Florida hires Tulane's Jon Sumrall as new Head Football Coach (11/30/2025)

[bamajas]

He's a Bama boy! I didn't know that to recently.

And learning he's a Huntsville native and from Grissom I wonder if he had some Auburn fandom. Many of those south Huntsville kids like AU there.

Him turning down AU makes that even sweeter.

@Bazza, I sure hope CJS works out. It's time for UF to be "good again" because I think it makes the conference better.

Sumrall's wife is an AU alum

 

[BamaMoon]

Sumrall's wife is an AU alum

Man, that makes alot of sense since he's from south Huntsville, but also that's VERY REVEALING that he turned them down. It means he KNOWS the untenable culture for coaches!

 

[Bazza]

This is very encouraging!

Join Voice of the Gators Sean Kelley as he sits down with new Florida Gators head football coach Jon Sumrall, along with coaching legends Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, for an in-depth, can’t-miss conversation.

 

[Bazza]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2002748567258079265

 

[OconeeTide]

I hope he works out for yall, SEC aint the same with a bad Florida Gators.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

I love ya Bazza, but I'm afraid my Alma Mater and yours are second and third fiddle in the State of Florida. I can't bring myself to cheer for anything Orange and Blue.

 

[mlingerfelt31]

I think of the hires announced today I think Florida got the best one.

agree

 

[mlh]

I think this is a good hire for UF. I know several of my AU fans are sick they didn't get him.

 

[Bazza]

Florida Gators new coaching staff is pretty much in place.

New Head Coach Jon Sumrall made some critical choices for his new staff.

Here are bios of each coach hired.

Buster Faulkner, Offensive Coordinator from Ga Tech.
2-time National Champion Coach at Georgia. And won a third at Valdosta State.
A 6-time conference championship coach.
2025 Offensive Coordinator of the Year from Football Scoop.
2025 Broyes finalist for Coordinator of the Year.

Brad White, Defensive Coordinator from Kentucky.
He spent 6 years as Defensive Quality Control & Linebacker coach with Indianapolis Colts.
The next 8 years he was Kentucky’s LB Coach (1 year), and DC/OLB (7 years) until hired by Florida.

Phil Trautwein, O-Line coach from Penn State.
A Two-time National Champion Offensive Tackle for Florida and 2-Time All SEC Team selection.
Played in the NFL for St. Louis, Cleveland, New Orleans & San Diego.
In 5 years at Penn State, he coached 7 players drafted into the NFL.

Bam Hartman, OLB Coach from Tulane.
2000 SEC Champion as a LB with Gators, and 2002 All SEC Team.
2 Years coaching OLBs for Tulane. 9 yrs coaching at Troy where 19 of his players were All-Sun Belt.
2018 Broyes Award Nominee and 2020 Football Scoop LB Coach of the Year.

Gerald Chapman – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach.
Coached Defensive Ends & Outside Linebackers for two years with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Coached at LSU & Tulane D-Line before coming to Florida in 2024 and retained by Sumrall.

Joe Craddock, QB Coach from Tulane.
He was the Offensive Coordinator for Sumrall at Troy (2022-2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Also, the OC/QB at SMU (2015-2017) and Arkansas (2018-2019).
Played QB four years at Middle Tennessee, two years as the starter.

Brandon Harris, DB Coach from UCF.
Coached DBs at FSU (2020), FIU (2021) FAU (2022-2024) & UCF (2025)
Four Year Starter at CB for the Miami Hurricanes. All-American (2009) All-ACC (2009 & 2010)
He played in the NFL for 9 years. Miami (2008-2010 & 2016), Houston (2011-2013) & Tennessee (2014-2015)
Won the Grey Cup Championship in 2017 with the Toronto Argonauts.
In 2024 his FAU DB’s had 11 interceptions and 2 TDs.

Chris Collins, Safeties Coach from Kentucky.
Three Years as DB Coach & Two years DB/Co-Defensive Coordinator. He coached under Brad White all five years.
Spent four years at Georgia State as the Recruiting Coordinator and Safeties Coach.

Marcus Davis, Wide Receivers Coach from Auburn.
Davis is from Boynton Beach, Fl.
He played WR for Auburn (2013-2016), where they won the SEC & BCS Championship.
Coached as a Grad Assistant at FSU in 2020. WR Coach at Hawaii (2021), Georgia Southern (2022) & Auburn (2023-2025).
In 2022 Georgia State was ranked 4th Nationally in passing yards per game, averaging 330ypg.

Chris Foster, RB Coach from Duke.
Former South Carolina’s Mr Football in High School.
Played Running Back for Garner-Webb (2000-2003)
Coached RB’s at Gardner-Webb (2004-2011), App State (2012-2014), Maryville (2015) Georgia Southern (2016-2020), Eastern Carolina (2021-2022), Northwestern (2023-2024) & Duke (2025).
Coached 5 NFL Draft Picks.

Greg Gasparato, ILB Coach from Tulane.
Played Safety for Wofford (2005-2008)
Was the Defensive Coordinator for Sumrall at Troy (2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Coached LB’s at App State (2013-2014), LB/S at Wofford (2015-2017), Safeties at App State (2018-2019), DC at Army (2020) & S/LB at Louisville (2021-2022).

Rusty Whitt, Strength & Conditioning coach from Tulane.
Played Safety for Abilene Christian (1990-1994).
Was the S&C coach at Troy before Sumrall arrived (2020-2021) and then for Sumrall (2022-2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Coached S&C at William & Mary (1997-1998), Louisville (1998), Sam Houston (1997-2003), Rice (2009-2010), Louisiana-Lafyette (2011-2015), Texas Tech (2016-2018) & Army (2019).
Received the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (2007), Iraq Campaign Medal (x2) & US Army Commendation Medal.

Evan McKissock, TE Coach from Tulane.
Was the TE Coach for Sumrall for at Troy (2022-2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Coached as a Grad Assistant at Western Kentucky (2017-2019) & TEs at Murray State (2020-2021)
Former All-Sun Belt team Offensive Lineman at Troy.

Johnathan Galante, Special Teams from Tulane.
Coached Special Teams at Tulane in 2025.
2025 Broyles Award Nominee. Place Kicker Patrick Durkin named AAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Kicker, Punter, Returner and Long Snapper all made the All-AAC Team.
Coached as a Grad Assistant at Va Tech (2017-2018), Special Teams Analyst at Alabama

 

[Toddrn]

Florida Gators new coaching staff is pretty much in place.

New Head Coach Jon Sumrall made some critical choices for his new staff.

Here are bios of each coach hired.

Buster Faulkner, Offensive Coordinator from Ga Tech.
2-time National Champion Coach at Georgia. And won a third at Valdosta State.
A 6-time conference championship coach.
2025 Offensive Coordinator of the Year from Football Scoop.
2025 Broyes finalist for Coordinator of the Year.

Brad White, Defensive Coordinator from Kentucky.
He spent 6 years as Defensive Quality Control & Linebacker coach with Indianapolis Colts.
The next 8 years he was Kentucky’s LB Coach (1 year), and DC/OLB (7 years) until hired by Florida.

Phil Trautwein, O-Line coach from Penn State.
A Two-time National Champion Offensive Tackle for Florida and 2-Time All SEC Team selection.
Played in the NFL for St. Louis, Cleveland, New Orleans & San Diego.
In 5 years at Penn State, he coached 7 players drafted into the NFL.

Bam Hartman, OLB Coach from Tulane.
2000 SEC Champion as a LB with Gators, and 2002 All SEC Team.
2 Years coaching OLBs for Tulane. 9 yrs coaching at Troy where 19 of his players were All-Sun Belt.
2018 Broyes Award Nominee and 2020 Football Scoop LB Coach of the Year.

Gerald Chapman – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach.
Coached Defensive Ends & Outside Linebackers for two years with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Coached at LSU & Tulane D-Line before coming to Florida in 2024 and retained by Sumrall.

Joe Craddock, QB Coach from Tulane.
He was the Offensive Coordinator for Sumrall at Troy (2022-2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Also, the OC/QB at SMU (2015-2017) and Arkansas (2018-2019).
Played QB four years at Middle Tennessee, two years as the starter.

Brandon Harris, DB Coach from UCF.
Coached DBs at FSU (2020), FIU (2021) FAU (2022-2024) & UCF (2025)
Four Year Starter at CB for the Miami Hurricanes. All-American (2009) All-ACC (2009 & 2010)
He played in the NFL for 9 years. Miami (2008-2010 & 2016), Houston (2011-2013) & Tennessee (2014-2015)
Won the Grey Cup Championship in 2017 with the Toronto Argonauts.
In 2024 his FAU DB’s had 11 interceptions and 2 TDs.

Chris Collins, Safeties Coach from Kentucky.
Three Years as DB Coach & Two years DB/Co-Defensive Coordinator. He coached under Brad White all five years.
Spent four years at Georgia State as the Recruiting Coordinator and Safeties Coach.

Marcus Davis, Wide Receivers Coach from Auburn.
Davis is from Boynton Beach, Fl.
He played WR for Auburn (2013-2016), where they won the SEC & BCS Championship.
Coached as a Grad Assistant at FSU in 2020. WR Coach at Hawaii (2021), Georgia Southern (2022) & Auburn (2023-2025).
In 2022 Georgia State was ranked 4th Nationally in passing yards per game, averaging 330ypg.

Chris Foster, RB Coach from Duke.
Former South Carolina’s Mr Football in High School.
Played Running Back for Garner-Webb (2000-2003)
Coached RB’s at Gardner-Webb (2004-2011), App State (2012-2014), Maryville (2015) Georgia Southern (2016-2020), Eastern Carolina (2021-2022), Northwestern (2023-2024) & Duke (2025).
Coached 5 NFL Draft Picks.

Greg Gasparato, ILB Coach from Tulane.
Played Safety for Wofford (2005-2008)
Was the Defensive Coordinator for Sumrall at Troy (2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Coached LB’s at App State (2013-2014), LB/S at Wofford (2015-2017), Safeties at App State (2018-2019), DC at Army (2020) & S/LB at Louisville (2021-2022).

Rusty Whitt, Strength & Conditioning coach from Tulane.
Played Safety for Abilene Christian (1990-1994).
Was the S&C coach at Troy before Sumrall arrived (2020-2021) and then for Sumrall (2022-2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Coached S&C at William & Mary (1997-1998), Louisville (1998), Sam Houston (1997-2003), Rice (2009-2010), Louisiana-Lafyette (2011-2015), Texas Tech (2016-2018) & Army (2019).
Received the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (2007), Iraq Campaign Medal (x2) & US Army Commendation Medal.

Evan McKissock, TE Coach from Tulane.
Was the TE Coach for Sumrall for at Troy (2022-2023) and Tulane (2024-2025).
Coached as a Grad Assistant at Western Kentucky (2017-2019) & TEs at Murray State (2020-2021)
Former All-Sun Belt team Offensive Lineman at Troy.

Johnathan Galante, Special Teams from Tulane.
Coached Special Teams at Tulane in 2025.
2025 Broyles Award Nominee. Place Kicker Patrick Durkin named AAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Kicker, Punter, Returner and Long Snapper all made the All-AAC Team.
Coached as a Grad Assistant at Va Tech (2017-2018), Special Teams Analyst at Alabama

Looks like a good group of coaches.