Troy hires Kentucky assistant Jon Sumrall as head coach

TROY, Ala. (AP) — Troy has hired Kentucky co-defensive coordinator Jon Sumrall as its head coach, the school announced Thursday night.

Sumrall replaces Chip Lindsey, who was fired on Nov. 21 with one game left in his third season.

Sumrall, 39, was assistant head coach at Troy from 2015-17 under Neal Brown, who had been Kentucky's offensive coordinator. He will be introduced at a news conference Monday.

“Jon Sumrall exceeded all the criteria we had when searching for a new leader for our football program,” athletic director Brent Jones said. “He is a proven winner and a dynamic recruiter that will continue to build upon our championship legacy."

Sumrall coached inside linebackers for Kentucky under Mark Stoops and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator last spring. Sumrall departed Troy for Mississippi before the 2018 season and returned to Kentucky, his alma mater, the following year.

He has also had stints as an assistant at San Diego and Tulane.

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