Kevin Sumlin is back on the sideline, and the Dallas Renegades are betting on his track record to give their UFL program a lift.
The Renegades announced Wednesday that they’ve hired Sumlin as their new head coach. The 62-year-old spent the 2025 season away from football after two seasons as the University of Maryland’s associate head coach.
Sumlin’s coaching résumé includes a long run in college football, where he put together a 95-63 record from 2008-20. His rise began at Houston in 2008, where he helped develop Case Keenum, who finished his Cougar career as the NCAA’s all-time leading passer. Sumlin went 35-17 there before moving on to Texas A&M.
At College Station, he immediately made noise. In his first season, Sumlin brought Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel to Texas A&M and guided the Aggies to an 11-2 record in their first season in the SEC. That stretch also included Texas A&M’s 2013 Cotton Bowl victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.
The next few seasons were less dominant. Texas A&M finished 9-5 or 8-5 in each of Sumlin’s next four years, and he was dismissed in 2017 after a 7-5 campaign. He left the Aggies with a 51-26 record.
After Texas A&M, Sumlin took over at Arizona, where the Wildcats struggled under his watch and he finished 9-20. His last head-coaching stop came in 2022 with the UFL’s Houston Gamblers, where he went 3-7.
In Other News...
Vanderbilt Heads To Georgia With A Problem Fans Did Not Want
Vanderbilts week got a lot more complicated on the eve of its trip to No. 2 Georgia, with the Commodores releasing an initial injury report that immediately put a spotlight on availability. Eight players showed up on the list, and the most troubling part for Vanderbilt is the cluster of names already ruled out, including cornerback Jaylin Lackey and linebacker Jamison Curtis, both of whom will miss the game because of injuries.
Freshman quarterback Jared Curtis is listed as questionable, which only adds to the uncertainty around a depth chart already carrying plenty of concerns. There is at least some encouraging news in the group marked probable, with Miles Capers, Lyndon Cooper and Clinton Azubuike expected to be in position to play, but Vanderbilt is still heading into one of the toughest road tests in the country with a problem no team wants this late in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt May Have Found An Unexpected Answer At Wide Receiver
Vanderbilts search for more answers at wide receiver took an unusual turn against Auburn, when backup quarterback Blaze Berlowitz lined up in the pass-catching group for a few snaps. He finished with one catch for no yards and drew another target, but the bigger takeaway was that the Commodores were willing to experiment with a player whose athleticism and feel for the offense have kept him in the mix.
Head coach Clark Lea confirmed Berlowitz had been working at wide receiver in practice and pointed to the chemistry he has developed with quarterback Jared Curtis as part of the appeal. Whether that usage sticks is still unsettled, but the staff is clearly exploring ways to get Berlowitz on the field, which could give Vanderbilt a little more flexibility as it looks for help in that room. [Read more 🡒]