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Steve Spurrier names two non-Power Four coaches if Florida misses on Lane Kiffin

79417-removebg-preview (1)by: Corey Bender16 hours agoCorey_Bender

Florida has made Lane Kiffin its top target for head coach, but Steve Spurrier says the Gators have other strong options if Kiffin chooses another path. On the Another Dooley Noted Podcast, the former Florida coach highlighted two Group of 5 candidates who could step in.

The coaches are Jon Sumrall at Tulane and Bob Chesney at James Madison. Both have impressive winning records, although only Sumrall has SEC coaching experience.

“There are a lot of good coaches out there who aren’t in the Power 4 right now,” Spurrier said. “The guy at James Madison, the guy at Tulane, they win consistently. Sometimes one of those coaches ends up being better than a big-name hire. You just never know.”

Sumrall has led Tulane for two seasons after two years at Troy, compiling a 41-11 record. He also worked as an assistant at Ole Miss and Kentucky, giving him SEC experience. Chesney is in his second season at James Madison and has led the Dukes to a 19-5 record, including 10-1 this year as they sit atop the Sun Belt. Chesney would be a true outsider stepping into the Power 5, but his results show he can win consistently.

Florida’s next coach will inherit a program in need of a turnaround. The Gators are 3-8 this season, and not only that, a loss to Florida State would mark their fewest wins since 1953. Florida has not reached nine wins in a season over the past six years. The next coach must get the Gators back to SEC prominence and keep them in playoff contention annually.

Lane Kiffin is the dream hire for the Florida Gators

Even with other options, Lane Kiffin is still the dream hire for Florida. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum recently said Florida would be a better fit for Kiffin than LSU if he leaves Ole Miss.

Kiffin has already shown he can build a playoff contender and Florida believes he can return the program to national relevance. If Florida lands him, it would be the perfect start to a rebuild. If not, Spurrier says coaches like Sumrall or Chesney could still be solid options.

“The conventional wisdom as of Sunday morning is LSU (is the better job for Kiffin). I will disagree. I think Florida right now is riper,” Finebaum said this past Sunday on the The Matt Barrie Show. “The fact that Florida looked so bad last night makes that job a little bit easier than LSU. Kelly was good, maybe not great, but LSU had everything on its shelf this year to win a title. They just couldn’t get it done. So, I would gravitate toward Florida a little bit.”

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