Florida’s Buster Faulkner, Brad White among nation’s highest-paid coordinators
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GAINESVILLE — Florida made Buster Faulkner the highest-paid coordinator in school history and one of the nation’s few offensive coordinators earning $2 million annually to lure him to Gainesville.
Faulkner signed a three-year, $6.5 million after he left Georgia Tech to join head coach Jon Sumrall’s staff. Former Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White’s compensation is not far behind, beginning at $1.85 million in 2026 and increasing $100,000 annually to $2.05 million in the final year of his three-year deal, according to coaching contracts provided the Orlando Sentinel by the school’s University Athletics Association following a public records request.
Sumrall’s coordinators and assistant coaches, including strength coach Rusty Whitt, will earn $11.2 million in 2026 for a total of 15 coaches. Billy Napier’s coordinators and 12 assistants earned $7.5 million in 2025.
The Gators are banking on the investment to pay off.
“We’re going to spend what we need to spend to give the Gators a chance to be successful,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin told the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re kind of paying market rate now for coordinators. We weren’t doing that last year.”
Former coach Billy Napier cycled through three defensive coordinators in four seasons, including Ron Roberts, who was let go by Auburn after the 2023 season. Napier also insisted on calling plays himself rather than higher someone to oversee an offense that ranked last in scoring among SEC teams in 2026.
Faulkner will earn $2.1 million in 2026, with his salary increasing to $2.2 million in 2027 and $2.3 million in 2028. In 2025, only six offensive coordinators nationally earned at least $2 million annually, according to CBS Sports.
Meanwhile, 15 defensive coordinators earned at least $1.8 million.
“We probably redirected a lot of the resources we had under Billy, as opposed to a lot of new,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin told the Orlando Sentinel. “There may be some new, just because of cost of living type stuff, but a lot of it was just redirecting to align with John and Dave’s (general manager Dave Caldwell) priorities that might be different than where we were before.”
Sumrall has devoted significant resources to both lines of scrimmage, areas he identified as critical to the Florida’s turnaround.
Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman will earn $950,000 this season, with his annual pay increasing to $1 million in 2027. Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein signed a two-year deal worth $1.75 million, beginning with $750,000 this season.
By Sumrall’s second season, four assistants will earn at least $1 million, another a first at Florida.
Sumrall brought several coaches with him from Tulane, including two former coordinators who will be handsomely compensated.
Quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock, who was Sumrall’s offensive coordinator at Tulane, and Chris Gasprato, the Green Wave’s former defensive coordinator, each inked two-year deals paying $600,000 annually.
Special teams coach Jonathan Galante followed Sumrall from New Orleans for a two-year deal paying $400,000 and $450,000. Former Gators linebacker Bam Harmon returned to coach outside linebackers again for Sumrall, earning $350,000 annually during the next two seasons.
After serving as Tulane’s co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Evan McKissick will coach Florida’s tight ends for $400,000 annually over two years.
Strength coach Rusty Whitt, who worked with Sumrall at both Troy (2022-23) and Tulane (2024-25), will earn $550,000 annually during the next two years.
In addition to Faulkner and White, Sumrall hired assistants from across the Southeast.
Safeties coach Chris Collins followed White from Kentucky, signing a two-year deal paying him $550,000 in 2026 and $600,000 in 2027. Cornerbacks coach Brandon Harris left UCF for Florida State, but instead landed at Florida, signing a two-year deal paying $550,000 in 2026 and $600,000 in 2027.
Outside receivers coach Marcus Davis arrived from Auburn and signed a two-year contract paying $550,000 a year. Running backs coach Chris Foster left Duke for Gainesville for a two-year deal paying $500,000 this season and $550,000 in 2027.
Trent McKnight followed Faulkner from Georgia Tech, where he coached wide receivers in 2024-25. Serving as passing game coordinator in charge of inside receivers, McKnight will earn $500,000 in his first season and $525,000 in 2027.
Coaches will receive fringe benefits on top of their annaul salaries.
Faulkner and White will receive either a dealership car or $500 monthly vehicle stipend. The rest of Florida’s on-field assistant coaches will receive the $500 stipend, or $6,000 annually, in lieu of having a dealership car.
All of Florida’s on-field assistants received $50,000 in moving expenses/temporary housing, while Whitt received $35,000.
Each on-field coach also is eligible for a $1,500 academic bonus around Sept. 1.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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