ORLANDO — Jon Sumrall and most of his assistant coaches have been in Gainesville for less than three months, but the new Florida Gators staff is making a major impression on recruits.
“They bring the energy,” said Bolles rising junior edge rusher Asher Ghioto, who earned an invitation to the Under Armour All-America Game. “Maybe its because Sumrall is a defensive coach or something, but that dude has got fire in him and it’s awesome. You go in there and he’s chest bumping you. It feels like he’s about to headbutt you, too. That’s the kind of coach you want.
“You could be eating breakfast and they’re like, ‘Why aren’t you eating that breakfast better?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes! Why am I not?’ They bring that energy and it’s so cool to see. Their staff is super electric now and I love it.”
Energy is the word used more than any other by recruits to describe Florida’s new coaching staff.
And while there are situations where it’s the assistant coaches who take the lead in recruiting, most recruits say it’s Sumrall who sets the tone.
“Sumrall is a super hungry guy,” First Academy four-star offensive lineman Reed Ramsier said. “I thought (former Florida head coach Billy) Napier was a great person, a great guy. But I think Sumrall is super, super hungry. He wants to win and he understands that you need great trenches to win. He’s emphasized that by trying to go after a lot of guys in this state. The past Florida staff didn’t really recruit in state, and they let a lot of talented guys leave the state. I think this staff has realized to stay in state and get the guys you need to get.”
Florida picked up its first commitment in the 2027 class late last month in four-star American Heritage cornerback Amare Nugent.
Nugent specifically mentioned Florida’s culture after he committed. Godby four-star wide receiver Jamarin Simmons said when he visited Gainesville in January, there was a different feeling than there was with the previous coaching staff.
“It feels different,” Simmons said. “It feels like home.”
Tampa Jesuit five-star linebacker Kaden Henderson was on Florida’s radar long before Sumrall was hired, and he says the new staff is sending the house with intensity.
“They’re doing a great job, and it’s kind of hard since they just got there,” Henderson said. “I told them straight-up, I grew up a Florida State fan and it’s going to be hard for them regardless — but they’re an energetic staff. The whole staff hits me up. The O-line coach texts me. The receivers coach texts me. I think it speaks volumes about how much coach Sumrall tells them what he kind if recruit he thinks I could be for them.”
The same can be said for Jones 4-star defensive end Fred Ards III, who has seen Florida push its way high up on his list since Sumrall and company have arrived.
“I love Florida …” Ards said. “The new coaches are so great. They’re very energetic, very welcoming. A lot of hospitality, so I love it.”
While Sumrall gets most of the credit for the culture shift, recruits also have been impressed with the assistant coaching hires.
John Carroll four-star offensive lineman Sean Tatum said Phil Trautwine’s track record of getting players drafted while at Penn State carries a lot of weight. Simmons mentioned positive interactions with Marcus Davis when he was on campus.
Then there’s Rusty Whitt, the Gators Director of Football Performance who previously was a Special Forces Sergeant in the Army.
“That dude don’t play,” Ghioto said. “He’s a green beret. He doesn’t care if your leg is about to fall off. Use the other one. Do split squats, I don’t know. He’s that type of guy.
“I love that energy. It’s the high energy SEC football. We’re going to dominate, I don’t care who you are. That’s the energy they bring and it’s a whole new atmosphere at Florida.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida football recruits impressed by Jon Sumrall, ‘super electric’ staff
Reporting by Jon Santucci and Nick Wilson, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
