Jon Sumrall is heading to Florida, but he’s not leaving Tulane empty-handed-or empty-hearted. On Monday, the soon-to-be Gators head coach and his wife, Ginny, donated $100,000 to Tulane’s NIL fund, a move that turned heads across the college football world. In an era where exits can be messy and loyalty often feels like a lost art, Sumrall’s parting gift was a rare and refreshing gesture-one that fans across the country took notice of.
Tulane officially announced the donation to its Green Wave Talent Fund on the same day, just as Sumrall continues to prepare the team for its playoff clash with Ole Miss this Saturday. Even with one foot already in Gainesville, Sumrall is still locked in with the Green Wave, and his six-figure contribution sends a clear message: he’s not just walking away-he’s investing in the future of the program he helped elevate.
And let’s be clear, Tulane could use the help. The program has already lost its starting quarterback, Darian Mensah, to Duke in what’s been reported as an $8 million NIL deal.
Star running back Makhi Hughes also left for Oregon. It’s the reality of modern college football-talent follows the money, and schools like Tulane are often left scrambling to keep up.
Sumrall’s donation won’t match those numbers, but it does give Tulane a much-needed boost in a high-stakes NIL arms race.
When the news broke, social media lit up with reactions from across the college football landscape. Fans didn’t hold back their admiration.
“That’s dope. All coaches should do this,” one user posted.
An Ole Miss fan chimed in with a twist of envy and respect: “Florida won this year with the coaching lottery… I wanted Buster Faulkner as Ole Miss head coach!” Another summed it up simply: “This is how you properly exit a program.”
The praise wasn’t just coming from Tulane or Florida fans either. One Ole Miss supporter said it plainly: “This guy is awesome.”
A Gators fan jumped in to claim him: “That’s my coach.” Another added: “Solid dude.”
In a sport where fanbases rarely agree on anything, Sumrall managed to unite them-at least for a moment.
It’s not just the money or the gesture-it’s the timing. Coaching transitions are often chaotic, and Sumrall’s had every reason to be distracted.
Since Florida came calling last month, he’s been juggling two jobs, two wardrobes, and probably not much sleep. His social media profile even shows him split down the middle-one side in Gators gear, the other in Tulane green.
He joked last week about the grind: “2 Phones, 2 Jobs & 2 hours of sleep.”
But Tulane’s transition has been smoother than most. On Monday, the school officially promoted Will Hall from pass game coordinator to head coach. Sumrall didn’t just endorse the move-he championed it.
“Coach Hall possesses a keen understanding of Tulane University and its football program,” Sumrall said in the school’s announcement. “As a leader, he cares deeply about helping others reach their full potential and is dedicated to equipping them to achieve that goal in every way possible.”
He also made it clear that the city and the program still mean a great deal to his family. “Tulane University and New Orleans are special to me and my family,” he said. “Ginny and I are honored to support the Green Wave Talent Fund because we believe in the vision of Tulane Athletics and want to contribute to the continued success of its student-athletes.”
Sumrall’s record speaks for itself. In four seasons as a head coach, he’s gone 43-11.
He turned Troy into a Sun Belt powerhouse with a 23-4 record and back-to-back conference titles. At Tulane, he went 20-7 in two years, including an 11-2 finish this season and an American Conference championship.
Now, Florida is betting he can bring that same magic to Gainesville, where the program has stumbled through four losing seasons in the last five years. It’s a bold hire-but if Sumrall’s final act at Tulane is any indication, the Gators may have found the right man to lead their turnaround.
He’s not just leaving a winning record behind-he’s leaving a legacy of leadership, loyalty, and class. And in today’s college football landscape, that’s worth more than any stat sheet.