When Florida fans were handed a microphone this week, one sentiment cut through the noise and landed cleanly.
“Thank you,” one fan said on Jon Sumrall’s coaches show on WRUF. “For hiring an offensive coordinator.”
That gratitude makes sense. Under Buster Faulkner, the Gators have turned into one of the most dangerous offenses in the country, and they’ve done it with a style that feels both explosive and controlled.
No. 22 Florida is 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SEC heading into its matchup with No.
6 Ole Miss, and the numbers tell the story: third nationally in total offense at 544.3 yards per game, second in plays of 20 yards or more with 23, and second in scoring offense at 54.0 points per game.
The points have piled up fast. Florida’s 162 through three games are the most scored by a first-year coach in program history, and Faulkner’s arrival from Georgia Tech on a $2.1 million salary has been a huge reason why. After four seasons of an offense that too often looked stuck in neutral with former head coach Billy Napier calling plays, Florida now has a unit that looks like it knows exactly where it’s going.
The work behind that change started long before kickoff in September. From January through September, Florida has logged more than 10,000 reps on offense.
“We’ve been working that since January,” Florida wide receiver Vernell Brown III said. “While it is good to go out there and execute, it comes to no surprise to us because that’s what we do day in and day out, and we’ve been working it.”
The balance has been real, too. In Florida’s 44-39 season-opening win at Auburn, the Gators showed how hard they are to pin down.
They piled up 252 passing yards and 243 rushing yards, ran the ball 53 times and threw it 23 times, and leaned on another huge day from Jadan Baugh. The running back finished with 162 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Aaron Philo went 15 of 22 for 204 yards and a touchdown and completed passes to seven different receivers.
Through three games, Florida is averaging 298.3 passing yards and 246.0 rushing yards per game.
“We’ve got a lot of good players,” Faulkner said. “We’ve got to distribute the football and (Philo) has done a great job doing that.”
Philo has looked steady and in control. The 6-foot-1, 207-pound quarterback is completing 73.4% of his passes and averaging 240.3 passing yards per game, and his comfort in Faulkner’s system has helped the Gators settle in quickly.
Faulkner had been recruiting Philo in high school and later brought him in as a transfer from Georgia Tech, and that familiarity has shown up on Saturdays. Even when blitzes get home, Philo has stayed in the pocket and delivered the ball where it needs to go.
“There’s a lot of comfortability with Aaron and what Buster wants to do, and vice versa,” Sumrall said. “Buster trusts Aaron because he’s been in the system for a decent amount of time. And really, Aaron has operated at a really high level on his own, playing the game at a really good efficiency from the quarterback perspective.
“But the other thing he’s done is he’s made other players around him better by helping them understand what to do and how to do it.”
Faulkner has also shown a willingness to reach into the bag early. In his first SEC game as offensive coordinator, he called a double pass from Philo to Kahleil Jackson and then on to Amir Jackson, a trick play that gained 48 yards. It was the kind of call that can win over a fan base in a hurry.
A former quarterback with Air Raid roots at Valdosta State, Faulkner has kept his reputation for tailoring the offense to the talent on hand. That likely means Baugh and the ground game will stay central as the season goes on, with the Gators continuing to lean on the same formula that has worked so far: Baugh pounding defenses with big runs and Philo hitting timely throws.
“I still believe you’ve got to be able to run the football to win in really all the levels of the game, and especially when you go on the road,” Faulkner said. “So yeah, that’s part of who we are and yeah hopefully our identity is starting to be established.”
In Other News...
Florida May Get A Crucial Boost For Ole Miss Showdown
The run-up to Floridas Sept. 26 matchup with Ole Miss has turned into a waiting game, and one of the biggest developments centers on Eric Singleton Jr. The Florida wide receiver has been out since hurting his ankle in the season opener, but he is now listed as questionable, which at least opens the door for a possible return in a game that could benefit from another dynamic weapon on the perimeter.
Ole Miss has its own availability concerns, with running back Kewan Lacy also questionable as he deals with a shoulder issue and works through limited practice reps. The SEC availability report shows several other Rebels in questionable or out status as well, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already carries plenty of weight for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Denzel Aberdeens Florida Future Just Took A Serious Turn
Denzel Aberdeens push to keep his college career alive now has a date attached to it, and Florida basketball is watching closely. The Gators guard has a hearing scheduled for Sept. 29 as part of his complaint and request for a temporary injunction against the NCAAs eligibility rules, a move that puts his future in front of a judge as the season draws nearer.
Aberdeen is arguing that the NCAAs Division I framework allows five seasons of competition within five years and that he should be granted a fifth year of eligibility. The NCAA has pushed back, saying he knew the rules when he entered college and that courts generally should not get involved in eligibility disputes, leaving one of Floridas roster questions tied to a legal process that is still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Lacota Dippre Is Becoming Vital To Florida In An Unexpected Way
Lacota Dippre arrived at Florida as a transfer from James Madison, and early in the 2026 season he has carved out a role that fits the Gators needs perfectly. Rather than piling up catches, the tight end has become a steady presence as a blocker, helping create the kind of edge and movement that has given running back Jadan Baugh room to build his rushing success.
For Florida, that kind of contribution matters just as much as a splashy stat line, especially with a tight end room made up of several transfers. Dippre has stood out for the way his blocking has shown up on multiple touchdowns, and his willingness to put team production ahead of personal numbers has made him a quiet but important piece of what the Gators are trying to do offensively. [Read more 🡒]