Newly installed University of Florida head coach Jon Sumrall doesn’t tolerate any technological interruptions when he’s speaking.
Sumrall was in the middle of his first SEC Media Day press conference as head coach of the Gators on Wednesday when a reporter’s phone went off.
Rather than brush off the offense, Sumrall chose to point out the guilty reporter and call them out.
‘You’d be kicked out of our team meeting,’ Sumrall told the reporter, drawing laughs from the audience before he continued.
‘I swear. You’re lucky I’m not going to throw my freakin’ podium right now. It drives me crazy.’
‘I would say, “Who is that?” But I’m not going to embarrass anybody.’
New Florida coach Jon Sumrall called out a reporter for their phone going off in a presser
Sumrall later admitted that he was kidding after he threatened to throw his podium
Sumrall arrives from Tulane and is tasked with turning around a poor Gators program
Some reporters at the press conference laughed, but it was hard to tell whether or not Sumrall was being serious.
Former Indiana college basketball coach Tom Crean called Sumrall out on X, blasting him if he was being serious.
‘He can’t be serious on embarrassing that person,’ Crean wrote. ‘Do you think they meant for the Phone to go off ? Did it really need that performative reaction?
‘At least you got laughs at that persons expense. They DON’T work for you or play for you. Their job is important to them too!!’
Sumrall responded to Crean, saying, ‘You are right Tom. I wasn’t serious. I was joking.’
Sumrall arrived in Gainesville after leading Tulane to a combined record of 30-6 over two seasons, including a shock College Football Playoff appearance last season.
He’s now tasked with reviving a severely underperforming Florida program that fired coach Billy Napier midway through the 2025 season.
