Florida's Jon Sumrall Reveals Expectations for 2026 Season

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The Florida Gators are entering the first season under head coach Jon Sumrall after hiring him to replace Billy Napier this offseason.

Sumrall joined the Gators after having great tenures at Troy and Tulane. In his two seasons at Troy, Sumrall was named a Sun Belt Coach of the Year and posted a 23-4 record. He then went to Tulane for two seasons, posting a 20-8 record and earning a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2025.

With his strong track record, Sumrall has strong expectations for his first season with the Gators.

"My expectation is to go 1-0 this week. That’s my thought process every week," Sumrall said.

Although Florida is coming off a 4-8 season, they have a new head coach who has also brought in a ton of additions to the roster via the transfer portal, giving them a chance to compete.

The Gators have a ton of talent on offense, including the transfer portal additions of wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. and quarterback Aaron Philo.

Singleton Jr. has played at a high level over the last three years, with two seasons at Georgia Tech and one season at Auburn. Across those three years, he has finished with 162 receptions for 2,002 yards and 12 touchdowns, along with 201 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries.

He will be a key weapon for Philo and Florida's offense. Philo will be entering his first season as a starter after only appearing in eight games at Georgia Tech. In those games, he has completed 59 of 102 passes (57.8 percent) for 939 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions while rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

Singleton Jr. and Philo will play major roles for the Gators, along with returning players Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson, and Jadan Baugh.

Brown III had 40 receptions for 512 yards in 2025, while Wilson had 12 receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns in four games. The factor in the run game will be Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025.

Florida has some talented pieces on offense, and in their first season under Sumrall, they should be competitive.

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