Jon Sumrall Gives More Insight into Tulane Decision at SEC Media Days

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While the Tulane Green Wave has moved well past former head coach Jon Sumrall and into a new era under Will Hall, it seems like the feeling might not be entirely mutual.

The Green Wave once again saw itself mentioned by Sumrall, this time at his first SEC Media Days event as the head coach of the Florida Gators. While the coach's remark was possibly meant to take a small jab at first-year LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin, it came at the expense of Tulane.

"You know, like Lane and I are friends, and Lane and I talked several times through the process of October, November about what it was looking like for both of our schedules of how things were going to unfold," Sumrall explained. "Lane and I talked as we were going through it. He’s like, ‘you and I are going through the same thing in November.’ I’m like, ‘no, Lane, we’re not. If you leave, you’re leaving an SEC school to go to SEC school. It’s a little different. I’m leaving Tulane.’ It was challenging to do it. I wouldn’t have done it any other way."

He went on to reaffirm that he had no intentions of leaving the Green Wave if he was barred from coaching in the team's inaugural College Football Playoff appearance — something he has mentioned multiple times previously. 

“If any university had told me I couldn’t coach in the playoff game, I don’t think I’d have taken the job just because I couldn’t leave the team I had coached all year," Sumrall said. "That’s one of the issues.” 

Let's break this down a few ways.

There seems to have never been a doubt in Sumrall's mind that he would be leaving as long as he got to finish the season with his team. With the amount of success he had in his stint with the Olive Green and Sky Blue, it's not a surprise that he wanted to make the career move while he could. It's unfortunate that Tulane was mentioned by Sumrall as if the program is nothing but a stepping-stone, but it might not be the jab that social media is making it out to be. Sumrall wasn't exactly wrong… it's a lot more questionable to move between conference rivals, especially before the season ends. 

Sumrall's quote also spills the beans a bit that Kiffin had the intention to leave Ole Miss. But that's a whole different can of worms. 

While Tulane fans can appreciate the time that Sumrall gave to the program and the fact that he helped it reach the College Football Playoff, it is time for the coach to move on. Though he can't help the questions that he's asked by the media, his time with in Uptown is far in the past, and it could be serving as more of a distraction than anything heading into the Green Wave's new season. 

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