With questions having risen about the futures of both Kentucky coach Mark Stoops and Auburn head man Hugh Freeze in their current positions, Sumrall, the Tulane head coach, is being linked with both potential vacancies. Sumrall’s ties to Kentucky are that he is a former Wildcats player and assistant coach.

Gregory, Ashton’s middle name, is a reminder of one of Auburn football’s darkest days, but also represents the family’s deep connection to the Plains. Forty-two years before Daniels made his way to Auburn, his father’s cousin, former Auburn fullback Greg Pratt, died after a round of conditioning drills before the 1983 season.