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With the upcoming college football season, Florida is preparing for the Jon Sumrall era as head coach after he signed a six-year deal last November.
That deal reportedly pays the 2022 Sun Belt Coach of the Year $7.5 million annually, as he looks to guide the Gators back to success after recent failures under Billy Napier, whom the team fired after seven games last season.
With Sumrall appearing on the SEC Network to speak with the crew, including the legendary Nick Saban, the former Alabama Crimson Tide coach gave him a strong suggestion.
“Let me just say one thing to you, Jon. I’m a Florida resident now and down there amongst the Gators … and I want you to know, I’m kind of a semi-Gator. So, if you don’t get your [expletive] together, I’m gonna be in the middle of it,” Saban told him.
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Saban was clearly joking, and Sumrall told him he appreciated him saying it. However, the University of Florida is hoping Sumrall is the guy who can turn things around after Napier’s disappointing 22-23 record as head coach.
Napier only had one winning season while at the school, which was an 8-5 season in 2024, resulting in an appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl, which the team won. Still, their struggles were apparent as Napier got the Gators off to a 3-4 start last season, leading to his firing.
Sumrall comes in with a 43-12 record during his time as a head coach, which included stints with Troy and Tulane before he took the Florida job. He guided Tulane to the American Championship in 2025 and Troy to two Sun Belt Championships during his time there.
“Part of why I chose Florida was because of the passion of our fanbase. Football matters at the University of Florida. Our fanbase, it cares deeply, and [we had] 18 straight sell-outs through maybe not ideal on-the-field results. … Our fanbase is unlike anyone else in the country,” Sumrall said during Wednesday’s press conference for 2026 SEC Football Media Days.
Florida brings a much more challenging conference with the SEC, but the Gators don’t have any SEC games until Sept. 19 against Auburn. They’ll ease into the schedule, beginning on Sept. 5 against Florida Atlantic, followed by a Sept. 12 game against Campbell.
Saban clearly knows the importance of getting things right, as the criticism can often be harsh for the SEC teams, including the Gators. He also tends to have his name included a lot in speculation when coaching jobs open up at major programs.
It won’t be surprising for the outspoken Saban to have criticism of Sumrall during his television or podcast appearances should he experience issues getting this Florida team back on track.
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For more about college football, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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