Sumrall has hit the ground running with recuiting, coordinator hires
The ultimate test is winning on the field, but for less than a week on the job Jon Sumrall is proving to be a very good hire for the Florida Gators. After scoring big with an enthusiastic introductory press conference in which Hall of Fame Florida coaches Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer fully endorsed him, Sumrall held on to the bulk of a recruiting class that some thought would disintegrate and made two outstanding coordinator hires.
This is what you call hitting the ground running, particularly impressive when you consider Sumrall also put the finishing touches on preparation for 21st-ranked Tulane’s American Conference Championship Game matchup with No. 20 North Texas in New Orleans tonight (8 p.m., ABC). The winner of tonight’s game is a mortal lock to make the College Football Playoff. North Texas (11-1) is favored by 2.5 points over Tulane (10-2), playing in its second straight American Conference title game under Sumrall’s direction. In four years as a collegiate head coach, Sumrall has had his team (2022-23 at Troy) in the conference title game each year (won twice).
After going more than a month without a head football coach and then being jilted by Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, it wouldn’t have been a surprise for the Gators to lose most of their committed recruits, but that didn’t happen. Depending on whose rankings you prefer, Florida’s recruiting class is No. 13 at On3/Rivals and No. 15 at both ESPN and 247Sports. Sumrall did that on the phone and with the help of Zoom.
Following that rather eye-opening sales job, Sumrall landed a pair of highly regarded coordinators in Brad White and Buster Faulkner. White spent the previous eight seasons as the defensive coordinator for Mark Stoops at Kentucky, while Faulkner coached the quarterbacks and coordinated the offense at Georgia Tech the last three years for Brent Key.
Here is a capsule look at Faulkner and White:
Buster Faulkner, Offensive coordinator: Faulkner’s chief mentor is Chris Hatcher, his college coach at Valdosta State and later boss at Murray State. He was the quarterbacks coach for VSU’s 2007 Division II national champion. He worked as a quality control assistant at Georgia under Todd Monken and Mike Bobo from 2020-23. As the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech the last three seasons, Faulkner has produced a consistently good product. In 2023 the Yellow Jackets averaged 424.6 yards per game followed by 424.5 in 2024. In 2025, Georgia Tech averaged 466.3 yards per game (12th nationally). The Jackets were balanced all three seasons, averaging 203.77 rushing, 220.8 passing in 2023; 187 rushing, 237.5 passing in 2024; and 203 rushing, 263.3 passing in 2025.
As the offensive coordinator at Arkansas State in 2017, the Red Wolves averaged 37.8 points per game (12th nationally) and 494.8 yards of total offense (10th nationally). The Red Wolves finished fifth nationally in passing, averaging 342.2 yards per game.
Brad White, Defensive Coordinator: White spent eight seasons as the defensive coordinator for Mark Stoops at Kentucky. From 2018-22 the Wildcats finished fourth or higher in total defense in the Southeastern Conference. The 2022 UK defense finished second in the SEC to national champ Georgia, 12th nationally. White’s Kentucky defenses always outperformed their personnel. The last two seasons were a real problem since the UK offense stunk it up and consistently gave opponents short fields to work with. A Wake Forest grad, White worked for Chris Hatcher at Murray State and for X as the inside linebackers coach at Air Force. That was followed by five years in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, first in defensive quality control and then coaching the linebackers. During his time at Kentucky, the Wildcats went to six consecutive bowl games.
THE RECRUITING CLASS
The Gators have 17 signed recruits, but still have a pair of unsigned commitments in safety Kaiden Hall (6-3, 200, Milton, FL) and tight end Kekua Aumua (6-6, 257, Kahuka, HI). Aumua could flip to Washington while Hall should be considered likely to sign with the Gators, who may end up signing one or two others.
Florida flipped corner Dylan Purter (6-0, 165, Tuskeegee, AL Booker T. Washington) from LSU. The only commitment the Gators lost on signing day was running back Carsyn Baker (6-0, 195, Fairburn, GA Langston Hughes), who signed with Texas A&M.
Here is a class breakdown:
Quarterback (1): Will Griffin (6-3, 225, Treasure Island, FL/Tampa FL Jesuit, 4 star)
Griffin is the No. 16 quarterback in the country.
Wide receivers (3): Davian Groce (6-1, 190, Frisco, TX Lone Star); Justin Williams (5-11, 190, Gainesville, FL Buchholz, 4 star); Marquez Daniel (6-5, 195, Tuskeegee, AL Booker T. Washington, 4 star)
Groce is the No. 10 wide receiver in the country. Williams is the No. 24 wide receiver in the country. Daniel is the No. 45 wide receiver in the country.
Tight end (1): Heze Kent (6-6, 320, Brunswick, GA, 4 star)
Kent is the No. 23 tight end in the country.
Offensive line (5): Tyler Chukuyem (6-6, 290, Douglasville, GA South Paulding, 4 star); Chancellor Campbell (6-8, 310, St. Petersburg, FL Lakewood, 3 star); G’Nivre Carr (6-4, 325, Ocala, FL/Bradenton, FL IMG Academy, 3 star); Desmond Green (6-4, 354, St. Stephen, SC Timberland, 3 star); Jararil Luckas (6-5, 305, Belle Glade, FL Glades Central, 3 star)
Chukuyen is the No. 25 offensive tackle in the country. Campbell is the No. 44 offensive tackle in the country. Carr is the No. 47 guard in the country. Green is the No. 78 guard in the country.
Defensive line (3): KJ Ford (6-4, 245, Duncanville, TX, 4 star); Kendall Guervil (6-5, 315, Fort Myers, FL, 4 star); JaReylan McCoy (6-7, 265, Tupelo, MS, 4 star)
Ford is the No. 18 EDGE rusher in the country. McCoy is the No. 17 D-lineman in the country. Guervil is the No. 25 defensive tackle in the country.
Linebackers (1): Malik Morris (6-1, 260, Lakeland, FL, 4 star)
Morris is the No. 17 linebacker in the country.
Secondary (3): CJ Bronaugh (6-1, 175, Windermere, FL, 4 star); Dylan Purter (6-0, 165, Tuskeegee, AL Booker T. Washington, 4 star); CJ Hester (6-1, 195, Cocoa, FL 3 star)
Bronaugh is the No. 11 corner in the country. Purter is the No. 15 corner in the country. Hester is the No. 40 corner in the country.
RECRUITING RANKINGS
(SEC schools bold face)
ON3/Rivals top 30: 1. Southern California; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Oregon; 4. Georgia; 5. Alabama; 6. Ohio State; 7. Tennessee; 8. Texas A&M; 9. Miami; 10. Texas; 11. LSU; 12. Michigan; 13. FLORIDA; 14. Florida State; 15. South Carolina; 16. Washington; 17. Oklahoma; 18. North Carolina; 19. Clemson; 20. Illinois; 21. Texas Tech; 22. West Virginia; 23. SMU; 24. Iowa; 25. Virginia Tech; 26. Ole Miss; 27. BYU; 28. Missouri; 29. Syracuse; 30. Mississippi State
Others: 33. Vanderbilt; 38. Auburn; 56. Arkansas; 58. Kentucky; 63. UNLV; 68. UCF; 72. South Florida; 73. Tulane; 83. James Madison; 94. Florida International; 117. Florida Atlantic; 149. Florida A&M
ESPN top 30: 1. Southern California; 2. Texas; 3. Georgia; 4. Notre Dame; 5. Oregon; 6. Texas A&M; 7. Alabama; 8. Tennessee; 9. Ohio State; 10. Michigan; 11. Miami; 12. North Carolina; 13. Florida State; 14. LSU; 15. FLORIDA; 16. Oklahoma; 17, Washington; 18. Clemson; 19. Texas Tech; 20. SMU; 21. Illinois; 22. BYU; 23. Virginia Tech; 24. Ole Miss; 25. South Carolina; 26. Missouri; 27. West Virginia; 28. Syracuse; 29. Indiana; 30. Minnesota
Others: 32. Vanderbilt; 33. Mississippi State; 54. Arkansas; 55. Auburn; 56. Kentucky; 62. UNLV; 67. South Florida; 75. James Madison
247SPORTS top 30: Southern California; 2. Oregon; 3. Notre Dame; 4. Alabama; 5. Georgia; 6. Ohio State; 7. Tennessee; 8. Texas; 9. Texas A&M; 10. Miami; 11. Michigan; 12. LSU; 13. Washington; 14. Florida State; 15. FLORIDA; 16. Oklahoma; 17. North Carolina; 18. Clemson; 19. Texas Tech; 20. South Carolina; 21. BYU; 22. Illinois; 23. Virginia Tech; 24. SMU; 25. West Virginia; 26. Mississippi State; 27. Iowa; 28. Utah; 29. Minnesota; 30. Syracuse
Others: 31. Vanderbilt; 33. Ole Miss; 35. Missouri; 36. Auburn; 56. Arkansas; 57. UNLV; 65. Kentucky; 74. South Florida; 75. James Madison; 83. UCF; 84. Tulane; 89. Florida International; 124. Florida Atlantic
BILLY NAPIER TO JAMES MADISON
Billy Napier wasn’t jobless very long. Per multiple reports, Napier will be the new coach at James Madison once the Dukes’ season ends. Napier is getting a 5-year contract to coach the Dukes with details revealed at a Saturday press conference. JMU will play Troy for the Sun Belt Conference championship Friday night. Should the Dukes win that game, they could make the College Football Playoff as the highest ranked Group of Five team.
The Dukes are currently 11-1 in their second year under Bob Chesney, who led them to a 9-4 record in 2024. Chesney has accepted the job at UCLA.
This is familiar territory for Napier, who was 40-12 at Louisiana prior to taking the Florida job in 2022. Napier won the Sun Belt championship in 2020 and again in 2021.
At Florida Napier went 22-23 in four seasons. He was fired at Florida after guiding the Gators to a 23-21 win over Mississippi State. His only winning season was 2024 when the Gators finished on a 4-game roll for an 8-5 record.
OTHER COACHING NEWS
Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein has been named the head coach at Kansas State. K-State head coach Chris Klieman who surprisingly announced his retirement after seven years as the head coach. Klein, a former K-State quarterback, got a 5-year deal that pays an average of $4.3 million.
Penn State is going all out to hire Iowa State coach Matt Campbell as the replacement for James Franklin. Penn State players endorsed running backs coach Terry Smith, but Penn State apparently believes it is closing in on a deal to hire Campbell, who is 72-55 at Iowa State and 107-70 in his coaching career.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer once again has stated he has no interest in the Penn State job. DeBoer has been mentioned as a potential head coach almost since the day James Franklin was fired.
UAB has removed the interim tag from Alex Mortenson. UAB went 2-4 under Mortenson after Trent Dilfer was fired.
AS THE PORTAL TURNS
Arkansas: CB Keshawn Davila
Auburn: CB Raion Strader; DL Antonio Coleman; EDGE Mike Hastie
Georgia: CB Daniel Harris
LSU: WR Jelani Watkins
Mississippi State: S Stonka Burnside
Missouri: RB Brendon Haygood; WR James Madison II
South Carolina: DL Zavion Hardy
Tennessee: EDGE Kellen Lindstrom; DL Jamal Wallace
Vanderbilt: QB Drew Dickey
Saw A click bait post where Dj Lagway has entered the portal , wish he would, Yes, SUmrall has hit the ground running , good hires with assistants and there are sure to be more to come !
Go Gators
I am one who was not happy with the hire until...... that press conference and all that has come since that press conference. I think we got ourselves a thoroughbred horse of a HBC
Excellent reporting as always, Franz, a lot of solid content in one column.