Jon Sumrall Gets Honest on Florida Gators' Coordinators

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The Florida Gators will look completely different in the 2026 season as a new coaching regime has taken over. The Gators fired head coach Billy Napier, bringing in Jon Sumrall to replace him after he had a ton of success over the past four years at Troy and Tulane.

Sumrall also hired some talented coordinators, hiring Buster Faulkner from Georgia Tech and Brad White from Kentucky.

"You want people you trust… they are both very qualified… they are not ego guys or prideful," Sumrall said about Faulkner and White.

With the Gators' new coaching staff and added talent via the transfer portal, they should be much more competitive than they were in 2025, when they went 4-8. 

Florida has made some major additions through the transfer portal to upgrade the roster. Faulkner's offense will be led by Aaron Philo, who is also coming over from Georgia Tech.

Philo has appeared in eight games in his career, completing 59 of 102 passes (57.8 percent) for 938 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions while adding 95 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Philo's familiarity with Faulkner's system will be beneficial as he commands the Gators' offense. 

The other key pieces on offense for Florida will include running back Jadan Baugh and wide receivers Dallas Wilson, Eric Singleton Jr., and Vernell Brown III.

Baugh is coming off a great 2025 season as he rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns, along with 33 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns.

Wilson appeared in four games in 2025 and was explosive, finishing with 12 receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns. He will have a big role in the Gators' offense in 2026.

Singleton Jr. could also be solid as he's had 162 receptions for 2,002 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 201 yards and a touchdown over his first three seasons in college. He is the most experienced receiver on the roster and should be a go-to target for Philo.

On the defensive side of the ball under White, the Gators will rely on defensive end Jayden Woods. Woods had a great freshman season with Florida, recording 28 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, a pass deflection, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

With all of these pieces in place and a new coaching staff, the Gators have the potential to become a ranked program during the 2026 season.

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