Florida Gators Football: Jon Sumrall Assembles a Staff Built to Win-Now
The countdown is on in Gainesville. With 213 days to go until the Florida Gators open their 2026 season against Florida Atlantic at The Swamp, new head coach Jon Sumrall isn’t wasting a second. After years of underwhelming results-just one winning season in the last six-Sumrall is making it clear: this program is done waiting.
It starts with the staff. And Sumrall’s first move was a big one-bringing in veteran defensive coordinator Brad White.
If that name rings a bell, it should. White spent seven seasons running Kentucky’s defense and built a reputation for fielding physical, disciplined units that consistently ranked among the best in the country.
“It took about 30 seconds when [Sumrall] called and said, ‘hey would you be interested?’” White said.
That quick yes speaks volumes. White isn’t just another name off the coaching carousel.
He’s a former NFL assistant who spent six years with the Indianapolis Colts, helping guide them to three straight playoff appearances and a pair of AFC South titles in 2013 and 2014. He’s coached on Sundays, developed pros, and now he’s bringing that pedigree to Gainesville.
White’s Kentucky defenses were no joke. From 2018 to 2025, they consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally in both scoring and total defense.
He coached up 14 NFL draft picks-six of them taken in the first two rounds. That kind of track record doesn’t happen by accident.
But for White, the opportunity to team up with Sumrall was just as important as the program he’s joining.
“At the end of the day, winners win,” White said. “He’s been a head coach for four years and he’s been to four conference championships. The resume speaks for itself.”
And he’s not wrong. Sumrall became the first coach in FBS history to reach four conference title games with two different schools in his first four years as a head coach.
That kind of early success is rare. Sustained success?
That’s the goal now in Gainesville.
On the other side of the ball, Sumrall tapped Buster Faulkner to run the offense. Faulkner arrives after a productive run as Georgia Tech’s offensive coordinator, helping the Yellow Jackets reach three straight bowl games. But his coaching journey has been anything but linear-and that’s exactly why Sumrall wanted him.
“What makes Buster unique, and I think great coaches do this, is you have to be adaptable,” Sumrall said. “When you evaluate offensive coordinators, you’re looking for people who can make the scheme fit the people.”
Faulkner’s résumé reads like a roadmap of offensive evolution. He’s coached at Georgia, Valdosta State, Central Arkansas, Murray State, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, and Southern Miss.
That’s a lot of systems, a lot of quarterback rooms, and a lot of learning. At Middle Tennessee, he led the program to back-to-back eight-win seasons and two bowl games.
At Arkansas State, he did it again.
Then came Georgia, where he was part of two national championship teams as an offensive quality control assistant. His quarterback room in Athens ranked third in the SEC in both passing efficiency and yards per game. That kind of production, paired with his adaptability, made him a prime candidate for Sumrall’s staff.
Though Faulkner and Sumrall hadn’t worked together before, they weren’t strangers. Turns out, they vacation at the same beach every summer and have kept in touch over the years. That off-field connection helped lay the foundation for what they’re building now.
“At the end of the day, I’m all about winning and how you win,” Faulkner said. “Across the profession, he’s known as one of the good guys.
So it’s been awesome so far. I look forward to it.
We’ve talked about this for a few years now.”
Now, Faulkner’s back in the SEC-his first time since helping Georgia win it all in 2022-and he’s ready to help restore Florida’s offensive identity.
“Florida is a great place and has a great tradition,” Faulkner said. “I look forward to helping restore what’s going on here in the past and I really believe that we can do it.”
There’s no sugarcoating it-Florida football has been stuck in neutral for far too long. But with Sumrall at the helm and a pair of proven coordinators in White and Faulkner, the Gators are finally putting the pieces in place to turn the corner.
The countdown to kickoff has begun, and this staff isn’t just preparing for a game-they’re building a foundation. One that’s built to win.