Jon Sumrall, right, had plenty of passion when he played and coached at Kentucky and that likely will never change. (UK Athletics Photo)
No, I don’t think Lane Kiffin was predicting that Tulane coach Jon Sumrall would be the head coach at Kentucky next season but the Mississippi coach certainly heaped praise on Sumrall during the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday.
Tulane plays at Ole Miss Saturday afternoon and Sumrall, a former UK defensive coordinator and linebacker, is a rising star after what he’s done as head coach at Troy and Tulane the last four years.
“I told my staff yesterday, I said, ‘I feel like I’m going to be in head coach’s meetings in the conference’ — I think our first one is in January — ‘with coach Sumrall.’ So it’s funny you bring that up,” Kiffin said about the SEC coaches meetings.
Sumrall, who also coached inside linebackers at Ole Miss before Kiffin was the head coach, could be a target of several SEC schools if they make coaching changes.
“Tulane’s Jon Sumrall is still the top candidate from a non-Power 4 school,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg said. “I’d be a bit surprised if he’s not leading an SEC program in 2026 or shortly after.
“Sumrall is an Alabama native who played linebacker at Kentucky and coached both at his alma mater and at Ole Miss in 2018. He will be the top name mentioned whenever the Mark Stoops era ends at Kentucky, but his return is far from a guarantee. Sumrall could look to other SEC jobs where making the CFP (College Football Playoff) seems a bit more realistic.”
Maybe Sumrall could use Kiffin as a reference.
“His teams are really disciplined,” Kiffin said. “They play really hard, they tackle really well. He’s got a really good fundamental defensive system. And he wins.”
10 Responses
This guy is going to get snatched up by somebody if we don't do it first. Stoops had a good run here, elevated the program, almost won an Eastern Division title, and that was his peak. Texas A&M ALMOST hired Stoops; Stoops was packed and ready to move. So what happened? What changed A&M's mind at the last minute? The came across something. Did they foresee a losing season here last year? Did Stoops? Whatever the case, we did have a losing season last year and look to have another one this year.
Did last year's team feel like Stoops was no longer interested in being here and was looking for another job? Does this year's team feel the same way? Stoops still talks the talk, but it seems like he has forgotten how to walk the walk. If Stoops had not been so vocal to A&M about wanting their job and not Kentucky's, would last year's team had a better outcome? They did beat Ole Miss on the road and then imploded. If Stoops can't salvage a bowl bid out of this season, will he have any better chance to do that in the future with a 9 game SEC schedule + an ACC team? Will Stoops have to drop Louisville, an ACC member, and schedule a weaker ACC team instead?
Nothing points to continued success with Stoops as Kentucky's coach. He has had his time here, made a LOT of money, but the program is going in the wrong direction. If he turns things around and gets a bowl bid…keep him. If not, cut out losses, buy him out, and grab Sumrall before someone else does! If Stoops could get a job anywhere else, he would be gone like a shot. Why wait for that to happen and have the program in complete shambles? Give him a chance…win or leave. If he wins, then we weathered the A&M storm and somebody else can hire Sumrall. If he loses, then seeya, and hire Sumrall.
I think we are dreaming if we think there is going to be a head coaching change next year unless of course Coach Stoops negotiates a "quit". As much as I would like to see Sumrall come to KY, I just can't see any financial way of getting there. Number 1, there's the Stoops buy out; Secondly, Sumrall is not going to make that jump for free. Why wouldn't he ask for the same contract the Stoops has or something close to it. Why would you, as an up and coming coach ask for less than the previous guy who is failing??
It’s so simple to solve…
Just pick A or B for the UK FB program..
(A) Sumrall for a new UK FB start
(B) Stoops to maintain the decline
•• Since there are millions of reasons why UK is trapped into having to keep Stiopa,
•• there must be billions of reasons to hire Sumrall before this grear opportunity is not available.
UK administrators should FIRE the AD NOW!
Then negotiate a discounted buyout to get rid of Stoops, letting him know UK will otherwise terminate him with zero payoff for not fulfilling his contractural obligation to coach UK FB! What jury would think that Stoops is really coaching with 4-8 the latest.
Then HIRE SUMRALL and arrange a contract which guarantees MEGA-MILLIONS in a few years (after absorbing financial losses due to Stoops & his finance manager Barnhart). In addition to a loaded future ot day, add some incentive bonuses, with the contractural agreement & understanding that eventually Sumrall will have a salary representative of his results (compared to other SEC coaches) and big bonuses will be offered to greatly reward him for big results.
I will recommend some grear UK fans with legal experience to stand in as the AD to make a reasonable contract since Barnhart will be busy packing.
Everyone assumes Sumrall would jump at the chance to coach at Kentucky. I'm not so sure. He knows Ky fans are…..well let's say, a pain in the ass.
Jimmy, Sumrall won't be worried about that. He know he has you here to take care of that. Jimmy, you know a lot about both football and basketball. Instead of attacking all of us, why don't you share more of what you know about the games? What is your take on the basketball team this season?
They are going to be fun to watch. They have a chance to be great. Depends on Quaintence. Hopefully lady luck will also be on their side.
You guys should practice what you preach. Always attacking a coach. First it was Calipari, which spanked the Cats in Rupp. It'll be very hard to win in Fayetteville this year. Now it's Stoops. A guy that has made Ky more respectable than ever in its history. Ended a 33 yr run by Florida. Best football in all my years. Eight straight bowls, then he misses one, and it's pile on time. I say it's got something to do with "Pony Up".He can't defend himself on here, so I will. I say everyone should grow a pair and go say it to his face.
So in your opinion, how many losing seasons are enough?
I'm not a huge UK football fan. But, the ones that are, deserve at least a competitive team. They are great fans that deserve better than what their getting.
None of us are getting any younger. I'd like both basketball and football to win as much as possible while we're still around to enjoy it.
Barry, I commend you for reaching across the aisle (as such) endeavoring to bring civility into disagreements instead of bitterness. I hope your olive branch gets positive results and improves relations for ALL UK fans. Hopefully, it will have better results than trying to bridge the ever-widening gap in DC, which has resulted in murders instead of peace.
If the families and “team families” and other such groups cannot live peacefully, how can anyone expect for nations with bitter and evil leaders to ever try to genuinely make amends.
Peace be with you and thanks & congrats for a gallant effort to mend the UK net!
Listen, Jimmy is the truest and bluest Wildcat fan I have ever met. Being such, he believes that a true fan never says anything critical about a Kentucky team, coach, or AD. In a perfect world, Jimmy would be right, but we don't live in a perfect world. I try to give the coaches and especially the players as much positive feedback as can be justified, but people need to hear about what they could be doing better too. I seriously doubt if the coaches or players read these comments…the players are told not to do so and the coaches are usually too arrogant to do so. These comments are more for BBN than anyone else. Our University is strong enough to accept this feedback…good and bad.
Jimmy knows football and basketball for sure. He has forgotten more about baseball and golf than I will ever know. He could provide a lot of insight to the articles that appear here. I know enough about football not to embarrass myself, but basketball is my game. Mark Pope is the right guy for Kentucky basketball, but he and I don't see eye to eye on some things, but at the end of the day what he says goes…I just have an opinion on it. The same holds true for Stoops, but we differ on many things concerning his team, but it is his team. As a fan, I appreciate Larry for providing this forum where we can share our opinions and hear about others. We can, and often do, agree and disagree with other opinions voiced here, but we should never attack the fan voicing those opinions…they still bleed blue just like me.
Jimmy, I don't know you, but I am pretty sure you will see this. I hope you read it and give it some thought. Too often you attack the commenter instead of sharing your thoughts about the topic. If I were to ever get in a fight, I would want you to have my back, but I also want you to enjoy this forum and let others enjoy it too. Larry works too hard for it to be any other way, right?
Thanks Barry. I appreciate your taking the time to defend Jimmy (and J mean that in a very positive way!) because you seemingly know a good bit about his BBN care & his knowledge of the gwme.
I’m a Senior Citizen and have encountered many things in my life, and have bevee wanted to get into an argument that is of no use to anyone. I don’t react well to personal attacks when they are very low and uncalled for. So, I react after it continues (even tho if I was wise, I would turn the other cheek).
I sincerely hope Jimmy takes your friendly advice and submits posts with his specific opinion related to a post by Larry V, and withholds his personal attacks on any individual.
Thanks again for your time & awesome effort to mend the net that makes the BBN the best fan base.