Man, if anybody in the SEC knows a good football team when he sees one, it's Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.
Ahead of the SEC Championship, when asked about the Florida Gators, Smart had nothing but praise for the team, despite the fact that Florida had just wrapped up an abysmal 4-8 season.
"People are going to ridicule and make fun of Florida, that roster is big and physical, and talented," Smart said. "I've said it this entire year, people don't get it."
Jon Sumrall needs to keep the Gators' together
Whether it's starting quarterback DJ Lagway or backup nose tackle Jamari Lyons, the Gators have talent across the board; they just need the chance to be coached by the right guy. While it clearly wasn't Billy Napier, the team is now placing its faith in Jon Sumrall.
Sumrall, who already had the pressure of leading an SEC football team for the first time in his coaching career, only had the pressure piled on by Smart's kind words.
Smart is right, don't get me wrong, the Gators should have been a whole lot better than they were this season, and you saw flashes of that when Florida took down teams like Texas and Florida State.
Kirby Smart on Florida
— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) December 7, 2025
"People are going to ridicule and make fun of Florida, that roster is big and physical, and talented. I've said it this entire year, people don't get it." pic.twitter.com/Zd0sClKeFp
However, it's always a challenge for a new head coach to keep a roster whole, and Sumrall truly has an uphill battle ahead of him as the transfer portal opens in less than a month.
So far, Sumrall has done a pretty fantastic job at maintaining his new team, even receiving "recommitments" on social media from star players like Myles Graham. In fact, according to On3 and Rivals, zero (yes, 0) Gators have announced they would hit the portal.
Beyond the current team, Sumrall also did a fantastic job on the recruiting trail, signing nearly every prospect who had committed to Florida with Napier still at the helm.
The biggest loss that Sumrall has suffered since taking over in Gainesville was four-star running back Carsyn Baker flipping his commitment to the Texas A&M Aggies ahead of National Signing Day, but just one loss is extremely impressive for a newly-named head coach.