Florida Coach Jon Sumrall Claps Back At Texas' Steve Sarkisian

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We may be 100-plus days out from the next college football season, but Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is getting a jumpstart on the midseason trash talking. And so is newly-minted Florida head coach Jon Sumrall.

In a recent interview, Sarkisian boasted about how tough Texas' academics are. He decided to throw in a jab at SEC rival Ole Miss for good measure, declaring that you can get a degree there and "all you have to do is take basket weaving."

“At Texas, we will only take 50% of a player’s academic credit hours. You may be a semester from graduating, but you’re going all the way back to 50% if you play here and want a degree. But at Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree.”

Sumrall saw those remarks and decided to have some fun with it. Taking to X this morning, the Florida coach joked that he was "grateful" to be coaching at a school that also offered "advanced basket weaving."

"Grateful to coach at a top 10 public university that also offers advanced basket weaving!" Sumrall wrote.

Grateful to coach at a top 10 public university that also offers advanced basket weaving! 🐊 https://t.co/eGhYWkETAx

— Jon Sumrall (@CoachJonSumrall) May 12, 2026

Loving That

Florida fans delighted in seeing Sumrall take Sarkisian to task like that, even if it didn't have much to do with their school. Sumrall previously worked at Ole Miss as a linebackers coach in 2018.

"Man spring meetings in Destin are gonna be fun," one fan said fondly.

"Our coach is too funny," another Gators fan wrote.

"Florida the only public school in the SEC that can go Bar for Bar with Texas academically," a third declared.

"This is going to be a good year man."

Sumrall took over as head coach of the Gators this past November after a wildly successful four-year run coaching at Troy and Tulane. He's 43-12 overall with three conference titles and led the Green Wave to the College Football Playoff this past year.

But after starting his tenure with the Gators against Florida Atlantic and Campbell, there won't be any breaks in the schedule. By far the most daunting game on their schedule is an October 17 road game at Texas.

This story was originally published by The Spun on May 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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