Florida’s Jon Sumrall Embraces the Realities of the Transfer Era: “It’s the World We Live In”
GAINESVILLE - Jon Sumrall knows what it feels like to be on the outside looking in. Long before he became Florida’s new head coach, Sumrall was a redshirt freshman linebacker at Kentucky, left off the travel roster the day before the Wildcats headed to The Swamp in 2002. Now, more than two decades later, he’ll be pacing the sidelines in Gainesville - not as a player, but as the leader of the Gators - and with a very different perspective on the college football landscape.
Back then, there was no transfer portal. If you were frustrated, you either toughed it out or walked away. Sumrall nearly did the latter.
“I was on the travel list, and got taken off the day before because we had an injured receiver and needed to take another receiver, not another defensive player,” Sumrall recalled. “I was ready to hit the portal that didn’t exist at that time and transfer back home to Alabama A&M.”
He didn’t. Instead, he listened to his father - who gave him the kind of blunt advice that sticks.
“My dad said, ‘Quit whining and get better. Make yourself good enough they can’t leave you off the travel roster,’” Sumrall said.
That moment stuck with him. And now, as he navigates the ever-shifting terrain of modern college football, Sumrall brings that same grounded mindset to a world where transferring is no longer the exception - it’s often the rule.
A New Era, A New Challenge
Sumrall is preparing No. 11 Tulane for what could be his final game with the Green Wave - a College Football Playoff opening-round clash with No.
6 Ole Miss. But back in Gainesville, the roster he’s about to inherit is already in flux.
More than 10 Gators from the 2025 roster have entered the transfer portal. And while that number might raise eyebrows, it’s just a reflection of the times. Sumrall isn’t panicking - he’s adapting.
“There’s so many things at play,” he said. “I respect every guy’s decision. I’m never going to belittle or demean a guy for what decision he feels like he’s got to make.”
Some players are chasing opportunity. Others are chasing money. And for some, it’s about finding the right fit - whether that’s playing time, scheme, or conference prestige.
The Battle to Keep Key Pieces
Florida isn’t just watching players leave - they’re also fighting to keep foundational pieces in Gainesville. Chief among them is running back Jadan Baugh, who just capped off a 1,170-yard season with a jaw-dropping 266-yard performance against Florida State.
Baugh’s breakout year has made him a hot commodity, and with programs like Texas - who just hired former UF assistant Jabbar Juluke - reportedly making a push, Florida’s staff is working overtime to keep him in orange and blue.
Receivers Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson, two of the most promising freshmen in the country, could also test the waters. Both showed flashes of elite talent in 2025, and in today’s NIL-driven market, that kind of upside doesn’t go unnoticed.
And then there’s quarterback DJ Lagway. On Monday, the former five-star announced he would transfer - a move tied to both his uneven performance in 2025 and Florida’s plans to bring in a veteran transfer to compete for the job. Sumrall didn’t sugarcoat the situation.
“Some guys make decisions purely based upon dollars. Some guys make decisions based upon opportunity,” he said.
“Some guys want to compete at the highest level, maybe conference-wise. There’s different decisions that get made.”
No Hard Feelings
Sumrall’s approach to the portal is rooted in experience. He’s seen it from both sides - as a player who once considered leaving, and as a coach who’s watched stars walk away.
In 2024 at Tulane, quarterback Darian Mensah left after the regular season to join Duke. The move left the Green Wave without their QB1 in the Gasparilla Bowl, where they fell 33-8 to Florida. But there was no bitterness from Sumrall - just understanding.
“Darian Mensah, I’m still really close to to this day,” he said. “Darian got probably eight times more than we could pay him here, maybe 10 times more.
He made about $4 million. We probably could have paid him maybe 400 (thousand).
I’m kind of like, well, yeah, I get it.”
Sumrall knows not every decision is purely transactional. But when the money is life-changing - or at least career-shaping - he’s not standing in the way. What matters to him is the process, the communication, and the respect both ways.
“When guys are making decisions based upon a little bit of money, it’s not completely life-changing, sometimes you have to help them see the reasons you may want to stick with a certain place,” he said. “Everybody has to go through their own process.”
The Road Ahead in Gainesville
Sumrall’s arrival at Florida comes at a pivotal moment. The Gators are in transition - not just in terms of coaching, but in identity.
The roster is fluid, the expectations high, and the pressure immediate. But Sumrall isn’t shying away from any of it.
He’s lived this game - from the scout team to the SEC sidelines - and he understands the complexities of the modern college football era better than most. His message to players is clear: you’ve got options. But so does Florida.
“It’s the world we live in,” Sumrall said. And in this world, adaptability isn’t just a luxury - it’s a necessity.