Kyle Whittingham should take a page from Jon Sumrall's rivalry handbook

Kyle Whittingham hasn't given Michigan fans what they typically are used to when it comes to The Game rivalry against Ohio State. On the flip side, Florida head coach Jon Sumrall and Auburn head coach Alex Golesh are putting on a masterclass for a rivalry that really isn't that big between the Gators and Tigers.

Both Florida and Auburn are set start SEC with a big matchup at Auburn this weekend and while this used to once be a fierce rivalry, it has lost its sting in recent years. It looks like that rivalry might be renewed, though, under Sumrall, with his take on family members of his who have ties to the Tigers and where their loyalties lie this weekend.

"If I do, they’re no family to me. Florida pays my mortgage," Sumrall said. "Any family that’s pulling against us ain’t my family."

Auburn head coach Alex Golesh even chimed in on the rivalry. As both new head coaches who came from The American Conference in the offseason, Golesh and Sumrall have a good friendship, but according to Golesh, that won't be the case this week and into the matchup on Saturday.

"He (Jon Sumrall) said we were friends?" Golesh said. "Not this week we’re not. I have a ton of respect for Jon but this week I don’t care.”

Kyle Whittingham needs to show some fire about The Game rivalry

Whittingham has shown nowhere near as much hate for Ohio State as these two new head coaches at Florida and Auburn. It is understandable that Whittingham is new to the rivalry between the Buckeyes and the Wolverines, but he should at least play into it more than he does.

Both Golesh and Sumrall are new to their teams as well and are learning the different rivalries; and let's face it, both Florida and Auburn seem to have some sort of big rivalry with like every team. Neither coach is messing around when it comes to this matchup, though, especially being the first SEC game for both coaches.

Whittingham is not the type of coach, though, to immediately jump into the hating game of a rivalry until it is necessary. As an older coach who is a little more old-fashioned, Whittingham is focusing more on the game at hand, which this week is UTEP. Why worry about Ohio State when you don't play them till the final game of the regular season?

So sure, Whittingham could take a page out of Sumrall and Golesh's book, but they are putting more emphasis on this rivalry this week because it is the game at hand. Whittingham will do the same once The Game rolls around and he gets into the thick of it all.

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