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12/01 18:36 CST North Texas, Tulane coaches finishing season with their
American teams before moving to new P4 jobs
North Texas, Tulane coaches finishing season with their American teams before
moving to new P4 jobs
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
North Texas coach Eric Morris and Tulane's Jon Sumrall confided in each other
over the past few weeks when the good friends were facing similar decisions
about their futures. Both are going to finish this season with their American
Conference teams before moving on to their next jobs.
Morris and Sumrall are two of the league's four coaches who are headed to Power
Four schools. Their teams, the No. 20 Mean Green (11-1) and the No. 21 Green
Wave (10-2), play Friday night in the American championship game. The winner
very likely will make it into the 12-team College Football Playoff.
"Not a ton of people really know what we're going through and how hard some of
this stuff is and how hard the decisions are," Morris, who will be Oklahoma
State's new coach, said Monday. "Ultimately, I think it's really cool that
we're kind of in the same position right now, and that we're both still able to
lead these teams that have fought so hard for us."
Unlike Lane Kiffin, who left playoff-bound 11-1 Ole Miss to become LSU's new
coach, Sumrall and Morris are being allowed to finish what they started this
season.
There is a very distinct difference in those situations. Kiffin left for a
hated Southeastern Conference rival of the Rebels. Morris and Sumrall are both
moving up from Group of Five schools.
"A lot of respect for the outfit we're playing, and I'm very honored and
privileged that Tulane, given the circumstances we're in, is allowing me to
coach in the game and do this experience with our players," said Sumrall, who
will be Florida's new coach. "Because when you have a chance to pursue a
championship, man, there's nothing like it."
The other American coaches moving up are South Florida's Alex Golesh, who was
introduced Monday as Auburn's new coach, and Ryan Silverfield going from
Memphis to Arkansas.
Tim Pernetti, the American's commissioner, said on a Zoom call about Friday's
championship game in New Orleans that he was not surprised that power
conference schools needing new coaches looked at those in his league. He
expected it.
"This league is overflowing with talented people, from administrators to
coaches to student-athletes," he said. "Just a talented, tough, gritty league.
And I think we have the ingredients that a lot of programs around America are
looking for. ... People are viewing the American as a place that has a lot of
talent in the coaching ranks."
Pernetti, who said he has no doubt about the American champion making the CFP,
also expressed his admiration for Morris and Sumrall finishing out the season
with their teams, and for the schools allowing that to happen.
"It says a lot, and it also speaks to the fact that there can be cooperation
between institutions when these changes take place," Pernetti said. "It speaks
to the administration, like you have to have a maturity about these situations.
Like things are gonna change and it's very easy to show people the door. What's
harder is to finish the season given all the momentum both of these teams have
going into the championship game."
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