Former Florida Gators coach Dan Mullen is lending endorsement to new head coach Jon Sumrall’s approach, saying Sumrall’s team plays with the kind of physicality long associated with successful football in The Swamp.
Speaking at a recent awards ceremony where he received the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award, Mullen reflected on watching Sumrall coach at Tulane and said he was impressed by what he saw.
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“Sharp, tough … you watch how his teams play, physicality, play good defense, run the football,” Mullen said, noting that type of philosophy should resonate in Gainesville.
Mullen’s praise comes at a pivotal moment for Florida, which is in the early stages of a rebuilding project after a disappointing 2025 season. Sumrall, hired to reset a program that has struggled to find consistency, has emphasized strength, discipline and a grind-it-out mentality in his early messaging — attributes Mullen highlighted as boots-on-the-ground fundamentals for success.
That external vote of confidence reinforces a narrative Sumrall has been cultivating, that physicality on both sides of the ball will be a cornerstone of Florida’s resurgence.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Dan Mullen gives Jon Sumrall leadership stamp of approval
