From Play-Calling to Philosophy, Florida’s Offense and Defense Reset
No matter how spring practice and fall camp play out, the Florida Gators will have a new starting quarterback. Wednesday, on National Signing Day, new coach Jon Sumrall and new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner maintained their stance on an open competition for the job, while Faulkner revealed a little more insight on how Aaron Philo entered the mix.
The former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket followed Buster Faulkner over to Gainesville from Atlanta as the No. 13 QB in the portal, according to ESPN’s Max Olson.
While the relationship remained intact from the time he recruited him in high school and across state borders, Faulkner couldn’t make any promises.
“He reached out wanting to make the move, I told him there’s nothing guaranteed,” Faulkner said. “Nothing was guaranteed to him, and he still made the move.”
The hiring of Faulkner grants Florida fans its biggest wish from last season: a playcaller. After Billy Napier was persistent about calling the plays for Florida’s offense, Faulkner brings a totally new scheme and goals to The Swamp. Faulkner comes over from a Georgia Tech offense that averaged 31.7 ppg—and 460 total yards per game (No. 11 in the country).
“The foundation is in,” he said. “I want to be able to push the field vertically, horizontally, over the middle, every which way we can.
“We’re going to adapt to our guys, we’re going to throw a lot at them early and see where that kind of falls. We’re going to do what they’re [offensive weapons] good at and try to do it a bunch of times.”
For new defensive coordinator Brad White, the decision to join Sumrall’s staff was an easy one.
“That one [decision] took about 30 seconds,” White said. “When he called and asked, it would have taken five seconds, but I had to call my boss.
“You understand what he’s about, you understand his mentality. He’s going to do things the right way, the way he’s going to treat his staff, the way he’s going to treat the players … At the end of the day winners win, he’s been a head coach for four years and been to four conference championships.”
White took the Florida job after being the defensive coordinator at Kentucky, where he coached with Sumrall from 2019-2021.
He went in-depth to explain his coaching philosophy on the defensive side of the ball, which includes five years of NFL experience with the Indianapolis Colts. In a short time, he has evaluated workouts but knows the measurements have their limits.
“Workouts have been really competitive … but defensive football is about full pads,” he said. “Can you tackle in space? Can you pin a ball carrier? Can you rush the passer? All of that happens in full pads.
“The greatest talent on defense is that dude that’s just got that dog in him.”
White and the rest of the coaching staff have been installing their new culture and vision for Florida football over the past month of winter workouts. It’s a culture of balance and excellence.
“Some people use the word and just throw out, ‘Hey man, we’re family in here,’ and then they’re in it just for the football piece and then they’re out the door. That’s not what this thing is going to be about.”
The family aspect of the culture is very important to him. White’s children were ecstatic to meet the players for the first time when he got the job. Building camaraderie inside the locker and out is a key part of his philosophy. He tries to lighten the mood often, such as pranking his players in meetings by throwing a rubber snake out to see who would jump out of their seats scared.
“We work a lot in this building, and we demand a lot of the players. But within that work and that journey, we have got to find joy in it,” he said. “Every moment of every day doesn’t have to be fourth and one.
“They’re going to walk out with a ring and be like ‘that was the best four years of my life until I get married and have a child,’ then that becomes the best thing.”
Category: Feature Sports News, Gators Football
