![Florida head coach Jon Sumrall keeps on eye drills during UF spring practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2594,h_1459/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/270/01kkcx1ybarxwtd61ktc.jpg "Florida head coach Jon Sumrall keeps on eye drills during UF spring practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
Florida State football is in a difficult spot as a program, where the fan base is losing hope in the direction of the team after four losing seasons in six years. Some individuals even wanted head coach Mike Norvell fired after the Stanford loss.
While I cannot argue with the disappointments that have happened in Tallahassee, the Florida Gators are welcoming in a new head coach, Jon Sumrall, who coached previously at Troy and Tulane. The Gators tried their luck previously with Group of Five coaches, but they haven't seemed to learn their lesson from former coach Billy Napier.
Norvell has lost the last two meetings with Florida, so it is difficult to joke too hard about the pesky Gators, but Coach Sumrall is starting to come across as ultra-confident for a roster on paper that doesn't look all that good.
Jon Sumrall doesn't sound hopeful about the Gators' roster in 2026
Jon Sumrall had his corny little video with a live gator that was cringy to people across the country, but I guess Florida head coaches are always a little bit weird.
He will have to try his best to overcome a 4-8 record last season, as both the Gators and the Seminoles will try to get back into the national spotlight. Florida started its spring practices earlier than Florida State, so Coach Sumrall has seen how his team is built and even addressed the media in a press conference earlier today.
Jon Sumrall admitted he’s not fully satisfied with where the team stands this spring, saying they’re still a long way from his standard.
— David Soderquist (@Swolder) March 10, 2026
"We've got to compete every day. We've got to strain over and over and over."
Sumrall expects displeasure with the team's performance so far. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as the roster is gutted of quality talent. One name that Florida State fans have to monitor is their star running back Jadan Baugh, who tormented the Seminoles' defense in last year's meeting.
Florida's quarterback situation is a mess as well. However, Florida State has to lock into its own spring practice and get into the mindset. They cannot afford to lose to the Gators this year with Sumrall being in his first season with the program and Florida having to travel to Tallahassee.