday, July 20

• Will Stein, Kentucky
• Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
• Brent Venables, Oklahoma
• Josh Heupel, Tennessee

Tuesday, July 21

• Alex Golesh, Auburn
• Kirby Smart, Georgia
• Shane Beamer, South Carolina
• Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

Wednesday, July 22

• Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
• Jon Sumrall, Florida
• Pete Golding, Ole Miss
• Mike Elko, Texas A&M

Thursday, July 23

• Ryan Silverfield, Arkansas
• Lane Kiffin, LSU
• Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State
• Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Jon Sumrall on the spring game

“I just want guys to play fast and physical. We’re not gonna be perfect. There will be some mistakes made. I might make one on Saturday. We may put a bad play-call in. But I want them to feel that our guys enjoy playing the game, and that they’re gonna play with an edge and a chip on their shoulder. … I want them to feel our guys’ intent, and that there’s some urgency and that we have some physicality about us. When you go in that stadium, it’s sacred. We don’t go over there very often. We go there once a week right now, on Saturdays, and there has to be a different vibe when you go into the stadium.”

RELATED: Jon Sumrall details Florida’s ‘extremely unique’ spring game format

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