Jon Sumrall opens up on why he chose Florida over other SEC football suitors

When the smoke cleared, Jon Sumrall simply couldn't see himself anywhere else but Florida. However, it wasn't so cut and dry.

Sumrall told On3/Rivals writer Andy Staples that the decision to accept the heading coaching job at Florida wasn't one he thought he was going to make, until it was obvious to him that he was the only choice to make.

Jon Sumrall is exactly where he wants to be

As the coaching hot stove began to warm up, Sumrall was a hot name and widely expected to get a Power 4 job and likely in the SEC. He spent the majority of his early life in Huntsville, Alabama and had previously coached at Troy, so taking the job at Auburn to replace Hugh Freeze seemed like a natural fit. Kentucky, which is Sumrall's alma mater and where he started his coaching career, was another potential fit. Ole Miss was also a school that was mentioned as a possible landing spot.

But to hear Sumrall say it, Florida was just the right fit.

"We both sat down, and we discussed what the future would look like, and to be very transparent, if you would've asked me in early November, I probably wouldn't have told you Florida," Sumrall said. "And then the most we found out and the more we got to know about this place and the people, we really looked at each other and felt like this is where we fit, this is where we belong and this is where we want to be."

In his first three months, Sumrall has brought a refreshing burst of energy to the program. He has gotten high marks for his ability to retain top talent like running back Jadan Baugh and hiring offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner away from Georgia Tech. The true test will come on the field, where the Gators were 23-27 in the four seasons under Billy Napier and Billy Gonazles, who coached the final five games of the 2025 season. 

Now we'll see if Sumrall's energy and excitement for Gators football can result in wins.