Jon Sumrall’s first big message to Gator fans is nothing like Billy Napier’s playbook

The very real concern among Gator fans about the hiring of Jon Sumrall is that his profile has many similarities to Billy Napier's when he was first hired. Sumrall not only has a near identical winning percentage as Napier, but his other metrics across the board also equal that of Napier's time when he was the head coach of Louisiana.

But one thing Sumrall has going in his favor is a persona that is the polar opposite of Napier's, and at his opening press conference on Monday, he hit something that doomed Napier from the start.

Jon Sumrall doesn't hire his friends

Sumrall has claimed he wants an explosive offense at Florida, despite being a defensive guy himself. One of the very real things he is going to have to nail to make this happen is his coaching staff.

Sumrall was asked about his philosophy in assembling his staff, and his answer was refreshing:

"Well, I don't hire my friends. Honestly, when I took my first head coaching job, I lost some friends. They were like, 'I thought we were buddies.' I said we are, but it doesn't mean you're the right fit here."

When one thinks back to the Billy Napier Era, one of the very real things that doomed him was the staff he brought in. It felt like everyone who came in had next to no Power Four experience, and as time marched on, it was clear Napier was just hiring his friends to get them a paycheck.

As we highlighted in our end-of-season report cards for Florida's coaching staff for 2025, it's hard to envision any more than a couple of Florida's assistants getting a Power Four job for the 2026 season unless they are very well-connected.

We will still have to wait and see who Sumrall tabs to come with him to Gainesville, and whether or not it winds up just being a rehash of his Tulane staff, but if he is a man of his word, he at least looks like he is going to consider people beyond his inner circle.