Tim Tebow compares Jon Sumrall’s mentality to Spurrier and Meyer eras

Jon Sumrall arrived at Florida this offseason amid plenty of questions. Some wondered how a coach from the Group of Five in Louisiana could handle the pressure of leading a program with national championship expectations. Others were curious about the kind of culture he would build and how he would connect with players in Gainesville.

Early signs suggest Sumrall is already making a strong impression. He brings energy, enthusiasm and a deep knowledge of the game. Those around him say his passion is contagious. He’s invested in building a culture, connecting with players and creating an environment where confidence and toughness go hand in hand.

Tim Tebow has high remarks for Jon Sumrall’s passion

Tim Tebow, who is arguably Florida’s most famous football alumnus, has spent time getting to know Sumrall. He sees something special in the new head coach.

“I liked him from afar,” Tebow told Sirius XM’s Zach Gelb. “I like him more up close because I’ve gotten to talk to him and getting to talk football, getting to talk psychology, getting to talk recruiting, getting to talk culture, all of those things I really like in getting to know him more and more, and that makes me feel even more confident that he could be the guy to really turn this program back to where it needs to be.”

Tebow highlighted what he believes sets Sumrall apart: his love for the game.

“He is a football junkie. He loves it; he wants to do it. He’s excited about the job and I just really love his mentality for all those things,” Tebow said.

The edge that makes Florida great

Tebow said that kind of passion is what has defined Florida’s most successful teams. He pointed to the confidence of the Steve Spurrier-era Gators, describing it as an edge that sometimes looked like arrogance but was also fun and effective.

“Some could call it a little bit of arrogance and ego with it, as you look at the Spurrier days in the 90s with Danny (Wuerfell]) and Ike Taylor and Reidel Anthony and Javon Kearse and all these great players. You had this confidence that some people say is arrogance, right? This is the fun and gun and we’re going to go out there, we’re going to play our style.”

Tebow sees a similar mentality in Sumrall to the one Florida had under Urban Meyer.

“Under coach Meyer, it was also a different edge. It was an edge under mentality; it was an edge in toughness. It was a four to six seconds of relentless effort and focus that you were going to see. And the deeper the waters got, the more that we knew how to swim and the more we believed other people you know weren’t going to be able to swim in deep waters as long.

“(They’re) different, but both have a form of a confidence and arrogance and an edge that I really believe as teams and individuals playing a game, you need a deeply held belief, conviction and confidence in what you do. I think that that’s something that the coach Sumrall, in his own way, can bring to the program. I think you’ve seen it and where he’s coached.”

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