Jon Sumrall’s Blunt Message for Gators Heading into Bye: ‘We Still Suck’

Fresh off a massive 27-24 upset over then-No. 7 Texas, Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall had a blunt message for his team: “We still suck.”

Having already experienced two equally massive let-downs after its win over then-No. 4 Ole Miss earlier in the season, Sumrall does not want the previous complacency to return, even if confidence among the team is returning.

Who would have thought that a 24-point win over a top-five team and a No. 8 ranking would turn into a 17-point loss to Missouri and a 19-point loss at home to unranked South Carolina? 

“I think if we've learned anything about this, in this game or in life, you don't get to go, Hey, I was good last week, so I get to be good next week, right?” Sumrall said. “I guess part of why we got our ass kicked in Missouri and last week at home is because everybody around Gainesville was patting our guys in the back, telling them how good they were, and I'm like, ‘Guys, we suck.’

“Like I've watched this practice, we're not very good.”

On Saturday against Texas, the tide turned. Florida turned a 17-3 deficit in the first half into a 27-17 lead before holding on for a seven-point victory. Quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. threw two clutch touchdown passes in his first start, Jadan Baugh accounted for over 100 yards of offense and the game-sealing score, and the defense, criticized heavily over the course of the season, had clutch stops throughout the game, including a fumble on the Longhorns’ final offensive drive. 

While it was arguably Florida’s most complete game to date, it is still not quite what Sumrall is looking for from his team. 

“We just suck less,” he said. “And so we have to figure out to suck less each week. But we're not like a complete team yet. Like this is, so it does nothing for us. What it does for us, it gets us another win.”

His players agree.

“We haven't played a full game yet,” linebacker Myles Graham said. “And we still haven't. Like, it still wasn't perfect… We still got a lot of things to clean up, but I'm proud of the guys and I'm really just proud of how we fight.”

There are key lessons that Florida can take and build off of going into a perfectly timed bye week. 

For starters, the Gators get an extra week to get healthy ahead of a crucial game against No. 5 Georgia. Most importantly, Florida showed more fight on Saturday than in the last two weeks combined.

So while Florida still “sucks” in Sumrall’s eyes, there is a newfound hope and belief for this year’s Gators team, with the added benefit of two weeks of preparation to face the Bulldogs. 

“It gives me belief and hope that our guys understand you have to fight your tail off every time you play the game,” Sumrall said. “Doesn't matter who you play, where you play, when you play, you have to fight. And if you do not fight, you will get embarrassed. 

“This league, man, like there's nowhere to hide. Week in week out, it's the closest thing you got to the NFL, and you got to bring it every freaking Saturday. I'm just glad our guys brought it.”

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