A photographer鈥檚 cell phone started blaring a musical ring tone while Jon Sumrall spoke at , and the first-year Florida coach responded with the kind of candor that has his players and his fanbase fired up about the program鈥檚 future.
鈥淵ou would be kicked out of our team meeting, I swear,鈥� Sumrall said. 鈥淟ike, you鈥檙e lucky I鈥檓 not going throw this podium right now. That drives me crazy. I would (ask) who is that, but I鈥檓 not going to embarrass anybody.鈥�
Sumrall later insisted he was joking. Regardless, it was glimpse of just how comfortable the former Troy and Tulane coach is with being himself 鈥� honest, authentic and unapologetic.
He was hardly alone at the in downtown Tampa, Florida, that kicked off the season for a football league without a national championship.
Several of the league鈥檚 six new coaches 鈥� an SEC record 鈥� made a run at 鈥渨inning鈥� the annual media event. Now, more importantly, we鈥檒l see if they can win on the football field.
Here鈥檚 a look at the guys in new places who have created renewed hope at nearly a third of the league:
Pete Golding, Mississippi
Age: 42.
Alma mater: Delta State.
Previous job: Mississippi defensive coordinator (2023-25).
Notable: Already has a 2-1 record with the Rebels. Was promoted to head coach before the College Football Playoff. Is involved in an NCAA investigation regarding the recruitment of former Clemson linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
Quotable: 鈥淭here鈥檚 always going to be history. It鈥檚 the ex, right? There鈥檚 always going to be the history.鈥� 鈥� Golding on replacing Kiffin.
Alex Golesh, Auburn
Age: 42.
Alma mater: Ohio State.
Previous job: South Florida head coach (2023-25).
Notable: Brought 13 players with him from USF to Auburn, including QB Byrum Brown and WRs Chas Nimrod, Keshaun Singleton, Jeremiah Koger and Christian Neptune. Those familiar faces could help ease Golesh鈥檚 transition to the SEC.
Quotable: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 set goals. I鈥檝e always thought that that鈥檚 a little bit like New Year鈥檚 resolutions 鈥� they usually work for a little bit and you kind of keep it moving. I set standards. Our standard is to be the best versions of us every single day.鈥�
Lane Kiffin, LSU
Age: 51.
Alma mater: Fresno State.
Previous job: Mississippi head coach (2020-25).
Notable: First head coach at three different SEC schools (Tennessee, Mississippi, LSU). Gave up after his teenage son, Knox, challenged him to do so and says 鈥渃omparisons are the thief of joy.鈥�
Quotable: 鈥淲e鈥檙e all going to die. And so some of the things that we put importance on, we worry about, and what this person says and that, really aren鈥檛 going to matter.鈥�
Ryan Silverfield, Arkansas
Age: 45.
Alma mater: Hampden-Sydney.
Former job: Memphis head coach (2020-25).
Notable: Has 80 new players on Arkansas鈥� roster, including seven from Memphis. First thing he did with the Razorbacks: installed new lightbulbs everywhere and says 鈥渋t shows changes are coming.鈥� Takes over a Razorbacks team that lost seven games by less than 10 points and five by less than three points last season.
Quotable: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 great. Keep doubting me. What did you say my record was against the coaches in this conference?” 鈥� After being asked about his 5-1 record against current SEC coaches.
Will Stein, Kentucky
Age: 36.
Alma mater: Louisville.
Previous job: Oregon offensive coordinator/QBs coach (2023-25).
Notable: Has a pickleball court in his backyard. Grew up in Kentucky and attended Wildcats games at Commonwealth Stadium. Father played at Kentucky, and mother is a UK graduate.
Quotable: 鈥淏ecause of me, to be honest. I know what it takes. I have seen it at the highest levels. 鈥� You just got to believe, man. You just got to put the ball down and play. There鈥檚 really nothing else to be said.鈥� 鈥� Stein when asked why he believes he can win big at Kentucky.
Jon Sumrall, Florida
Age: 44.
Alma mater: Kentucky.
Previous job: Tulane head coach (2024-25).
Notable: Went 43-12 at Troy (2022-23) and Tulane, reaching a conference title game in each of his first four years as a head coach. Has the fourth-highest winning percentage (.796) of any current FBS coach.
Quotable: 鈥淭here are no shortcuts. I don鈥檛 care if you鈥檝e been winning or you hadn鈥檛 been winning. 鈥� There have been some really good things going on at the University of Florida before my arrival. There have. We haven鈥檛 won enough games. We need to win more games. Like 4-8 last year is not OK at the University of Florida. We got to fix that.鈥�
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