Tulane Green Wave football coach Jon Sumrall looks like he may be taking the ideal step to become the next head coach of the Auburn Tigers. College Football HQ's James Parks reported the overwhelming 70% odds of Sumrall leaving New Orleans and the American for the Plains and the SEC.
CBS Sports' Chris Hummer, John Talty, and Matt Zenitz reported earlier this week that Sumrall was the clear favorite in Auburn's pool of candidates that also included interim head coach/defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, Vanderbilt Commodores football coach Clark Lea, and Missouri Tigers football coach Eli Drinkwitz.
"The Tigers have cast a reasonably wide net and there is great interest in the job. Four names come up the most per multiple sources: Tulane's Jon Sumrall, interim head coach DJ Durkin, Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Vanderbilt's Clark Lea.
"Sumrall, an Alabama native who coached at Troy before Tulane, has deep ties in Alabama and is a popular choice among the high school coaches of the state. He's clearly among the top early contenders."
AU has not been linked to Lane Kiffin at all, and at this point, his future figures to be a black cloud hanging over college football until he decides. Wherever he goes, it's clear he won't remain with the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin is the betting favorite to land the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators jobs after his family recently visited Baton Rouge.
Sumrall, by contrast, isn't the sexy headline name, but he's exactly the kind of program-builder Auburn needs. And luckily, he's not someone who will come in and claim he needs patience. Tiger fans couldn't handle another head coach coming in and saying anything of the sort following four straight losing seasons, with a potential fifth on the way with a loss in either of the next two weeks or in a hypothetical bowl game.
Where does Florida/LSU go when Kiffin picks the other one and Sumrall picks Auburn? Do any other SEC schools join the coaching carousel.
Who knows. It just looks like the Tigers finally got their man, and that's something worth celebrating after whiffing on their first choice in the 2022 cycle, Kiffin, and settling for Hugh Freeze.