Struggling Florida Gators finalizing $7.5m-a-year deal for new head coach on bumper SIX-YEAR contract

The struggling Florida Gators believe they have finally found the man to end their woes as they move to hire a new head coach. 

The Gators fired Billy Napier in October after going 3-4 to start the season, and now Florida has reportedly found his replacement in Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall. 

Florida is finalizing a six-year deal with an average annual salary of $7.5 million with Sumrall, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel with Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger adding that the coach is expected to accept the offer on Sunday. 

Sumrall has been an attractive prospect on the coaching carousel this season after guiding the Green Wave to 10-2 and to playoff contention. 

No. 23 Tulane (No. 24 in CFP) plays No. 22 North Texas in the American Conference championship game on December 5, with the winner having a strong shot at reaching the 12-team bracket. 

But Sumrall will face a challenge in Gainesville where he will be tasked with turning around a program that has seen little success in recent years. 

Napier was fired midway through the season after going 22-23 throughout his four seasons in charge. 

He had three years remaining - after the conclusion of this season - on his seven-year contract, and heading into 2025 it appeared things were looking up with five-star sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway at the helm. 

But Lagway and co. are now 4-8 on the year and 2-6 against SEC opponents with their four wins the fewest since the 2017 season under Jim McElwain and interim coach Randy Shannon.

The program hasn’t won a national championship since 2008 under Urban Meyer and is now desperate to return to its glory days. 

And they will hope that happens under Sumrall, who has won at every stop of his college career.

During his two seasons at Troy, he finished 23-4, while he has led Tulane to a 19-7 record in 2024 and 2025. 

He led Troy to back-to-back Sun Belt championships in 2022 and 2023 after the program went 5-7 the year prior to his hiring. 

Florida were also previously believed to be in the race for Lane Kiffin but pivoted their interest to Sumrall amid the Ole Miss head coach's uncertain future. 

The college football world is waiting with baited breath for the coach's decision amid LSU's relentless efforts to poach him from the Rebels. 

There is a staggering $90million offer on the table for him to depart Ole Miss and take over the LSU Tigers' program. 

And itt was reported on Saturday night that Kiffin's desire to finish the season with Ole Miss before leaving for LSU is holding up a formal announcement on his future.