Florida brought in Jon Sumrall after firing Billy Napier with the expectation of a title run. The process has started, with Sumrall’s Tulane achievement only amplifying that possibility. The transition in the Gators’ approach to playing the game gave Sumrall a belief that 2026 could be special. And the coach’s revelation of how WR Vernell Brown III lost patience during training now confirms it.

“During our offseason match drills, you know, we do a deal. Here, we call it the gauntlet. It’s not a lot of fun unless you like doing things that are really, really hard,” said Sumrall during his May 20 appearance on Next Up with Adam Breneman. “It’s a team deal, though, where we have to beat the gauntlet in a time. It took us eight tries this winter to get it done. It’s early in the morning. It’s shared sacrifice.”

“About the middle of our time trying to beat the gauntlet, gauntlet four or so, maybe five, Vernell Brown the Third, VB3, stood up in front of our team, and he was p—ed off. He was tired of guys maybe cutting a corner or finding a way to not do it all the way the right way,” added Sumrall.

After a 4-8 season, offseason drills like the gauntlet are critical to 2026 success. Sumrall posted winner/loser designations throughout the building to reinforce accountability. So scoring every rep was quite important. That’s where Brown III called out teammates, taking a leadership role. VB3 was tired of small shortcuts in a drill that was supposed to be about the whole team paying the same price. It reflected a cultural shift in Florida following Sumrall’s arrival.

“When he [Vernell Brown III] stood up and voiced his displeasure with what was going on around him, that’s when I was like, ‘All right, we got a shot to maybe get this going.’ Because I tell our guys all the time, good teams can be coach-led. Great teams, championship-caliber teams, they have to become player-driven,” added the new Florida head coach.

Brown III’s voice carried weight because of the Florida WR’s production last season. He was the third in the Gators’ history to be WR1 as a true freshman, racking up 3 receptions for 79 yards against LIU as a starter. On top of that, he recorded 40 receptions for 512 yards in Gainesville across the 2025 season. Following the breakout season, he returned to Florida to bring more success as a sophomore in 2026.

When Brown called out teammates for cutting corners, Sumrall recognized a player-driven culture emerging. The new Florida head coach’s thoughts are very clear about teams, given that Florida is a “great” one.

“I think on really poor teams, nobody gets called out. I think on good teams, coaches or maybe the leaders of the team will call people out. I think on great teams, everybody calls out everybody because there’s nowhere to hide,” said Sumrall.

Yet, will this leadership translate into on-field success? That is the question in Gainesville. When your best young receiver gets angry at teammates for not running hard in a drill, it can either create friction or set a new standard. Sumrall believes it is the start of a team that holds itself accountable when no coach is watching. His staff is doing their part on scheme and culture. The rest will be decided between the lines in 2026.