Gators hire Sumrall as HC, to add Caldwell as GM

Stressing the need for a “dynamic” offense amid championship expectations, the Florida Gators hired Tulane‘s Jon Sumrall as their new football coach on Sunday. Sources also told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that the program is finalizing a deal with Eagles executive and former Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell to serve as the university’s GM of football operations.

Sumrall, 43, received a six-year deal for an average of nearly $7.5 million per year, with significant incentives tied to the College Football Playoff, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

He is 42-11 in four seasons as a head coach — two in the Sun Belt at Troy and two in the American at Tulane. He has reached the conference title game in all four seasons.

“The University of Florida is one of the premier programs in college football, and it’s an incredible honor to serve as the head football coach,” Sumrall said in a statement. “I believe in building a team rooted in toughness, accountability and a relentless competitive spirit. Florida has everything necessary to compete at the highest level — the resources, the support, the tradition and the passion of Gator Nation.”

Stricklin said in the statement that Sumrall “fully understands” the championship expectations at Florida, including the need for a “dynamic” offense.

“One of my first priorities,” Sumrall said, “will be to assemble an incredible staff, including an offensive coordinator who understands that, at Florida, having an explosive offense isn’t optional — it’s mandatory!”

The Green Wave are 10-2 and have clinched a spot in the American Conference championship game against North Texas. Sumrall will remain with the Green Wave for next week’s title game and through the College Football Playoff, if Tulane gets a berth.

“Not many coaches win big at two different non-power programs, and even fewer do it as quickly as Jon has done it,” Stricklin said in the statement. “He joins rare company — coaches like Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly and Willie Fritz — who’ve delivered immediate success at multiple stops. Jon’s track record of rapid turnarounds speaks directly to his leadership and the culture he establishes.”

Sumrall brings extensive experience in the SEC, as he played and was a graduate assistant at Kentucky and coached inside linebackers at Kentucky and linebackers at Ole Miss.

He will succeed Billy Napier, who was fired Oct. 19 and replaced by interim coach Billy Gonzales. The Gators finished with a 4-8 record this season after beating rival Florida State on Saturday.

“Jon Sumrall is a proven winner and an exceptional leader who has built successful programs at every stop,” Stricklin said. “He brings tremendous energy, strong recruiting relationships across our footprint, and a philosophy rooted in toughness, discipline and player development. He will cultivate a daily culture of competitiveness, accountability and winning that drives success on the field and throughout our program.”

The Green Wave rank 39th in the country in total offense and 64th in total defense this season. Sumrall is expected to hire outside coordinators to help him rebuild in Gainesville.

He also received significant interest from Auburn, who hired USF’s Alex Golesh on Sunday. Florida turned its attention away from Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin last week after getting the sense through irregular communication that he is interested in other options, sources told ESPN.

Caldwell, meanwhile, helped build the Jaguars’ 2017 AFC championship roster and has spent the past five seasons shaping the Eagles, who won a Super Bowl last season and reached another two years earlier.

The Gators believe Caldwell’s understanding of cap management and new-aged scouting will translate well to the new college landscape.

Caldwell currently works with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, a Gators alum.