Jon Sumrall is an up-and-coming coach at the FBS level who got his first head coaching gig in 2022 with the Troy Trojans of the Sun Belt Conference. During his two years at Troy, Sumrall led the Trojans to back-to-back double digit win seasons while winning the Sun Belt Conference Championship in each.
Jon Sumrall keeps thriving wherever he goes
After two successful seasons with the Trojans, Sumrall was given his next opportunity at Tulane to coach the Green Wave who were coming off of a successful 10-2 campaign in 2023 under head coach Willie Fritz. Fritz left for Houston who has transitioned to the group of four in the Big 12, making way for a seat with the Green Wave that was not only at an established program that he had built, but in a bustling city being New Orleans in Louisiana as well.
The pool of talent at his disposal combined with his track record of success has proven fruitful for both Sumrall and the Green Wave in 2023 so far as he has them sitting at 9-2 with a shot at the AAC title after recently knocking off the Navy Midshipmen in Annapolis this past weekend.
the Green Wave were established, sustaining success is difficult to do. The fact that Sumrall has proven twice over at two different group of five schools he can build or sustain success bodes well for a group of four school that may take a chance on the 42-year-old head coach next. And I have one in mind.
Why Jon Sumrall to the Kentucky Wildcats makes sense
Sumrall played for the Kentucky Wildcats in the early 2000’s as a linebacker from 2002-2004 before beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant there. Having worked his way through the ranks with success as an assistant and a head coach since his time in Lexington, it only makes sense for the Wildcats to bring home one of their own when they feel the time is right, and that time could be as soon as 2025.
Mark Stoops needs to be fired as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats
Although Mark Stoops has had the only two winning seasons for the Wildcats since 1977, the 12th year head coach has fallen on difficult times lately with the Wildcats going 7-6 in each of their last two seasons, and only 4-6 so far this year. Mind you Stoops is making $9 million per year. The recent records do not align with how much Stoops is making. And in the SEC, simply put they need to, or you will not be in seat for long.
It is understandable why the Wildcats have held on so long to Stoops, but it is time for a changing of the guard. And with the now proven track record of winning by Sumrall, it only makes sense that the timing is right to make the change.
Jon Sumrall should stay at Kentucky for the long haul
Being that it is his alma mater, one would figure Sumrall would be content with staying in Lexington as long as allowed as he is one of their own. We have seen before in FBS that typically alumni are lured to their group of four schools if given the chance and tend to stay for a while.
One example is Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, who arrived in Athens in 2016 and has been in seat for nine years now. Another is Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh who was the head coach of the Wolverines for nine years before recently departing for the NFL.
Between Smart and Harbaugh, three national championships have been won combined with their respective schools. Smart is currently the second most tenured coach in the SEC, while Harbaugh was one of the longest tenured in Ann Arbor when with the Wolverines.
This goes to show that when coaches are given the opportunity to coach at their alma mater, it tends to be about more than a paycheck, but pride as well. This is a big part of the reason I feel you see them stay in-seat for so long. And the Wildcats could have the same if they decide to part ways with Stoops and bring in Sumrall.
If Sumrall has the same degree of success with consistent double-digit win season at Kentucky as he has at the group of four level, this could mean that oddly enough the Kentucky Wildcats have a chance at being the next college football dynasty.