{"id":1975,"date":"2026-05-28T14:05:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=1975"},"modified":"2026-05-28T14:05:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:05:32","slug":"floridas-buster-faulkner-brad-white-among-nations-highest-paid-coordinators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=1975","title":{"rendered":"Florida\u2019s Buster Faulkner, Brad White among nation\u2019s highest-paid coordinators"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GAINESVILLE \u2014 Florida made Buster Faulkner the highest-paid coordinator in school history and one of the nation\u2019s few offensive coordinators earning $2 million annually to lure him to Gainesville.<\/p>\n

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Faulkner signed a three-year, $6.5 million deal after he left Georgia Tech to join head coach Jon Sumrall\u2019s staff. Former Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White\u2019s 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\u2019s University Athletics Association following a public records request.<\/p>\n

Sumrall\u2019s coordinators and assistant coaches, including strength coach Rusty Whitt, will earn $11.2 million in 2026 for a total of 15 coaches. Billy Napier\u2019s coordinators and 12 assistants earned $7.5 million in 2025.<\/p>\n

The Gators are banking on the investment to pay off.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to spend what we need to spend to give the Gators a chance to be successful,\u201d Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin told the Orlando Sentinel. \u201cWe\u2019re kind of paying market rate now for coordinators. We weren\u2019t doing that last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, 15 defensive coordinators earned at least $1.8 million.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe probably redirected a lot of the resources we had under Billy, as opposed to a lot of new,\u201d Stricklin told the Orlando Sentinel. \u201cThere 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\u2019s (general manager Dave Caldwell) priorities that might be different than where we were before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sumrall has devoted significant resources to both lines of scrimmage, areas he identified as critical to UF\u2019s turnaround.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

By Sumrall\u2019s second season, four assistants will earn at least $1 million, another first at Florida.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Sumrall brought several coaches with him from Tulane, including two former coordinators who will be\u00a0 handsomely compensated.<\/p>\n

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Quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock, who was Sumrall\u2019s offensive coordinator at Tulane, and Chris Gasprato, the Green Wave\u2019s former defensive coordinator, each inked two-year deals paying $600,000 annually.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

After serving as Tulane\u2019s co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Evan McKissick will coach Florida\u2019s tight ends for $400,000 annually over two years.<\/p>\n

Whitt, who worked with Sumrall as strength coach at both Troy (2022-23) and Tulane (2024-25), will earn $550,000 annually each of the next two years.<\/p>\n

In addition to Faulkner and White, Sumrall hired assistants from across the Southeast.<\/p>\n

Safeties coach Chris Collins followed White from Kentucky, signing a two-year deal that pays 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 worth $550,000 in 2026 and $600,000 in 2027.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Coaches will receive fringe benefits on top of their annaul salaries.<\/p>\n

Faulkner and White will receive either a dealership car or a $500 monthly vehicle stipend. The rest of Florida\u2019s on-field assistant coaches will receive the $500 stipend, or $6,000 annually, in lieu of having a dealership car.<\/p>\n

All of Florida\u2019s on-field assistants received $50,000 in moving expenses\/temporary housing, while Whitt received $35,000.<\/p>\n

Read more Storm coverage increases in the afternoon with high chances for rain<\/a><\/p>\n

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Florida coach Sumrall’s coordinators and assistant coaches will earn $11.2 million in 2026 for a total of 15 coaches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-sports","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nFlorida\u2019s Buster Faulkner, Brad White among nation\u2019s highest-paid coordinators - Orlando Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=1975\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Florida\u2019s Buster Faulkner, Brad White among nation\u2019s highest-paid coordinators - 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