WATCH: Jon Sumrall Introduced as New Troy Head Football Coach

Troy University Athletic Director Brent Jones, new head football coach Jon Sumrall and Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Dec. 6, 2021 – Alabama News Network

Jon Sumrall has been introduced as the new head football coach for the Troy Trojans. The introduction came during a news conference this morning that was streamed live by Alabama News Network.

Sumrall had been announced last Thursday. He is already familiar with Troy football because then-head coach Neal Brown hired him in December 2014 as an assistant head coach. He worked primarily with linebackers and served as the special teams coordinator and in three of his four seasons, the Trojans’ defense was tops in both the Sun Belt and NCAA in multiple defensive categories.

Sumrall comes to Troy from the University of Kentucky, where he was named Kentucky’s inside linebackers coach in 2019 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator this year. He played middle linebacker at Kentucky from 2002-04.

Troy University Athletic Director Brent Jones said Sumrall’s name kept rising to the top as the university compiled a list of 50 candidates for the head coaching position, then began narrowing the search. Jones says Sumrall has the energy, enthusiasm and passion to return the Trojans to national prominence.

“I wanted this job,” Sumrall said. “It’s a winning culture. Its expectations are real.”

Sumrall says he expects to compete and win Sun Belt championships, play in bowl games, be ranked in the Top 25 and sell out all home games. To do it, he says he needs the support of everyone on campus, in the community and of former players.

Sumrall replaces Chip Lindsey, who was fired after going 15-19 over three seasons.

Sumrall is a native of Huntsville and was a two-time all-state performer and a four-year letter winner at Grissom High School.

He is married to the former Ginny Nixon, also of Huntsville. They have four children, Sam, Sadie, Stella and Selah.