Buster Faulkner Named florida Gators Offensive Coordinator, Poised to Revitalize Struggling Offense
Florida’s search for a new offensive leader has concluded with the expected hiring of Georgia Tech’s Buster Faulkner as the Gators’ next offensive coordinator, as first reported by ESPN’s pete Thamel. Despite a counter-offer from Georgia Tech, Faulkner has chosen to take the reins of the Florida offense.
Filling the offensive coordinator position was a top priority for head coach Jon Sumrall, especially given the Gators’ offensive struggles in 2025.Florida’s offense ranked 102nd nationally and 13th in the Southeastern Conference, producing just 341.3 yards per game. The arrival of Faulkner, a rising star in the coaching world, signals a clear intent to dramatically improve those numbers.
Faulkner, 44, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record to Gainesville. He has served as an offensive coordinator at multiple programs and boasts two national championships as an assistant coach during his tenure at Georgia. His recent success at Georgia Tech further solidified his reputation as a highly sought-after coordinator. He was also a 2025 Broyles Award semifinalist, recognizing him as one of the top assistant coaches in college football.
“Pro tip:†— Faulkner’s diverse coaching stops demonstrate his adaptability and ability to build triumphant offenses in different conferences.
The georgia native’s coaching journey began as a student assistant at Valdosta State in 2005, followed by a graduate assistant role at georgia in 2006. He later returned to Valdosta State as a quarterback coach in 2007 and offensive coordinator in 2008, before stints at Central Arkansas (2009) and Murray state (2010). From 2011 to 2015, Faulkner flourished as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Middle Tennessee State, where the Blue Raiders averaged over 31 points per game and surpassed 5,000 total yards in each of his final three seasons.
His success continued at Arkansas State from 2016-2018, leading the Red Wolves to top-20 national rankings in total offense in both 2017 and 2018, and dominating the Sun Belt Conference. After a year at Southern Miss in 2019,Faulkner rejoined the Georgia Bulldogs as a quarterbacks coach and quality control assistant from 2020-2022,playing a key role in the progress of Stetson Bennett and contributing to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022.
“Reader question:†— Can Faulkner replicate his success with Haynes King at Georgia Tech with DJ Lagway at Florida?
Faulkner’s most recent success came at Georgia Tech,where he was hired ahead of the 2023 season.In 2023, the Yellow Jackets led the ACC in rushing, finishing 12th nationally with 203.8 rushing yards per game. They followed that up with the second-best rushing attack in the ACC in 2024, averaging 187 yards per game. Though, his 2025 offense has been his most explosive yet, ranking 12th in the nation with 466.3 total yards per game. Quarterback Haynes King has thrived under Faulkner’s guidance, completing nearly 72% of his passes for 2,697 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while also contributing 922 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart lauded Faulkner’s coaching abilities, stating, “buster does an incredible job. he knows where things are, where all the nuggets are on defenses.He knows how to attack them. He knows the answers for things when you do them. Buster does an awesome job, and that’s continued this year.â€
The challenge now falls to Faulkner to translate his success to Florida. The Gators will likely turn to DJ Lagway at quarterback, despite a disappointing sophomore season where he completed 63% of his passes for 2,264 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.The team will also look to build around running back Jadan Baugh, who emerged as their most effective player in 2025, rushing for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries. Dynamic wide receivers Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson, both promising true freshmen, will also be key components of the passing attack, provided they can remain healthy.
However, the biggest concern for the Florida offense may lie on the offensive line. The team will be without left tackle austin Barber and center Jake Slaughter, both key players in 2025, who are out of eligibility and projected to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
