GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall declared after Saturday's Orange and Blue spring game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., that championships are the program's standard. "Championships are the standard and expectation," Sumrall said. "It's time we wake this thing up. This is a sleeping giant. I'm telling you right now: it ain't a matter of if we're going to win here."

The program Sumrall inherited after Billy Napier was fired has posted a 29-37 record over its last 66 games, including losing seasons in four of the past five years. It has been seven years since Florida recorded double-digit wins and 17 years since the Gators were legitimate national championship contenders. The team ranked last in the Southeastern Conference in scoring last season, averaging 21.6 points per game, and allowed an average of 34.3 points per game in its final three losses.

Before arriving in Gainesville, Sumrall led the Troy Trojans and the Tulane Green Wave to a combined four conference title games in four seasons. He now faces the task of rebuilding a roster at a program that has won three national titles and eight SEC championships since 1990.

One area Sumrall identified as a priority is the offensive line. At the team's pro day last month, long-snapper Rocco Underwood recorded 14 repetitions at 225 pounds on the bench press, exceeding three-year starting guard Damieon George Jr.'s 12 reps. "That shouldn't happen. Hell, our coaches need to be hitting 12. That's not something that changes overnight," Sumrall said. He asked the offensive linemen to dedicate themselves to weight training and adopt a blue-collar mindset, adding that generating more movement at the line of scrimmage is the easiest path to success in the SEC.

Sumrall also said his players need to get stronger and learn to play through bumps and bruises. The Gators have signed three offensive-line transfers who could start this fall. Five-star offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller of Coatesville, Pa., committed to the program for the 2027 recruiting class last week.