Jon Sumrall didn’t hide from Florida’s mess after the Oklahoma loss, and he didn’t try to dress it up, either.
After the game, the Gators’ coach was asked directly whether his team was short on attitude and toughness. Sumrall said he believes the group’s attitude has been “relatively good,” then broke down what he means by attitude in plain terms.
“I think our attitude has been, for the stretch we've been on, relatively good, if you will. I define attitude as your demeanor, your drive, and your desire.
Demeanor is your body language. Drive and desire are how badly you want to do something.
I think we're learning that right now. I told our team, tough things, when you go through really tough things, that reveals what you're made of.
I'm frustrated. Our whole team is frustrated.
If you're not frustrated, our fan base, I know they're frustrated.
And I appreciate that we got a fan base that's pissed off that we played the way we did tonight. But my attitude's unwavering to the long-term build that we're going to do here.
I can't speak for everybody, but my attitude, like, while I'm pissed off, I'm also maybe more hungry right now than ever to get this right. And that's not going to change.
I do think when things are going really, really bad, your toughness gets challenged- mental toughness- and we have to respond. You're either built for this or you're not.
And I'm a competitor. I'm going to challenge our guys every day to keep bringing it.
We're not where I want us to be. I don't think we're where anybody wants us to be.
And sometimes, you know, failure is not fatal unless you allow it to be. And it doesn't mean I'm okay failing forever.
Like, we've got to get this right. We've got to stop the train going the wrong direction and make it go back the right way.
But we have to, more importantly, for the long-term build of what we're trying to get done, we've got to grow and keep responding when things aren't going good.”
That’s the kind of answer that cuts both ways. On one hand, Sumrall isn’t making excuses for what Florida put on the field. On the other, he still said he likes the team’s attitude, even while acknowledging frustration inside the building and among fans.
The bigger issue is what the eye test showed Saturday night. Florida simply didn’t look like a team with much spark.
There were a few moments that stood out, and Duke Clark was the one player who shouldn’t be lumped into the group that looked flat. But for the most part, the Gators played like a team that never found a pulse.
So if Sumrall is pushing his players and the response still looks this lifeless, the question becomes unavoidable: where does that leave the blame?
In Other News...
Florida Took Another Step Back In A Lifeless Loss To Oklahoma
A flat afternoon at The Swamp only deepened the frustration around Floridas season, as the Gators fell 23-7 to Oklahoma in a game that never found much rhythm on either side of the ball. The offense sputtered throughout, and quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. was picked off twice while Florida managed just 2 of 11 on third- and fourth-down chances, a combination that kept the home crowd waiting for a spark that never really came.
Oklahoma left Gainesville with a milestone win, improving to 2-1 all-time against Florida and claiming its first victory in the building. For the Gators, the bigger concern is how familiar this kind of loss has started to feel, with a once-rattling home environment giving way to another game in which Florida looked stuck searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Got A Painful Reality Check On This Season
Floridas season took another sharp turn Saturday night, when the Gators were beaten 23-7 at home by Oklahoma and dropped their fourth game in five tries. The loss sent them out of both the AP Top 25 and the US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 10, a clear sign of how quickly the momentum around this team has faded.
Kentucky is next, and Florida suddenly has a lot more to prove than just getting back in the rankings. The bigger concern now is whether this slide is a temporary stumble or the point where the season starts to define itself, because the margin for error has all but disappeared. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Golden Just Sent A Clear Message About Florida Basketball
Floridas 88-57 win over Jacksonville offered a reminder of how much depth this roster can bring to the floor when its moving the ball and piling up contributions across the lineup. Alex Condon was right in the middle of it, finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in a performance that showed just how versatile he can be for Todd Goldens group.
Golden, though, made it clear after the game that the bigger takeaway was not Condons near triple-double or any one players line. The message from the Florida coach was about collective success, a tone that fits a team trying to build habits early and keep the focus on winning possessions rather than chasing individual numbers. [Read more 🡒]