Bianchi: UF and FSU both whiff on Kiffin: Gators land UCF’s almost-hire, ‘Noles get stuck with Norvell

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Before Jon Sumrall ever became the Florida Gators’ next savior du jour, he could have been UCF’s head coach.

And not in the vague, “his agent inquired about the job” sort of way.

Tulane’s Sumrall interviewed. He impressed. He connected. UCF AD Terry Mohajir walked out of the room believing Sumrall could win big in Orlando.

Of course, that all gets lost in the glow of what happened next:

Scott Frost entered the picture and let Mohajir and UCF’s administration know that he desperately wanted to return to UCF.

If Frost had been nothing more than nostalgia in shoulder pads — a warm memory from an undefeated Peach Bowl season — this might be a different story. But he wasn’t. Frost aggressively pursued the job, and when it became clear he had the fire to become a head coach again after the debacle in Nebraska, it was a no-brainer. Frost fit UCF’s identity, its ambition and its fanbase better than any other candidate on the board. Mohajir knew it. The donors knew it. Sentiment may have opened the door for Frost, but logic closed the deal.

Still, the fact remains: Sumrall might have been UCF’s coach if Frost hadn’t been in the picture.

That’s what makes his arrival in Florida so fascinating.

This is a coach that other schools wanted. Auburn wanted him. Arkansas wanted him. LSU wanted him if Lane Kiffin had stayed at Ole Miss.

There are reports that North Carolina would have hired Sumrall last season if UNC donors hadn’t taken control of the search process, banded together and aggressively gone after Bill Belichick.

Which is why Sumrall’s path to Florida carries weight.

Jon Sumrall wasn’t a typical Lane Kiffin fallback plan — he was the coach other bigtime programs kept circling before the Gators became the one that locked him up. …

Short stuff: It seems the Florida Gators aren’t the only ones who struck out when trying to hire Lane Kiffin. ESPN reported earlier this week that Florida State athletic director Michael Alford was also negotiating with Kiffin, even though head coach Mike Norvell was still employed by the school. According to ESPN, when it became clear FSU would not be able to land Kiffin, Alford announced Norvell would be retained as the coach for next season. Poor Mike Norvell. He must now feel like the vending-machine sandwich someone eats only because all the good snacks are sold out.  And now comes the awkward part: Norvell has to walk back into the building and work for the man who was shopping for his replacement. Trust is currency in a football program, and this kind of episode drains the account fast. How do you lead a program when the person above you has already tried to move on? …

Speaking of Lane Kiffin, isn’t it crazy how he’s gone from the most desired coach in college football to the most despised? His approval rating fell faster than Joe Biden’s after wandering off the podium mid-sentence. … How is it that the College Football Playoff selection committee didn’t penalize Ole Miss even though the Rebels lost Kiffin to LSU, but two years ago penalized Florida State and kept the Seminoles out of the playoff because they lost quarterback Jordan Travis to injury? I’m not saying the committee is biased toward a certain league, but my operatives tell me that the committee’s Wi-Fi password is “SEC:ItJustMeansMore.” … Hard to believe the classless Clippers would abruptly and unceremoniously dump iconic point guard Chris Paul. Then again, the Clippers have never met a good thing they couldn’t mishandle. …

Is it just me, or has the transfer portal turned National Signing Day for high school recruits into the college football version of Thanksgiving leftovers? … UCF starting quarterback Tayven Jackson will enter the transfer portal and will soon be on his way to his fourth college. At this point, he isn’t getting an education; he’s collecting frequent-flyer miles. His next NIL deal should be sponsored by U-Haul. … There are reports that NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo may want out of Milwaukee. Let’s not forget who took a chance by drafting Giannis — a raw teenager playing in second-division gyms in Greece — back in 2013. It was then-Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond and his top assistant, Jeff Weltman. Weltman, of course, is now running the show in Orlando and Hammond, the Magic’s former GM, is still a senior advisor with the team. Not saying the Magic will enter the Giannis sweepstakes, but they should at least investigate. …

Of course, Miami belongs in the College Football Playoff ahead of Notre Dame. The ‘Canes beat the Irish head-to-head — and if two teams have the same record, then head-to-head should be the ultimate argument-ender. This isn’t Catholics vs. Convicts. It’s Catholics vs. Common Sense. … Penn State fired James Franklin before the Gators fired Billy Napier and LSU fired Brian Kelly, and yet, the Nittany Lions still haven’t hired a new coach even though National Signing Day has come and gone. Question for Penn State administrators: Are you conducting a coaching search or an archaeological dig?… Did you see where Jaguars punter Logan Cooke squared up against Tennessee Titans reserve running back Julius Chestnut during Sunday’s game and reportedly told Chestnut he was going to kill him? When your punter becomes your enforcer, your team is either very tough or very confused. …

Mikey likes: Jags over Colts by 3, Bucs over Saints by 9, Dolphins over Jets by 5, Georgia over Bama by 4, Texas Tech over BYU by 14, Indiana over Ohio State by 2, Virginia over Duke by 7, Tulane over North Texas by 1, Navy over Army by 6, Amazon Prime over Mall Christmas Shopping by however many points my sanity is worth.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on social media @BianchiWrites and listen to my new radio show “Game On” every weekday from 3 to 6 p.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen

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