Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators have found their offensive coordinator. Per Pete Nakos and Chris Low of On3, it will be Buster Faulkner of Georgia Tech.

Through our reporting, Gators Online identified three primary candidates via multiple sources earlier this week: Faulkner, Kade Bell of Pittsburgh and Joey Halzle of Tennessee. But it was always believed Faulkner, who has had great success with the Yellow Jackets, was the No. 1 target.

As we noted Tuesday, “Early intel suggests Faulkner is a potential No. 1 target. Some at Georgia Tech think he’d accept if UF offers him the job.” Both points ended up being accurate.

Here’s more on UF’s new offensive coordinator:

Get to know Buster Faulker

CURRENT JOB: Georgia Tech OC/TE coach
AGE: 44
QUALIFICATIONS: Under Faulkner, the Yellow Jackets have utilized the unique dual-threat skillset of QB Haynes King the past few seasons. Georgia Tech is 28th in scoring (33.1) and 12th in yards (466.3). Faulkner has been the OC with the Jackets the past three seasons. In 2024, they were 61st in scoring (28.5) and the year before that, they were 43rd (31.1). The Jackets were 125th the season before his arrival. Faulkner has been credited for being a major part of the program’s turnaround. From 2020-22, he was a quality control assistant at Georgia and worked with the quarterbacks. He previously worked at programs such as Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss and others. He has multiple years of experience as an OC, but only three at a P4 program. Faulkner has described his system as a “pro-style hybrid.” Georgia Tech is 19th in rushing, but as The Athletic noted, “Faulkner learned the Air Raid at Valdosta State — where Mike Leach honed the then-nascent offense in the 1990s.” 

PLUSES: Adaptability, Creativity, GT showed rapid improvement upon his arrival, strong rushing attack.
MINUSES: Passing game consistency at Tech; like Bell, has not called plays in a line of scrimmage league.

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Said Louis Riddick of ESPN via X of the hire: “Buster is one of THE very best. Can design and adapt a scheme to his players as well as anyone. Look at they he did for QB’s Haynes King and Aaron Philo at Georgia Tech when each of them played. Hate to see Brent Key lose his OC, but Faulkner is damn good !”