Florida has its new head coach for the 2026 season — and it's one of the most popular names involved in the coaching carousel.
The Gators have reportedly agreed to terms on a deal with Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall to take over in Gainesville. The news comes on the heels of Florida's failed pursuit of Lane Kiffin.
Here's what's known about Sumrall's new contract at Florida, as well as his coaching history and more.
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Jon Sumrall contract details
- Years: Six
- Amount: ~$7.5 million per year
Florida is giving Sumrall a six-year contract in the range of $7.5 million per year, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel, who adds that the deal includes "significant incentives" related to the College Football Playoff.
While coaching contracts don't prevent a program from moving on before the end of the deal, Sumrall's contract ties him to Florida long-term after a rocky tenure for Billy Napier. The Tulane coach had plenty of leverage in talks, as he was pursued by Auburn and could have been a candidate for the Ole Miss job with Lane Kiffin expected to leave for LSU.
Instead, Sumrall is headed to Gainesville, where he will be met with sky-high expectations to match his hefty salary as Florida tries to climb back into the same conversation as the SEC's elites in the years ahead.
Jon Sumrall record
- Overall: 42-11
- Bowl Games: 1-1
- At Tulane: 19-7
Sumrall is 42-11 as a head coach between four seasons at Troy and Tulane.
A former Kentucky assistant, Sumrall went a spectacular 23-4 in two seasons at Troy before succeeding Willie Fritz at Tulane and sustaining some of the success Fritz established in New Orleans.
Sumrall went 9-5 in his first season on the job but went 10-2 in 2025, beating two Power Four programs in Duke and Northwestern and guiding Tulane to the AAC championship game with a chance to reach the College Football Playoff.
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Jon Sumrall coaching history
- 2005-06: Kentucky (graduate assistant)
- 2007-09: San Diego (DL coach)
- 2010-11: San Diego (defensive coordinator)
- 2012-14: Tulane (co-defensive coordinator)
- 2015-17: Troy (linebackers coach)
- 2018: Ole Miss (linebackers coach)
- 2019-20: Kentucky (ILB coach)
- 2021: Kentucky (co-defensive coordinator)
- 2022-23: Troy (head coach)
- 2024-25: Tulane (head coach)
- 2026: Florida (head coach)
Sumrall spent time as an assistant at San Diego, Tulane, Troy, Ole Miss and Kentucky before accepting his first head coaching job at Troy after the 2021 season.
A Kentucky product, Sumrall was frequently rumored as a candidate to return to Lexington if the head coaching job opened up, but it never did. Sumrall went 23-4 at Troy before replacing Fritz at Tulane and going 19-7.
Will Jon Sumrall coach Tulane in College Football Playoff?
Sumrall will coach Tulane in the AAC championship game and remain with the Green Wave for the College Football Playoff if they earn a bid, ESPN reports.
While speculation surrounds what Ole Miss will do with Kiffin as it heads toward the playoff, the AAC title game will feature two head coaches who have accepted other jobs but are staying on to coach through the end of the season. North Texas' Eric Morris is headed to Oklahoma State after the season but will coach in the playoff if the Mean Green get there.
Tulane has to win the AAC championship game to reach the College Football Playoff, but the Green Wave are strongly positioned to earn a bid if they can take down North Texas.