Jon Sumrall didn’t waste any time telling Florida exactly where things stand.
At SEC Media Days, the Gators’ new head coach was asked about the team’s current position heading into the season, and he answered without any of the usual coach-speak. Sumrall made it plain that Florida has work to do if it wants to reach its goals.
“If we don’t improve, we’re going to get our ass beat,” Sumrall said.
That was enough to end the exchange.
“And with that, this will be the last question.”
- Excellent Florida sports information director Scott Burns
- Andy Staples (@AndyStaples) July 22, 2026
The bluntness fits the job description in Gainesville. Florida hired Sumrall to pull the program out of the worst stretch of football in its modern era, and the assignment is a big one.
The Gators have not won 10 or more games since 2019, even with plenty of high-end local talent in the pipeline. Talent, though, has not been the issue.
The bigger problem has been finding the right fit, and the source article points to Billy Napier’s personality not meshing with the culture Florida football needs in a changing SEC. Sumrall arrives with the charisma and edge the Gators were looking for after his run at Tulane.
He’ll need it. Florida’s schedule leaves little room for a slow start, especially with a nine-game SEC slate. The Gators have road trips to Auburn, Mizzou, Florida State and Texas, and they’ll host Ole Miss, Georgia and Oklahoma.
Florida opens the Jon Sumrall era on September 5 against FAU.
In Other News...
FSU Just Lost A Young Defender Right Before Fall Camp
Florida State is heading into fall camp with a little less depth on the defensive line after removing true freshman end Chris Carbin from the roster. Carbin had signed in December and was around for offseason work, so the move trims a player the Seminoles had already begun to integrate before camp gets rolling.
The timing makes it notable, especially with preseason preparations about to ramp up and seven other true freshman defensive linemen still in place. Even with that group still on hand, any early roster change on the defensive front is the kind of detail that can reshape how a staff sorts out its depth and development plans once camp opens. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Opens A New Camp Chapter As Leadership Starts Taking Shape
Florida State has wrapped up summer workouts and is turning the page toward camp, with the season opener against New Mexico State now the next checkpoint on the calendar. The Seminoles also kept one of their more familiar offseason traditions alive, as the teams rock-breaking ceremony again marked the transition from summer conditioning to football season, a small but meaningful signal that the long buildup is giving way to the real work.
The leadership picture is starting to come into focus, too, with players earning notice from coaches and teammates during the offseason. Chris Jones has been among the names drawing positive attention, while Duce Robinson has emerged as a presence in the locker room alongside quarterback Ashton Daniels, giving Florida State a clearer sense of who will help set the tone once camp opens and the competition gets sharper. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Heads Into Camp With Another Special Teams Problem Looming
Florida State heads into camp with a special teams overhaul still taking shape, and the changes start with the sideline. Adam Scheier is in as the new special teams coordinator after John Papuchis moved on, giving the Seminoles a fresh voice in a phase that has already seen plenty of turnover. They are also preparing to break in a new starting kicker and punter for the third straight season, a reminder that the unit has not settled into much of a rhythm.
The kicking job has drawn a competition between Panikowski and McAneney, while the punter battle includes Hughes, Jula and Post, with no one fully separating yet. There is some upside in the return game thanks to Singleton Jr. and Danzy on kickoffs, and Florida State is also leaning on youth at punt returner. For a team trying to clean up one of its most persistent problem areas, camp will be about finding stability before the season starts asking questions. [Read more 🡒]