Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORKFri, November 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM UTC·4 min readTulane football could be headed to the College Football Playoff. As the highest-rated non-Power Four team (No. 24), the Green Wave would book its CFP spot with a win in the American Conference championship game.
Before that, Tulane (9-2, 6-1, American) will need to beat Charlotte (1-10, 0-7) on Saturday, Nov. 29.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementShould Tulane pull that off, it would be merely the latest accomplishment for its prodigious coach, whose name is bubbling up in coaching rumors — especially around the SEC.
Florida has reportedly turned its attention from Lane Kiffin to Tulane's Jon Sumrall and Washington's Jedd Fisch. If Kiffin leaves Ole Miss for LSU, Sumrall could also be a target in Oxford. And Auburn would be a good fit, too.
In only his fourth season as a head coach, Sumrall has established himself as one of the brightest young minds and most capable program-builders in the sport. In two seasons at Troy, he quickly turned the Trojans into one of the best Group of Five programs in the country, winning 23 games and a pair of conference titles during his time there. After the 2023 season, that success earned him the job at Tulane, where he guided the Green Wave to the American Conference championship game last season.
That bright presence has caused many to wonder about his future.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs his team continues to try to make it to the playoff, here’s a closer look at Sumrall, his background and his coaching career:
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.2 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.3 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.4 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.Jon Sumrall coaching career
Sumrall is in his fourth season as a head coach, having spent the first two of those years at Troy and the two most recent ones at Tulane.
At Troy, he led the Trojans to the Sun Belt championship in each of his two seasons there, despite inheriting a program that had gone 15-20 in the three seasons before he took over (including a 5-7 mark in 2021).
That success earned him the head-coaching gig at Tulane, which turned to Sumrall after the Green Wave’s previous coach, Willie Fritz, left for the same position at Houston. After going 9-5 in his debut season, Sumrall has Tulane at 4-1 nearing the midway point of his second season at the helm.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTrue to his background, Sumrall’s teams have been feisty defensively. In each of his two seasons at Troy, the Trojans finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 17.1 points per game in both campaigns. That continued last season at Tulane, which allowed only 20.1 points per game, though the Green Wave has been a bit more porous so far this season defensively, giving up 24 points per game through its first five contests.
Sumrall was hired at Troy after spending three seasons at his alma mater, Kentucky, the last of which was as the co-defensive coordinator. Before going back to the Wildcats, he had been an assistant at Ole Miss, Troy, Tulane and San Diego. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kentucky in 2005.
Jon Sumrall record
In his fourth season as a head coach, Sumrall has a career record of 41-11. He went 23-4 in two seasons at Troy and is 18-7 in his second season at Tulane.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere’s a year-by-year look at Sumrall’s coaching record:
2022 (Troy): 12-2
2023 (Troy): 11-2
2024 (Tulane): 9-5
2025 (Tulane): 9-2 (through 11 games)
Jon Sumrall contract
When Sumrall initially went from Troy to Tulane, he signed a contract through the 2029 season that paid him nearly $3 million annually.
After the 2024 season — and with North Carolina and West Virginia, among others, reportedly pursuing him for their head-coaching vacancies — Sumrall signed a contract extension with the Green Wave. Terms of that contract were not publicly released and Tulane, as a private school, is not subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
"The landscape of college athletics is constantly evolving, and Jon's vision helps to position us to succeed in this rapidly changing environment," Tulane athletic director David Harris said in a statement at the time of the extension.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJon Sumrall playing career
After a standout high school career in Huntsville, Alabama, Sumrall continued his football career in college at Kentucky. He was a linebacker for the Wildcats from 2002-04, even leading the team in tackles in 2004. After suffering a stinger one day in spring practice in 2005, it was revealed that the spinal column narrowed around Sumrall’s neck to the point that he was at a high risk of paralysis if he took a hit in a particular spot. The condition effectively forced Sumrall to retire.
Jon Sumrall age
Born on July 5, 1982, Sumrall is 43 years old.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Jon Sumrall? What to know about Tulane football coach
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