Nick Saban likes what he’s seeing from Florida’s offense, and he made sure to point the finger at the man shaping it.
Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” before this week’s matchup with Mizzou, Saban praised Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner for helping build a harder-edged identity on that side of the ball.
“I have been very impressed with Florida, especially on offense,” Saban said. “These guys are scoring a lot of points.
They got a lot of weapons. They got a great runner and really good receiving corps.
I think Buster Faulkner is one of those guys that in his culture, is creating toughness. You do that in practice.”
That message lines up with what Florida has shown on the field. The Gators put up 52 points in a win over Ole Miss a few weeks ago and have emerged as one of the best offenses in college football this season. Much of that has come with star running back Jadan Baugh setting the tone.
Baugh has rushed for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns, numbers that rank second and first in the country, respectively. Florida is also second in the SEC in rushing yards, and the ground game has helped the Gators wear teams down late.
Faulkner brought a similar style with him from Georgia Tech, where he served as offensive coordinator last season. The Yellow Jackets were a physical team too, built around one of the country’s top rushing attacks.
Florida’s next test comes Saturday against Missouri, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Missouri's Mark Mitchell Is Back In Fifth Season Limbo
Mark Mitchells path to a possible fifth college season took another turn this week when a Kentucky Court of Appeals dissolved a temporary injunction that had been allowing him and other athletes to keep playing under a contested eligibility claim. The Missouri forward is among a group of players caught up in the wider fight over the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model, a system that has already triggered multiple lawsuits from athletes looking to extend their college careers.
The ruling sends Mitchell, along with players such as Louisvilles Seth Trimble and LSUs Skyy Clark, back into a legal maze while the case continues elsewhere. For now, the NCAAs position remains unchanged: players who have already used four seasons are not eligible for a fifth, leaving Missouri waiting to see whether Mitchells situation finds another courtroom path forward. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Faces A Homecoming Test Fans Cant Ignore
Homecoming weekend brings a tricky backdrop for Missouri, which is set to welcome Florida for its second SEC game of the season. The Tigers are trying to steady themselves after a loss to Mississippi State and carry a 3-1 record into a matchup that already has a little extra weight because of the setting, the conference schedule and the opponent.
Florida arrives undefeated at 4-0 after beating Ole Miss, giving this one a little more edge than a typical fall homecoming date. Missouri will lean on Austin Simmons, Daeden Hopkins and the rest of its core to meet the challenge, while Aaron Philo gives the Gators another layer to worry about as the Tigers try to make the weekend feel more like a celebration than a test. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Faces One Big Test Missouri Will Try To Expose
The build-up to Floridas Week 5 trip to No. 25 Missouri is shaping up around a familiar SEC question: can a defense with real bite force a ranked opponent out of its comfort zone? College football analyst David Pollack pointed to Missouris defensive strengths as the element that could make this more than just another top-10 road test for the Gators, especially if Florida quarterback Aaron Philo is asked to do damage outside the running game.
Missouri, meanwhile, will bring its own issues into the matchup on offense, with quarterback Austin Simmons leading the way and the Tigers still waiting for star running back Ahmad Hardy to return. That mix leaves Missouri with a clear identity on one side of the ball and an important piece still on the way back on the other, which is why this game feels less like a routine showdown and more like a test of which team can make the other play its least comfortable style. [Read more 🡒]