Florida is reportedly no longer pursuing Lane Kiffin for its head coach vacancy, and it would appear a new favorite has emerged for the job.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Friday that Florida is no longer targeting Kiffin. Florida officials have been given the impression that Kiffin is not interested in the job, so they are turning their focus elsewhere.
Though Kiffin was Florida’s top choice, several candidates have been linked to the Gators. One name that continues to come up is Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall.
Sumrall, 43, has been one of the hottest names on the head coach market. He has generated interest from multiple schools, most notably Florida and Auburn. Thamel says Sumrall is expected to make a decision by Sunday on whether he will remain at Tulane or pursue another opportunity.
The Athletic also reported on Friday that Sumrall is one of the candidates on Florida’s short list. Other candidates include South Florida head coach Alex Golesh, Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm and Washington head coach Jedd Fisch.
There was some conflicting information about whether Sumrall already interviewed for the Florida job, but it seems obvious he is at least a factor in the search.
Sumrall coached Troy for two seasons from 2022-2023 and is in his second season at Tulane. Troy went 23-4 over his two seasons as head coach, and Tulane has gone 17-7 in his two seasons. They are 8-2 this season.
