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VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 15

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2025

Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

FOOTBALL

Florida hires Jon Sumrall as head football coach SUMRALL AGREED TO A SIX-YEAR CONTRACT WITH FLORIDA NOV. 30

By Max Bernstein Sports Writer

After a nearly two-month search, Florida has its next head football coach: Jon Sumrall. The former Tulane head coach was hired by the Gators Nov. 30. According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Sumrall signed a six-year contract with Florida. He will make $7.5 million annually, according to the report. Sumrall will officially take over the Gators program following the conclusion of Tulane's season, per a UF statement. “Jon Sumrall is a proven winner and an exceptional leader who has built successful programs at every stop,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said in the statement. “Jon fully understands the expectations at the University of Florida, including our expectations to produce championship teams that feature a dynamic offense, and we're excited to welcome him and his family to Gator Nation.” Sumrall, 43, has recorded a 42-11 record in four seasons as a head coach, serving at Troy and Tulane. At Troy, Sumrall led the Trojans to back-to-back Sun Belt Championship titles in 2022 and 2023. He finished his tenure at Troy with a 23-4 record. In two seasons at Tulane, Sumrall has led the Green Wave to a 19-7 record. In 2025, Tulane has a 10-2 overall record and a 7-1 record in American Athletic

Conference play, good enough to qualify for the AAC Conference Championship game. The Green Wave are currently ranked No. 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings, the highest of any Group of Five program. Their path to the playoff starts with the AAC title game against 11-1 North Texas Dec. 5. “The University of Florida is one of the premier programs in college football, and it's an incredible honor to serve as the head football coach," Sumrall said in the aforementioned statement. “I believe in building a team rooted in toughness, accountability and a relentless competitive spirit. Florida has everything necessary to compete at the highest level — the resources, the support, the tradition and the passion of Gator Nation. My family and I are excited to get to work.” Prior to becoming a coach, Sumrall played as a linebacker at Kentucky from 2002-04. After leading the Wildcats in tackles in his junior season, his football career was abruptly ended by a spinal condition. Following the injury, Sumrall became a graduate assistant at Kentucky before serving as an assistant coach at a handful of programs. From 2007-11, he coached at San Diego, where he served in a number of roles including associate head coach and defensive coordinator. Then, Sumrall served at Tulane as co-defensive coordinator from 2012-14, before taking the associate head coaching position at Troy from 2015-17. After brief stints in the SEC as a linebacker coach

SEE FOOTBALL, PAGE 10

Noah Lantor // Alligator Staff

Florida wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant (9) celebrates after a play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

UF baseball coach investigated for alleged verbal abuse of his child, days before leave of absence

Social workers and law enforcement visited Kevin O’Sullivan’s home days before the coach stepped back from the team to address “family issues” By Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writer

Florida Gators head baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan was identified in October by a state child-welfare investigator as the subject of verbal abuse allegations made by one of his teenage children, according to law enforcement records. The records show that the state Department of Children and Families planned to remove the child from O’Sullivan’s home on Oct. 16 —

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

Football Story description finish with comJadan Baugh makes waves. ma, pg# Read more on pg. 11.

six days before UF announced that O’Sullivan, the most successful baseball coach in the university’s history, was taking an indefinite leave of absence to address “personal and family issues.” The teen’s abuse allegations against O'Sullivan were described to state DCF investigator Elin Garavuso and three Alachua County sheriff’s deputies, according to a sheriff’s report obtained under Florida’s public records law. The report said sheriff’s deputies found no evidence of criminal activity, and court records show

O’Sullivan has not been arrested or charged. In the report, deputy Teameika Trueluck wrote that the teen said O’Sullivan — who shares custody of his two children with their mother — had been verbally abusive and “is constantly yelling and screaming” at the teen. The teen “feels unsafe” at O’Sullivan’s home and “over the past few years” has wanted to discontinue visits to O’Sullivan’s home, the report said. The teen told authorities at least four prior reports had been filed with

Hamilton School

the state agency, according to the report. Deputy Trueluck wrote that the teen believed “no one is willing to do anything” because O’Sullivan is “a coach at the University of Florida.” O’Sullivan, 56, told authorities he has not hit the teen but raises his voice during disputes involving the teen’s cell phone, according to the sheriff’s report. “Kevin stated he wished he dealt with the situation differently,” deputy Tyler Jovic wrote. The teen provided videos to Garavuso, the child-welfare investigator, showing O’Sullivan “screaming and

cussing” at both children, according to the report. The teen played a video for Deputy Trueluck, who described the clip in the report as showing O’Sullivan “cursing” at both his children and “making threats to harm them.” The six-page law enforcement report details separate interactions among O’Sullivan, his family and authorities over two days, from Oct. 14 to Oct. 15. Garavuso, the childwelfare investigator, said the state

SEE BASEBALL, PAGE 4

New director receives praise, pg. 4

The Avenue:

New bagel store opens in Gainesville, pg. 5

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