(BCSNN) -- The University of Florida announced Wednesday that Jon Sumrall has been hired as the 31st head football coach in program history. Athletic Director Scott Stricklin introduced Sumrall as a proven leader with a track record of rapid turnarounds and championship appearances.

Sumrall, 43, arrives in Gainesville after guiding Tulane to back-to-back American Conference Championship Games. Despite returning only four starters this season, he led the Green Wave to a 10–2 record and a top-25 ranking. Tulane will play in the American's title game on Dec. 5 before Sumrall officially takes over the Gators program.

“Jon Sumrall is a proven winner and an exceptional leader who has built successful programs at every stop,” Stricklin said. “He brings tremendous energy, strong recruiting relationships, and a philosophy rooted in toughness, discipline and player development.”

Sumrall owns a career record of 42–11 (.792), the fifth-highest winning percentage among active FBS coaches. He previously engineered one of the nation’s most impressive turnarounds at Troy, winning consecutive Sun Belt titles in 2022 and 2023 and posting back-to-back 12-win seasons. He was twice named conference Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.

At Tulane, Sumrall’s teams ranked among the nation’s best in multiple categories, including leading the country in defensive touchdowns in 2022. His reputation as a strong recruiter with deep ties across the Southeast has been a hallmark of his career.

“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. “Florida has everything necessary to compete at the highest level—the resources, the support, the tradition and the passion of Gator Nation. One of my first priorities will be to assemble an incredible staff, including an offensive coordinator who understands that, at Florida, having an explosive offense isn’t optional—it’s mandatory.”

Sumrall’s coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Kentucky, his alma mater, before stops at San Diego, Tulane, Troy, Ole Miss, and Kentucky again. He has coached in both the SEC and Group of Five, consistently producing winning teams and NFL-caliber talent.

A Huntsville, Ala., native, Sumrall was a standout linebacker at Kentucky from 2002–04 and earned SEC Academic Honor Roll honors. He was inducted into the Huntsville-Madison County Hall of Fame in 2023. He and his wife Ginny have four children: Sam, Sadie, Stella, and Selah.

Florida’s hire of Sumrall signals a new era for the Gators, who expect his energy, recruiting acumen, and program-building skills to restore championship-level success in Gainesville.