Florida’s new coach wasted no time making his presence felt at SEC Media Day.
Jon Sumrall, who is about a month away from officially taking over the Gators, turned heads in Tampa on Wednesday when a reporter’s phone went off in the middle of his answer. Sumrall stopped midstream and made it clear he wasn’t amused.
"You would be kicked out of our team meeting. I swear," Sumrall said with a straight face.
"You're lucky I'm not gonna throw this freaking podium right now. That drives me crazy."
It was a sharp, unscripted moment from Florida’s first-year coach, who arrives after the Gators went four seasons under Billy Napier without reaching double-digit wins. Florida is banking on Sumrall to change that, and the appeal is obvious: he comes in fresh off a CFP appearance in 2025 and brings a résumé built on getting results at Troy and Tulane.
Wednesday marked Sumrall’s first SEC Media Day, a bigger stage than the ones he handled in the American and Sun Belt. And while the setting was new, the message was familiar to anyone who has followed his career: he expects a lot, and he doesn’t hide it.
That edge is part of why Florida is betting on him. The program is hoping the same “more with less” approach that worked at Troy and Tulane can translate to the SEC.
Sumrall’s head coaching record has been a winning one in every season, and Florida will try to build on that as it opens a new chapter.
The Gators’ first season under Sumrall begins Sept. 5 at 7:45 p.m. ET against FAU. Florida then hosts Campbell on Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m. before heading to Auburn on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
The rest of the schedule includes Ole Miss on Sept. 26, a trip to Missouri on Oct. 3, South Carolina on Oct.
10, Texas on Oct. 17, Georgia on Oct. 31 at 3:30 p.m., Oklahoma on Nov.
7, Kentucky on Nov. 14, Vanderbilt on Nov. 21, and a Nov. 27 visit to Florida State at 3:30 p.m.
In Other News...
Florida May Have One Unexpected Edge In The SEC's New Punt Rule
The SECs coming punt-rule tweak may not feel like a big talking point in July, but it could end up mattering for teams that have to rework their special teams on the fly. At SEC Media Days, league officials outlined a 2026 change that will require a two-by-two setup around the snapper on punts, a wrinkle that will force programs to adjust their protection looks and personnel groupings before the season arrives.
Florida, though, may already have a head start. The Gators were singled out for using that same general look in 2025, with their punt operation drawing praise for the way the scheme and technique meshed with Tommy Domans kicking. In a league where hidden yardage can swing games, having a unit that already fits the new direction gives Florida a potentially useful edge while other teams are still sorting out how to adapt. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Coach Just Added Intrigue To Jon Sumralls First SEC Test
SEC Media Day has a way of turning a routine preseason answer into a little more than that, and Alex Golesh did exactly that when he talked about Jon Sumrall. The Auburn coach was complimentary of Floridas new leader, pointing to their shared background in the American Conference and making clear he knows the kind of program Sumrall tends to build.
The two will see each other again on Sept. 19, when Florida opens SEC play at Auburn. Golesh also noted the contrast in their offensive approaches, which adds a layer of intrigue to a matchup that already carries plenty of early-season weight for both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Just Raised The Stakes For Florida's Offense
Kirby Smart used SEC Media Days to push back on the familiar view of Georgia as a defense-first, ball-control outfit, arguing the Bulldogs have actually been one of college footballs most explosive offenses over the past five years. For Florida, that matters because the Gators have spent recent seasons trying to close the gap in the rivalry without finding enough big plays of their own to turn close games into wins.
Floridas offense is headed into 2026 with a different look, thanks to coaching changes and a wave of additions that should give the unit more juice. The real question now is whether those pieces can finally help the Gators match Georgias explosiveness when the matchup arrives, or whether Smarts version of the rivalry still holds up when the teams line up again. [Read more 🡒]