When Jon Sumrall took the reins as Florida’s head coach back in late November, he wasn’t just stepping into a new job-he was stepping into a program in desperate need of a reset. The Gators were coming off a 4-8 season, and the broader picture hasn’t looked much better: four losing seasons in the last five years, a stretch that ranks among the roughest in the storied history of Florida football.
There was a time when the Gators were synonymous with dominance-SEC titles, national championships, and a pipeline of NFL-caliber talent. But that era feels distant now.
The challenge for Sumrall? Bring that swagger back to Gainesville.
And while the scoreboard hasn’t lit up yet, the early signs suggest he’s wasting no time laying the foundation.
One of Sumrall’s first big wins has come via the transfer portal. Florida’s 2024 portal class has been turning heads, earning a No. 12 national ranking from On3.
That’s no small feat, especially for a coach stepping into a program that’s been stuck in neutral. Among the new faces, one name stands out: Cam Dooley.
The former Kentucky safety brings both SEC experience and untapped potential to the Swamp. A former four-star recruit, Dooley logged 30 tackles and an interception last season with the Wildcats. At 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, he’s got the size and athleticism to make an impact in Florida’s secondary-and he’s still got two years of eligibility to develop into something special.
Dooley’s decision to transfer wasn’t made lightly. He had other suitors, including Iowa State, LSU, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt. But it was Florida-and more specifically, Jon Sumrall-that sealed the deal.
“The first time I met him, when I entered the portal, he had communicated with me and told me he wanted to talk,” Dooley said. “He was just super energetic, always energetic, seemed like a good person to be around.
And when I took my official visit down here and got around him, he was just always smiling, always energetic, making my family feel comfortable being around him. He’s just a great guy overall.”
That kind of connection matters. Yes, players want to compete and win, but they also want to feel like they’re part of something bigger-a culture, a vision, a team that’s building toward something real. Sumrall seems to be striking that chord early on.
It’s also worth noting that Dooley’s move to Florida reunites him with Brad White, Kentucky’s former defensive coordinator who now holds the same role in Gainesville. That familiarity no doubt played a role in Dooley’s decision, but make no mistake-Sumrall’s presence was the tipping point.
Sumrall arrives in Gainesville with a strong track record. Over four years as a head coach-split between Troy and Tulane-he posted a 43-12 record.
His most recent stop saw him lead Tulane to an 11-3 season and a College Football Playoff appearance. That kind of success doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s built on culture, recruiting, player development, and yes, the ability to connect.
Florida fans have every reason to be cautiously optimistic. The program isn’t fixed overnight, but the early moves-both in the portal and in the locker room-suggest Sumrall is hitting the right notes. And if Cam Dooley turns into the kind of playmaker his skill set hints at, this could be one of those transfer stories that pays off in a big way.
The rebuild in Gainesville is underway. It’s not flashy yet, and it’s far from finished. But with players like Dooley buying in and a coach like Sumrall leading the charge, the Gators might just be on the path back to relevance.