Tulane Green Wave's Jon Sumrall Among the Most Elite Coaches in College Football
In his first season at the helm for the Tulane Green Wave football program, head coach Jon Sumrall has proven to be one of the most elite coaches in the country.
The brilliant mind and electric head coach has started his time in New Orleans, Louisiana, off with three straight victories in the American Athletic Conference, after securing a 24-10 victory over Rice last Saturday at Yulman Stadium. The victory also moved Sumrall to 6-0 against AAC competition all-time.
But the success early success with the Green Wave does not stop the train of physical football that Sumrall continues to instill in his players each week. For his team, it is about preparation from everyone involved and being ready to give everything they have on the gridiron for that Tulane uniform.
"If you wait until this week and figure out what are we going to do next week, you're not doing your job very well," Sumrall said ahead of the matchup at North Texas. "We've planned what this week and next week looks like going back to the summer. It is a challenge, going on the road back-to-back and then a short week is not easy, but we can only control what's right in front of us. The theme this week is going to be where your feet are. Saturday will control itself, but I want to make sure we have a great week of preparation."
That mindset of preparation that the sports desperately demands from the coaches and the players is one of the key factors in Sumrall's coaching success.
Everywhere Sumrall has been, he has become a winner. He has brought intensity, determination and a mindset of football brilliance to every program he has been part of in his coaching career. Before being named the new head coach of the Tulane football program in 2023, Sumrall led Troy to a 23-4 record, two Sun Belt Conference Championships, and multiple double-digit winning streaks.
His roots to the Green Wave run a little deeper than most might think, however. From 2012-2014, Sumrall served as Tulane's co-defensive coordinator. Now, he is in New Orleans at the helm for the program and is in search of more success on the gridiron.
Among FBS head coaches, Sumrall has the fourth-highest winning percentage with a record of 28-6. In that regard, Sumrall trails Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, Georgia's Kirby Smart, and Oregon's Dan Lanning as the only coaches in the country with a win percentage of more than .820 percent.
The job is far from over, however. For Sumrall and the Green Wave squad, it is the next game up. The one game, one moment and one play at a time mentality is something that will contribute greatly to the success of the program in the coming weeks.
"Don't concede. Don't give up. The way the guys practiced today, they did a good job of running the ball and getting set, but you can't ever assume anything," Sumrall said following Tuesday's practice for the upcoming game against the Mean Green. "The schemes are the schemes, but it's about playing hard. We've got to continue to play hard on defense."
