Former Florida football star Bam Hardmon eager to restore Gator standard as OLB coach

Former Florida football standout linebacker turned coach Byron "Bam" Hardmon hasn't been to a game at The Swamp since 2007.

But his last trip there was a memorable one.

“That’s when I proposed to my wife," Hardmon said. "For the homecoming game."

Hardmon is looking forward to making more memories in The Swamp as Florida Gators outside linebackers coach, returning to the field where he starred from 1999-02. He was a team captain and All-SEC linebacker in 2002 under Ron Zook, recording 168 tackles, which ranks fourth all-time in program history.

"I have a chance to help with the process of getting this place to where it was when I was here," Hardmon said. "I’m excited about that.”

A Jacksonville native, the 45-year-old Hardmon has spent the last four years working under new Florida coach Jon Sumrall, first as outside linebackers at Troy before moving on with Sumrall to outside linebackers coach at Tulane.

"Just getting around him, he has a lot of knowledge," Hardmon said. "He goes about business the right way. He’s a great motivator as well, and he’s a server of these players."

From 2024-25, Hardmon helped contribute to a Tulane defense that ranked second in the American Conference over two seasons in yards allowed per game (348.9) and first in sacks (69).

“Bringing Coach Hardmon back to Florida was a no-brainer,” Sumrall said. “Not only is he a former Gator standout, but he’s a great coach and better person. He has proven throughout his career that he can coach, develop and produce results."

How Bam Hardmon's coaching path led him back to Florida football

After a three-year NFL career, Hardmon began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Illinois from 2008-11 under Zook, where he learned the importance of recruiting.

"He approached recruiting in an aggressive manner," Hardmon said. "Even I recognized that as a player. We were in charge of kind of hosting guys at that time, and he was very aggressive in that sense."

After stints as special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach at Charleston Southern (2012) and defensive line coach at Idaho (2012-13), Hardmon joined the Troy staff in 2013 as inside linebackers coach. In 2017, Hardmon contributed to a Troy defense that set a school record and ranked fourth nationally with 112 tackles for loss. In 2018, Hardmon was a Broyles Award nominee.

By 2020, Hardmon had moved from inside linebackers to outside linebackers, a position he remained at when Sumrall was hired by Troy in 2022. At UF, Hardmon will work with the jack (edge rush) position, which will be led by rising sophomore Jayden Woods, who earned freshman All-SEC honors in 2025 with five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

"I’m excited to see what he is going to do," Hardmon said. "Obviously, last year, he’s had some success. I think just as the grows into Year 2, I think the sky’s the limit for him. I think he approaches things the right way, just from a work ethic, from his preparation. So, he’s doing all the right things in the offseason to help give him a chance to having a lot of success when fall starts.”

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Former Florida football standout Bam Hardmon returns for key OLB coaching role