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New Florida Gators’ football coach Jon Sumrall spoke at SEC football media days, saying he was grateful for the 60 players that returned to the squad despite the coaching change.
Sumrall comes to Florida after two seasons at Tulane, where he led the Green Wave to 20 wins and two postseason appearances — one a Gasparilla Bowl loss to the Gators, the other an appearance in the College Football Playoff. He will try to turn around a program that went 4-8 last season.
“I’m just trying to inject an attitude we’re going to attack every day with enthusiasm. I may have some bad moments; I don’t have bad days. I got life pretty good,” Sumrall said.
“So I want everybody in our building to have an appreciation for the privileges that we’re afforded each and every day. When I interviewed for this job, one of the questions the committee had for me was, ‘Coach, what do you view as our negatives at the University of Florida?’ I said, ‘The biggest one I see is we haven’t been winning enough.’”
In the last four seasons under Billy Napier, the Gators’ record was 22-23.
Now, Sumrall takes over a high-profile program in the midst of the NIL and transfer portal era in college football. There is bound to be change on the roster.
“I do feel fortunate to maybe have only been a head coach since 2022, and so the transfer portal and NIL and all the chaos that has ensued is all I know. It’s not like I’ve been doing it forever and had to shift mid-stream. It’s all I’ve known,” Sumrall said.
“Every time you walk into a place that’s different, the most important thing you do as a new head coach is you listen to maybe what’s gone right and you listen to what’s gone wrong, and you try to identify where you have to recalibrate. Try to get the right people in your building. Maybe some people, it’s okay if they leave.”
One of the big questions facing Sumrall is at quarterback. The Gators lost 34 players in the transfer portal, including quarterback DJ Lagway. Redshirt freshman Tramell Jones is still in Gainesville, as is former Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo, who transferred in.
Running back Jadan Baugh returns after a sophomore season that saw him earn second-team All-SEC honors. Baugh gained 1,170 yards on the ground while scoring a total of 10 touchdowns. He decided to remain in Gainesville despite the coaching change.
“Being a Gator is everything to me, and being able to just play for the fans that support us when we’re down, up, regardless. They came around and embraced me with open arms just to keep going,” Baugh said.
“But with the coaching staff, they came in with the fire in their eyes. And I told everybody that. When the coaching staff comes in with a fire in their eyes, and they’re ready to just go, I’m ready to play right then and there.”
Florida opens the season on Sept. 5 against Florida Atlantic. The Gators kick off SEC play Sept. 19 at Auburn.
The post Gators’ new coach bringing energy to upcoming season appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
