Florida's Jon Sumrall says the Gators can build a 'monster' after two straight losses

Florida coach Jon Sumrall isn't backing off his long-term pitch for the program, even after the worst two-week stretch of his first season in Gainesville. Roundtable Sports reported that Sumrall believes the Gators are on their way to something big. He pointed to recent recruiting wins as evidence that talented players are buying in.

"I have a strong feeling that we can build a monster here," Sumrall said, according to Roundtable Sports, which cited his remarks to the Palm Beach Post.

The comments follow two lopsided losses. Missouri beat Florida 45-17, and South Carolina followed with a 38-19 win. Those results dropped the Gators to 4-2. Roundtable Sports called them among the most disappointing teams in college football over that stretch.

Sumrall didn't use his first-year situation as an excuse. He acknowledged that building a program doesn't always move as fast as a coach would like, but said Florida is "getting there." He described recent commitments as players wired for the work ahead who plan to stay with the program for the long haul. He also said his belief in what Florida can build has not wavered.

The recruiting point matters. According to the report, Florida has landed some of the top recruits in the country in recent weeks. Sumrall is still working with a roster shaped partly by the previous staff and by the transfer portal. Roundtable Sports argued that a new coach should get about two years before a full verdict, especially before he brings in a complete high school class of his own.

Florida still has to deal with this season, and the schedule doesn't ease up. The Gators visit No. 7 Texas (4-1) on Saturday, October 17, at noon Eastern on ABC. A third straight loss would add pressure to a fan base that is already uneasy.

The market has a clear favorite. On Novig, one of the venues pricing the game, Texas is favored at -376. Pinnacle has the Longhorns at -424, the best sportsbook price on Texas. The spread is Texas -11.5 and the total is 52.5. Full pricing is on the Florida at Texas game page.

For Florida to stay within that number, it has to fix problems that showed up all over the field against Missouri and South Carolina. Both opponents scored at least 38 points, so the defense is the first concern heading into a road game against a top-10 team.

Sumrall's message is about where the program is going in the long run. Saturday in Austin will show how far the current team has to go. A competitive showing would support his case that the foundation is in place. Another lopsided result would bring more questions about how quickly he can close the gap with the top of the SEC.