When Florida announced Jon Sumrall as its next head football coach, the reaction from Gator Nation was mixed - and that’s putting it kindly. But take a step back and look at the full picture, and it’s clear: Florida may have just dodged a bullet and landed a coach who brings stability, not headlines.
Because while some fans were busy questioning the hire, over in Baton Rouge, LSU was stepping into the whirlwind that is Lane Kiffin - and it’s already getting messy.
Kiffin’s Exit from Ole Miss: A Storm Before the Calm
Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss wasn’t just abrupt - it was a full-on storm surge. His Rebels are ranked No. 6 in the AP poll and still very much in the College Football Playoff conversation.
But instead of standing with his team as they wait to see if they’re in, Kiffin will be sitting in Baton Rouge, watching from afar. Whether it was entirely his call or not, it sends a message.
For a coach who once promised to bring a national title to Oxford, leaving before the postseason dust even settles is a tough pill to swallow.
And then there’s the silence. Kiffin didn’t even show up to the Rebels’ final regular-season team meeting after their rivalry win over Mississippi State.
A 38-19 victory in the Egg Bowl should’ve been a celebration. Instead, the spotlight shifted - not to the players, not to the game, but to the question everyone was asking: “Where’s Lane going?”
For a locker room full of players who bought into his vision, that stings. Kiffin once stood in front of them and said he was building something. Now, he’s gone without a goodbye, and the players are left to pick up the pieces.
The Gators Avoid the Chaos
Compare that to what’s happening in Gainesville. Jon Sumrall, now officially the head coach at Florida, is doing things the right way - and that matters.
He had a conversation with his players at Tulane. He spoke with his administration.
Everyone was on the same page. Sumrall accepted the Florida job on Sunday, but he’s staying to coach Tulane in the American Athletic Conference Championship on Friday.
That’s not just a classy move - it’s a leadership move. It shows his players that he’s with them until the end.
It shows Florida that he respects the process. And it shows recruits and fans that he’s not about drama; he’s about doing the job the right way.
In his introductory press conference, Sumrall mentioned a conversation with Kiffin - now the head coach at LSU - and it was telling. “We were both in agreement that I was the right man for the job,” Sumrall said.
That’s not a throwaway line. It hints at something deeper: Kiffin may never have truly wanted to be in Gainesville.
And if that’s the case, then Florida just saved itself from hiring a coach with one foot out the door before he even stepped in.
LSU’s Gamble
Now LSU has its man. But the question is: can they trust him?
Kiffin has made bold promises before. At Ole Miss, he talked about national titles.
Now, he’s leading one of their biggest rivals. And while coaching changes are part of the business, the way it’s handled matters - especially in the SEC, where rivalries run deep and loyalty matters.
If Kiffin didn’t finish the job at Ole Miss, what’s to say he won’t do the same at LSU if the next big offer comes calling?
A Tale of Two Hires
This coaching carousel has revealed a lot about the programs involved. Ole Miss and LSU are now tangled in a rivalry that just got a whole lot more personal. There’s tension, there’s fallout, and there are questions that won’t go away anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Florida and Tulane are showing what a clean transition looks like. Sumrall is finishing what he started.
Tulane gets to keep its focus on a championship. Florida gets a coach who’s already showing he’s about more than just the next job - he’s about doing things the right way.
And in a sport where chaos often rules the headlines, that kind of leadership is a win in itself.
So while some Gator fans may still be warming up to the idea of Jon Sumrall, here’s the reality: Florida just hired a coach who wanted to be there, who’s committed to his players, and who’s already proving he knows how to lead.
That’s not just a good hire. That’s a smart one.