North Texas and Tulane bracing for coaching changes as they meet for the American Conference title

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The American Conference championship game between No. 20 North Texas and No. 21 Tulane showcases how recent changes in college football have led to some awkward situations.

Both coaches in Friday night’s game already have taken new jobs elsewhere.

However, they’ve been permitted — unlike fellow coach Lane Kiffin — to remain with their 2025 teams to finish out a postseason that could include a College Football Playoff berth for one of them.

Jon Sumrall, who will leave Tulane (10-2, No. 20 CFP) for Florida, and Eric Morris, who’ll move on from North Texas (11-1, no. 24 CFP) to Oklahoma State, are friends. And they’ve chatted while wrestling with their respective career and life decisions.

“We’ve been able to confide in each other,” Morris said. “Not a ton of people really know what we’re going through and how hard some of this stuff is.

“Ultimately, I think it’s really cool that we’re kind of in the same position right now and that we’re both still able to lead these teams that have fought so hard for us,” Morris added.

While Sumrall was fielding job offers during a climactic, high-stakes final few weeks of the regular season, he also spoke with Kiffin, who ultimately was not permitted by Mississippi to remain with the Rebels beyond last weekend. Ole Miss is a virtual College Football Playoff lock at 11-1, but Kiffin already is at LSU, one of Rebels’ oldest SEC rivals.

While Sumrall and Morris are moving on to richer programs in different conferences, they’re grateful to be able to remain a bit longer with the teams they built this year.

“The opportunity to finish this with our guys was really important,” Sumrall said. “Leaving is hard when you’ve invested in the people and you care so much about the place.”

For Tulane players, entering the postseason without Sumrall was “not an option,” linebacker Sam Howard said.

Sumrall’s hiring by Florida “is good for him and his family. So, we understand that as a team, as a mature team,” Howard said. “And we understand also that we still have goals that we have to meet. And he’s still going to be here with us as our coach … and he’s going to give us the best chance to win.

“He loves us. We love him,” Howard added. “And we won’t have it no other way.”

Title game experience

Tulane is playing in its fourth straight American Conference championship game and hosting it for the third time in that span.

But the Green Wave have lost their past two title games after winning the first at the end of the 2022 season.

Last season, Tulane lost 35-14 at Army, and left West Point with a “sick feeling” that Howard said has motivated the Green Wave ever since.

“You’ve got to be tired of being tired,” Howard said. “It’s not good to say, ‘Hey, I made it there,’ … and you’re not getting the job done.”

Stylistic differences

Both teams began the season with new quarterbacks because their previous starters transferred.

The similarities largely end there.

Jake Retzlaff is a senior transfer from BYU who set Tulane’s single-season record for TDs rushing by a QB with 14 to go with his 14 scoring passes.

Mean Green QB Drew Mastemaker, a redshirt freshman, has passed for 3,835 yards and 29 TDs.

“What makes him the most dangerous is being able to sit back there and read a defense,” Howard said of Mastemaker. “When he’s back there and he’s comfortable, he can really rip your defense to shreds.”

Ground gains

Lately, the Mean Green running game has given defenses fits as well.

During its past six games, North Texas has averaged 203.2 yards, led by freshman running back Caleb Hawkins, who has scored 16 touchdowns in the Mean Green’s past four games.

“That’s been a huge advantage for us,” said Morris, whose scheme evolved from the “Air Raid” system he learned as a Texas Tech assistant under the late Mike Leach. “It’s allowed me as a play-caller to call more runs than I ever have in my career.”

The elements

The Big Easy has been a soggy place during the latter part of this week.

More rain is expected on Friday night at Tulane’s outdoor, on-campus, Yulman Stadium, which opened in 2014, replacing the Superdome as the Green Wave’s home venue.

“I asked Jon if there’s any way if we can move this game inside. … I’d rather throw the football all over the place,” Morris said. “He started laughing and said — I won’t tell you exactly what he said — but he said, ‘Heck no.’”

Sumrall was hoping for “a monsoon.”

“Might help us,” Sumrall said. “The Green Wave would play better if it’s wet, I think.”

___

AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Denton, Texas, contributed to this report.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football