Jon Sumrall shares message to Tulane after CFP defeat: ‘Told them it’s never OK to lose’
By David Wasson
Published:
The No. 11 seed Tulane Green Wave went one-and-done in the College Football Playoff on Saturday, falling 41-10 to the No. 6 seed Ole Miss in a first-round game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
It was the final game for coach Jon Sumrall at Tulane, as he had already accepted the Florida job after the Green Wave won the American Conference title and their berth into the 12-team CFP field.
After the game, Sumrall talked about his message to his team and the emotions he was feeling in the wake of his father George’s death at age 77 – news that came about 48 hours before kickoff.
“My dad had been facing some struggles for a while, and my mom is tough as nails. I told her she didn’t have to come to the game, but she said she wouldn’t miss it,” Sumrall said. “It’s been hard. I’m a lot of who I am because of how he raised me… I can smile knowing I am going to live a life that honors my dad.
“He’s probably got some questions about how we played, just like I do, I just don’t have to hear them tonight from him. I’m sure I will hear them from my mom, though.”
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
