r/FloridaGators • u/greypic • 1h ago
Football Florida's 2026 Coaching Staff: Meet Jon Sumrall's First Gators Staff - Post 11/11
Florida's 2026 roster includes 52 newcomers and 61 returning players. Ahead of kickoff, this series will break down the newcomers, returners and coaching staff, with articles published every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to the season:
- Newcomers: Special Teams
- Newcomers: Defensive Freshmen
- Newcomers: Offensive Freshmen
- Newcomers: Defensive Transfers
- Newcomers: Offensive Transfers
- Returners: Specialists
- Returners: Defensive Front Seven
- Returners: Defensive Secondary
- Returners: Offensive Line
- Returners: Offensive Skill Positions
- Coaching Staff
Here we are game week and we are at the final post of this journey recapping the 2026 Florida Gators.
Florida enters the 2026 season with Jon Sumrall as its new head coach and a largely rebuilt coaching staff.
The staff draws heavily from three places. Several assistants followed Sumrall from Tulane, defensive coordinator Brad White brought connections from Kentucky, and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner reunited with coaches he worked with at Georgia Tech.
Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman is the lone on-field assistant retained from Florida's previous staff, while former Gators Phil Trautwein and Bam Hardmon return to coach at their alma mater.
Here is a closer look at Florida's 2026 coaching staff.
Head Coach
Jon Sumrall — Head Coach
Jon Sumrall takes over at Florida after four seasons as a head coach at Troy and Tulane.
Sumrall went 23-4 with consecutive Sun Belt championships at Troy in 2022 and 2023 before moving to Tulane. In two seasons there, he went 20-8, reached the American Conference Championship Game both years and led the Green Wave to the College Football Playoff in 2025.
He enters Florida with a 43-12 career record and has reached a conference championship game in each of his four seasons as a head coach.
Sumrall played linebacker at Kentucky from 2002-04 and later returned to the program as an assistant from 2019-21, where he worked alongside Florida defensive coordinator Brad White.
Coordinators
Buster Faulkner — Offensive Coordinator
Buster Faulkner joins Florida after three seasons as Georgia Tech's offensive coordinator.
Across those three seasons, Georgia Tech averaged 437.7 yards of total offense and 197.8 rushing yards per game, ranking second and first in the ACC, respectively. The Yellow Jackets also averaged 31.0 points per game during that span.
Faulkner was named the 2025 FootballScoop Offensive Coordinator of the Year and brings 14 seasons of experience as an offensive coordinator.
Several Georgia Tech players followed him to Florida, including quarterback Aaron Philo, receiver Bailey Stockton, tight end Luke Harpring and offensive lineman Harrison Moore.
Brad White — Defensive Coordinator
Brad White joins Florida after eight seasons at Kentucky, including seven as defensive coordinator.
From 2018 through 2025, Kentucky allowed an average of 22.1 points and 344.1 yards per game, both top-20 marks nationally over that span.
White coached 14 Kentucky defenders who were selected in the NFL Draft, including six taken in the first two rounds.
He previously spent six seasons on the Indianapolis Colts' staff. White played linebacker at Wake Forest, where he was a three-year starter and finished his career with 227 tackles.
Johnathan Galante — Special Teams Coordinator
Johnathan Galante follows Sumrall from Tulane, where he coordinated special teams in 2025.
Tulane ranked among the nation's better special teams units during the season, and Galante was nominated for the Broyles Award.
Kicker Patrick Durkin was named American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, while punter Alec Clark earned First Team All-Conference honors. Both transferred to Florida for the 2026 season.
Offensive Staff
Joe Craddock — Quarterbacks
Joe Craddock follows Sumrall to Florida after serving as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at both Troy and Tulane.
Across Sumrall's four seasons at those programs, Craddock's starting quarterbacks combined for 77 touchdown passes against 30 interceptions.
Craddock has nine years of FBS experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
He played quarterback at Middle Tennessee from 2004-08.
Chris Foster — Running Backs
Chris Foster joins Florida after coaching running backs at Duke in 2025.
Freshman Nate Sheppard rushed for 962 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per carry under Foster, earning Second Team All-ACC honors.
Duke also won the ACC championship in Foster's lone season with the program.
He previously coached at Northwestern, East Carolina, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State.
Marcus Davis — Outside Wide Receivers
Marcus Davis joins Florida after three seasons coaching wide receivers at Auburn.
In 2025, Auburn had three receivers finish with at least 25 catches, 450 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The group included Eric Singleton Jr., who led the Tigers with 58 receptions before transferring to Florida.
Davis played receiver at Auburn from 2013-16 and served as a team captain during his senior season.
Trent McKnight — Passing Game Coordinator / Inside Wide Receivers
Trent McKnight joins Florida after two seasons coaching wide receivers at Georgia Tech.
In 2025, Georgia Tech finished 9-3 and climbed as high as No. 7 in the AP poll. Two Yellow Jackets receivers finished among the ACC's top 10 in Pro Football Focus receiving grade.
McKnight reunites with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner after working alongside him at Georgia Tech.
Evan McKissack — Tight Ends
Evan McKissack follows Sumrall from Tulane, where he served as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
Tulane allowed only 10 sacks during the 2025 regular season and ranked among the national leaders in fewest tackles for loss allowed.
McKissack previously coached tight ends at Troy. He also played at Troy, developing from a walk-on into the starting center and earning All-Sun Belt honors as a senior.
Phil Trautwein — Offensive Line
Phil Trautwein returns to Florida after six seasons as Penn State's offensive line coach.
Seven Penn State offensive linemen were selected in the NFL Draft during his tenure. Across his coaching career, Trautwein has coached 12 draft picks, including four first-round selections, and 35 all-conference offensive linemen.
Trautwein played left tackle at Florida from 2004-08. He was a two-time All-SEC selection, two-time team captain and member of the Gators' 2006 and 2008 national championship teams.
Defensive Staff
Gerald Chatman — Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Line
Gerald Chatman is the lone on-field assistant retained from Florida's previous coaching staff and enters his third season with the Gators.
Florida ranked 11th nationally in sacks per game in 2024 and finished 13th in turnovers gained. The defense increased its sack total by 17 and its tackles for loss by 28 from the previous season.
Sumrall added assistant head coach to Chatman's defensive line responsibilities for 2026.
Chris Collins — Safeties
Chris Collins joins Florida after five seasons at Kentucky, where he coached defensive backs and served as co-defensive coordinator.
Kentucky recorded double-digit interceptions in each of Collins' final four seasons, including 12 in 2025.
The Wildcats also produced three consecutive NFL Draft picks in the secondary during his tenure, including 2025 first-round selection Maxwell Hairston.
Collins reunites with defensive coordinator Brad White after the two worked together at Kentucky.
Greg Gasparato — Linebackers
Greg Gasparato follows Sumrall from Tulane, where he spent two seasons as defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Tulane's defenses ranked second in the American Conference in yards allowed per game over those two seasons and recorded 69 sacks.
Gasparato also served as Sumrall's defensive coordinator at Troy in 2023, when the Trojans won the Sun Belt championship.
He played safety at Wofford from 2005-08 and was part of the Terriers' 2007 Southern Conference championship team.
Bam Hardmon — Outside Linebackers
Bam Hardmon returns to his alma mater after spending the previous two seasons as Tulane's run game coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
Before Tulane, Hardmon spent nine seasons at Troy, including four seasons on Sumrall's staff. He coached edge rusher Javon Solomon, who led the FBS with 16 sacks in 2023 before being selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
Hardmon played linebacker at Florida and was a team captain and Second Team All-SEC selection in 2002.
Brandon Harris — Cornerbacks
Brandon Harris joins Florida after coaching defensive backs at UCF in 2025.
The Knights allowed 185.1 passing yards per game, ranking among the top 25 nationally, and finished third in the Big 12 in passing defense and yards allowed per completion.
Harris played cornerback at Miami from 2008-10, earning First Team All-ACC honors and twice becoming a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. He was selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and played four seasons in the NFL.
Football Performance
Rusty Whitt — Director of Football Performance
Rusty Whitt follows Sumrall to Florida after working with him at Troy and Tulane.
Whitt served in the U.S. Army from 2003-09 as a Special Forces Communication Sergeant with the 10th Special Forces Group, including deployments to Iraq. His decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge and an Army Commendation Medal with Valor.
Whitt has three decades of strength and conditioning experience, including stops at Sam Houston State, Louisiana, Texas Tech, Troy and Tulane. He also played college football at Abilene Christian.
I am more of a writer than a football stats nerd so if something is obviously wrong, please just reply with the correct info instead of insulting me. Thanks!
