Jon Sumrall continues to assemble Gators’ staff while coaching Tulane in CFP
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GAINESVILLE — New Florida coach Jon Sumrall continues to assemble his staff even as he prepares No. 11 Tulane for an opening round CFP matchup Saturday at No. 6 Ole Miss.
Auburn receivers coach Marcus Davis and Kentucky defensive backs coach Chris Collins are set to become the latest assistant coaches to join Sumrall’s Gators staff, the Orlando Sentinel confirmed.
Sumrall also hired offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Georgia Tech, defensive coordinator Brad White from Kentucky, where he coached with Collins since 2021, former Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, who played at UF from 2004-08, and UCF defensive backs coach Brandon Harris, who will coach cornerbacks after he appeared headed to Florida State.
Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman will remain on staff after two seasons under former coach Billy Napier. Chatman arrived at UF to replace Sean Spencer in December of 2023 from Tulane, where Chatman briefly served under Sumrall after he replaced Willie Fritz earlier that month.
Since 2023, Davis coached at Auburn, where the Boynton Beach native played receiver from 2013-2016 and started in the 2014 national title game as a freshman against Florida State. As an Auburn assistant, Davis helped develop sophomore former 5-star prospect Cam Coleman into one of the SEC’s most dangerous receivers and Eric Singleton, Jr. into a productive player from the slot position.
Before returning to his alma mater, Davis spent two seasons at George Southern, including 2022 when the Eagles ranked fourth nationally with an average of 329.9 passing yards and recorded 28 touchdown catches to rank 20th. In 2020, Davis spent a season as a graduate assistant at FSU after two years at Auburn (2018-19) working in player personnel and development.
Collins spent the past five seasons at Kentucky, beginning in 2021 when White and Sumrall were co-defensive coordinators with the Wildcats. Collins served as White’s co-defensive coordinator the past two seasons while also coaching Kentucky’s secondary.
Under Collins, cornerback Maxwell Hairston became a All-SEC second-team choice in 2023 and 2024. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the No. 30 pick in the 2025, becoming the first Kentucky defensive back drafted in the first round. Wildcats cornerback Andru Phillips was a third-round selection in 2024 by the New York Giants.
Under Collins and White, Kentucky ranked second in total defense in the SEC in 2022 (11th nationally) and fourth in 2021. The 2025 Wildcats tied for third in the league with 12 interceptions, including three against former UF quarterback DJ Lagway during a 38-7 rout of the Gators Nov. 8 in Lexington.
Collins, a native of High Point, N.C., coached safeties at Georgia State from 2017-19. He served two stints (2016 and 2011-12) at Western Carolina, his alma mater, and spent two seasons coaching secondary and special teams at Catawba (2013-14) and one at Appalachian State as a graduate assistant in 2015.
In addition to Sumrall’s new assistant coaches, Faulkner also is expected to enlist help from his Georgia Tech staff in analysts roles.
A.J. Erdely will serves as an assistant quarterbacks coach, Emil Ekiyor as an offensive analyst, Dylan Dockery as an assistant tight ends coach and Mike Polly as an assistant offensive line coach.
Erdley, a former UAB quarterback who was 15-6 in 2017-18, arrived from Southern Miss in 2023 to become an offensive analyst. He then served the past two seasons as an assistant to the quarterbacks.
Under Faulkner and Erdley, former Texas A&M castoff Haynes King developed into a top dual-threat quarterback, leading the ACC with 3,619 yards of total offense in 2025 — 922 rushing — and accounting for 27 touchdowns, including 15 on the ground.
Ekiyor spent just one season at Georgia Tech, but has a wealth of playing experience and promising future. He started 40 games at Alabama, earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2022.
Dockery is a former tight end at East Tennessee State (2014-18) who began his career at Jacksonville State in 2019-2021 before spending a season as a graduate assistant at Appalachian State. He arrived at Georgia Tech in 2023 as an offensive analyst, but spent the past two seasons coaching H-backs.
Polly’s coaching career began in 2017 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Georgetown (Ky.) College. He then served three seasons as a graduate assistant at Middle Tennessee (2007-09), three seasons at Murray State (2010-12) and 11 back at Middle Tennessee (2013-2023) coaching offensive line, tight ends and special teams at various times.
He joined head coach Brent Key at Georgia Tech in 2025.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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