By Larry Vaught

Jon Sumrall leaving home but also returning home

Posted: January 4, 2022
Vaughts Views

Jon Sumrall wanted to help players he had been coaching get a 10th win in the Citrus Bowl. (UK Athletics Photo)

Is Jon Sumrall leaving Kentucky to return home to Alabama or leaving home in Kentucky to go home to Alabama? Sumrall has been on Mark Stoops’ staff at UK the last three years but also played his college football at Kentucky and was a graduate assistant under coach Rich Brooks. However, he’s also an Alabama native and was hired as the new head coach at Troy University last month.

“Kentucky been my college football home. I tricked them into giving me a scholarship and tricked them into making me a starting linebacker,” said Sumrall on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports. “But I am from Alabama and Alabama is home, too.

“Not very many things could get me to leave. This is one situation that would. It’s really bittersweet. I am leaving home but also returning home.”

Sumrall thought so much of UK that he continued to help recruit for the Cats after he took the job at Troy and came back to coach DeAndre Square and others in the Citrus Bowl. It was important to him to help UK get a 10th win.

“I did not want to quit until the job was done. I was in Troy working for Troy but also working for Kentucky and making sure a couple of recruits we had would stay here,” Sumrall said. “I have a ton of respect for Mark Stoops and the program means a lot to me. Coach Stoops has done so much for me and I did not want to leave when the job was not finished.”

He says that’s the reason players do not opt out of playing in bowl games at Kentucky, including ones who have entered the transfer portal.

“People want to finish the drill here because of the way coach Stoops teams everybody. In a day where it is easier to opt out or just leave, nobody wants to do that here. We are unusual in that we have more opt in and want to bring closure to a great season,” Sumrall said. “When you have a chance to win 10 games, you go finish that job because we fight for each other and care about each other.”