UF’s Sumrall vows to ‘wake the beast up’ after Gators’ spring game
GAINESVILLE — Coach Jon Sumrall inherited a Florida football program in an extended slumber, along with a fan base worn out by losing. But a bright-eyed, eager crowd gathered hours before Saturday’s Orange and Blue spring game, energizing a coach who already has plenty to spare. “This is a special place,” Sumrall said.
“You can tell when you pull over to the Gator Walk today; there’s a decent number of people here at 9 in the morning for a noon kick that are ready to see these guys play. Very pleased with the support we’ve had here. “This fan base is passionate.
” Sumrall plans to repay that passion with championship success absent for nearly two decades, dating back to Urban Meyer’s national title teams in 2006 and 2008. Since Meyer’s departure in 2010, Florida has reached 11 wins just twice (2012, 2019) — a mark Sumrall hit in three of four seasons as a head coach at Troy and Tulane. The 43-year-old believes Florida still has the ingredients few programs can match: tradition, recruiting footprint, fan support and a gameday environment reflected in a a reported crowd of 47,100 Saturday in the Swamp.
Meyer has served as a sounding board for Sumrall and attended his coaching clinic April 3, alongside Super Bowl- winning coach Jon Gruden and Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Saturday, Sumrall echoed a message from Gruden, who reminded players that Florida once ruled the SEC. “We talked about — we’ve got to wake the beast up,” Sumrall recalled.
“Like, it’s time we wake this thing up. This is a sleeping giant. I’m telling you right now, it ain’t a matter of if we’re gonna win here.
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