The Auburn Tigers made some massive waves over the weekend when news broke that they were firing head coach Hugh Freeze after two and a half ugly years on The Plains.

Now, while DJ Durkin will get the rest of the season to audition for the job and try to convince Auburn’s administration that he’s the best option, a nationwide coaching search begins immediately, and many have thoughts as to who the next name should be to lead the Tigers in 2026.

Interestingly though, the name who many are speaking the loudest and has found his way on every single list is Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall.

Sumrall is seen as one of the best up and coming Group of 5 head coaches in the nation, and his ties to the state of Alabama run deep.

A Huntsville native, Sumrall attended Grissom High School before going on to play linebacker at the University of Kentucky. After coaching stops that included prominent assistant positions both at Kentucky and Ole Miss, Sumrall got his first head coaching job at Troy prior to the 2022 season.

In two years there, he led the Trojans to back-to-back Sun Belt titles and compiled a record of 23-4 before eventually taking the job at Tulane. For the Green Wave, he has racked up a 15-7 record and had them in the conversation for a spot in the College Football Playoff, though a loss to UTSA last week likely ends that pursuit.

There’s no question from most that Sumrall is the real deal with a proven track record of success, an ability to adapt and overcome in today’s day and age of college football, and legitimate SEC experience on the field and on the recruiting trail.

For Auburn, the problem here is that Sumrall is going to be highly sought after by other schools — potentially namely LSU and Florida — and if the Tigers want him, they will have to move quick rather than waiting for after the playoff to chase one of the coaches from there.

Thus far, it seems most are in fairly unanimous agreement though that Sumrall is the best name for the job. If Auburn feels that way as well, they need to do whatever it takes to go get him.