Josh Pate explains why he is optimistic about Jon Sumrall's potential success at Florida

For all the positive vibes that have been around the Florida Gators this offseason, the consensus is that they will finish somewhere between the middle of the pack and the lower-end of the 16-team conference.

That isn't necessarily a knock on Jon Sumrall and what he's trying to do. It's more of a confirmation that the SEC is hard and Florida has some concerning questions that we need to see they have answers for (like the offensive line). 

But there's something happening in Gainesville that has Josh Pate sharing the optimism that we've seen with the rest of the college football media and a good portion of the fan base. Pate shared his thoughts with Michael Bratton from 'that SEC podcast' during last week's Media Days in Tampa, Florida.

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Josh Pate sees a lot of good things happening at Florida

Now don't let the headline fool you or even make you believe that Pate thinks the Gators are going to compete for the SEC title this year. He considers Florida one of the teams that could emerge as a surprise because no one really thinks they are going to be in the top-five of the conference.

Pate conceded that the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns should be considered the top two teams and behind them, the "No. 2 pack," as he describes it, are 4–6 teams deep. 

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"I don't think [Florida] would be in the second pack if people here had to rate that," Pate told Bratton. "[But] if you could sell me that their offensive line is going to be above average...they've got a bunch of talent elsewhere."

Pate's reasoning for feeling good about the Gators is simple — the roster is pretty good, but it clearly underachieved under Billy Napier, his poor coaching and his inability to get more out of the talent and surround himself with better coaches.

"I went down there in the spring and watched them practice. You would never have known that team went 4-8. They underachieved mightily with that roster talent," Pate added. "It's not the first time I've watched a Sumrall team, but it's the first time I've watched his Florida team practice and when you compare it to what it used to feel like...there's so much juice."

READ MORE: Florida’s 2026 expectations should be higher than Vegas is suggesting

Most of us think Sumrall will get more out of this roster. His history is very strong in that area. Every team he's had in his four seasons as a head coach has achieved at or above the level expected. He demands that from his players. We know that he's not afraid to surround himself with good coaches. 

The coordinators, Buster Faulkner and Brad White, are well regarded around college football. And the top assistants, like offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and defensive backs coach Brandon Harris, have had success elsewhere. 

All this optimism around Sumrall hasn't just come out of thin air. The expectations are going to be high, but Sumrall wants that, and he's going to work hard to make sure that Florida Gators football lives up to the standards that were set by the school's most successful coaches. 

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