On Friday, February 13, Tulane Green Wave Football Head Coach Jon Sumrall spoke to Economics and SLAM Professor of Practice Marcus Coleman’s Principles of Leadership SLAM 3010 course. Throughout the course, students assess their own leadership capabilities through the study and understanding of leadership theory, and the different styles and characteristics of proven leaders like Sumrall. Sumrall spoke about his experiences as a coach and the values he believes define a good leader. He shared his personal leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of leading by example, fostering accountability, and developing a strong work ethic. “A leader doesn’t look to be served; a leader looks at how they can serve,” he told the class.
Prior to taking the head coach position at Tulane, Sumrall was the head coach at Troy University. During his time there, he boasted a 23-4 record and led the Trojans to two Sun Belt Conference championships. In his first season with the Green Wave, Sumrall guided the football team to a 9-5 record and their third consecutive conference championship game appearance.
Sumrall outlined the four core values that define his football program — attitude, toughness, discipline, and love — and explained how integral these values are to shape both his players, and current and emerging leaders. He continually stressed that leadership starts with self-discipline and high character. “Thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to habits, habits lead to character, and character is everything,” he shared. He also highlighted the importance of mental toughness, noting that “Success isn’t just about physical endurance but about perseverance and having a growth mindset — embracing challenges, learning from feedback, and celebrating others’ success rather than feeling threatened into a scarcity mindset about it.” On the value of discipline, he emphasized, “Discipline is not something that somebody does to you; it’s something you do for yourself. It’s an investment for the future.” Finally, he defined love as genuine care for teammates, emphasizing the importance of building strong, meaningful connections. “Love always demands sacrifice,” he explained, reinforcing that true leadership involves putting others before oneself.
A leader doesn’t look to be served; a leader looks at how they can serve.
– Coach Jon Sumrall
Sumrall’s genuine and hard-learned insights reinforced key learning objectives of the SLAM Program. His leadership philosophy, with its emphasis on mental toughness and discipline, tied into the core of leadership concepts and practices. Furthermore, his reflections on leadership within the evolving landscape of college football, and how he adapts along with it in the culture he creates for his players, provided insight into critical perspectives on business, industries, and society in a manner catered towards the SLAM pathway of helping students connect leadership to larger markets. A student in attendance remarked, “Hearing Coach Sumrall talk about leadership in a high-pressure setting like college football really reinforced what we’ve learned in class for values based active and balanced leadership.” His visit demonstrated how the SLAM Program truly equips students with real-world leadership skills, reinforcing that leadership isn’t about authority — it’s about positive influence, service, evolution, and the ability to inspire and elevate those around you.
Sumrall speaks with students after his guest lecture for Professor of Practice Marcus Coleman’s Principles of Leadership class.