“Looked very much the same to me”: Florida HC Jon Sumrall sends loud message after Ole Miss steamrolled Tulane without Lane Kiffin 

Jon Sumrall and Lane Kiffin are two coaches who found themselves in similar situations during the last coaching carousel in college football. Both coaches, after securing playoff berths for their respective teams, Tulane and Ole Miss, received offers to coach elsewhere.

However, the paths each coach took were radically different. While Sumrall reached an agreement with Tulane to stay on and coach his team through the playoff, a similar request by Kiffin was rejected.

Nevertheless, when Ole Miss and Tulane met again on Saturday, the result looked very much like the result from their earlier meeting in September. Back then, the Rebels, coached by Kiffin, had beaten Tulane 45-10. With the coach out of the picture on Saturday, the Rebels still won 41-10.

Sumrall was asked if the Ole Miss team he faced in September was different from the one that beat his side on Saturday. He answered in the affirmative, saying:

“Looked very much the same to me. I didn’t notice anything different. The only thing I’ve noticed, maybe different is like on third downs when you heard somebody whistle, you knew that was Lane, and he might change a play.”

He continued:

“But other than that, I thought the offense looked structurally very similar. The players are the players. They’ve got really good football players. They’ve got great receivers. The quarterback is obviously big time. I didn’t feel a whole lot of difference in regard to how they played the game offensively. Felt very similar.”

How Ole Miss ensured continuity after Lane Kiffin’s departure

Sumrall’s comment is a huge endorsement of the work Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding is doing. Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to act as head coach following Lane Kiffin’s departure.

The Rebels’ next stop in their playoff journey is the Sugar Bowl, where they’ll meet the Georgia Bulldogs.

Lane Kiffin spent six years coaching the Rebels, leading them to four double-digit win seasons. He secured the program’s first playoff berth this season before parting ways with the players in the controversial way he did.

Kiffin reportedly left Oxford with a significant part of his offensive coaching staff. Fortunately, the bulk of the players involved in the incredible campaign form the core of the group Golding has been working with.

Golding’s promotion by Ole Miss has ensured continuity at a moment the program needs it the most, ensuring that its playoff chances aren’t truncated.

Edited by Kayode Akinwumi